"Howard Berkowitz" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, "Jarg"
> > wrote:
>
> > "Sara" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > . When the middle class and a lot of hardworking people are
> > > priced out of the US healthcare system, there is something wrong here.
> > > The insurance companies continue to make the same
> >
> > I don't really see that the middle class or even the working class is
> > priced
> > out of the system. What you tend to find are a lot of people who can
> > afford
> > it but opt out. For example, I'm in my late 30s and pay less than $2500
> > per
> > year for good coverage with a HMO.
> >
> > Jarg
> >
> >
>
> Try it at a more advanced age, when COBRA-extensions ran out or became
> unaffordable. At 55, an HMO would run well over $1000 per month, but
> turned out to be unwilling to underwrite due to preexisting conditions
> -- not under treatment because of unwillingness to opt in, but
> unaffordability or unavailability of coverage.
>
> The irony is that I'm most interested in getting chronic disease
> management, maintenance drugs and labs, etc., that demonstrably prevent
> the more serious and expensive complications. Yet in my area, the only
> clinic programs require demonstration of poverty and have several months
> wait. There's a zone for people that would opt in, but where there's
> nothing for them to opt into.

I know there are exceptions. But my point is that for most Americans health
care is affordable, and the broad statements Sara made to the contrary are
incorrect.

Jarg