Since July, we've seen doctors for the following: regular way past due check-ups for Joe and I, a sleep study for Joe and CPAP, an x-ray of my hip, and a handful of chiropractor appointments.
Our providers footed our bills to the tune of $2919.
The government pitched in $1085 of taxpayer dollars.
So, ... not only are the tax payers now paying for our medical bills, the providers are having to write off almost 2/3 of the cost of our medical care.
Take this one thought further. For every dollar written off, of real cost of providing health care, the providers have to compensate for that loss by that much by raising their prices still higher.
And stick with me please, just one more thought further. The higher the cost of the medical bills, the higher the cost of insurance. The higher the cost of insurance, the more people will choose the "free" option. The more people who choose the "free" option, the fewer "paying customers" there are. The fewer "paying customers" there, are the higher the prices have to go. And the circle continues.
Not only that. Stay with me. As the cost of care rises, the amount the government has to come up with rises, too. The more money the government has to come up with, ... guess what, folks, they have to raise taxes. Or the government could lower the percentage they have to contribute, forcing the providers to come up with an ever growing proportion of the bill.
Which then feeds the "provider having to raise prices" loop even faster.
I've nothing against helping those in need.
And my irritation with being on "the government dole" is not a matter of pride or discontent or ungratefulness.
And my irritation with being on "the government dole" is not a matter of pride or discontent or ungratefulness.
I just can't stretch my sense of reality far enough to figure out how this is supposed to be sustainable. And I don't like that our family is yet another stress on the already strained system.
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