By
the end of this week, it will have been three months since my stroke, fall and
injury to my left arm. And the bills are starting to come due. In other words,
insurance has paid what its going to pay and I’m on the hook for the rest.
For
example, my expenses from stay at Cone Hospital where I had my surgery totaled in
excess of $42,000.00. After insurance has paid its part, I’m still on the hook
for $2,600.00+. And that’s just part of it. All told, total medical expenses
for my treatment at Brunswick, Cone & Wesley Long hospitals plus ancillary
charges for radiology, anesthesia and more will be in excess of $100,000.00.
Thankfully, I have health insurance but when this all over, my out of pocket
expenses will come to about $10,000.00.
No,
I don’t have $10,000.00 burning a hole in my pocket but I’ll be OK. I have a
medical saving account. Also I can tap lines of credit through my bank and
there’s the always reliable credit cards as needed. I am far luckier than a lot
of people. Still, I’m racking up some debt to cover my share of medical
expenses. And what happens if another medical crisis hits and I’ve already
tapped out these financial cushions?
This
is why we need effective, broad-based reform of health care in this country. A
lot of the focus for health care reform efforts is on people who do not have
health care insurance but what about people like me? I’m not rich but I’m not
poor. I will be poor if I have to keep taking hits like these for medical
expenses.
I
have health insurance and I’m facing $10,000.00 in debt for my health care.
That’s money NOT going to the purchase of a new car or a family vacation or any
of those other expenditures that keeps our free-market economy moving. It’s
money NOT going into savings or investing for the future.
Again,
I’ll be OK. I’m luckier than a lot of other people out there. There are people
facing bankruptcy because of medical expenses.
That's that for today. Until next time, remember to be good to one another.
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