Our monthly premium with health insurance reform: $878.00, with a $2500 deductible

[Missy Vixen]

We lost our health insurance two years ago when my husband was laid off from his job. The contracting company he went to work for offered health insurance. $25,000 worth of annual coverage was $450 per month with a $2500 deductible.

We both are over 40. We both have pre-existing conditions. He requires $500 worth of prescriptions per month to stay alive. I'm lucky. My prescription only costs us $24.00 per month.

I just took a look at the Washington State high-risk pool I've read so much about here. You, too, can take a look if you'd like.

https://www.wship.org/PCIP-WA/docs/PCIP-WA%20Enrollment%20PACKET%20FINAL%207-30-10.pdf

The bottom line? A $2500 per year deductible with minimal prescription coverage is only $878.00 per month. So, what do we give up? Eating? Sleeping inside? Heating/cooling our home? It's $10,536 out of our yearly budget, which is a little over a fourth of what DH makes pre-tax. It is the equivalent of a second primary mortgage.

This is where the rubber meets the road...

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Back when "reform" passed, I tried talking reasonably to people about

this. They called me a whiner. I have now been without health insurance for 10 months after COBRA coverage for me ended. I was a compliant heart patient with RA under control. I am now purchasing meds online and hoping for the best.

[Merlot]

4. If health insurance reform hadn't passed where would you be?

Would it be any better for you?

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. If real health insurance reform had passed, I would be insured right now.

Of course, I it didn't. I'm not. I wouldn't have to pay a penalty for not purchasing insurance because I fall right in that midline. Yes, it would be better for me to not be penalized for not having what I cannot have, unless I am willing to forfeit my son's home and livelihood. Much better for me. No?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

12. She's in deep shit either way.

This "plan" really isn't any better than NO plan if you can't aford the premiums and can't afford to get the CARE.

That has always been the problem.

Thankfully they may be able to pay for this. Many (most?) would not be able to.

[villager]

13. That's the tragedy, eh? "Reform" passed, and this is its legacy...

n/t

[mike_c]

2. it's changiness though, so buck up and stop complaining....

What do you want, a pony?

[Dappleganger]

5. Preferably a unicorn.

With rainbow sprinkles, of course. ;)

[frylock]

15. what happens when my pony gets sick?

i think it's his lung....

[Missy Vixen]

27. It's one of those difficult decisions

Maybe he'll just die quickly. :sarcasm:

[Donnachaidh]

81. a real pony you could sell to pay the deductible

But even the *pony* is FAKE, just like the *reform*. :shrug:

But the Insurance CEO's will be making out like raped apes... :grr:

[Merlot]

3. And what would it be without health insurance reform?

What have you been doing since your husband was laid off?

[dflprincess]

9. If you still can't afford what it with "reform"

it doesn't much matter what it would have been without it.

This bill was not reform it was the the Insurance Profit Protection Act and only intended to reenforce the corrupt system we already have.

[Missy Vixen]

14. What would it be without health insurance "reform"?

That's a good question, isn't it? We were paying for COBRA till it ran out.

>What have you been doing since your husband was laid off?<

Paying $525 per month for prescription drugs, and praying nobody got sick.

Is this a joke to you? There's fifty million of us in the same boat.

[Merlot]

57. Not a joke, serious question.

I knew when health insurance "reform" passed it would not affect my situation at all. I hope it helps some people, it's not going to help everybody.

[Lorien]

95. You are being deliberately obtuse. Premiums have gone up since "reform" passed

because the insurance companies have now been GUARANTEED customers. Let's make it simple for you:

*I can barely afford my medications and office appointments AS IS because I live at about the poverty line. They cost about $350.00 per month.

* If I still paid for insurance I would be paying about $450.00 a month for a policy with a $10,000.00 deductible (over 40, pre-existing conditions). I'm self employed and that's about the best rate I can get.


* If I can barely afford $350.00 a month for actual services and prescriptions (without which I would be disabled) then how in the hell do you think I could afford $800.00 a month? REMEMBER, THERE'S A TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR DEDUCTIBLE! Also, insurance companies will do EVERYTHING possible to get out of paying for health care services once that deductible is met. I know. I lost over 80k in savings to ER bills and surgeries that my insurance refused to cover.

It's not a humane system Merlot. Unless you've fought with these fuckers and faced foreclosure, then you have absolutely no idea how awful it truly is. We MUST demand a public option; otherwise insurance corporations will use this "reform" to soak every last one of us.

