My family has what I'm told is good health insurance (which costs about $1,000/month for myself, my wife and our nine year-old son). Never mind that we learned last week that our son's pediatric practice is no longer accepting our carrier's coverage (I guess we should have stuck with the $1,900/month plan), this story is about what happened earlier today.
It started with our son's annual check-up with his eye doctor. Great doctor. Great guy. In and out in 15 incredibly efficient minutes. Doesn't take our insurance. $225 I imagine the new glasses and frames will run another $250 to $300
A bit later we were at the pediatric dentist. A cleaning, some x-rays. $306, a referral to an oral surgeon for an extraction and an invitation to have some cavities filled. No dental insurance.
I don't question the value of the professional services rendered. This is New York City. Medical office rents are high. Staff costs are high (especially that person essential to every medical practice nowadays -- the staffer who keeps track of what coverage they do or don't take, and how to bill for the former).
But what am I getting by way of coverage? The conventional answer is peace of mind, knowing that, should something terrible happen to a loved one, they'll get good treatment and the family won't necessarily go bankrupt. But I doubt my small group plan could get renewed at anything close to current rates if one of the insureds had a very costly illness requiring extensive ongoing care. More and more I read of coverage denied and/or families pushed to bankruptcy despite having what they'd though was good health insurance protection.
To quote the preacher in The Big Chill, "I'm angry. And I don't know what to do with my anger."