I’m grateful to be able-bodied and in decent health. However, the past 2 years have led to unfortunate injuries and caused me to take on debt. I started blaming myself for eating out and not limiting my spending, but when I looked at the numbers, I realized I’m hardly at fault. Let’s see how much I spent on healthcare in 2018 and 2019 with a couple of unplanned injuries.

2018 Healthcare Spending - $4997

Medical (Kaiser Permanente Bronze Plan) - $3945

• Premium (50% paid for by employer): $1680

  • ER Visit: 7 Stitches after cutting my foot open on a beer glass: $1800

  • Doctor: $120 (3x visits)

  • X Ray - $75 (1x)

  • Labs: $115 (3x Bloodwork)

  • Medication: $190 (2 medications)

  • Urgent Care : $40 (1x visit)

Dental (Anthem Blue Cross PPO) - $1052

• Dental (0% paid for by employer, but provided): $612

  • Deep Cleaning: $200 (Negotiated down from $330)

  • 4 Cavities filled: $240

Vision

• Skipped new glasses due to costs. I’ll do it next year.

Mental Health

• Skipped counseling due to costs. I’ll do it next year.

After my injury in 2018, my friends were able to take me to the hospital and helped me avoid a costly ambulance ride. Unfortunately, urgent care was not open at this hour and I was forced to go to the emergency room. I was able to save some cash by spending $12 on crutches at a local thrift store rather than the pharmacy.

2019 Healthcare Spending - $4068

Medical (Kaiser Permanente Silver Plan) - $3052

• Premium (50% paid for by employer): $1800

  • Doctor’s Visits: $120 (3x visits)

  • Orthopedic (Specialist): $225

  • Labs: $35 (1x Bloodwork)

  • Medication: $132 (~1 medication. Stopped taking antacids to cut costs and turns out I’m fine without them).

  • Urgent Care Visit: $80 (2x visit for broken hand/minor illness)

  • X-Rays: $545 (5x)

  • Physical Therapy: $115 (3x visit)

Dental (Anthem Blue Cross PPO) - $1016

• Dental (0% paid for by employer, but provided): $636

  • 4 cavities filled: $380 (Switched dentists due to being unhappy with the other one)

Vision

• Skipped new glasses due to costs. I’ll do it next year.

Mental Health

• Skipped counseling due to costs. I’ll do it next year.

“But, King David, why didn’t you buy a better health insurance plan? King David, why weren’t you able to negotiate the costs down? You shouldn’t have gone to the ER! You should have done your research. Why is your deductible so high? It’s your fault you’re broke.” I’ve heard it all. Yeah, naturally I expected to cut my foot open at a 4th of July party. I saw that hand injury coming too. Maybe I should have fallen at a different angle. In a typical year, I attend my normal 2 doctor’s visits and have a couple cavities filled. I probably spend about $2200 on medical and dental in a typical year. Let’s take a look at the chart below. This is what you’d pay under Senator Bernie Sanders’ healthcare plan.

Under Sanders’ healthcare plan, you would have access to medical, dental, vision, and mental health services all under one umbrella. Just pay 4% of your gross income each year over $29,000. I’d be paying a whopping $1640 per year for healthcare compared to $2200 without injuries and over $4,000 with unplanned injuries. My paycheck would increase by $1800 per year without the cost of the premium. I could access mental health services that I absolutely need. Universal healthcare is vital. It’s embarrassing that our country has chosen to neglect its inhabitants for corporate socialism and wars abroad.

Medical debt may as well be a new form of slavery. I’ve skipped out on the services that aren’t paramount, but I sure could use some new glasses. Counseling would have been wonderfully helpful and maybe I can see a therapist this year and avoid any illness or injuries. Struggling with chronic anxiety and depression isn’t an easy thing to live with. From what I’ve spent the last 2 years, it’s no wonder I support universal healthcare reform. If the chart above goes from idea to law, my spending and saving will be much more robust. As we continue to age, the costs of our healthcare will continue to increase and our medical bills and debt will continue to grow. I’m grateful that I’m able-bodied, but the bottom line is that people are going bankrupt from medical bills. They’re neglecting their physical and mental health due to excessive costs. In a powerful developed country like the United States, medical debt is criminal and must be eliminated.

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