A Complaint

So here's my complaint of the week:  Health Insurance. I get fairly good insurance from my job, but as of next month there will be yet another premium and maximum out-of-pocket increase. I actually get my insurance for free, but Hysen and Liam are added on also. I have shopped around for different insurance for the two of them, but whenever I find a low premium, the deductible or maximum out-of-pocket is sky high. And whenever I find a low deductible, the premium is outrageous. Or when I find both a low premium and a low deductible, the insurance doesn't carry anyone in the area I live in. What the heck!?

Here's a question:  How is it that I can pay almost $400 a month for insurance with a $10,000 deductible (yes TEN thousand!) when someone I know doesn't have any insurance and has gotten over $100,000 in hospital treatments for FREE? Don't get me wrong, I am glad that I have insurance. It gives me peace of mind that we are protected and can get the help we need. And I'm also glad that there are free programs that can help people who don't have insurance. I once waited 3 days to go the emergency room for a broken finger because I didn't have insurance. I finally went when my finger was twice its normal size. So I know how it feels to be scared because you don't have insurance and you're worried about money. But now I also know how it feels to pay a large premium every month and still have to worry about the doctor's bill.

I am grateful that my job offers health insurance and I know that the rates are actually pretty low compared to other people's. There are many people who have worked hard to ensure that we are offered the lowest possible premiums and such. But isn't there a bigger picture here than just my family? What about the millions of people in the U.S. alone that don't have insurance? Or that have insurance, but still can't afford to pay the bills that aren't covered? I understand that we all try to have financial security, that material things can be a sign of status, and that we all strive for success, but do some professionals in the medical community really need that fourth car? Or that 25,000 sq foot beach house? Or that 50 million trust fund? And what about the insurance companies? Where does all of my money go if not straight to my medical bills? I suppose into someone's pocket.

Okay, I don't want to get into a finger-pointing contest with anyone. There are a lot of great doctors who deserve to be rewarded for their specialties and there are a lot of good people in the insurance industry. But I think that so many people fall through the cracks. We have a system in place in this country, but I don't think it works. Okay, correction:  It works until you get sick.

So, here's my list of things I can do to plan for the future...and to afford stuff:

1. I will never get sick again.
2. Hysen and Liam will never get sick again.
3. I will get a second (or third) job to pay for health insurance (forget about saving for retirement or building a college fund for Liam).
4. I will become a doctor in multiple fields (Pediatrics, Gynecology, Obstetrics, Oncology, etc) so if we do get sick, I can just it treat myself. (Being my own doctor during labor and delivery might get a little tricky, though. Hysen might have to become a doctor, too.)
5. Get a fourth and fifth job to pay for medical school and the counseling I will need due to exhaustion and stress.
6. End up selling our house and possesions to meet our $45,000 deductible (around the year 2025).
7. And finally, move to Canada (or even Cuba) because they have a free health care system. Of course we'll have to walk there (or swim in the case of Cuba) because we sold our car...

This picture doesn't have anything to do with the rest of the post, but Liam is just nice to look at.
Especially when sporting a cute bat outfit.