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Choosing Between Food and Health Care Costs
Stop and think whether you want to see your family or friends struggling to pay for health care.
Shaun Courtney
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Bill after bill, my stack of notices of how much I owe a local hospital for recent medical tests grew. All the while, doctors were exploring whether I was suffering from some potentially serious conditions.
And, I have insurance.
Whether you agree or disagree with the Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act, ask yourself whether you should suffer through the same thoughts I and many other Americans have experienced as they underwent test after test after test.
“I hope my insurance fully covers this. If not, how much will I owe?” I thought.
In the case of some, "I don't have insurance. How will I pay for this?"
Knowing I’m quite lucky to be employed and have good insurance, I often thought of the people who are forced to choose between paying for an expensive test or forgoing a procedure that is necessary to address any medical issue. It’s a humbling thought.
Would you want to be forced to choose between food for your child or a medical test? Or gas for your car to get to work? I think not.
Thankfully, doctors told me I don't have any of the serious conditions, but six months of living under severe physical and mental stress left me drained. Dwelling on whether my insurer would pay for my tests took a huge toll, as did the hospital visits themselves.
Despite being told I would owe nothing, I received several bills I consider large. Each new bill brought a little more stress in addition to the burden of thinking you could have a serious illness. Unfortunately, six months after the first test, I am battling the hospital over bills I have been told I don't owe.
Regardless of your feelings on the health care law, we should all take some time to consider whether you would want to see your friends or family in that situation and whether you would wish that upon strangers.
Now, ask yourself again, how can we help people, your family and friends included, get affordable, adequate health care? Let the conversation begin in the comments section below.
NonnyMus
11:45 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Well said, Ryan!
Your experience shows that even people with insurance have problems when faced with an illness (or potential illness). And this is after 'reform'. Much more is needed to take the profit motive out of health care and provide for all Americans.
As for me, I was hospitalized with a brain injury years ago when I had a pitiful insurance policy with a $10,000 limit.. I subsequently spent the next 10 years paying off the balance. So, at a time when I should have been saving money for a house and concentrating on my education, I was paying off enormous bills. That debt was the single biggest factor in my deciding not to pursue an advanced degree. That means I've contributed less to the economy and to science than I could have. That's not good for the Commonwealth nor the country.
Fast forward 10 years, when I was visiting Paris and got a bad sore throat. I walked into a clinic near my hotel, got diagnosed with strep throat within an hour and spent the equivalent of $2.43 for the antibiotics I needed. There was no charge to see the doctor. When I expressed amazement at that, he explained that by making me well, I would enjoy my visit more and spend more money! He well understood that healthy people contribute to a healthy economy in addition to the fact that simple compassion demands we help out those who have hit a bad patch.