How many of our DU Bothers and Sisters have Health Care.

[sarcasmo]

I am curious as to how many of you have Health Care. Looking for employer health care only please. My guess would be less than half.

[rndmprsn]

1. been without for over two years now

i know you asked how man have ins...but thought id speak up for the many that dont....peace.

[sarcasmo]

3. That is more of the response I expected to receive.

[PassingFair]

4. Had to leave my home-based business 2 years ago...

and take a job that provided insurance. We had been paying $850.00/month, and couldn't afford to keep it.

[OneGrassRoot]

39. ditto n/t

[FloridaPat]

49. Same here. Sending computer programming jobs overseas

has made me mostly unemployed the last 2 years.

[thebigidea]

2. sure wish I did

what with the mysterious shooting pains in my chest and all.

[MadisonProgressive]

5. You should do a poll

[sarcasmo]

60. I do not have access to polls on my account. If you do feel free.

I tried to do a poll, but by the looks of this about 30percent of us might have Insurance.

[HeeBGBz]

6. Not me. Flyin' on a wing and a prayer

S.O.L.

[Midlodemocrat]

7. Both my husband and I have health care provided by our employers.

We pay $300 per month for my husband's, nothing for mine.

[jus_the_facts]

8. Haven't had any health insurance for 20 years this year......

....when I graduated high school and was dropped from my parents insurance...guess I've been lucky so far. :nopity:

[blondeatlast]

9. I'm insulin-dependent and would not be writing this without it.

It's un-effing believable that in a nation this wealthy, the first 2 responses would be no health care.

I'm so sorry, America. It's utterly shameful that you go without.

[LynzM]

35. Same here

I went 7 months without it last year... that gets expensive, and fast.

I hate the fact that even with insurance, the quality of the meds you receive is price-dependant. I can use NPH insulin, which is cheaper but gives poorer control, or Glargine, which is more expensive but gives better control. :eyes:

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Thanks for the reminder, I have to fill out my MaineCare review forms

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[acmejack]

11. I do through the VA, so I know I'm lucky.

Don't ask what I had to do to get it though!

If they raise the fees, I doubt I will be able to afford it anymore. They charge you for anything that happened after you got out of the service.

[bertha katzenengel]

12. I have health, dental, vision. My employer pays 1/2 the monthly premium.

I have medical co-pay of $30 for office visits and $100 for ER visits. I usually have to pay about 20% for procedures.

I'm definitely one of the lucky ones.

[nickinSTL]

13. I do

I have for the past 7 years, with the same employer.

My fiancee, however, lost her programming job in 2001, and hasn't had insurance since.

[nonconformist]

14. Been without for over 3 yrs now. nt

[Lady Effingbroke]

15. no health care at all for 5 years.

[SCDem]

16. I have it - health and dental

for me it is cheap $20 a pay period but to cover my son it is an extra $157 a pay period. Rediculous!

[merbex]

17. My husband's healthcare is so good that his company doesn't

offer it to anyone any more. If you leave this plan during open enrollment you can never get back in and it is not offered to new hires

Costs a ton out of his weekly pay compared to other plans but we think it is worth it

[justiceischeap]

18. I have health, dental, vision and life - I work for a non-profit. n/t

[wildhorses]

19. that would be me

[Historic NY]

20. I recently retired and have medical benefits........

it took a lot of negotiation and my union had to give up pay raises and accumulated sick time at retirement. I guess I'm lucky. The pay raise thing has hurt because it was a 4 yr contract and now many have fallen behind in cost of living.

[OhioChick]

21. Have it now

It's gone up to unrealisitic proportions within the last few years. Panics me, to say the least, since I have a chronically ill kid who needs constant medical care.

[Theres-a]

22. No Insurance.

I even had to file bankruptcy in 2002,becuse I couldn't pay my hospital bill.

[KyndCulture]

23. Been without since 2001.

Make too much for state assistance and not enough to buy my own and was diagonosed with cervical cancer in 2003. Count me among the fucked.

[SCDem]

Goodness - I wish you the best

[MaineDem]

24. I have health and dental

I'm retired and the company pays a major portion of the premiums, thank goodness!

