I think I figured out the new healthcare plan.

Since February, my health insurance cost has gone up $75 per month. My gross annuity has gone up $0 per month. I figured out that the government's new plan is that at some point the law of diminishing returns will kick in and I won't be able to afford food and I'll just croak. Everybody saves money.

OK Blessings!

Everyone knows the US does not and never will have a "health care plan." It is, in reality, a current "sick, best guess, prescribe plan." There would be no huge medical industry if we and the insurance companies took care of our health "FIRST."

I've also learned when doctors know you aren't going to make it, they readily admit there is nothing they can do for you. This gets you out of their office and makes room for honest to goodness half way well sick people to come in as long term paying patients. It's all about their own illusion of helping people.

Now, I only support one very good doctor and the other four I hope starve to death.

I agree, American has a habit of treating sickness, not encouraging wellness. The trick is to beat them at their own game. Use nature as your pharmacy. Eat from the Farms, not from the factories.

it feels like a battle to get two pennies ahead, when each time you turn around someone else who used to be satisfied with 5 pennies, now wants 20. it unfair jumps in prices.

My son who is 26 in just 2 months 27 cannot get insurance. He is healthy, and no pre existing conditions. He does smoke (grrr dont get me started) but is a good weight, and takes good care of himself. He has many policies laid out at his feet, but he cannot afford any of them. They are charging him at least 30% of his income to join in any plan. He has some cavities that need taking care of. Its cheaper to pay cash, and work out a deal with the dentist than it is to get a dental plan. I was able to add him to my plan with the new healthcare deal, but it was so expensive it was out of reach. I have a platinum plan and was unable to chose a basic plan just for him. Since I am platinum, he had to be as well. There is no wiggle room.

When I started working for the state, my insurance was $25 per pay check (twice a month) my last pay stub revealed I pay $150 per pay stub, or $300 a month. This includes dental. its a drop in the bucket compared to some but its a large portion of my check. Im stuck. I have a life long disease, and if I chose a cheaper policy I will never be able to go back on this plan that covers so much.

I feel cornered, but I feel blessed that I have insurance at all.

LOL, Blessings. I hear that the Gov'mt is sending all the old sick people out of the country, instead of deporting illegal aliens, to save money on healthcare..

You laugh, but they would do it if they could get by with it..

Can I be deported to Italy?

Yeah, can I go to Canada?

Italy would be nice...they have great MS docs there..

I'm good with Italy. Dej could translate for us!

Before our national health care changes, I paid, out of pocket, about $10,000 a year for my PPO and RX drugs with my husbands "excellent" insurance policy. (This was just for me.)

Now I have a work PPO and I pay a total of about $2,000 a year out of pocket for everything combined, including about $50k worth of medications per year that I absolutely need. The only thing increasing is if you smoke or have avoidable health complications such as obesity or untreated diabetes, high blood pressure, etc...

My sons can get health insurance now if they need it (at least eventually), especially if they should be diagnosed with MS or some other "hard to insure" condition.

I know that all of us are paying more in some ways, but I'm hoping that healthcare will be more affordable or at least accessible for those who had no coverage before.

My neuro did his residency at Mayo...he told DH and me, "When I was at Mayo, I became a great doctor of disease. I love working at a small practice like this...I can be a doctor of my patients..." He is one of those gems who treats the whole person, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. He has told us he has "not lost a patient yet to a wheelchair."
Last Friday, DH and I were in the office to see one of his associates because my neuro was out of town, and I was in considerable pain. We overheard him talking to one of his newly diagnosed patients.
He told him he would be in a wheelchair within a year
My neuro would NEVER tell his patients something like that.

But it was weird...after we were done seeing him, as he was leaving the room, he turned to me, stopped in his tracks, and said, "you are AMAZING." I chuckled. He said, "No, really. You're amazing!"

Huh

Anyway, I have read that insurance companies are going to ramp up costs to policy holders in advance of the health care plan going into effect.

Doesn't that tell you that the plan might actually benefit patients, especially when it covers preventative care?