For the most part, not having extended health benefits through my work isn't that big of a deal. It would definitely be nice, but I'm young and in good health. I've never been away sick from work for more than 2 days, and I don't have any medical problems.
It just hurts when I have to renew my BC prescription. Instead of my normal 3-month supply, I just bought out my entire 6-month prescription to avoid another $8.60 dispensing fee. Total damage? $84.11. Yuck. Although, I suppose $84.11 every 6 months is nothing compared to, you know, how much a baby costs. :)
I budgeted $50 for my prescription this month, so clearly I'm going to go over that amount. Which I'm okay with, because I'm set for the next 6 months instead of the next 3.
Oh, and another bummer for not having extended benefits through work? I have to pay MSP ($54/month). So boo to that.
Labels: health care
35 Comments:
I also really hate going back to the pharmacy all the time
It covers Canadians for all visits to the doctor (family doctor, clinic, or emergency room visits/stays), blood/urine testing, pap smears, maternity care by a doctor, x-rays and lab testing, etc. There are more things that it covers, but that's all that I can think of off the top of my head. For some people they have premium assistance that covers more.
Me: I agree that partners should help with the cost of BC, or at least OFFER to help. My BF has offered many times and I always refuse his money because I know that if I couldn't afford BC at any point, he'd step up to pay for it.
My epic fail of a body is a huge drain on my budget! :(
Hey Krystal! You inspired a post!
http://smallstepsforbigchange.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/sex-and-the-wallet-2/
Although I'm getting to the age where it's starting to be pointless and my body is starting to create its own BC.
Sigh.
Oh, and Medical Services Plan also pays for all midwifery charges. I used a midwife for my last pregnancy and all prenatal care and the home birth cost exactly $0.
MSP costs $54/mo for singles, $108/mo for families of any size. The US *needs* to get it together and get decent healthcare for everyone!
So I guess it is not too bad...like Krystal said when compared to the cost of having a child.
I pay for my pills all alone and have never considered asking my BF to pay for it. I feel it is my responsibility to be prepared for stuff like that.
"socialized healthcare is not free. Someone is paying for those perscriptions with their tax dollars."
I once did a comparison of taxes here in BC with WA state because people were saying that we pay so much more in taxes for healthcare. I don't have the figures at hand anymore (& I'm sick with the flu so I'm not about to go looking up the data again) but there was not a significant difference between what I pay here vs. what I would pay if I lived in Seattle right now. And they don't have a universal healthcare plan in Seattle today.
That doesn't even begin to get into the social cost of *not* providing healthcare.
If you felt that I was against everyone having healthcare, you are mistaken. I was simply pointing out that it wasn't free.
I was listening to the radio several years ago and there was a business man on who was talking about how nothing is free. It may be free to you, but it cost somebody something either in money or time. There is generally a purpose behind the person making product free to you.....but someone pays the cost.
I worked in the social service field for years, my husband was a government employee, and my brother in law frequently bid on government contracts....that was enough to show me how wasteful government spending is. If our government could get someone like Krystal in there to reign in the spending and get things under control, we could afford health care for all and likely have everyone pay fewer taxes as well. Even then it would not be free. Many people much contribute and some bear a much larger burden.
I used to go see a OB/Gyn and it was $100+ per visit, plus the $10 per month BC pills, which I had to pick up monthly.
Then I realized you could get them free at the health department, and a year's supply at once, so I've been going there since.