Reply #70: And the U.S. rations care by [View All]

[Lydia Leftcoast]

making it unaffordable for some people.

I'm uninsured now, because the fictional construct of "group insurance" makes health insurance sky-high for the self-employed. If I were to sign on with Blue Cross, they would charge me much more and give me lower benefits than they give business customers with multiple employees to insure.

They act as if there are two separate companies, one insuring the groups, and another insuring the self-employed, and yet, it's all the same company, presumably operating under one accounting system.

I'm healthy, but I'm over 50. This gives an extra push to my rates.

So what is the result? I am truly faced with the "real" costs of my health care, and this makes me such a careful consumer that I am in danger of missing out on needed preventive care and diagnostic tests, simply because I can't afford $100 for an office visit.

If I get one of the pathetic policies for the self-employed, I will be paying big bucks per month ($200+), have at least a $1000 deductible, and THEN have a 20% copay. If I stay healthy and just have my usual diagnostic checkups, I will be paying at least $2400 for NOTHING. NO BENEFITS from my $200+ per month, becauase I will have not met the deductible. If I get really sick, $1000 and 20% of whatever outrageous prices hospitals are charging these days, plus still having to keep up my monthly premiums will keep me in hock for all eternity.

It's easy to pontificate about the joys of private health insurance if you're a) young and cheap to insure, b) wealthy enough to afford whatever they're charging, or c) lucky enough to have a generous employer FOR THE TIME BEING.

Everyone else is screwed.