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Originally Posted by Cynthetiq
Well, let's see.
I have united healthcare. My doctor is on the ground floor of the building I live in in NYC. I call up and make an appointment. I pay my $10 copay. My doctor will come upstairs if I'm not well enough to go downstairs, something you mentioned as "housecalls." I pay approximately $300/month to cover me and my spouse.
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That seems like a good rate, except when compared to other countries. You definitely pay a lot less than I do, and a lot of people I know, especially considering that you have a preexisting condition.
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Originally Posted by Cynthetiq
My prexisting condition is asthma. I copay about $600 for my meds.
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I wonder if that's the trade off. I get Albuterol (or something else now, it's less effective and it tastes like ass) and Q-var and my copay is $10.
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Originally Posted by Cynthetiq
My father told me some words of wisdom growing up:
"Things cost money, there is no such thing as a free lunch. You'll need to make your own way in life since no one will be there to pick up the slack for you."
I have a friend who's daughter is dying of cancer. She is spending about $4,000 on medical expensives every month. She's sold off her homes and used up all her retirement.
Life sucks sometimes. period.
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Things do cost money, and under socialized medicine one would pay higher taxes. They pay a lot less in taxes than we pay in insurance, though, and they don't have copay and they get higher rated care.
I'm really sorry your friend's daughter is dying of cancer. My aunt died of cancer (though she smoked her lungs out), and it was very sad to watch her deteriorate and have to spend their saving on her care. My uncle was fortunate that he's talented at stocks and was able to get back on his feet a few years after she passed. Had they lived in Canada, the Uk, France, etc., her care would have been free. There wouldn't have been money woes as she was dying, which I imagine would have given my uncle more time to spend with her.