We have already reached this point in NY. High deductable ($1000 deductable with pt. paying 20% of the remainder.) was $18,000 in 2012 for TWO people!!!! $1550 a MONTH.
For example; In 2011 we paid $1381 every month. I had surgery on my thumb and MY share , $1000 deductable, plus 20% of the remainder was $3000 (YES, on top of the $1381 we paid every month).
We can not afford these rates now, so we have the highest deductable, $11,000 for $703 a month. Unless we have a serious accident or cancer, heart attack, etc we get nothing for our $703. Doctor visits are $90, we pay for everything else too. My drugs are about $300 a month.
My husband's firm employs 7 people, and I certainly understand that his boss cannot pay for our health care coverage. Some of this is tax deductable, but THIS year our share has gone UP to the first 10%, where is has been 7% for years. Talk about our government putting the screws to us!!!!!
Adding to our angst is the fact that so so many get their care paid for by the taxpayers, US, either because of the burgeoning size of our government, or through Medicaid and Child Health Plus, Healthy Families, etc. WE pay yet we go without. If we don't pay we will be thrown in jail and/or have our house taken away from us. Welcome to the American middle class!!!
Let me add that NEITHER party has the right answers at this time, and MOST people don't know how bad the problem really is because they don't pay for their insurance.
Originally Posted by
TanyaL
All the intuition in the world and the best medicine in the world won't help many of us if the rules governing medical care change and the price goes beyond our ability to pay. We have already had many of our doctors stop their practices this year in the two cities closest to us and many more are no longer taking new medicare patients. I just read an article where there is a growing shortage of medical students applying at the medical schools. Medical insurance for a family of four is estimated to cost over $20,000 per year in another 7 years. Our GP office visits have gone up $100 per visit in the last 15 months and they are in line with other doctors costs.