Medieval Health Insurance

[My Good Babushka]

In cases of distress, sickness and loss amongst the lower classes, events called "drinkings" were held. The friends and neighbors of the afflicted donated a little money to attend a small dinner of bread, cheese and ale provided by the family, or a friend with means, thereby taking up a collection to defray the cost of the calamity.
A uniquely 15th century solution re-treaded in contemporary America with our spaghetti dinner fundraisers for affording medical treatment.