How I Manage Healthcare While Living in A Van Full-Time

I received these two questions about healthcare and insurance in my “Ask Me Anything” post:

Not having easy access to a medical provider who knows me – or Paco – is definitely a downside to the nomad life.

Every vanlifer handles healthcare and insurance differently. The key is to find what works best for you, and of course, then hope you stay healthy and injury-free along the way! I’ve met several people who don’t carry health insurance and use Urgent Care if a need arises, but I’m not brave enough to take that risk. I may be paying more in the long run, but I like the safety net of knowing any major costs will be covered should I ever need it.

So far, I’ve been lucky in health while out on the road (knock on wood). My lifestyle and meals are certainly more nutritious, which has helped me stay healthy and strong while adventuring.

In all my years in the van, I’ve only been sick once, and that happened to coincide with a visit to a friend’s house, so I had easy access to over-the-counter drugs to knock myself out, and I got to sleep it off in a bedroom rather than the van.

Healthcare

Before I left my job in Austin, I knocked out as many of the big health-related exams, tests, procedures, etc. as possible while I still had superb health insurance. Since being on the road, I’ve used Zion Healthshare for health insurance, and while it’s not fantastic, it does the job at a reasonable cost when compared to other options.

December has become my “medical month” since the holidays take me back to my family in Oklahoma. I’ve established a primary care physician, an eye doctor, and a vet there, so both Paco and I can get caught up on all medical needs while at a temporary home base.

Prescriptions

I do take one daily prescription. When I first moved into the van, I kept my Austin doctor, and she required blood work every six months. I ran into a few hiccups with that, as I tended to be in remote locations, not in large cities where drop-in lab clinics like Any Lab Tests Now existed. Thankfully, since my prescription hasn’t changed since 2007, my current doctor only requires annual blood work, which makes things SO much easier.

For prescriptions, I generally use Walgreens since they’re nationwide and have a shared database. It’s easy to update the pharmacy pickup location on their app, submit a refill request, and pick it up while in a random town running other errands. Of course, sometimes Walgreens wasn’t an option, but I was able to call and have my prescription forwarded to a local grocery store and get everything squared away.

Dental

I’d been slacking on basic dental exams over the years, and that created some headaches – or toothaches.

While dog-sitting in Breckenridge, CO, I cracked a crown while eating sushi the Friday evening before Christmas break, when everything shuts down for a week. Thankfully, there was one dentist in town open that Saturday, who, ironically enough, used to live in Austin. He squeezed me in, and I walked out that same day with a brand new crown – the best early Christmas present ever!

Another dental mishap occurred while in Scottsdale, AZ, and I ended up at the dentist three days in a row for a deep cleaning and other procedures. There, I learned about a Dental Savings Plan, and can now get dental cleanings – as well as annual eye exams – at a deeply discounted rate.

Paco

Paco’s health routine is the same as mine. Every December, he goes to the vet for his annual exam, and I buy all his heartworm, flea & tick medications in bulk so I have a 12-month supply with us in the van.

I carry a large First Aid kit in the van stocked with supplies that, so far, have met all the needs both Paco and I have faced for minor injuries. Paco has had his share of cactus pokes in paws and legs from overzealous pursuits of jack rabbits, and he’s torn paw pads, which I treated using techniques taught by a friend to bandage his paws and get him back on the trail.

Let’s hope our good health prevails as we continue along this journey!