4 minute read
The Importance of Proper Healthcare
Ella - Age 2
By Brady Mullen Apline Association Benefits
Many Colorado REALTORS® get healthcare through a working spouse, but for many, it’s a significant challenge. All too often, self-employed people settle for a poor plan, an overpriced one, or give up and go without, taking dangerous risks. This is a tragedy and unacceptable.
The risk of having a poor plan became real for me twelve years ago, when I was a young entrepreneur and father. My daughter was two years-old at the time, and she started suffering from cold symptoms. Being overly optimistic, and having two sons that had just experienced colds, I was certain she'd go through the cycle and be fine.
I was stubborn. I didn't want to pay a provider $150 to hear something I already knew. If I only knew the tradeoff I was making at the time, I would have never done that, but I didn't know what I didn't know. A couple of nights later, it was obvious this was more than a cold. We took her to a doctor, who promptly insisted we take her directly to the hospital. Her oxygen was dangerously low.
The closest hospital was unable to get an IV in her arm, and she was rushed to Children's Hospital, where she underwent an emergency surgery and ten days of rehabilitation to reinflate her lungs that had collapsed to 1/3 their normal capacity.
Being two at the time, she was terrified, confused, and in tremendous pain. Her parents, who had always been her protectors, were standing by while strangers were poking her and forcing a strange mask on her face, forcing air into her deflated lungs several times a day - all while a painful hole in her abdomen from the surgery was draining fluid.
Words cannot describe the helplessness and guilt I felt seeing our precious toddler in such a state. I felt like it was my fault and shed many tears. This could have all been avoided
had I taken her to the doctor sooner.
My whole perspective changed about healthcare after that experience. It forced me to rethink what kind of healthcare plan was right for me and my family.
One of the first things I made a priority was access to doctors without punitive costs. Once direct primary care (DPC) became a thing, I jumped on that right away! This is the exploding medical business model where one monthly cost gives you access to unlimited primary care from that provider.
Sometimes just a quick opinion from a trained physician can give you the insight you need to know whether it's something that needs further investigation or not. This would have been a game-changer for my daughter.
The next priority was to think realistically about my deductible and max out-of-pocket. It was $13,000 at the time, and I figured if there were an emergency health issue, I'd deal with that cost. This was unrealistic from the sense that $13,000 is a painful amount of money, which causes hesitation when medical intervention may be needed. Shouldn’t a threat to our health (or the health of a family member) be the last thing we hesitate about?
Lastly, I personally dropped the illusion that bad things only happen to other people. Statistically speaking, nearly all of us will need expensive medical care eventually. Unless you fall overboard on a cruise ship from too many margaritas, and your body is never found, you will have expensive medical needs someday.
Emergencies, by nature, must be handled with preparation. You can't put your seatbelt on when an accident is imminent. You must do it when it feels least natural - when things are safe and calm.
This experience has given me the passion and insight to help others who must navigate an overly complex system with their most valuable asset at stake - their health and the health of their families.
We have worked for several years now with the Colorado Association of REALTORS® to help provide a suitable option. At first, providers were not willing to negotiate and offer much, but as we got more and more members enrolled, things gradually improved. Benefits got more comprehensive, while costs remained surprisingly affordable.
As of September, 2021, the plan is more comprehensive than it's ever been, and the cost is surprisingly affordable. If you've seen some of the previous options and thought they were not right for you, or if you're just now learning that CAR makes this option available to members, check out the videos, FAQ's, and other resources at www. AlpineAssociationBenefits.com.