[unapatriciated]

100. "Unless you've fought with these fuckers and faced foreclosure, then you have absolutely no idea"

No truer words have been said. Those that believe this is going to help those that need health care have never fought to get care or claims paid. If they had they would understand.

[CurtEastPoint]

6. Hey, I hear ya but at least you got offered some. I got 2 rejections in 2 days

from Aetna and Humana. What is my recourse if I can't find coverage? I checked healthcare.org and each state has a 'pool' and I checked mine and similar deductibles as yours, my age... $700/mo. But I gotta go six months WITHOUT to qualify. What if...

This is a sack of shit and I hate it. If I got a job tomorrow and have health coverage, all is well. So if you are unemployed and Cobra has run out and you gotta find your own, most likely you will NOT be able to afford it.

This is just fucked up.

Sorry to vent and be profane but I'm just seething.

Why in God's name does the US treat its people like shit?

[Missy Vixen]

19. Vent away

As long as you'd like to vent, I'm happy to read it.

Again: There are fifty million of us.

:hug:

[jpak]

7. Most of the reforms have not yet been implemented

n/t

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. Unfortunately the "temporary high risk pools" (mostly administered

to by BC/BS are in place. They are, basically the high risk pools that states had in place in the first place. I believe this is what the poster is referring to.

[sandnsea]

21. They'll be phased out in 2014

And the subsidized exchanges will be in place that will take everyone, and provide a subsidy. Washington State used to, unfortunately they chose to cut that part of their health program. Also, Oregon's high risk pool pays for all necessary medications, is administered by BC/BS and has an option for a $500 deductible. Some of this is the fault of the people in the state for accepting the cuts to their health coverage.

[Missy Vixen]

23. We just need to hang on for three more years

That's okay. We really didn't need to sleep inside or anything. :sarcasm:

>Some of this is the fault of the people in the state for accepting the cuts to their health coverage.<

I sure as fuck didn't vote for it.

I might also add that the governor has little choice in the matter. It's difficult to extend coverage when there's no funds to pay for it with.

[sandnsea]

26. Here's another link

https://www.wship.org/Docs/Non-MC%20PPO%20Rate%20Charts%202010%20rev%2010062009.pdf

Your state could have voted to pay for the health care you had. That would have been an option too. Oregon did.

[Missy Vixen]

28. Oh, so we just move to Oregon?

Thanks. I never thought of that.

[sandnsea]

32. Click the link

Those numbers indicate there is a sliding scale for premiums. Also, you may discover the health plan pays 100% for medications related to on-going illnesses. Look closer and see if paying $500 for a premium wouldn't be the same as you're currently paying for medicine.

[ScreamingMeemie]

38. Unfortunately, Missy, we are beating our heads against a wall here.

If you don't agree that forking over half a month's income, losing your home and your livelihood is a reasonable solution to obtaining health care, you are whining.

I am in Texas. Our link to click places my health insurance coverage rate at $1200/month with a $10K deductible.

I hear you and I am sorry you are in the same boat.

[Missy Vixen]

45. You have kids

We don't.

Believe me, right now, if there was someone I felt worse for, it's you. Your kids need you. The world needs you.

I am sick to learn that you had to make this decision. I'm pissed off that there are at least two other posters on this thread who can't afford insurance, and at least one whose family is currently discussing dropping a family member because they can no longer pay the premiums.

This is not a joke. This is not political posturing or "gosh, we won". These are real people, in a real struggle to make ends meet, in a real economy that it's just not so fucking easy to pick up a second job or start a business to pay for their HEALTH INSURANCE.

If some here thought "town hells" were bad last summer, just wait.

[sandnsea]

46. It's not a reasonable solution, or an end solution

Nobody said it was. If you don't want the high risk pool, just do what you've been doing. The exchange will be in place in 2014.

[ScreamingMeemie]

74. 4 years of 145/118... I don't think that'll work out in my favor.

Rare is it that I talk about it, but it is what it is.

I doubled my life insurance, because I could afford the term life extension. That's what a lot of us are doing.

[pecwae]

69. Well, with enough of those links

maybe you could build a hut to shelter in until 2014 when this whole plan is supposed to come together.

I'm sorry for what you're going through.

[femrap]

89. Plus I think

Oregon offers Assisted Suicide just in case.

It's a deplorable situation. It's shameful.

Sometimes I think that if I was diagnosed with a terminal disease...cancer of some type, I'd just take pain pills until I needed assisted suicide. I really don't want to give the medical and insurance industries my last dime.

