We have reached our $4,000 deductible and are now paying only 20% of our health care costs (until we reach $10,000, and then insurance will kick in at 100%--well, thank God for small miracles!). By the time we get to that point, we will be eating beans and rice every night for dinner. If G has to have ear tubes, we'll likely be on this diet before Christmas.
But since we are only paying 20% I decided to refill my Astelin Rx (nose spray) before it expires in early December. My allergist gave me an Rx for a steroid nose spray too, but I simply can't afford to fill that one every month. If I have to choose between my brain working properly, having an unplanned pregnancy and having a bit of a stuffy nose, you know which one I will choose. D and I have used up all the Astelin samples I begged off my doctor.
My Lexapro costs me $80 per month, and my birth control pills are about $28 per month. My allergy shots cost me $13.00 every time I go. Before G started with all the ear infections, I was the only one in the family who hit our insurance pretty hard. He is quickly catching up.
N is the only one of us who has spent $0 health care dollars this year (insurance covered her 4-year well visit at 100%). And she eats virtually no fruits or vegetables, picks her nose on a regular basis without the benefit of handwashing, and does anything to avoid taking a bath. Apparently, she knows how to live a healthy lifestyle.
By most standards, I think I would be considered pretty healthy overall, which scares the shit out of me when I think about how much we would have to pay if we were really sick.
I read in the paper on Thursday that Senator Max Baucus is pushing for a complete health-care overhaul in the US so I sent him an email. While I did say I thought an overhaul was needed, I also stressed that Congress should pass legislation that all people with HSAs should be able to save their entire yearly out-of-pocket maximum pre-tax, instead of just the deductible.
We can save about $5,800 pre-tax per year, but with a $10,000 out-of-pocket max, that still leaves a big chunk of change that we have to pay for.
I know there are people far worse off and everyone is feeling the pinch from rising health care costs. We pay cents on our health care premiums, so while other people may have cheaper co-pays, they pay bigger chunks of their premiums per paycheck. So this isn't a complaint post, so much as a "this scares me" blog.
Because more and more, without your health, you really don't have anything.
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