[Not Me]

25. I am covered through my employer.

My coverage is at no cost to me. If I had family members, it would be about $340 a month out of my pocked to include them. And the deductibles are high and go up every year it seems. Five years ago, prescriptions were $10, they are now $30 and that excludes the high tiered drugs; they can run even higher.

And of course, they do not provide *any* coverage/recognition of same-gender relationship family members.

[ohio_liberal]

26. I do

I'm a state employee (and AFSCME member) and I have health, dental, and eye coverage.

[all.of.me]

27. not me and my two girls.

their dad pays their medical and dental bills, but that's as far as we go. thank god we are a VERY healthy family!

[Solly Mack]

28. I'm very fortunate

[GliderGuider]

29. Socialized medicine

Gotta love it!
When everyone pays for it, the burden is spread out and we pay less per individual.
My employer pays about half and I pay the other half in my provincial taxes. Because it's deducted at source, I don't even feel it.

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/ohip/ohip_mn.html

on edit:
Plus I get additional dental, vision, semi-private hospital, physiotherapy, counselling, and so on, as no-charge benefits through my employer, the federal gov't.

[blondeatlast]

32. But, but, but.... You wait an eeeteeerniiityyy....

Please note the deep, dark sarcasm in my writing tone. I know that's a myth; I'vwe been on the receiving end of Canada's system. If you need care now, you get care now--and I did.

I'd trade my employer HMO for Canada's very sensible system any day.

[RebelOne]

30. Fortunately, I do through my employer.

it is an excellent plan. I have medical, dental, eye care and life insurance. I only pay $96 monthly. I work for is a major media conglomerate, so they have thousands of employees, which makes group health care really inexpensive.

[xray s]

31. I have a bottle of asprin in the medicine cabinet

That passes for health care in Amuricah...

[lizerdbits]

33. I have health, dental

and our vision care is discounts at certain places. My company has a policy that people who make less than a certain amount have lower premiums which I think is a good idea (maybe a better idea would be higher wages?). I think we have domestic partner benefits but I'm not sure.

[meganmonkey]

34. I have health care, but no vision and a $150/yr reimbursement for dental

I work for a nonprofit and their goal is that the employees make a good enough living that we don't need our own services (hunger-relief). I could work here for 30 years and I would probably never make over $45,000 (don't make even close to that now, after 2 years here), but I will never go hungry and I will always have health care.

[Catchawave]

36. military - free medical

However, we use Champus/Tricare supplements so we can choose our own doctors.

[sarcasmo]

61. You are risking your life. It is anything BUT free.

[shanti]

78. right - NOTHING is free

n/t

[babylonsister]

65. Tricare here as well; hubby is a retired vet. And are

we ever thankful for it!

[bonito]

37. Caregiver=0 benefits period

[LizMoonstar]

38. I'm waiting to be eligible at my new place -

before that, I was an intern after college so nothing. Thank God for our area's free mental health clinic and for my middle-class parents, or else I'd be even sicker than I am now.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

40. i do, thank goodness.

[dutchdemocrat]

41. In Holland

Healthcare is a Right not a Privilege. €60 a month pays for full medical and dental for our family of four. It's such a shame because the cost of the Iraq war alone is enough to give everyone in the US healthcare and more.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

42. Always worked in the public sector..

so always had good benefit, low salary.

My daughter and her husband (med student) are on Medicaid, though because they have no income and two children. They went without until the kids were born.

[Bassic]

43. I have full health care coverage....

Because I'm in Canada :D

[SW FL Dem]

44. We have group health care but pay over 850/mo

for a family of 3. We don't have dental or vision insurance.

[movie_girl99]

45. i have it but the coverage suck ass

it's 70-30 coverage with a 5 grand deductible and the doctors are slim pickens.

[yurbud]

46. been without except when student, got masters, teach college

[Bonobo]

47. I pay over $900/month for my family. It has broken me.

I'm self-employed and believe me, they don't male it easy for us to survive. They want more slaves in the system.