It's not like this country or even the Planet is going to get better anytime soon. There's no fun anymore.

I'd rather give what little I have to the SPCA and/or Planned Parenthood.

[nashville_brook]

62. nice blame shifting.

[Name removed]

76. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Roland99]

91. yeah...pre-existing conditions aren't required to be covered until 2014. Until then, rates will ^^^

and that's just the "floor rate" of a plan. Those with pre-existing conditions get to pay double the floor rate of a plan. That $878/mo will end up being nearly $2000/mo for someone new to that plan.

[LWolf]

10. Nobody wanted to hear that people still wouldn't be able to afford care.

My insurance has risen steadily, every year, for the last several years. By 1-3%. Until this year, when I'm facing a massive increase I posted about here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8903175

I think the much higher increase is there to fund the parts of the bill kicking in. For-profit insurance companies aren't going to give up their profit, so the money to fund extra requirements has to come from somewhere.

If insurance had been affordable to begin with, maybe I could see it. But it wasn't before, and it's more unaffordable now.

[NightWatcher]

16. still have none here. plus had an ambulance trip, er visit, and two dr's apps in last ten days

it's nice to see "charity" stamped on my charts...

[SoCalDem]

17. IIRC, 30% is the upper limit a person can be "expected" to pay

so there will be no help for you, until and unless you become indigent:(

Washington State used to have a very good health care system.. Years ago, even though we lived in Indiana, we were covered by Pierce County Medical Coverage. (Hubby was a Weyerhauser guy)..We just mailed them the bills & they paid it all .

Does your county offer any assistance?

[Missy Vixen]

22. Here's the math

I have been looking for a job. Imagine my surprise to learn that people aren't in the market to hire an older chick. I am not getting into exact numbers re: how much husband makes. It's nobody's business but ours.

Our mortgage payment: $1400 per month
The health insurance payment: $878.00 per month

$2278 per month, BEFORE stuff like oh, his prescriptions, heat, lights, food, ISP, auto expenses, food and vet visits for the felines and the pooch, etcetera.

SoCalDem, the county isn't going to give us assistance. Let's just say that there'd be a long line ahead of us, especially since we don't have kids.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

30. If the drugs are $528 a month and the insurance is $878 a month

with a high deductible, you'd be better off just paying for the drugs out of pocket and putting the difference in the bank.

Last spring, I dropped my insurance after I had been paying thousands of dollars into it for years, only to find out that when I really could have used some of its benefits (treatment for a broken elbow while business was at a low ebb), that the hundreds of dollars they were directly withdrawing from my bank account every month brought me nothing but letters saying that I hadn't met my deductible yet.

I'm old enough to remember when paying a shitload of money every month gave you no deductibles.

The worst thing the Obama plan did was to fail to ban deductibles, which are nothing but an excuse for insurance companies to print money. No other civilized country that I know of has them, and the U.S. didn't used to have them either.

Anyway, I have no fear of bankruptcy, because like many self-employed people, I've been through it before, and even though it's unpleasant, I know I can survive it. I don't have a house to lose. Even if I did, that's not the end of the world, either.

I decided that the insurance company scam was just another facet of the FEAR mantra that the powers that be use to control us. I now believe that the system needs to crash, and the sooner the better, so that we can get to work on some REAL health care reform, as opposed to insurance company corporate welfare.

P.S. I'm really glad that I dropped my insurance when I did. The first month that the insurance company didn't withdraw its monthly pound of flesh from my bank account was a low-business month in which I desperately needed the money to live on.

[Mimosa]

41. Partner and I are both over 55, paying to own house

The only reason we don't drop insurance is we're afraid of catastrophic health event which would cause us to lose house. :(

Is there any way to keep house if one goes bankrupt?

[dflprincess]

73. I think as long as the mortgage payments are current (or you own it outright)

you may be able to keep your house in a bankruptcy. Maybe that varies from state to state but it might be worth checking out if you are thinking of dropping insurance.

[laughingliberal]

96. Most states allow you to protect up to a certain amount of equity in bankruptcy. NV it's $300,000.

So, yes. If you can pay your mortgage, you can generally keep your house.

[Ignis]

50. "The worst thing...was to fail to ban deductibles"

That's it in a nutshell: We know it's not "health care reform" as was touted (and is in the 2008 party platform), but it's not even "health insurance reform" in some very meaningful areas.

