All this talk about the rising costs of health care in the United States has got my knickers in a twist. Yeah, employers have to pay more, the pharmaceutical companies are claiming big costs, and insurance companies are boo-hoo-hooing. Let's ignore those deep pockets for a moment. Let's hear from this community on how the rising out-of-pocket costs of healthcare are impacting YOU.
For example, I was outraged at the huge out-of-pocket costs for an emergency hospital visit with our new healthcare coverage. (We just moved across the country for a new job my husband secured). It's $200! And to think that I thought the $50 for the old insurance was bad. The person I was talking with, told me that she didn't take her son to the emergency room when he hurt his foot playing soccer because, while the injury concerned her, she didn't think it was broken and could wait until the next day to go to the doctor's office which was more affordable (still a steep $25 co-pay). Now, the woman felt horrible when she found out her son had a fracture! She said, "this has got me all messed up. Look at me, I'm weighing affordability against my family's health!"
I heard about someone that went to my chiropractor for chronic pain and stopped coming because she couldn't afford the $20 co-pay every week. This was a program that was working for her and would most likely h
ave reduced her need for other services over time as well. After her 25 visits authorized from the insurance company were up, she would have had to pay for the visits in full on her own. Perhaps the doctor would have helped out with reduced fees - but this would still easily be $1000 out of her own pocket. A thousand dollar hit to the average person's budget surely stings.
The National Coalition on Healthcare (NCHC) reports "the percentage of Americans under age 65 whose family-level, out-of-pocket spending for health care, including health insurance, that exceeds $2,000 a year, rose from 37.3 percent in 1996 to 43.1 percent in 2003 - a 16 percent increase."
You'd think with all the breakthroughs in modern medicine and preventative care that the costs would go down and these percentages reverse. Guess again! How is this possible when flat screen televisions are less than a thousand dollars now and were at least 3 times that amount 3 years ago? How is this possible when DVD players are selling for $45 now and were in the $500 range less than 10 years ago? Why doesn't this work in the healthcare industry?
How are these increases impacting your budget?
Are you struggling to afford basic care for your family?
Are these increases changing how you handle healthcare decisions?
Are you utilizing other sources for healthcare information/recommendations before heading to a professional?
Are you frustrated/angry/numb?
Are you planning on seeing Michael Moore's Sicko when it comes out or are you afraid it will make you ill?
Heather Montanaro: Money Correspondent:
Heather's column, Practically Speaking, published 3 times a month to Gather Essentials: Money presents practical advice for everyday living and provides insight on how to pair lifestyle choices with financial realities.
Heather Montanaro holds an Executive MBA from Northeastern University and has held senior positions with local technology and service companies. Now she enjoys staying at home with her 2 young children. She's made the adjustment from 2 to 1 incomes and enjoys helping others reach their personal goals as a Budget Coach.
You can find all of Heather's Practically Speaking columns at tag: budget coach
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Comments: 16
It is so hard to figure out what something will cost and what my insurance will cover that I don't think that I will get anything down in the future unless I HAVE to get it done.
I am glad that I have insurance though, because my monthly meds for depression would run over $500. Now that is depressing!
Keeping yourself healthy is so important, It saddens me to hear that people have to put any health-related items off of their priority list. This cost structure has got to improve!
Thanks for sharing.
National Health: about $40 a month for each of us (or 2% of our pay)
Borders insurance: $200 a month for both (or over 14% of my pay)
Emergency room visit
In US: $75 copay and a 5 hour wait because so many people who don't have insurance at all us it as their primary care option and by then things are bad.
In Korea: $42 which included medication and a 3 hour wait on a busy night before a holiday.
Office visit:
In US: $15
In Korea $0, but there's a long wait because doctors don't take appointments unless I ask the principal to call and throw her weight around.
Accupuncturist
In US: Never tried, not covered.
In Korea: $3
Birth control pills
Off insurance in US: $30
Copay: $15
Korea: $5 - $7 depending on what neighborhood you buy them in.
2 weeks antibiotics
In US: $15 unless Dr took pity and gave us samples, which he often did, decongestants and antihistamines separate.
In Korea: $15 for the whole kit and caboodle.
I also have a friend who's husband is a doctor so I asked a lot of questions. and I know that my US doctor was paying a quarter million dollars in malpractice insurance for his practice. As often happens, it appears the real problem in health care isn't with the doctors, but the middle men. The pharmacutical companies and insurance companies are holding everyone's health hostage. Personally, if I need surgery, I'm headed to India where the docs are US trained and the care is still inexpensive without being cheap.
Insurance in this country is a joke, especially prescription services. I will admit to having UHC insurance. Last year, they stopped covering my Nexium, for my tummy. Without the benefit it would cost $218/month. They DO cover Prevacid Solutabs, which work, but not as well, as I have to take 2/day. Without coverage, this would cost $262/month(I pay $15). I think it is insane that they will foot the bill for the more expensive, but less effective med, but deny me the one that works, all because they are in the pharmaceutical company's pocket.
You'd think someone would have figured out by now that if we offred more free or low-cost screenigs and other preventative care, our overall healthcare costs would likely be reduced. It's much cheaper to screen for cancer than treat it after it's had a chance to spread. Much cheaper to treat high blood pressure than a stroke or heart attack. Etc., and so on.
If more people w/o insurance had access to screening, prevention and early disgnosis, they would not have to rely on ERs, which are much more expensive, as their only access to health care.
I don't see a doctor much, I see a naturopath for my weight, he is paying $60 of a hundred for my weight loss program. I pay $40 and that is every other month. But nothing for anything serious at all. We cannot afford insurance for me or for my daughter. Her job does not provide insurance either. So we have to make do or do without. I see a doctor only for total emergency and pray there are none. I take herbs and vitamins and so far am okay. I stopped taking thyroid meds a year and half ago prescription and get Raw thyroid for half the cos my prescription was for at the health food store and it works fine. In fact I am feeling better than when I was on the prescribed meds. They were not working. Doctors, Pharmacuticals, Hospitals all charge WAY too much and it is crazy. Insurance companise those who have don't want to pay out. Insurance should NEVER have gotton such a hold on our economy and our people. It is a multi billion dollar industry and most see little payout and have to fight to get what they do. Doctors have yachts and nice fancy cars and go in nice vacations as do thier families while the poor go without and Charity is becoming a thing of the past. They will let you die before they treat you or insist you sign to pay something you and they both know you won't be able to afford before they treat you. I refuse to be black mailed. If I can't pay I can't pay and signing something isn't going to make it happen. What happened to the hypocratic oath do no harm? Well that is my input.
Believe me, it's not only the rich insurance company CEO's that have an interest in keeping the U.S healthcare system so crappy.
To bad a one payer medical system wouldn't work either. Look at Canada's for example. In the northern states you see Canadians coming to America for surgery, paying cash because it will take years(5-10) for most knee surgeries and longer for hip replacements and like surgeries.
Penny G., another good point! Taking care of screenings should be a priority so people don't have to use the ER as their only source of medical care.
Mike, Daniel, Right again. Any suggestions to make this better?
Shelly, that's good that works for you. It's still too much for other people. I'm glad to hear you're finding a way to make it all work though.
The Lord Is My Shepherd, That's such a sad story. Knowing that so many people can't afford basic healthcare saddens me. I hope your situation gets better soon for all of you. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Donna, I hope you find a new job quickly so you don't have to continue with the COBRA costs too long. It's amazing how expensive it is!
The whole insurance thing is a rip off and medical servuces cannot compassionately be distributed in this way and still called 'care'.