[FlaGranny]

53. That's how much they wanted for me alone -

I couldn't afford it, so went without. Luckily I'm now on Medicare.

[SmokingJacket]

69. I take it you can't do a high-deductible?

We're self-employed too, and pay $800 a quarter for a policy with a (gulp) $10K deductible, family of four.

For the kind of illnesses we've had (knock on wood) it's cheaper to pay for everything ourselves and just have a catastrophic policy.

[Ioo]

48. I do, Medical and Dental

[Cats Against Frist]

50. By the hair of my chinny chin chin

I managed to squeak out a post-grad fellowship, and will be able to keep my excellent, state-paid health insurance for another year. My contribution costs me $113 a month, for my son and myself -- and the university pays far more of the premium than I do.

However, if I hadn't, I would have had to sign up on my boyfriend's insurance -- meaning we would have to get "common law" married. To add our son, and me, it would cost us an extra $240/mo. I guess we're lucky.

Edit: I should point out, however, that, from 1998-2003, as a young adult, I only had health insurance for one year - 1999.

[cynatnite]

51. Medical, dental and vision for family n/t

[tsuki]

52. I pay for my employees. Not the best policy, but it costs me

2600 dollars a month for 4 people. If Bushco eliminates the business tax deduction, I will not be able to afford to both pay the policy and then the taxes due on the money I pay.

We have discussed it. Fortunely, the person that needs the insurance the most is turning 65. We are looking at becoming an "ownership society," taking a raise and looking for personal policies.

Right now in Florida, personal insurance is less than small business insurance. Chiles had legislation passed that was supposed to help small business afford to carry health insurance. Jeb and the Republicans have been trying to bury Chiles legislation by allowing the insurance companies to raise the rates and destroying the regional buying districts.

Jeb Bush is a lousy, drunken, POS.

[raccoon]

54. Had no health insurance for 11 years, now I have an

individual plan, high deductible, doesn't pay for 2 conditions I already have. No dental or vision.

[RepublicanElephant]

55. will americans ever figure-out that socialized medicine for all is better?

no.

[fed-up]

56. No health care for past 16 years as I have been mostly self-employed

I have learned a lot about alternative health care and keep a good supply of grapefruit seed extract and tea tree oil on hand. I have also improved my diet and consume a ton of greens and exercise regularly. I do have to thank our local Women's Health Clinic for their free programs, which how I discovered I was anemic last year.

When I was really sick with food allergies a few years ago I was unable to figure out how to fill out the massive paper work for medi-cal so ended up learning how to take care of and treat myself, which has probably been a greater benefit to my health in the long run.

[momisold]

57. I have it.

Employer pays 90% of my premium, 50% family.

[Demonaut]

58. make a poll

[StellaBlue]

59. No job here

No job = no health care.

For the first time in my 26 years.

I paid $52 at the dentist the other day; $116 at the 'minor emergency clinic' last month - to be told I had nothing to worry about re: some suspicious insect bites.

[Bridget Burke]

62. I've got pretty good health care through my job.

But it has been getting worse--fewer choices, higher co-pays--since Bush was our Governor.

[TimeChaser]

63. I'm covered under my mother's health care because I am a college student

[MsTryska]

64. I have it.....nt

nt

[Raksha]

66. No health care for the past 10 years.

I'm on a V.A. widow's pension. For a year after my husband's death in 1994 I was still covered on his policy (through his employer), which covered the whole family and included dental care. Then after a year they dumped me. My teeth are in horrible shape because I've had no dental care for 10 years: build-up of tartar, receding gums, loss of bone mass--plus three of my teeth have broken since I went through menopause at age 51. I knew it was happening but couldn't afford to do anything about it, and it causes me tremendous stress and anxiety. Now I'm going to be getting some work done at a local dental college (my cousin will also be helping me financially), but an ounce of prevention would have gone a LONG way in this situation.

[Ksec]

67. I dont

Nada, nothing.

If I go to a doctor it kills my budget and bills dont get paid so I dont go.

[SmokingJacket]

68. Not me.

Goddammit.

A high-deductible policy only, so we pay for everything out of pocket.

