Honestly, I could complain about my situation and the money that I fork out, but truly that is not my point. I can afford to budget a portion of my earning for the medical care, purchasing a new leg very couple years not so much, but I always find a way. Generally it costs me something finer in life that I may want, but surely don't need.

My point is I talk to fellow employee's working in the plant and running under the same health care plan. Our family plan is right around 380/month with a 10 k deducible. Fairly standard in the area.. even better than some.

They can't afford to go see the doctors for routine checkups, to me, for the fine country we live in there is something completely wrong with that.

Especially, when you see something like Badger care fully covering someone that isn't working. Talk about ass backwards, what is the motivation to work?

That said.. at least those children have a shot at proper health care, something that is becoming less and less the norm for a working family.

I am not going to preach that I think the government should regulate health care, because I truly don't.

Here is what I see, the bulk of this country, the working class; we are getting squeezed from every angle imaginable. Health care, energy, heck a week worth's of groceries for a family is at least a C note. Top that with an economy that has put wages in a virtual freeze, the ends don't meet.

Average salary for a manufacturing position locally.. hovering right around 12.50.

12.50 * 40 (if they are lucky enough to work a full week) = 500 / week. = 1000 a payroll gross.

Taxes.. lets take the medium of .3 off to cover taxes, varies upon claiming #. $300 for Taxes.

$176.74 off the top for health insurance premiums.

Lets go with an average commute of 10 miles one way per day.. probably light in this rural area, but fair. So lets budget 1 gallon of gas a day.. 3.50 * 10 working days... $35.00 in Gas

Groceries.. we tighten the belt and spend 75 a week. Try it with a family.. that is tight.

$150/Groceries.

So lets update.. the totals.. so far.. we don't have a place to live covered yet..

1000
-300
-176.74 Taxes
-35 Gas
-150 Groceries
So far we have 338.26 left out of that paycheck.

Average rental property here.. 2 bedroom. Realistically, can have a decent place for 350 /month.

So that is another 175ish for rent per check.

163.26.

Car insurance, day care, lunch money for the kids.. clothes, house/renters insurance, property taxes.. car payment, etc.

Sure if both work it loosens it up a some, but realistically, around here, most jobs are working 26 to 32 hours a week average with an unemployment rate hoovering around the national average.

I just don't see how a working class family can make ends meet, let alone save up enough money to bankroll a 10k, hell even a 5k deducible for health care.

My point is that system was broken well before ObamaCare.. and that surely didn't fix it.

Maybe my vision of HealthCare is out of whack.. I don't believe it should be a profit machine, but a service to society. I don't think it should be operating in the red, but it definitely shouldn't be operating in record profit areas either. And I am not pointing at one element or another, I am talking collectively as a sector of society as a whole.

To bring it back full circle to topic.. again why should employee A be asked for pay for someones contraceptives? We are already covering all government employees salaries, health care etc. We are floating along the willfully unemployed that can work, just choose not to either the available jobs are "below" them or they truly just don't want to work.

IMO.. anyone unemployed for more than a couple months just doesn't want a job, they might not be in there dream job or even in there field, but they could be working just the same.

My point with asking the question.. allowing the health care industry to regulate itself hasN'T *(Edit) worked at all. Sure it has boosted the level of care that can be provided, as long as you are one of the lucky ones, that either have it paid for or can afford to pay for it.

So we know government regulations are only going to add to the problem.. we know the public will abuse any system in which it would be affordable by flooding the care providers with trivial matters. We know the insurance industry is not in it to provide care, it is about the bottom line for them. And we know the mega hospital isn't in it to save people, again it is about the bottom line, saving people or providing an outstanding level of care is a bonus when possible.

Sure we have more options available in this country than most.. the catch is it really is a realistic opportunity for all.

