Health Care Costs

[jimhines]

As the health care debate continues, I wanted to look back at the costs of treatment for my wife’s cancer, as well as what was and wasn’t covered, and how our insurance and financial situation could have so easily bankrupted us.

I started by pulling up the total medical charges she accrued from December of last year through the end of August, when

Comments

[deborahblakehps]

It's a disaster. I'm so glad you had coverage. I pay for insurance through the ACA and it is a fair chunk each month. With a $5,500 deductible, so almost everything comes out of my pocket in addition to the monthly cost. Situations like this are why I pay for it anyway. That and the double standard billing where if I hadn't had insurance, my routine blood work would have cost me about $1,200. Because I had insurance, I got charged that rate, and it was about $220. Oy.

[khedron]

Oh, goodness, I'm so sorry. And yes, this needs to be fixed, absolutely. We are levying the highest fees on the people least likely to be able to afford them, the ones without good employer-based health insurance and the ability to advocate for themselves.