I went googling for information on how Sen. Baucus’s proposed health care reforms might possibly allow us access to health coverage.
I found this post from a New York Times blog.
Having just been through a layoff, our personal situation is to complex to use as an estimate, so we’ll go with a 4 person family, and a round figure of $100,000, as an example.
So by my estimation, if the above family fell into any category that required more than an annual physical (chronic health conditions, familial risk factors, one or more young children, reproductive age, middle age, seniors not on Medicare) they’re in for a bare minimum of $15,000 per year in health care costs.
So doing some quick figuring of yearly expenditures in my head:
Housing: $33,000
Debt: $7,000
Taxes: $20,000
Health Care: $15,000
We’re up to $75,000, and not one penny spent on savings, college funds, retirement, food, clothing, educational expenses, child care or luxuries.
Let’s try this again using one of our underrepresented orphans as an example.
Payments on prior medical debt of $40,000: $12,000
Housing: $25,000
Cost of managing ADLs insurance coverage doesn’t help with: $6,000
Cost of sporadic services for special needs child: $30,000+
Cost of Health Care (including out of network care since in network doctors rarely treat orphans/unicorns): $40,000+
Oh, you’re bust! Thanks for playing, better luck next time. I’ve heard health care is free when you’re dead. Pretty rough for that special needs child of yours, but he’ll get used to your being gone. Maybe.
I’m terribly curious who Sen. Baucus sat down with when he created this steaming pile of excrement. I envision the insurance industry on one side, rubbing their hands like Potter in the back room with Uncle Billy’s money stashed under his blankie, all the while grumbling about how put upon they are by the Evil Mr. Baucus. On the other side is the GOP, playing nice and nodding along, until the The Moment when the triumphant Senator unveils his plan to a chorus of crickets. Across the table is Beelzebub himself mentoring the Senator in the finer points of sleeping with the enemy.
The only thing funnier than the above image is Sen. Baucus’s proposed solution to the diseased state of health care in America.
I wish I could muster a chuckle thinking about the implications of this boondoggle. Instead I’m choking back tears.
