Where do you think health insurance is headed in this country? I pay $102.00 a week out of my check towards health insurance. This does not include Doctor and prescription co-pays. My real-estate/school taxes went up 30% in part because of...you guessed it....an increase in health insurance costs. I've also read posts in the selling section from members who need to sell items to pay for the care of family members who are sick. Where does it end?
I've talked to friends and family who are also feeling the pinch. Friends that own businesses are hurting to stay competitive. IMO, this issue is at the heart of our economy.
What say you?

And we moan about our National Health Service !

Howard

I pay for my own ....when my son was born our monthly health care went up to 1200.00 a month !!!!
God bless America ! I almost went to the poor house .... We need a better system....
I think the Doctors, Health Care companys and the Drug Industry have a little game they are running !

Howard-

When anyone starts talking about a nationalized health system, those opposed to it always claim the British and Canadian systems are a wreck. Is that the case? Or is that just the fat cats in the USA trying to keep it as is.

Cardone-
that's exactly what I'm talking about. I consider myself lucky. Very lucky. But there are a number of people who are one sickness or accident from the poor house.

From what I hear from my Canadian cousins, (I have a large family living up there) The health care system is great form the minor stuff. Check-ups, on going medicine (like diabetes or blood pressure) are well in hand. Some one in an accident can expect good trauma care. Where I am told the system breaks down is in the area of major stuff. One cousin of mine crossed into New York for cancer care. She felt all but ignored by her doctors, whose best efforts included offering her a program in which she might get cancer care or she might get a placebo. She was well treated in America, and is alive and well today.

Cliff-

I'm glad your Aunt is doing well. I've heard of Canadians crossing the border for additional care.
So we have Canadians going to New York for Cancer treatment and New Yorkers going to Canada for presciption drugs. Forget Nationalized health care. We need North Atlantic health care.

Insurance in the US is out of hand.
Health, auto, home, malpractice and whatever.
I've always thought of it as the biggest racket going.

My former employer paid for health insurance, amjor medical, dental, etc and I never saw it come out of my pay, which was good pay. Unfortunately this was one of the things that caused the company to close.
At the job I have now I have a choice of a few different plans but as I am an older person, and falling apart slowly, I needed a plan that takes about 1/4th of my paycheck.

I have self employed relatives and friends who have no way of getting decent coverage.

What can I say? Arrrgghhh!

Lambertmoon,

I'm 60 and never been in hospital til this October the old "prostate problem". In within a fortnight, out after three days, my experience of our system..couldn't fault it..even the food was great.

Howard

Health insurance will continue to climb. For those in the US, I would suggest looking into establishing a Health Savings Account (HSA). The can reduce your costs significantly is you otherwise qualify to have one. I am self employed and I currently pay in excess of $15K for medical insurance (family of four) but I am looking into establishing an HSA which could drop my costs by 1/3 or more. They have been around for a couple of years but are not as popular as they should be. Google it or discuss with your insurance agent or accountant for more information. They are complicated which is why they are not more popular.

Speaking of insurance: If you do not have disability insurance - please consider it. Most people think they will never need it but you never know. Dean Dill's accident is a good example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Life insurance - make sure you have enough. If you have a nonworking spouse and young children, your spouse should have coverage too. Conventional wisdom says that a nonworking spouse does not need life insurance but that is not always the case. I recently loss a friend to cancer and she had two young children but no life insurance. Her husband is struggling because he must continue to work and now must pay for full time care for his young children.

Rant over.

Cgscpa- - The HSA account is interesting. I don't think it would benefit me now but it is an interesting option for the future.

Companies paying less for health benifits for their employees is becoming more popular.

You leave school,and then the part of being in the system begins,you get a job, and you pay your national INSURANCE stamp,then you buy a car,and you buy your car INSURANCE,then you rent a room and buy furniture ,and again you take INSURANCE for your goods.then you get married and buy a flat (appartment)/house,again INSURANCE for your mortgage protection and INSURANCE for your house against damage,now you start a family, and so you put away INSURANCE for your childrens future,(we don,t want to be bad parents do we sir) then theres your retirement you may not have enough to live on because the INSURANCES you paid was not enough, so you take out more INSURANCE.Then there is the INSURANCE to make sure you get a good send off at your funeral. Now that we have been working and paying ALL these INSURANCES for XXX years.Now its not all doom and gloom because the insurance companies have paid out the claims (if they are forced to) and will pay as little as they can(unless you put your hands around their throat), I mean look at the good that we have done for them,we have given them an excellent salary + CAR for their family,the bosses have Big houses whoops sorry Mansions the C,O,E earns more in 2 years than you earn in 50,and the INSURANCE companies are one of the richest businesses in the world,and if they do go bust its only your money that is lost not theirs cause they get it out before it crashes.I mean they are concerned about health and well being,so maybe they do deserve their vast fortunes.(yes I am a LITTLE sarcastic). Mike

ps,now I know why the gypsies are detested, maybe they have the right idea.