Still, a series of family medical disasters have put me $10k or so in the hole due to various deductables (yeah, $1K per person per hospital visit, $2K max per person per year – do the math). Fortunately, we’re not doing so badly. I wonder about others.

But the real problem, which never occurred to me before this happened, is that I can no longer move jobs easily. I had to refuse a job that would have made me more money – enough more to purchase my own health care, under normal circumstances. But I have at least one family member who is flat-out uninsurable due to hard-to-treat cancer. And so I have to stay. I’d like to switch to independent contractor status, but I’d have to double my income to be able to afford that, if indeed I could afford it at all, given the “uninsurable” scarlet letter we wear.

So I have very good health insurance, and yet I’m not protected very much at all. I can’t afford to switch jobs unless it gets me on a big health plan where I can’t be rejected. And even with our insurance, financial disaster (as in, raid every available dollar from our future, sell our house, and rent, and still be likely to go bankrupt) is a very real possibility – change of employment, plus a somewhat likely next crisis, and it’s all over.

I’ve been very lucky – the health care I have has been great, but if a high degree of employability, a solid above-middle-class income, and a good health plan aren’t enough to protect me and my family from poverty, then the system has already failed.

Truly, the folks against universal health care are indulging in ivory tower fantasies. Remember the “gold-plated health plans” line from the SOTU? Don’t hear that any more, do we. Because it went over like a led zeppelin with everyone who hasn’t got multi-millions in the bank. Because everyone gets sick and dies eventually, so every family knows about having to deal with health crises, and what it costs them.

American health care is great. But the way we pay for it is utterly broken. And it hurts us individually and as competitors in a global economy.

I’ve had a two month crash course in the system since my mom’s diagnosis with pancreatic cancer. This disease is so grim and the mainstream has so little to offer, we immediately went straight to the “alternative” track. I’ve been shocked to learn how many promising, natural, cheap and effective cancer approaches there are and more shocked at how the doctors who explore them are literally ostracized, ridiculed, defrocked, and persecuted,etc. Truly unbelievable.

It is unbelievable, and I’m glad more people are realizing how much “cancer treatment” is a sham.

The present options are too often incredibly toxic, hideously expensive, and potentially life destroying.

I’m starting to read more and more stories about people who are told they have beaten cancer only to come down with another life threatening illness related to their treatment, such as anemia, heart problems, circulatory collapse, and organ failure.

How much sense does it make to treat cancer with carcinogenic treatments like most chemotherapy and radiation?

Pharmaceutical companies ignore non-toxic treatments because they can’t patent them.

This site will give more information:
http://www.cancerdecisions.com

Getting health care for everyone is only part of the battle. The American Public should demand BETTER health care, too.

Many thanks for the link!

We had to drive an hour from the resort to the nearest emergency room, where she had an x-ray and a shot of morphine, then a half hour drive to the closest hospital with an orthopedic surgeon. She stayed overnight, had surgery (two pins in her wrist) the next morning, stayed in hospital another day had weekly visits with her surgeon, two visits with our GP and biweekly physiotherapy.

Our only out of pocket expense was for painkillers, and the cost is deductible at tax time. (and I’m willing to bet I don’t pay substantially more in taxes than someone in the same income bracket in the US.)

That’s public health care in Canada. I can’t fathom why the US can’t do at least as well. For a family to face bankruptcy because their child was injured is just criminal.

medicaid for family of four making under 62, 000==those at 300% of poverty rate……

those who make more than that can buy into program…….

I’ve had a two month crash course in the system since my mom’s diagnosis with pancreatic cancer. This disease is so grim and the mainstream has so little to offer, we immediately went straight to the “alternative” track. I’ve been shocked to learn how many promising, natural, cheap and effective cancer approaches there are and more shocked at how the doctors who explore them are literally ostracized, ridiculed, defrocked, and persecuted,etc. Truly unbelievable.

It is unbelievable, and I’m glad more people are realizing how much “cancer treatment” is a sham.

The present options are too often incredibly toxic, hideously expensive, and potentially life destroying.

I’m starting to read more and more stories about people who are told they have beaten cancer only to come down with another life threatening illness related to their treatment, such as anemia, heart problems, circulatory collapse, and organ failure.

How much sense does it make to treat cancer with carcinogenic treatments like most chemotherapy and radiation?

Pharmaceutical companies ignore non-toxic treatments because they can’t patent them.

This site will give more information:
http://www.cancerdecisions.com

Getting health care for everyone is only part of the battle. The American Public should demand BETTER health care, too.

We have abandoned the government as a vehicle for carrying out our wishes and emobodying our values.

All for lack of proper leadership.

I am uninsured, have kids, and live in almost hourly dread that someone will get hurt and need healthcare.

2 CT scans, a colonoscopy, endoscopy, complete physical, and a double hernia operation.

Total value about 30K. I am obligated for the anesthesia of about $1642.00, which I am also trying to get dropped.

My secret???

I’m BROKE. No income, looking for work, no health insurance.

But for the good folks of the Pacific Northwest, of which I am now a resident, I would have been fukkked!!!

I have NEVER collected welfare (I have nothing against folks who have a true need–that’s what it is there for), and I collected unemployment for THREE WEEKS in 1984, so save the “welfare bum” bullzhit…

I came to the end of the rope where I needed the care, and I was helped.

It is NOT possible to give everyone the same ECONOMIC start in life.

It is EXACTLY what we SHOULD DO from a health care basis–an equal shot at HEALTH.

Thanks to the good folks of the GREAT State of Washington.