I've been paying for health insurance for the past 10 years and yet never go to the doctor...not because I don't get sick, not because I never feel like shit, not because I'm never in pain, but because I don't know what the likelihood of being screwed over financially is.
It sucks that every month $1XX comes out of my paycheck for health "insurance" and yet I could go to the doctor for pain in my shoulder, get some "health advice", maybe a recommendation for some pills and then receive a bill in the mail 6 weeks later for $800.
Okay, maybe I am exaggerating things, but why is it that we're not allowed to know how much a visit is going to cost PRIOR to the visit? Go to a restaurant, you get a menu. Go to the tailor, they'll tell you how much it'll cost. Buying a car? Sure, let's pull up some rates and determine what you'll pay over the next X years.
But the doctor's office? Pay your co-pay, here's a "rough estimate" and then receive a bill that's 3x the amount.
I'm sorry if it sounds like a rant, but I guess to get back to the topic on hand. I understand that your health is the biggest financial cost/burden as you get older, not a house or car. But at the same time, how are you supposed to plan financially for a visit to the doctor's office if you suddenly have unexpected pains or trauma or are severely sick? I mean you're already getting money taken out due to insurance, but every time I request an estimate for something they can never tell me.
And because of this, I never go to the doctor. I once went due to a plantar wart on my toe that was causing pain. The treatment I received was a $10 spray that I could have bought at Walmart and yet my bill ended up being $450 over 2 "treatments".
It sucks having to choose between screwing yourself financially or physically/mentally. Should I start saving or putting away money strictly for health related issues? If so, how much is appropriate?
I am in the U.S. if it wasn't apparent.
Submitted October 09, 2018 at 12:22PM by agentGS https://ift.tt/2Oc1glD