[Kolesar]

79. That was insightful...eom

[SoCalDem]

49. Not "county assistance" per se

Does your county have a similar plan?


after googling, it appears that PCMB was a "sell-out"..that's a shame

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Regence_Group

[ixion]

18. Which is why I've called it the Insurance Industry Profit Protection Act

which is what it is. It was NOT 'reform' in the sense that it made life better for the majority of We, the People.

[sandnsea]

20. Health Coverage Tax Credit?

Maybe you qualify for help.

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=185800,00.html

I wish we would have fought to get the subsidies implemented faster.

[HuckleB]

44. Yes, the subsidies needed to be in place.

[Mimosa]

101. That HCTC is a JOKE!

My partner called yesterday morning. It only applies for people who worked for ACORN or some other 'connected' group, like certain NGOs or unions.

[sandnsea]

24. I'm not seeing what you're seeing

But in any event, do you qualify for assistance?

https://www.wship.org/Docs/Non-MC%20PPO%20Rate%20Charts%202010%20rev%2010062009.pdf

[Missy Vixen]

34. Go to page 9 of 33

https://www.wship.org/PCIP-WA/docs/PCIP-WA%20Enrollment%20PACKET%20FINAL%207-30-10.pdf I got my figures from the 2010 rates for the Washington State pre-existing insurance plan.

Do we qualify for assistance? Who knows? I guess we'll find out. In the meantime, I'm not hearing a lot of answers for the fact that between mortgage and health insurance, we are left with less than 1/3 of what DH brings home every month to pay the remaining bills. It's hard for me to believe we're alone in this, too.

[sandnsea]

48. $900 for utilities and food?

Honestly, count yourself lucky.

[Missy Vixen]

58. Our water is $110 per month

Our gas/electricity is $140 per month.

Let's face it: You will never, ever admit that this plan is not workable for the vast majority of those who will be forced to pay into it.

[sandnsea]

60. Mine is about the same

OTOH, I don't live in a $1400 a month house.

The current insurance pool isn't workable for lots of people. It is most certainly workable for you.

Many people will have to wait until 2014 to get the subsidies. Many will still be unhappy about how much health care costs. But until every American has to look at those dollars in front of their face, they'll never be motivated to consider another option like single payer.

And, iirc, didn't you always say investing and money management was soooo easy, back during the mortgage meltdown and stock market crash.

[Missy Vixen]

64. I beg your pardon

>And, iirc, didn't you always say investing and money management was soooo easy, back during the mortgage meltdown and stock market crash.<

You evidently have me confused with someone else. You might want to check your facts.

>The current insurance pool isn't workable for lots of people. It is most certainly workable for you.<

In your opinion.

>OTOH, I don't live in a $1400 a month house.<

Welcome to Seattle-area mortgages.

[asdjrocky]

25. It's a true American tragedy to see good hard working Americans going through this.

The only real answer was single payer, but the corporations couldn't have that, and the Whitehouse and Congress do their bidding.

Profit Protection Act, indeed.

[area51]

83. +1

Each day, 273 people die due to lack of health care in the U.S.; that's 100,000 deaths per year.

We need single-payer health care, not a welfare bailout for the serial-killer insurance agencies.

"We will never have real reform until people's health stops being treated as a financial opportunity for corporations."

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mithreal]

53. self delete

wrong place

[provis99]

31. Don't worry; Obama has arranged so that you can pay a fine if you don't have health insurance.

Change we can believe in.

[HuckleB]

39. This is not the full plan that will go into effect in 2014.

This is a plan that serves as a stopgap, allowing people who generally can't get insurance now to be able to get it. The costs appear to be less than one would pay to buy insurance privately right now.

[ScreamingMeemie]

75. If I, a high risker, had been able to continue on (as a compliant patient)

with a regular insurance plan, my cost would have been $300/mos out of pocket, $3500 deductible, prescription coverage. My cost, as a high risker, is $1200/month with high deductibles and copays...no prescription coverage. $1200 is less than $300? Not where I went to school. Trying to paint this as anything other than the "shut up America we gave you 'reform'" plan that it is is disingenuous, and a joke to many of us who could have used a break.

[matt819]

33. I'll take that

I pay $1,800 per month for family of four, $5,000 deductible. We're actually considering dropping one of us. Not quite a Sophie's Choice decision, but this is what it's come to in 21st century America.

