Healthcare in America

For a moment, let's talk about healthcare. Medicare patients have pretty decent care, by and large. But those of us in the middle between Medicare and employer insurance are guaranteed disaster.

My first employer's insurance was awesome- but it cost $800 per month.On a retirement income, that is simply not possible. I tried to get a regular policy, but was denied because of several "pre-existing conditions" - like migraines, for example. I currently have a crappy policy that is nigh unto worthless with a $5K deductible. The bottom-feeders who have it know full well that all of it will end up on the "deductible." And I will have all of it out of my own pocket.

So here we are in 2011, and the other day I had a "brain bleed" caused by those migraines, as well as a couple of other issues. Two CT scans and an MRI later, the bill was racking up exponentially. Down to the $6 or $7 box of kleenex in my room, it started to get ugly. I tried to tell the people who kept entering my room that my insurance was so crappy it wouldn't pay for all of that, but it fell on deaf ears. They gave me a private room, something my insurance NEVER pays for. They must have thought I had a "cadillac" policy!

Then there were the physical therapists, the occupational therapists, and the speech pathologist. I kept saying "no" so they insisted "yes." It seemed as though everyone was working against me. Then the doctor dropped by my room and decided I needed an angiogram on top of it all. At this point all I could do was nod my head like an idiot and pretend I was acquiescing.

It was difficult to even listen to anyone after that. Am I supposed to worry? No. Am I supposed to be calm and in control? No Doubt. At least I have Jesus. Other people- I honestly don't know what they do. With the bills mounting, the insurance company refusing to pay, and our leaders in Congress playing Russian Roulette with our health, I'd really like to cry, but simply don't have the energy.