I cannot dump my worthless health insurance.

[Bonobo]

I currently pay $700/month for my family of 5.

Recently, for my daughter, I paid $300 for a pertussis TEST (negative) (after a $25 copay)
2 months later, I paid $100 for a strep throat test (negative) (after a $25 copay)

The family has a $4,000/year deductible. My insurance sucks because it is so expensive that it was breaking us (and we never seem to use it anyway), and I was forced/steered toward a cheap plan.

If I went to the next up level, it might be as much as $200/month higher ($10 or $15 copay and lower deductible I assume).

My wife and I hardly ever go to the doctor, we just want the kids taken care of if they get really sick. So we figured if it's BIG, we can afford $4,000. But this really sucks because it seems that the insurance is really worthless otherwise. Even something so basic as a strep throat test is NOT PAID FOR.

The other day I felt something rip in my knee. But I can't get it checked out now cause it will cost easily several hundred just to BEGIN to diagnose it, let alone treat it.

Here's the kick.... we are in Mass and we can't quit our insurance. Seems like you get ripped off either way./

See why forcing people to buy health insurance but not keeping costs down is such a bad idea?

[Skittles]

1. I hear you, Bonobo

I'm convinced a lot of folk against reform have never really had to use their "insurance"

[elleng]

2. Was it the 'quick' strep test?

Ask for it in the future, if you can. Virtually immediate results.

SURE SHOULDN'T cost $100+.

[Bonobo]

5. Yes, it was. Here is the irony...

If it had been positive, it would have been finished there, but because it was negative, they automatically send it for the more full test (because sometimes there are false negatives....) Does that make sense? That added $60 to the bill!

[elleng]

9. Hell NO! Our docs/labs NEVER DID THAT,

and we never had any problems. Daughters are now 21 and 24, so out of the system. Insurer was/is BC/BS, Federal Employees plan.

[Bonobo]

14. No one asked me and it seems to make a certain kind of sense, but...

What can I say?I am no expert.

[elleng]

16. Dunno, but I'd ask.

I spent time last year with my folks, when mom was ill. I found that an advocate was needed, to learn, question, and participate to the extent possible.

As to strep test, it does make a certain kind of sense, but as we never had bad results, that is, no 'negative' was really strep as determined from daughters' well-being, I'd bet on the quick test, and tell them 'please don't go to the other, 'cause I have to pay $ for it.' Thats what I think I'd do.

Best of luck.

[HughMoran]

3. I'm still in shock that my family plan is $3000/month total

After the employer puts in his share, it's still $1150/month. This is in NH an my family deductible is $1500 & $15 copay, but I would never ever consider not having insurance for my family. We need to fix it and make it affordable for everybody. Either that or organize a revolution and take over the insurance companies to form our own "public option".

[truedelphi]

21. I'm in shock withyou.

Two years ago, when still insured under COBRA, people called me a liar when I said our premiums were $ 957 a month for the two of us.

And although I think people should not jump into calling someone a liar, I could understand.
$ 957 a month is an outrage, and seems unbelievable...

But your situation is even worse. Still what can you do? In our case, a misdiagnosis meant M. needed two operations, which we definitely could not have done out of pocket.

[babylonsister]

4. What if you have to pay the same amount of money or less but get

better health care?

I think that's the point for people who have it.

I'm not sure about people who don't, and I'm about to enter that contingent. All I know is it is now expensive, especially with pre-existing conditions.

[Horse with no Name]

6. The sad thing is

that a few years ago, $4k out of pocket meant simply that--you pay $4k (it included copays, prescription copays, etc), now it is some funky bookkeeping for something called coinsurance(which best I can figure means what used to be the contractual part that the facility/insurance company wrote off--but now YOU pay it).
I have a $2k OOP max and even using mine frequently, it is almost unattainable.
Good luck.

[Oregone]

7. I thought everything in Mass was wonderful after their super-duper reform

[kath]

8. Spread this around - people need to know just how worthless the Mass. bullshit is -- because it

looks like we ALL may end up stuck with it.

[flamingdem]

20. Please explain the MA health deal. I don't get it either nt

[JordanSmith73]

10. Interesting

Interesting

[NoSheep]

11. You have three children and you can't afford insurance? Can you afford birth control?

C'mon man. At some point one must recognize when they are part of the problem.

Edited: to add I'd like single payer. And also that I don't have kids because I can't afford them.

[kath]

12. What an asshole.

[NoSheep]

13. How selfish.

[Bonobo]

15. I can afford it and do.

What I can NOT afford is to pay $700 per month and still have NOTHING covered for it practically speaking. No dental help either.

[NoSheep]

18. I paid $400 per month, private. 11 yrs ago. Single. No kids, No pre-existing

that wasn't excluded. I could get a pap smear and a mammogram. No dental. I couldn't afford it. I understand. I just couldn't imagine adding more bodies to the scenario and expect to do any better financially. This isn't personal...and I appreciate you not flaming the crap out of me.

I have seen your posts and you are reasonable enough and I know many reasonable people who seem to have no idea that multiplying isn't helping any of our situations. So I made my comment. And no doubt your youngsters are wonderful and they will grow up to be decent people.

But I am still totally blown away that anyone would have children under the conditions we live in and expect any more than what they receive from the twisted political nightmare that is our own.

[kenny blankenship]

17. You are a criminal, inciting others to commit insurance theft by non-payment

and soon when the Federal law has been amended you will be dealt with by the highest authorities. It will go hard on you, your family, and your knee but this society will no longer tolerate non-paying terrorist scofflaws. You have skated by for too long now and our patience is at an end.

I hope our Party's Official position in favor of the individual mandate is now clear to you.

[NoSheep]

19. I had nearly forgotten how to spell skate.

[hfojvt]

22. $700 a month is pretty cheap for a family of 5

My group plan at work costs $1152.18 per month for a family (and my employer will pay all but $313.19 of it)

But with a $4,000 deductible you are basically paying $1033 per month.

I think you'd be better off banking that $700 a month, but if something big happened to one of the five of you, it could wipe you out.

I'd be very tempted to take my chances. Actually I would not have a choice at my income level. I went for twenty years without any health insurance, and without real need for it.

[Dorian Gray]

23. Can you call your insurance carrier

and change plans within the family? They may allow you to upgrade the plan????

[Canuckistanian]

24. Mandatory coverage does NOTHING to reduce costs

Unless there is ALSO a law that says the insurance companies MUST reduce charges proportional to their increasing customer base.