[cancer] The long and grinding road
Another hard swerve on my cancer journey. Finally got the insurance benefits statement for session one of chemotherapy. They're allowing about 9% of the $16,100 pharmaceutical cost. (This is before clinic charges, lab fees and physician fees.) Of the $1,500 they're allowing, about $600 is being billed back to me as out-of-pocket and deductible.
While my out-of-pocket and deductible is limited to $2,000 per year, that leaves $14,600 per session, of 12 sessions unaccounted for. As it stands today, the hospital will be looking to me to make up about $175,000 in shortfall over the next six months.
So to my conservative friends who oppose HCR because our current system is 'the best in the world'... my advice is to fall on your knees and pray to whatever god you believe in that you're never in my position. Because it ain't conservative principles and leadership that will rescue you from this. Even by your own standards, I've done everything right - good job, good insurance, good income. This will bankrupt me in a few months if I don't fix it. Or kill me in 2-3 years if I can't keep it going. Which of those choices is 'the best in the world'? Please tell me, so I can really understand the rosy worldview of conservative America.
In my case, hopefully a hell of a lot of phone calling will help. But guess what I don't have the time, energy and resources for? Full scale battle with my carrier, that's what.
While my out-of-pocket and deductible is limited to $2,000 per year, that leaves $14,600 per session, of 12 sessions unaccounted for. As it stands today, the hospital will be looking to me to make up about $175,000 in shortfall over the next six months.
So to my conservative friends who oppose HCR because our current system is 'the best in the world'... my advice is to fall on your knees and pray to whatever god you believe in that you're never in my position. Because it ain't conservative principles and leadership that will rescue you from this. Even by your own standards, I've done everything right - good job, good insurance, good income. This will bankrupt me in a few months if I don't fix it. Or kill me in 2-3 years if I can't keep it going. Which of those choices is 'the best in the world'? Please tell me, so I can really understand the rosy worldview of conservative America.
In my case, hopefully a hell of a lot of phone calling will help. But guess what I don't have the time, energy and resources for? Full scale battle with my carrier, that's what.