Jayne, as you seen what I wrote, it was the Insurance that is quiting not the employer.

Your Mom/Dads Part D plan you said is going to doulble? may I ask how they supplement through? As I know my supplement will go up only a few dollars this coming year.

As for national health care, we have that now. it is called medicare....

This post was last modified: 11-05-2009 03:55 PM by Bad Boy Bad Boy.

Badboy...Bill's BCBS went from $85 a month up to $140 plus all co-pays and deductables almost doubled. I'm not surprised and yet sorry your wife got this news. It just goes to show we are in trouble without the governments help. The insurance industry does what it damn well pleases. I am still covered under my employers plan until Oct. 2010 when I will be eligible for Medicare. I pay $500 a month now. Am afraid to see what mine will go up to. I also have BCBS. Anything I switch to the premium might be $50 lower but there is a horrible deductible which I don't have right now. What are we all going to do? I am so afraid. This will be the first time in over 20 years that I'm in this position. I put my time in when my kids were small and then worked my butt off to get what I have now and will lose it all due to health insurance. We are too old and sick for this. Lord how do those in there 70',80'90's cope?

they move in with their kids or move to a part of the country that doesnt have such a hi cost of living

Depending on who is counting, the Insurance Industry is seeing a 7% or so profit, very low return, so don't make a "Ready Fire, Aim " mistake about premiums.

The cost of health care is what is expensive. The cost of cost shifting uninsured care to those who are covered and therefore must ultimately pay for the uninsured via premium increases or tax increases is expensive. The medical conditions being treated are what drives the cost of care as we expect access to ever better technology regardless.

The medical conditions responsible for the greatest percentage of the cost of medical care are life style choice and preventable. The greatest percentage of lifetime cost expenditure is in the last ten years of life while in the last 2 years of life that expense results in no significant improvement in quality of life.

While a number of studies have documented the high cost of the administration of health insurance companies you cannot eliminate all of it but meanwhile the cost of healthcare will rise.

Further, an additional cuts in physician reimbursement by Medicare will further reduce the number of participating physicians, ( inevitable at this point ) and continue the trend to primary care being provided by Advanced Nurse Practitioners who do not have to service the high debt medical school grads carry.

If you are getting the sense that there is no way out or a return to the good old days you would not be alone as many of the leading medical economists have predicted the same for years. What they did not forsee was the worldwide economic collapse resulting in accelerated loss of paid premiums as workers lost the jobs that have kept the whole house of cards intact.

I imagine it will soon make more sense for elderly to walk away from their health insurance, eat well, lose weight, stop smoking, walk instead of drive and hope for the best, like their forebears did. But at least have a roof over their heads and food on the table.

This post was last modified: 11-05-2009 05:30 PM by Cycler.

Cycler I can see your point on lifestyle but don't see it personally in my family. We all pay and most of us don't even use the insurance and certainly don't use what we pay. I won't get into my mother's age, past health style and her style now, because she is one of the exceptions to the rule. The insurance co. are in a big hurry to raise all their prices. Shame this is going to turn into something uglier than it already is because no two groups can see the problem the citizens of the USA are having with healthcare and do something before it escalates even further. Real soon employers will not be offering insurance and people won't be able to pay their own so more and more people will not have insurance. More and more people will lose their homes, etc. The premiums for those who do will continue to go up to pay for those who don't have it. Vicious circle.

We rec'd Bill's last hospital bill yesterday. $251,937. This is for 12 days with pneumonia. OUTRAGEOUS> $68,000 was for meds. I do understand how the medical expenses are raping the insurance co. and the insurance co. then rapes us. My PCP has 10 Nurse Practioner's who most patients love to see. I think more will die do to lack of healthcare before we get back to living like a forefathers. I can see families living with families first.

Just wanted topost that I see all 3 sides to the puzzle. I feel this can be fixed and don't really care who fixes it but someone has to.

HAve a good day all.

I do not have the answers but understand that it isnt fair for a non smoker non drinker to have to pay the same premiums as one who does......just as in car insurance safe drivers get discounts...and I understand why a insurance company wouldnt want to take on a cancer patient with the hospital bills like Cappys husband has for the same monthly price as a healthy patient....a insurance company is a for profit business and if all they are getting back is 7% then we cant blame the hi cost on them.....maybe its time to look ar Drs and hospitals expenses and see what they are....I know our little hospital is always in danger of closing due to lack of funds...

I totally agree Jayne with the high cost of medical. It's a disgrace what some of my husband's bills are. He was healthy and med free when he started to be covered. Paid an arm and a leg for many years without even using it. I pay more than him and we are both non-drinker and non-smokers and I only use mine for a PCP visit maybe twice a year and a few prescriptions. I'm glad you mentioned the auto industry. Competition....choices. I pay almost half what my daughter and her husband pay for home owners and auto. I talked to her the other day about shopping around. It would be if we could do that with health insurance. Even my life insurance that I had to take out when I retired. I am charged more because I am an ex-smoker. People cannot afford health insurance premiums and co-pays. That's a fact. Something needs to be done OR all will fall on the government anyway when people have to drop their coverage and have the state pick it up in an emergency. This is where I see it heading. If my husband had no insurance he would get the same care he gets now. I have asked numerous medical professional about this and have gotten the same answer. We treat all as if they have insurance. So why have it????? I am really distraught right now so I hope I am not coming off nasty to anyone because that is not my intent. My nerves are so bad right now I am one constant anxiety attack and can't get it under control with the worry, worry, worry.

This post was last modified: 11-06-2009 03:32 PM by capricorn.

I couldn't Find My Last Year Book on what I'm Paying for My Part B right now, but I know it's going to $96.40 for 2010. I See what's Meant by 0-$85,000.00 Paying the Same Amount, that's Amazing that We should All Pay the Same, that seems to be Unfair! But Fortunately for Me, I have AARP Script. Coverage, and it's Only going up 37 Cents Next Year, and My Meds. are on the Covered List. I do Understand that We are going to get a $250.00 Stimulus This Year, but No COLA for 3 Years. That is Surely going to Cut into Many Elderly's Pockets, When it's so Tough to get by Now!! Fortunately AARP Accepted Me before I Turned 50, because I'm on SSDI. But I Sure feel Sorry for the Elderly Folks that have to Deal with This, and My Parents are in That Category!!

mine also Limbo it makes me ill when I think about it.....