[HuckleB]

35. Can you explain the "minimal prescription coverage?"

As I'm reading it, the maximum you pay out annually for prescriptions in $2,000 as a family or $1,000 as an individual. Thus, it appears you will get $5,000 worth of medication coverage (and could get more) annually for your husband.

Or am I missing somethingg.

[Missy Vixen]

40. So, what do we do during the two months or so he's satisfying his prescription deductible?

Prescriptions $500
Health care deductible $878

On top of $1400 for mortgage payment.

There's also a 20% copay, IIRC.

We'll be paying almost $1,000 per month AFTER that two-month period. Maybe there are people here who can write that check and not miss the money, but there are lots of others who won't be able to do it. They'll just get a fine.

[HuckleB]

43. How are you doing it now?

[Missy Vixen]

47. How is anyone doing it now?

We pay for his prescriptions and pray nobody gets sick.

Think I'm kidding about this?

[HuckleB]

51. I'm trying to figure out your situation.

I know it's expensive. Private insurance is VERY expensive, and that is what this is, although it does appear to be subsidized a bit. Have you discovered whether or not you qualify for any assistance? It seems like that's part of the equation, too.

[Schema Thing]

36. This is the interim program, not the end product.

Sorry that it isn't good enough. I'm in a similar boat. But it's not accurate to claim that this is the end result of HCR, and you certainly would not be any better off if the legislation had not passed.

[Mimosa]

37. Yours is a bargain compared to our BC/BS $10,000 ded policies at $895 a month

Partner and I struggle to pay $895 a month for $10,000 ann deductible 70/30 policies which don't cover Rxs until after $1,000 deductible. Co-pays...

So that's about $13,000 a year, 20% of our annual income, no help in sight.

[HuckleB]

42. Buying insurance privately is an extreme cost right now.

Somehow that doesn't factor into the criticism of a plan that is offering coverage to people who can't even get coverage under the current private system.

[TheKentuckian]

54. Think about when that bill comes in and its 50-75 of your income, this is completely unsustainable

for most and many can't even fight the good fight.

The Wealthcare and Profit Protection Act is more of the same with a partial expansion in exchange for a key to the treasury and the IRS as enforcers in a protection racket.

[Barack2theFuture]

52. all praise be to PResident Obama,

whose courageous championing of health care reform gave us the new system.

[Mithreal]

55. The Fundamentals of our Health Care are strong.

Slow clap for President Obama.



There's more profit in war and no one looks down on a little old fashioned war profiteering.



You all are going to make HCR angry. It has a chance to grow now.

[Vinca]

56. Same situation in New Hampshire

When I got the quote for the high risk pool I burst into tears. Unless I discover a diamond mine on my property, there is no way we can afford it.

[saracat]

59. We are in the same position but ours costs more and have a higher deductible.

And our meds, I should say mine are a couple of hundred, but including two or three vists to an out of state specialist and those office costs. Ours is like $1200.And we have remorgaged our house and raided our retirement with no income coming in. I have repeatedly asked how the new HCR benefits us and the fact is, it doesn't ,and it isn't going to.Except when HCR goes into effect we can no longer "choose" to be uninsured without being fined. We are perfect examples of why we genuinely needed single payer.

[bvar22]

61. A "Uniquely American Solution!"

Medical Bankruptcy!!!
:woohoo:

[mmonk]

63. Mine is $801.00 with a $5450.00 deductable.

[Scuba]

65. Why should the insurance companies get ANY of our healthcare dollars?

Why should the insurance companies get ANY of our healthcare dollars? They add NO VALUE to the process of delivering care.

Insurance used to be about sharing risk. Now it's just about making profits and insurance companies use the sleaziest tactics imaginable to do that.

Our automakers and other manufacturers would be competitive against other developed countries if the cost of healthcare - and insurance company profits - didn't have to be tacked on to every product they make.

Why should the US be second-rate? Why does Canada have a three-year advantage over us in terms of life expectency?

Why do stockholders who don't work a minute delivering care - or, in many cases, doing any work at all - deserve our healthcare dollars?

[Desertrose]

67. Damn good question, isn't it?

I plain & simple can't afford health insurance.

Self-employed .....I need every penny to have a roof over my head, pay utilities & buy food.

They can fine me if they want...can't get blood from a rock.

I just pray I don't get sick or have an accident. Trying to hang on for 4 more years til medicare....even then it won't cover everything. It's just insane.

Wish people could boycott these damn greedy insurance companies.

[Fumesucker]

68. Because they own our politicians..

See the recent Health Insurance "Reform" for a prime example of that ownership.

