Opioid addiction, smoking, and alcohol consumption are all higher among whites than people of color. After all, they take money and health insurance to get and whites are more likely to have both.
If you just add healthcare costs to the average family budget as taxes, our effective tax rate is Europe plus. Even people with good employer health care are spending like $6k/year in premiums and $10k deductible/copay/bullshit. Thatās about 20-25% of gross median household income. And itās not deductible.
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And then if they actually need to use the insurance for something serious - theyāre getting billed for extra balances and stuff insurance doesnāt cover.
Did you try to price this out? A basic hep panel (5 tests) can be had for < $200 at Quest and LabCorp. Hard to imagine getting to $900 from there with standard panels.
To put in perspective how much this system warps you, I was helping my mom choose a Medicare supplement (G). So Iām reading this packet and thinking, āNo fuckinā way this is real. Whereās the catch?ā I made some calls to confirm there wasnāt an out-of-pocket maximum hiding in the bushes somewhere which I still canāt believe. Then I found out my dad is grandfathered into Plan F which is even better. Itās going to save them BIGLY over the private insurance they were holding onto to cover my momāand she wants to keep paying nosebleed prices because, like me, sheās been so conditioned to it that catching a break feels like a scam. Fuck this country.
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That is crazy that insurance companies are pushing blood tests into the deductible like that.
This is why insurance companies have to be removed from the process entirely. There is no way to fix their completely broken influence on the system.
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Does your dental plan actual offer real benefits? 95% donāt and might get you an exam/x-rays once a year. Legitimate dental insurance is up there with the yeti in frequency seen.
My point being your dental portion likely adds little real value. But skill might be worth some hundreds of dollars in services.
Those of you complaining are just forgetting that you had the freedom to choose which plan to get, which doctor to go to and which procedures to get doneā¦ and you canāt put a price on that.
ā¦or so they say.
Iām going to drop this there, because Iāve posted here fairly recently about care stuff and it seems about as good a place as anywhere.
For a few days Iāve felt a bit off, and at work today I though I seemed to be having difficulty speaking intermittently. Iām 64, and at least the thought about a low grade stroke came to mind, so I had one of my partners looked at me, and after some discussion with my partner and our radiologist, it was felt most prudent to get an MRI. I had not had any sign of a stroke, but unfortunately I have to be a brain tumor effecting my speech area. Hopefully a meningioma, which would be essentially harmless if brain surgery can be such a thing - or something else. My neurosurgeon seems most of the REALLY bad stuff seems less likely, but until I go to surgery we just wonāt know. Weāre going to find out Tuesday morning, and (hopefully) home on Friday or so and weāll see what we need to go next. My wife is terrified - me somewhat so, but Iām keeping my fingers crossed.
For everyone Iāve interacted over here - thanks. Iāve learned a lot and felt (thru the internet) that Iāve learned about of stuff and have opened my mind to any number of things over these months - I havenāt always agreed with everyone, but I appreciate the interactions. For anyone who Iāve didnāt interacted with as well as I might have during that time, I apologize. If nothing else, maybe that it will keep me clear on what REALLY matters about things - keeps your mind on which is important I suppose. Thanks again, hope to interact you soon, and if you can spare a thought for my wife, pass it on.
Best to all.
MM MD
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Oh man.
I hope you pull through. You would be sorely missed here.
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Hobbes really sorry to hear thought. Will be keeping you in my thoughts and all works out for the best.
Always appreciated your contributions here.
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Hugs, hobbes, you have always been a voice of reason. Good luck and hereās to good news coming.
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Hope everything works out Hobbes
Thoughts and prayers for you both
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Iāll keep you in my thoughts Hobbes, please keep us updated.
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Best of luck Hobbes.
Hoping for a happy update soon.
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Get well soon.
I have always enjoyed the insights you have provided. If that is you suffering from a brain tumor then I am very much looking forward what you will post without one.
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Blah. That really sucks. Iāll keep you in my thoughts. If I was religious Iād pray.
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Hope all goes well. Youāve been a great poster and resource and I look forward to that continuing for a long time.
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Good luck Hobbes! Thank you so much for all the medical advice over the years - especially this thread where you convinced me to go get my hand sewn up despite having no insurance.
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Hoping your surgery is as routine as a brain surgery can possibly be.
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