[devilgrrl]

70. I do.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of So. California

[ArkDem]

71. My employer pays for my health, dental, vison and life insurance.

My wife has the same deal at her company. This includes our 4 children. The secondary insurance pays the deductibles for the primary insurance so we have never had to pay a cent for healthcare.

[kineneb]

72. not through employer

I am now part time and low income. I have minimal private health insurance for which my mom pays. Hubby & I are on CMSP/MediCal; he takes insulin and has renal failure.

[sweetheart]

73. Yes through the National Health Service

Yes now that i live in britain. I hadn't coverage in the US for many
years prior to leaving. Saving up that money was part of my risk/strategy
to build up enough cash to get out.

[Lasher]

74. I have triple health care

I retired from Verizon with health care benefits, I'm covered by the VA, and I'm also covered where my wife works. But know what? I'm facing increasing premiums just to keep myself covered. And yes, it looks like we veterans are going to get dumped on next year in this respect, following the corporate lead.

Besides premium copays, I'm also expected to pick up an ever-increasing share of the costs of office visits, prescriptions, lobotomies, or whatever. Typically my primary insurance provider will pick up 80% of what they figure are the 'reasonable' costs. Wouldn't you think that one of my secondary providers would pay for the other 20%? Wrong! The deck is stacked against us.

But I consider myself fortunate to have health insurance for me and my Little Dove, such as it is.

What we need is, national health coverage for everyone, right now!

[shanti]

75. health care thru my employer

for the past 16 years....thank god. when i was a young wife and mother in my twenties, i did not have health coverage for a good many years, and with 3 young boys, it was a roller coaster ride, to say the least! i give thanks that our family was healthy, but feel for the many that aren't!

i'm a firm believer in universal health coverage for all americans!

[LSK]

76. I have it through work

Although they take $26 a week from my paycheck. Pretty cheap these days, full coverage and dental included.

[SeattleGirl]

77. My husband and I both do, through our employers.

I'm very thankful for that, and very incredulous at the number of Americans who do NOT have insurance. It is obscene!

[MarsThe Cat]

79. Fantastic PPO coverage from my wife's employer...

costs us a lot of pretty pennies.

[seabeyond]

80. we do, but then we are the employer and are paying the health

care for employees. it is getting harder and harder to do. being a small business we are considering hte option of raises, and eliminate the health care. it is bad

[hamerfan]

81. I have health care. I'm also union.

But the employer-provided health care has been chipped away a few times over the last ten years....

[spuddonna]

82. We do... Pay out of pocket as consultants, does that count as employer? :)

$520/month for 70/30 - all well-baby/child covered... no prescriptions (luckily, none needed... yet :) )

No dental... one eye dr visit/yr

It's our second biggest expense after rent...

[TrogL]

83. I'm Canada

Everybody has at least some form of health care.

[Delphinus]

84. None for six years. n/t

[sarcasmo]

86. This is the real issue in this Country IMHO. The Dems need to run on

Health Care for EVERYONE. Dems need to take the Repukes to task over lack of Insurance. Corporate Insurance companies have beat the regular Joe/Jane into the ground.

[Lasher]

85. If religion were a thing that money could buy...

then the rich would live, and the poor would die. - All My Trials, Peter Paul & Mary

Whenever I think about the USA's health care disgrace, this keeps running through my mind.

[expatriate]

87. I have it, but here's the rub

I live in another country, where there is nationalized health coverage. And additional health insurance is very affordable, should you want dental, eyeglass, chiropractic, acupunture, massage therapy, etc, to be covered.

While living in the USA, I was seven years without any form of health insurance, and had a major health crisis at that time. Riding out pancreatitis and gall bladder failure and infection at home is no treat.

Just saw the figures on those without health insurance in America now - over 45 MILLION.

[sarcasmo]

88. It is only going to grow with all of the factory jobs going to Mexico.

$8.00 retail jobs usually offer very little if any coverage. This is the platform we must slam the Reupkes with. How could 45million Americans without insurance vote Repuke.

[greendog]

89. I was without for 4 years...as of 3 months ago I'm insured.

n/t