[Safetykitten]

66. Your case is obviously an exception.

Because we solved THAT problem. Yours is unique, a special case.

Because we all know that everyone can afford the high risk pool. That's why they made it...see?

Because checking off a little box marked "healthcare reform" means more than actually solving the problem.

Because others have not had your problem, otherwise they would be posting and others would understand the horror show it is and will become. They are smart people here.

Because you have other options. Really.

Because we have moved on. Done that. Solved and let's stand up and cheer!

[philly_bob]

70. Heartbreaking thread. Besides family suffering, there's also unemployment.

(Employers are reluctant to hire new workers or rehire laid-off workers when they're responsible for health care costs.)

Let's hope the looming post-"reform" crisis will build up a head of steam for real single-payer or public option reform.

[Spheric]

71. This is so terribly sad.

What is even sadder is that there are those who are trying to claim that forcing us through mandate of law to pay insurance racketeers for the right to access health care (and for nothing else - absolutely no added value whatsoever) is somehow legitimate.

And this coming from Democrats.

Sad, sad times we live in.

[reggie the dog]

72. this is why we need single payer

to have my wife daughter and myself covered they take euros out of our paychecks to the tune of about 350 euros a month total for full coverage, as a family we earn 30 000 euros a year, in the single payer national health insurance scheme you pay based on your income, PRE EXISTING CONDITIONS ARE NOT EVEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT and the "deductible" ranges between 1 euro if you have a co op supplement up to as much as 10 or perhaps 15 euros if you do not. Prescription meds usually cost less than 1 euro

[JCMach1]

77. I am 'shocked' I tell you, shocked

... srsly though, I feel for you

[depakid]

78. Someone should send this thread to Gibb's inbox

That and to every Dem who opposed (or wouldn't go on the record supporting) a robust public option.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

80. What was your coverage before? (nt)

[Missy Vixen]

84. What is your point? n/t

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

86. I don't have one...

Just curious as to your situation before and after.

[maryf]

82. Expanded Medicare for All

is still doable, and still in the house...

[nightrain]

85. knr. crap! That's nearly a decent-sized mortgage payment! (on a house you never see!)

on the hopes that you never have to live in it, but have to pay for it.

And this is reform??!!??

BS.

[w8liftinglady]

87. I know.mine is 600/mo-meds are 400

I am on ltd due to brain lesion/brain surgery.My disaability is 3000/mo-600-400=2000 for myself and kids.It doesn't go very far.

[femrap]

88. It's sickening.....

I'm over 55. I pay $300/month w/ a $5,000 deductible and then an 80/20 split. My premium was raised 27% this year.

I hate insurance companies. I hate pretty much all corporations.

And the Medical industry wants ALL of your money and then they want you to die! And if you don't, well, you're given shitty care.

We've become a 3rd World Nation. We're 3rd World America!

[yurbud]

90. the important thing is, no insurance companies were harmed in the passage of that legislation

[laughingliberal]

98. Yes, because insurance companies 'deserve to make a profit.' nt

[JBoy]

92. Have you investigated getting your meds from Canada?

My understanding is that, in general, you can import up to 3 months supply from Canada - if it's for your own use, you have a prescription, you get it from a licensed pharmacy, etc.

Some US citizens travel to Canada and get the meds from a walk-in pharmacy, others do it on-line.

This is a reputable on-line pharmacy in my neck of the woods: http://www.medsforless.com/ You can search for your meds, see if they have it, and figure out if the price is worth the hassle.

[Name removed]

99. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EC]

93. But the HCR doesn't go into effect until 2014

this is your state plan isn't it?

[JDPriestly]

94. You will probably be eligible for a subsidy to pay some of the cost.

It may be in the form of a tax credit or something like that.

[laughingliberal]

97. So sorry to hear. I lost my job while my husband had cancer. Our COBRA was $1200 per month...

and our mortgage is also $1400. Before the economy dumped his business was healthy and I had a good income. His FICO score was in the 780's and mine was over 800. I pulled all our savings and every LOC we had available to keep the mortgage and the COBRA paid. We managed to keep up the insurance long enough for him to finish cancer treatments. Now, we just have to hope there is no return of his disease because we have no way for him to be screened. We both have chronic health conditions which are going unaddressed.

I'm so sorry to hear of this going on with you. We ALL deserve better but we live in a country that cares little or nothing about its citizens. Are you like me? Did you grow up feeling lucky to have been born in America? And does that all seem like a cruel joke now?