I am middle class, have a great job with employer provided healthcare. It is inadequate - a crummy, rationed system with financially crippling copays, and don't even talk about dental care. This year I actually incurred a bit of health care debt, even though I had saved up the copay in anticipation of a surgery my wife needed.
That was four large, that crippling copay, and basically stripped us. But she needed hearing aids, too, and I had to take out a loan for that. Then I dropped a crown, and that was another $600, plus a visit to the periodontist, which will cost $12 large over the next two years or so.
You know what would make me feel like a rich man? Being able to get my teeth fixed all at once, and not having to worry about being wheeled through accounting before getting any healthcare 'services.' We should NOT have to arrange financing for healthcare, and my crappy HMO went up 21% this year. 21%.
Yet, Bernardo, I am thankful, because look at the horror of what Nicole is going through, and will be going through for the rest of her life. The NICU can cost seven figures, and they WILL come after her. So she might go into a shelter, find a job, and struggle to get back on her feet, only to face collectors and wage garnishment.
This is truly a 'kick 'em while they are down' society, and if you are down, it is hard, hard, hard to pull yourself back up out of it.
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