While I'm sure Evelyn's recent surgery was more painful for her physically than it was for us financially (or emotionally), I'm still a little shocked by just how much of it our insurance company decided was our fair share. If this were an elective surgery, I can see them sticking us with a huge portion of the bill just to make us think twice about it. But expecting an average American family with one income and two kids to come up with $750 for a necessary, if minor, surgery -- that seems just a touch unreasonable to me. Hell, I could have spent that money at Sears.
I've been railing against the insurance company lately, but I need to remind myself of this recent bill, also shocking: The twins' last routine visit to the pediatrician (just a standard check-up with a few vaccine shots) ran a whopping $800. Our share of that: $40. And, to be fair, they did pay 99.76% of the twins' $500,000 NICU stay. So maybe I should shut my pie-hole.
Why on earth does it cost $400 per kid for a routine check-up? What do families without insurance do? Why can't this country get it together and create an affordable national health-care system?
For centuries, people got by with leeches and trips to the seaside to keep their humours in balance. High percentages of them survived. Maybe we should just give that a try. Next time I have a headache, I'm reaching for the laudanum.
(Thanks for all your good thoughts for us regarding Evelyn's surgery! It was quite minor and, despite my consuming fears, it was as quick and easy as a surgery could be. She's recovering quite nicely and should be completely back to normal in time for Halloween.)
5 comments:
Ooh...that gets me fired up! This is a subject that causes me grief also and it also happens to be that time of year for renewal
:( So...sorry for ranting...but here goes....
I can't believe what an upward spiral insurance costs have taken over the last 5 years. Five years ago...1)I had 100% coverage on everything except mental and infertility which was some limitation 2)$5 co-pays, $3 generic, $6 name brand prescriptions 3)$25 total for trips to the er 4)no lifetime maximum the insurance would pay out, and NOTHING was taken out of the paycheck to pay for insurance.
Fast forward to today 1)80% on everything except preventative 2)$20 co-pays, $10 generic, $25 name brand, $45 non-preferred prescriptions
3)$100 co-pay er 4)2.5 million maximum, and $75.54 taken out of each paycheck (bi-weekly)
You are right, it is definitely a problem in this country. I am grateful that I have insurance but very frightened that one day, if something is not done to fix the system, I will be unable to afford it.
BTW...you made me learn a new word today :)....laudanum and Yeah for Evie :) BTW...what are those girls going to be for Halloween?
Insurance.
Ruggless went back to a part-time job just for the insurance about 2 years ago.
Before that he worked in the car business where the insurance was ridiculously expensive and the deductible's were also very expensive. So much so, that we went without. For three years. I used to worry every day about my kid hurting himself and how I was going to pay the ER visit.
Before that he worked for our County government and we had 1/4 of our check taken out just for insurance. Stupid.
I think the only ones getting rich in this game is the insurance companies.
I add my voice to the rant about insurance. My husband's present employer covers nothing. I was shocked when a bill arrived in my mailbox for what I had assumed was a 'routine' matter that had been covered in the past. Silly me to not recall that we had a switch. Needless to say, I can no longer afford to go to the doctor when these issues present themselves because just the copay nearly kills me.
Sadly, I also don't understand all the paperwork that comes with insurance and why I have to spend most of my day on the phone if I want to see someone to address any mental health matters. I'm not "crazy/crazy" but I feel that way after a day being transferred around the country just trying to get an answer.
I'm glad the surgery went well!
Thanks for your comment on my post, too! Both of them! Something weird today, though, because I had no idea it was even there until a second ago. No email and no accounting for it on the post itself.
The cost of medical insurance is too rediculous. And, RB, did you read about St. Mary's multi-million-dollar expansion?
St. Mary's is a non-profit. I work for a non-profit and I can tell you we have to beg for every crumb. We're all in the wrong business.
And yeah, my insurance is going up again, and the coverage will probably go down.
I work on the budget, so I know it's either down-size the insurance or down-size the staff, but it still makes me furious.
And we're the FORTUNATE ones. How scary is that? I second Nanette's fears that soon we won't be able to afford insurance. Are we heading into a brave new world where only the wealthy (who could probably afford to pay for health care outright) are the only ones who can afford insurance?
Post a Comment