The REAL problem with healthcare, for the average, working class family has little or nothing to with the "Affordable Healthcare Act." In fact, many (if not all) of us in the category stated above have seen their healthcare premiums rise in the last two years, with the warning that those premiums will continue to rise.
We pay nearly $400 a month for health insurance. We're a healthy family. Our $400 a month premium will cover nothing until our deductible is reached. Said deductible is several thousand dollars--an amount we must reach every year in order for our health insurance to pay for healthcare. So, let's be generous and say that my family needs to spend at a minimum, $10,000 a year in order for health insurance to actually be worth the money spent on it.
Of course, if we had chronic illnesses, a rare disease, or a catastrophic event that required expensive treatment, this would be quite necessary, but for the "average working class family," this cost holds us back significantly. While we "only" pay $400 a month, I know of many families who pay closer to $700 a month, and even some that pay $1000 or more a month.
And now, with the ruling this morning, with the government in the pockets of insurance companies, the government expanding medicare and medicaid coverage, "average working class families" will be responsible for picking up the tab. With food prices increasing yearly, gas prices debilitating the economy, and now healthcare costs choking families, it is no wonder that the economy is unable to grow. No one has anything left to spend! People are scared to spend; the next year will bring only higher premiums and deductibles, and knowing that regardless of how much they spend on their monthly premiums, a preventive hearing test for a child, or a blood test, will easily put them back an additional $500.
Civil disobedience is sure to follow the ruling this morning. Many religious institutions have already filed suit, and now, many more organizations will follow, unwilling to cover the services now required by the law. This is the REAL problem.
(At the midterm elections, our State Representative was voted out of office after 35 years in service. He voted for this bill, betrayed his constituents, and paid the price with his seat in the house. I think we'll be seeing some more of that in November.)
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5 comments:
Right on Mallory!!! Excellent post!
You're exactly right Mallory. And add to that deductible of several thousands of $$$$ the crazy insurance tiers and "covered services" and you end up with families that manage to actually meet their deductible and STILL have to pay out of pocket for services not covered in their tier. Our plan actually has three tiers of services covered, each with a $5000 family deductible. So even though we had a baby last month, we'll still need to pay out of pocket for the adnoid surgery for our oldest next month. They are not covered under the same Tier 1 services. The surgery is Tier 2. I think we will no longer be spending anything extra on the little economy building things, like vacations/recreation.
Yes, yes! I know! We're a young family who SPENDS MONEY! But there are so many things that go to the wayside when expenses are up, including food choices, vacations, toys, clothing, car trips, zoos, restaurants, amusement parks, museums, and even smaller purchases like books, movies, etc. That impact both small and large businesses that rely on families to keep them going. When we've cut back indefinitely, we've hurt businesses and someone else's livelihood as well.
Mark and I were just remarking that we don't even keep pop/soda in the house anymore, because in the last two years the cost has doubled. We used to like having it in the fridge after mowing the lawn on a hot day, but now it's another one of those things that's cut back. You know, since we're shelling out 5k on ear tubes, and $500 on a hearing test. Geesh!
Further, to tax and funnel money to insurance companies, while increasing benefits for entitlement insurance programs only inhibits middle class families more!
Sadly, I am so discouraged by this news. I want to BUILD something for my children, I want to work and achieve and succeed, but I see that dream slipping away for so many in the United States.
My young, hardworking family is trying to pay off educational debt, pay for our home and children, responsibly spend and save, all the while we are paying more and more each year to increase medical entitlements. Again, with the abuse and misuse of Medicaid and Medicare, how is my family supposed to continue and succeed when we are paying for the irresponsible use of Medicaid, and an unhealthy generation who needs the government to purchase their diabetes and hypertension medication?
A friend put it wisely when she wrote that it makes some sense for a socialist nation to tax and then funnel funds for universal and government healthcare. But what are we doing--taxing and funneling money to insurance companies and paying more for services that are partially or not covered?
Chief Justice Roberts put it well when he said "We do not consider whether the Act embodies sound policies. That judgment is entrusted to the Nation's elected leaders. We ask only whether Congress has the power under the Constitution to enact the challenged provisions." He never said it was a good idea---just that it didn't violate the constitution. I'd say it's time to elect some competent leaders who can make "sound policies."
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