I am facing healthcare costs that are more than 2X what they were 2 years ago (not including premium increases) and less tax free dollars to spend on them - thanks to the latest American legislature.
I'm not REALLY blaming Obama but I am.
I'm not usually politically vocal but this change means the new technology on the market is less affordable - a CGM with higher accuracy and better alarms is available NOW..... I won't be paying the $399 'upgrade' fee but rather wait for my warranty to expire in July (which might cost me more with my copay). JULY until I can keep better track of my blood sugar. 8 more months that might lead to more ER visits and/or complications. BECAUSE I'm not willing to pay 'full' price for that 'luxury'. So the system is still (and/or more) fucked. Sorry, but I am pissed.
Now my healthcare costs a full $2000+ more per year than it did 2 years ago.
*edited to add more detail to this additional $2000 - these are costs that my secondary insurance (Tucker's) used to cover for me BUT Obamacare has driven more and more companies to 'Consumer Driven Health Care' - which you can't have at the same time as traditional insurance - a.k.a. HSA. Google it if you must. ;)
Oh, AND I can only set aside $2500 tax free in my healthcare spending 'flex' account.(this is new for 2013) - because we thought that limiting this amount would result in more tax dollars to pay for Obamacare. Sorry that I'm pissed but this hits close to home. I just got a new insulin pump. My co-pay? $1000. that is almost half of my $2500 of pre-tax dollars. Guess what? I normally put aside $4000 pre-tax. so, this is awesome. And by that, I mean NOT. By definitnion, I am not a Republican and I am not a Democrat.
Like the rest of you... I am trying to figure out what works best for me. This doesn't. End of story. If I had gotten my insulin pump on Jan 1st. That would leave me with $1500 to pay for a years worth of insulin ($50/3mo), meter strips ($50/3mo), copays for the endicrinologist ($30/3mo) plus pump supplies and continuous glucose supplies ($250/3mo). Plus, my $500 deductible off the bat. great, just great. do some math. $2000. Plus, any other prescriptions - oh, I'm hypo-thyroid, yay, another auto-immune disease. I am known to hurt 'something'. there is the dentist and the ophthalmologist. why aren't more people pissed about the $2500 cap??? cause there aren't that many of us. so WHY LIMIT US?!?!?!?! you think people are using the flex spending account as a tax shelter? I doubt it. So, instead those of us with predictable healthcare spending - the chronically ill.... we suffer and put off healthcare we need. Like an upgraded insulin pump, CGM, a crown at the dentist..... etc. Guess who suffers? The chronically ill and the companies we would purchase from- that dentist office, the pump manufacturer, the CGM manufacturer. Guess what it causes? More problems downstream. It is not just me/us with diabetes. I have friends with MS, cancer, etc.
*sigh*
Done ranting but not done being pissed. Going to watch my 'less acurate' CGM while I train for my next Ironman. yes, my next Ironman (Tucker-you are supposed to talk to Tony and Karen*)
Diabetes sucks and it's WAY more fuking expensive, for me, than it was 2 years ago - Thanks US GOVT.
*rant done. thanks for putting up with it ;)
Here is a pic of KarenL's crap that helps her control her diabetes - weird that the running shoes, wetsuit and bike aren't part of it but.... anyway...
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