Mad Dash

Next week I return to school and I think back about the last two glorious weeks of true summer weather. You would think that after a wet and cold June and July and the fact that our first 90 degree day occurred just two weeks ago, people would be thrilled that they had some summer to enjoy. Instead, all I've heard are complaints about it being too hot. I don't know where people spend the other 9 months of the year but it seems that they clearly did not get enough sunshine to activate the positive effects of its mood-altering qualities.

Anyhow, in between my mad dash to soak up some summer fun and getting the kids ready for back to school, I have also been madly dashing to the Doctor. Why? Next month we will lose our platinum and very, very expensive PPO healthcare plan, that we continued via COBRA, due to employment. Next month we will be on a catastrophic health plan, our only choice of healthcare with my husband's new company. Unfortunately, COBRA terminates the moment you are eligible for care under another plan otherwise we were willing to keep it and continue to pay the $500 a month for coverage until we exhausted our 9 months of 65% premium abatement courtesy of Federal stimulus funds. Alas.

The new plan will cost us just under $200 per month for which we will receive just the basic preventive care, strictly defined for man, woman and child. Any other healthcare requirements which, for me, are my allergies and my back will have to be paid for out-of-pocket until we reach $10,000 in out-of-pocket expenses. Then, we'll be covered for any health troubles after that. I suppose if you are healthy then it will be cheaper if you never need to see anyone outside of the basics. However, if you have nagging troubles like I do, then it will be a whole other ball game.

Tragically, I can see that my nagging troubles will continue to nag because I won't be paying several hundred dollars just to go to the Doctor, that I am sure about. It is different to have healthcare premiums deducted pre-tax out of your paycheck but it is another to have to pay the Doctor's fee straight up out one's dwindling post tax dollars. Yes, we can contribute to a health savings plan so that we can use pre-tax dollars to pay for some of that out-of-pocket care but it is a crapshoot as to how much you will need for you have to be clairvoyant to avoid leaving unused dollars on the table at the end of the year as they are forfeited.

The yeehas who are blocking the healthcare debate don't know what is coming down the pike. More companies will be turning to catastrophic health plans as health costs increase for all of those traditional plans and people, depending on their age, are not going to like it, believe me. If catastrophic care was desirable even in the slightest, I wouldn't be running around like a banshee trying to get everything done now, would I?

(FYI: I failed to purchase those lottery tickets that I mentioned last Thursday because I was too busy on Friday to remember. Also, I realize I do not frequent lottery selling establishments so I would have to go out of my way to do so. Yup, I failed lottery ticket buying 101.)