Before Obamacare my wife and I have been uninsurable at times.

Years ago my wife ran out her COBRA plan to the bloody end. It was little more than good fortune, and maybe knowing the right people, that she was accepted to our state's "High Risk" plan, leaving us no assets but our home with an upside down mortgage.

I'm certain many people in similar circumstance simply gave up and died.

There are many who want to blame the victims but for the majority of victims it's just random shit falling out of the sky.

Thank you Obama, you saved my husbands life. Thanks to all reading who are tax payers too! You are partly responsible for saving him too.

One of her scripts is 21 thousand dollars a month.
She retired from GTE years ago and her pension included a very generous medical plan.

Her out of pocket isn't that bad.

Crazy money to spend to stay alive though.

Big Pharm is doing well.

I take Benadryl and aspirin. Period.

I'll only mention two conditions that hit us some 30 years ago. He developed ulcerative colitis and shit blood. He's in remission, but the multiple drugs are amazingly expensive. My cholesterol skyrocketed 25 years ago, and diet and exercise only made it worse. That's another.

Oh, and I like to breathe despite the amazing amounts of smoke in the air from our regional wildfires. So add the asthma meds.

But enough with the organ recital. Shit happens, and thank gods for the health we do have, and the health care coverage we have.

Is it a character failing that I have a genetic kidney disease and developed steroid-induced diabetes and now require a couple handfuls of pills a day plus insulin? I'll skip the organ recital as well, but I didn't "cause" this and I'd rather not need all these pills.

People are so angry on DU these days.

Very sad.

No judgements ... except for finding people angry and deeming that sad. That makes me sad that you might include me in the "angry" group. Please rest assured that amusement is generally what I feel, followed closely by boredom.

on the screen, regardless of your intentions.

So far saving my dad's life over the past few years has required about $100K in drugs. He's going to need a transplant and depending on what anti-rejection drugs it takes to keep his body from rejecting his new liver the drugs might be a $100/mo or $5,000/mo. There's no way of knowing in advance.

He was never sick before this.

You have no idea when you're going to get a diagnosis that changes your life.

This year my insurance changed and my prescription co pay went to 25% on name brand meds. I was left with a prescription there was no way I could afford even to the point of max out of pocket.

I was fortunate I got in touch with the manufacturer and they provided co pay assistance that reduced my co pay to 0 but as far as I am concerned that is a complete scam of my insurance. My insurance is a co op and I hate the idea that my pills are putting such a burden on the fund.

I have a $5500 high deductible plan. I pay 100% until I hit that. Then only 10% until I hit $8000, the free after that.

I have frequent migraines, wife is on cancer meds and checkups, son is on growth hormones. Plus other less expensive stuff....

And another $8000 for the rest of the medical crap. All of it for totally random shit that fell out of the sky and might have landed on anyone.

If our kids decide to emigrate to a truly civilized nation I'll enthusiastically support that decision.

she got sent home from the hospital with a fridge full of antibiotics and other meds.
visiting nurses were hanging the iv stuff.

was told in case the fridge died or power outage we were supposed to call the hospital immediately
seems the cash value of the med was just over 25 k

can not imagine what they would cost now.......

at the time she was covered by 2 major medical plan--long story mostly pure dumb luck and my out of pocket was pretty much 0