Tomorrow a new fiscal year for my health insurance begins. My employer contributes $750 toward my deductible, so for the first $750 I pay nothing. What this really means, is that for every claim until I reach that amount, I have to call Cigna and fight with them to pay for it. Because if I don't spend the $750, they get to keep it.
After the $750 is exhausted, I pay the next $1250. After that it converts to 75/25 and then after a $4000 out of pocket maximum, they pay 100%.
I have had multiple, although relatively minor, medical problems in the past fiscal year and I reached that maximum. That means that now I am in debt to the tune of $4000 for medical payments alone on a yearly salary of $26,000.
I am a social worker for a non-profit child welfare agency. The very lives of children depend on my work everyday. I do not own a home and it is unlikely that I will be able to buy one in the next year considering my medical debt no matter how much of a "buyers market" it is.
I know I am lucky. I DO have health insurance, and at a minimual premium. I have access to health care, nevermind that it drowns me in debt to actually use it.
I hesitate to even go to the ER or the doctor because of this. For one four hour ER visit alone this year the charges were over $14,000. Another ER visit was $9000 and I was charged extra because the hospital was not a "preferred facility". Nevermind, that it was the closest facility at the time and my heart rate was 150.
We HAVE to fix this. There are far too many people in worse situations than I. I see them everyday. Speak up! Contact your representatives. DEMAND that health care be a priority. Health care is a RIGHT!