The Health Insurance Debate

Well, we're three weeks past Kyle's Cardiac Catherization procedure, to close his Atrial Septal Defect. And, this whole adventure has really brought home to this family the reality that millions of Americans live every day.

I'm speaking about health insurance. Or, rather the lack of it. We all hear the current crop of political candidates waxing eloquent on a daily basis, about the state of our national health care system, and the escalating cost of health care in this country. For many of us, who have some kind of health care for our families, this dialogue may go in one ear and out the other. Often, when the situation does not affect you so much personally, it is easy to tune out the rhetoric.

Well, we have health insurance through my employer. It is not the best insurance, but thank God it is insurance. It is one of the factors that drove us to the decision to have Kyle's heart defect repaired at this time. After May 18th, he will be one of the millions of Americans without any kind of health insurance. We've shopped around, but it is incredibly expensive. Especially for a young man who will be unemployed, at least for a while.

And now, the bills from Mayo Clinic are beginning to arrive. When we first began this journey, we asked Dr. Hagler what kind of costs we might expect. He remarked that generally the cost would be around $20,000.00. Yes, twenty thousand dollars. Well, we received the bill about 10 days ago, and it was just a few hundred dollars over $25,000.00. So I thought, the good Dr. was pretty much in the ball park. WRONG! We received the second part of the bill this past Saturday, for another $23,300.00. So, if you include the first visit and exam, we are now just a shade over $50,000.00. And Kyle was not sick at all. He had no complications. The actual procedure took less than 4 hours. He was in the hospital for less than 24 hours, (billed as "out patient"). We can't imagine what a burden it could be if it had been otherwise!

The reality of our badly out of whack health care system in this country really hit us right between the eyes! And in a few weeks, as I said Kyle will be one of the millions without health care! So, the next time you hear Barack Obama, or Hillary Clinton speak about health care, listen a little closer. You may not agree with their plans, but you have to agree that we, as a nation have a problem that needs attention.

We do desperately need a national health care system to help all us.