Pretty Foggy out there...
As a self-employed business owner, I have watched the health care debate from the sidelines. For over 20 years of my 25+ year self-employment, I paid my own health insurance. In 2005, when premiums reached $500 / month with a $5,000 a year deductible per person for my then family of 4, I stopped. I lived in fear of dropping my policy for a long time, but finally the costs going out exceeded my income. When I looked at how little the insurance actually had paid for me or my family in the 20 years, it didn’t seem logical to keep paying for something that wasn’t helping me.
I realize this may seem very foolish. Instead, I have opted to try to eat healthy and exercise and I’ve paid less than $1000 in health care costs this year.
Since I fall in the uninsured category, you would think that I would be clamoring to be covered. I would pay for a policy again if it was reasonable and covered only major medical. But most of what I have seen coming out of the national proposals are anything but that.
People who have had company paid coverage in the past have often taken it for granted. More recently, companies have introduced co-pays but I have still heard employees who have much lower deductibles than I think are needed to have good coverage. Over the years, I have listened to people who visit the doctor for every little thing and let the insurance pay for it.
No one thinks through what health care coverage costs an employer unless they have had to pay it themselves. Many people think the same way with the government. Until you can prove to me that government run health care would be affordable to everyone, available when you need it (the Canadian model is not according to my sources) and run efficiently, I’d prefer to wait.
Jumping on a bandwagon because it sounds good, when you have not read all the fine details will result in later complaints. I am guessing that proposed bill will end up costing most Americans much more in the end.
I am sure that most people will not agree with me. It’s too easy to say, let the government pay for it… but the government is us… isn’t it?
Interesting perspective Julie. You suggest our government should be practical with OUR money?
Very good, common sense comments! A couple thoughts:
- Most people forget that the purpose of insurance is to pay the bills we couldnt afford to pay, aka the huge loss. It’s convenient to have a $10 co-pay, but who really couldnt pay for an office visit if their child was sick? Not many.
- My biggest concern with health care and the other major gov’t spend programs is the risk that they spend so much that it breaks our economy. It’s already very badly wounded from decades of deficeit spending. Of course we need a good social net to help those who ‘fall’. But, we need to have MOST people working to afford that net.
The US spent Russia into the ground to break them in the cold war. Hopefully America hasn’t done the same to ourselves.
TJ
Julie, I agree with the Major Medial part. It is worth it! God forbid something serious should happen! I could pay for my own Dr bill if I have a simple ailment that needs treatment. But the thought of an accident (thinking of my nephew who had yet another surgery today & obviously is still in the hosp) would scare me to death.
I also agree that those who have medial insurance take it for granted. Running to the Dr for every sniffle or hangnail. I believe it will get MUCH WORSE! Our government run health care facilities will be over-run with entire families that are not sick enough to be there…but it’s free, so why not! (That’s the same I logic with food stamps…”Hey T-Bone is free, so why not???”) Making those that are TRULY sick wait for days, weeks or even months to be seen.
This is a very sore spot for me. I do think there should be some reform so the medical and insurance companies can get their numbers together to make medical treatment and/or coverage is affordable. But what is being proposed now is not it!
I just know that I am afraid to grow old! No income, no health care, no quality of life. I believe that is what we have to look forward to in our “golden years”.
Julie, I’m sorry if I gave more of a comment than what you were wanting. This subject makes my blood boil and I start foaming at the mouth with frustration and anger.
Totally agree, TJ and I don’t expect the government to be practical with OUR money and that’s why all these people getting mad at others who don’t want this health care bill passed is wrong.
I wrote this post partially because it was on my mind but also because I read something on someone else’s FB page about how we should be worried about people without healthcare… as if not supporting the bill means you don’t care.
I could go on a soapbox and say that if people without healthcare and people with healthcare would work on being healthy, there would be less of a need for it.
Obviously there are exceptions but I think we overdo medical visits, we eat unhealthy things, we do other things that are not good for us and we don’t get the exercise we need.
There are times when medical care is essential but the overuse of it and the things I just mentioned have driven costs up.
Micki, you don’t need to be afraid to grow old… You and I share another common bond of faith… but I do understand your point! And agree with your comments.
Hope your nephew is doing much better and I do think those are the times when insurance is critical.