Guaranteed Healthcare

My husband and I were self employed but when he was in his early thirties it was discovered that he was a diabetic. We were unable to get insurance unless we could have paid 3/4 of our annual income for insurance. Our kids were small and I was needed in the business so I guess we just hoped for the best. After struggling for more than ten years I tried to enter the workplace so we could get insurance through me.

I soon found out that potential employers do not consider self employment verifiable work experience and they didn't want a woman 40+ years of age without verifiable work experience. I went back to school and got more education and finally landed a very good teaching position. That was during the Clinton Administration and the benefits were pretty good. The insurance had a ten dollar co-pay for everything from drugs to doctor's visits. I had to pay for my husband, and the premium was $135.00 twice a month. I was very grateful and he was finally able to get his insulin and strips for free and they paid most of the cost of an insulin pump.

From that time forward his health has steadily improved. Thanks in large part to the insulin pump, he is nearly sixty now and enjoys a great quality of life. Then George Bush got elected. Suddenly that HMO wasn't willing to pay bills; even my annual mammogram was not funded. Last year we were paying over $1000.00 per month for insurance and our co-pays for his drugs alone were about $150.00. Thanks to rising health care I haven't had a real raise since 2002. My paycheck was actually larger then. This year has been the final insult. The only health plan we are offered is a "PPO with a HSA". Yes our premiums went down a little to about $500.00 per month and we are putting another $500.00 into a Health Savings Account, but our cost of drugs will be about $800.00 per month and the insurance will not kick in until we have paid $4800.00 out out pocket and then we will have the privilege of paying huge Co-pays until we have paid $5600.00.

And it all starts again next January. The problem is the out of pocket expense. It is devastating to us every month to have to come up with so much and the temptation is to stop getting his drugs or have him test fewer times each month. If he loses his pump, I don't think he will live very long. I would be wonderful to get Cheney care but right now I would settle for my old HMO.