Opinion

Medical care: American dream or nightmare?

By Dr. Glenn Mollette

Until recently my wife and I paid over $2,000 a month for medical insurance. We each had a $6,000 deductible. One year we both had procedures, which meant we had $12,000 in out-of-pocket expenses. There were also some other “uncovered” medical costs throughout the year, which resulted in over $40,000 in medical insurance and out-of-pocket costs.

The procedures themselves, of course, cost far and above what our out-of-pocket expenses were. Most likely, if we had not had health insurance the doctors and medical facilities would not have performed them. In America, you must have medical insurance, or the means to cover the costs of your health care.

For the average American, $40,000 in medical costs in one year means an eternity of debt. The prospects of such makes average Americans shy away from medical care they need. Unaffordable medical care is not an American dream. Honestly, for too many Americans, it’s a nightmare.

A business owner recently told me, “I pay for insurance for my employees, but it’s barely enough insurance to meet the legal requirements for our business. It’s terrible insurance. It pays for almost nothing, and no one with our insurance would ever want to go to the hospital.”

This is tragic, as all Americans need good medical care. However, the insurance companies in America are making billions in profit. The way they make a profit is by denying to pay for something you need.

FINANCIAL DEVASTATION IS LURKING AROUND THE CORNER FOR ANY AMERICAN WHO DOES NOT HAVE A GOOD MEDICAL CARE SAFETY NET.

The health insurance industry had a net profit of $22 billion in 2019. Businesses need to make profit, but Americans need medical care, not medical debt that leads only to serious anxiety and possibly more medical problems.

If you are buying an Affordable Care Act plan as non-subsidized health insurance for a family of four, you can expect to pay about $25,000 for the year in premiums and deductibles. That breaks down to an average of $17,244 in annual premium cost for health insurance for a family of four and $7,767 in deductible expenses. If you qualify for a subsidy, this will certainly help, but just the out-of-pocket deductible can make health care daunting for most.

Health care is a major component of financial security. Financial devastation is lurking around the corner for any American who does not have a good medical care safety net. Any hospital stay today amounts to tens of thousands of dollars.

You must make medical insurance a priority for you and your family. Also, our government is still a long way from solving our medical insurance dilemma. We must have access to good and affordable medical care in this country, and we must not give up on making it good for all Americans.

Dr. Glenn Mollette is the author of 13 books including “Uncommon Sense.” His column is published weekly in over 600 publications nationwide. Contact him at gmollette@aol.com, or learn more at www.glennmollette.com. ■

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