Until you’ve paid 100% of every insurance premium, doctor’s office visit, and prescription drug, you have no idea how expensive health care is. There was a time when we were healthy and figured that we could save money by opting for an insurance that only covers major medical–then we got breast cancer while we were still young (in our 40’s). A lot of the major medical was covered, but that still left tens of thousands that wasn’t. A lifetime’s worth of escalating expenses is ahead of us with no opportunity to change policies because of, what is now, a pre-existing condition. We are trying to be good citizens by paying all of our expenses, but health care costs are rising fast–last year, my insurance increased 25%, doctor visits up 10%, and prescription drugs inflated by 32%. With my income remaining stagnant in this poor economy, sooner or later something’s gotta give.
Ideally, insurance like mine that only covers major medical should be outlawed. My story explains this very well. Taking a chance that you will remain in good health forever is a risky decision.
All insurance should cover regular check-ups and everything necessary to sustain life. The only differences in quality of insurance should be the amount of the co-pay. Those people with the best benefits would have no co-pay. Those with lesser benefits would have various reasonable co-pays. The insurance premium would be based on the amount of the copay.
Cosmetic or other optional surgeries could be part of an additional supplemental insurance.
This is a place to start. Our representatives can figure out a way to handle people who refuse to carry insurance and illegal aliens who use our medical facilities, along with how Medicare and Medicaid will work. But somebody has to start somewhere.
There are many people in my situation, or worse. These are prime examples why health care needs to be addressed sooner, rather than later.
Mike Venturini – Innkeeper
“Life is good in Jonesville”