Why the funk is insurance so expensive?!?

[Fergie]

Why in the world is health insurance so expensive? Honest to goodness question.

Just got my premium bill and it is three times as much for my wife and I compared to what I payed for mine.

$3500 a year if fuggin' crazy!

Fergie

[RichP]

Try BC and BS, $750 a month for a family of 4, they ought to drop the BC, BS describes it better. Besides all those multimillion dollar executives earn every penny they can get away with...
Only a matter of time till the system collapses, it's what the feds are waiting for and the main reason there is no public healthcare unless you are an illegal alien or an elected official like a senator or congressman, then you're covered for life even if you don't get re-elected... or deported

[bchulett]

Although they probably won't disclose the exact reasons, I'm sure the following are factored in ...

Gender issues:
- women get pregnant.
- complications from pregnancy.
- premature births.

In general, costs have risen due to:
- malpractice lawsuits
- prescription drug costs
- uninsured folk
- employer doesn't provide
- goverment doesn't provide
- illegal aliens
- healthcare providers raise costs due to losses.
- healthcare subscribers picking up the tab.
- investors demand higher returns <-- or they will sell stock !
- CEO's required to hit EPS targets <-- or they will be fired !

(inserted a couple more for a dose of reality)

Which leads to lower wages ... and reduced or dropped benefits.

Vicious cycle ...

[Glenn B]

I blame the democrats.

[Ramsey]

fawk the democrats its their fault, their all just a bunch of girly men

[Glenn B]

fawk the democrats its their fault, their all just a bunch of girly men
I agree.

[Yucca-Man]

I dunno why, but I believe one of the reasons is on the Vice Presidential ticket this year:
The American Medical Association lists North Carolina's current health care situation as a "crisis" and blames it on medical-malpractice lawsuits such as the ones that made Democratic vice-presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards a millionaire many times over.
One of the most successful personal-injury lawyers in North Carolina history, Mr. Edwards won dozens of lawsuits against doctors and hospitals across the state that he now represents in the Senate. He won more than 50 cases with verdicts or settlements of $1 million or more, according to North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, and 31 of those were medical-malpractice suits.

During his 20 years of suing doctors and hospitals, he pioneered the art of blaming psychiatrists for patients who commit suicide and blaming doctors for delivering babies with cerebral palsy, according to doctors, fellow lawyers and legal observers who followed Mr. Edwards' career in North Carolina.
Read more at http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040816-011234-1949r.htm

[Fergie]

We are with BCBS of AZ.

Talked to them and we increased our deductible and that caused our premium to drop a significant amount.

It is still BS though. Something to be said for the socialization/government run health care. They seem to do ok in the UK, but my opinion isnt based on facts yet, just what I've seen.

Too bad the military medically DQ'd me or I wouldnt have to worry about this crap as mcuh.

Fergie

[SeanP]

If you are going for the high deductible policy, look at the HSA (Health Care Spending account). This is set up for the self employed/small business and allows you to put pre tax money aside into an account that you can spend for healthcare. Money doesn't not go away at the end of the year like CAFE plans. It also isn't taxed at all and when you turn 65 you can empty the money from your account for any use TAX FREE. Kind of like a super ROTH IRA with no tax when you put it in and no tax when you pull it out. You can put something like $5K a year for a family or $2100 a year individually.

Health care is a huge crisis right now. We pay around $7K a year for BC HMO.

SeanP

[Fergie]

I had looked at the CAFE plans, but not the HSAs. I'll look into that this week. I know the county here offers a Medical Differment account, but not too sure on specifics.

Fergie