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i agree with both you & wade. the problem, unfortunately, starts with the state who (if you have any type of medicare/medicaid) pays the providers 'when they feel like it'. in illinois, it's a ridiculously long period of time before they get a dime for the services they provided. so the hospitals wait & wait - they're thrilled when someone without insurance and/or a high deductible walks in because they know they'll get their money from them one way or the other. at one time, banks didn't even look at any type of bad medical credit on a credit report when decided on lending people money - but now i'm hearing they're taking those types of things into account as well. it seems that we can't win as a consumer. i don't have the answers but i will say that we are now paying for the indiscretions of our co-consumers from the past. if people would stop taking advantage of the gov't programs out there, a whole LOT of this country's problems would be helped.

See, I personally find that really, REALLY odd. I suggest him finding a different and better doctor if that's the case.

My dad doesn't have insurance. He's paying for all his treatments and drugs out of pocket (well, in payment forms of course). Naturally he's getting help from family, but his doctor knows his situation and is working with him and the drug companies on getting as much of a discount as possible for him. With that plan they were able to get him at least 2 months supply of one drug for free and discounts on others I believe.

Granted, his situation is one that's unique, I still gotta believe there are other doctors out there that are willing to work with patients with little to no insurance coverages.

Good luck to your hubby, though, Jules. Here's to him staying safe and healthy!!

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Most doctors don't control what the costs are, or how the payments are made. Meaning, their "office" is the one that makes the decision.
So if the boss says it's $100 just to SEE a doctor, that's what you have to pay.
I have a plantar's wart on the bottom of my foot. I went to the doctor 4 times, and they burned it with chemicals. It didn't work, and it's still on my foot. Being diabetic with foot problems is not a good thing. At the time, i still was under my wife's insurance. So "all" i had to pay was $20 each visit. That's $80 out of pocket, and NO help whatsoever.

They have us where they want us. You want to see a doctor? Pay through the nose, or deal with it on your own.

And i certainly don't trust the government to make health care decisions for me. But again, what real choice do i have?

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I know your situation is a lot more severe than mine Cheesey but I have a plantar wart on my hand. Had the doctor try and freeze it off 3 times. It is still there. It was $100 a pop.

As far as doctor's fees. My wife was the office manager for a Chicago suburb Dr. (Sole practitioner.) The dr had 2 sets of prices. One for those with insurance. Another for those without. The people who did not have insurance had to pay more. It made her sick but the doctor's wife did the books and made sure that she charged the people without insurance the "right" amount. She would have been fired otherwise.

This doctor raised orchids. When he went on vacation he set them out by his pool. (Indoor pool of course.) In order to water them he simply turned up the heat in the room and let the humidity provide the water.

The doctor's wife did the billing for Medicare. She billed for dead patients. She billed for dr visits to people who were no longer in nursing homes. Multiple charges for the same procedure. I wish my wife would have reported her to the authorities. Thing is she really liked the dr. For the most part he was a good man. If the Feds came down on his wife it would have been serious for him too.

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About three or four years or so ago, I wore out the bearings on the knee unit. Since I joined this company, my leg is not covered in the plan whatsoever.. so I had Marshfield Clinic price out the bearings and fasteners for the leg.

I would do the labor.. I just need the parts as by law apparently I cannot buy directly through the knee unit provider.

For 4 bearings, the master pin and a collection of rubber washers the bill was over $300 bucks.

I hopped on the internet, found the bearing from a company in Texas, has a local machine shop fab up the stainless steel pin and reused the rubber washers I had. Total bill was under $40 dollars.

Insane... but you wanna bet that most of that markup was written off as some sort of liability expense?

Tis a crazy world we live in.

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i wish it was odd but it isn't at all. we live close to peoria & 3 very good hospitals - every doctor does it. like you said, your dad is in a far more difficult situation & i'm so thankful that he's got a doc who will work with him. thank God!!!

ok so what is it with packer fans & plantar warts?? i had one 25 some years ago on the bottom of my foot - had it surgically removed & never had a problem since. back then i was on the parents insurance so it didn't cost me a dime. lol.

I never had a plantar's wart nor do I know what one is. Are you implying I'm not a real Packers fan? [boxing]

(I'm kidding!) 😇

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