Healthcare, Reformed

I know a lot of people don't care for, or don't understand, high deductible health plans.

No problem there, the industry has renamed them "Consumer-Driven Health Plans." Consumer-driven, meaning that the more you want, the more you pay. Most people just can't get on-board with it, but it does make sense.

Think of it like your car insurance. Almost everyone has a deductible and you know that your monthly premium could be more, or less, depending on how much deductible you take on. It works that way with most health plans now.

So let's say you walk out of the Kroger and realize that some unscrupulous shopper pushed their cart into your car and you have a scratch on it. You can decide to eat the deductible and file it with your insurance, you can pay for it out of pocket, or you can just live with it. Health insurance is moving in the same direction.

Just like a scratch on your car, when you get a cold you are faced with the decision to either pay for a doctor's visit, or just ride it out. Some people feel like it's foolish to have to make decisions like that about their health, but insurance was never made to pay for every scratch and dent, it was created to save you from being financially bankrupt if your health takes on a semi-truck.

But I'm still angry!

After carefully padding my Health-Savings Account I have finally made the decision to get laser-correction for my vision. It became necessary after I couldn't find my glasses while my daughter was screaming one night and I couldn't see her. That and I kept walking into the closet for my midnight trips to the bathroom.

Unfortunately my foot decided to take on the sofa recently and after four days of soreness, I'm pretty sure my foot is broken. Now any reasonable person, including my lady whom reminds me every time I cringe while walking, would go to the doctor to get it taken care of.

Not me. You see, if I use the money in my HSA to get my foot fixed, I can't get my eyes fixed. Besides, maybe if I can see better, I'll be able to walk better.

So to follow-through on the car analogy, in a few weeks feel free to compliment me on my new halogen headlights. Just ignore that I have a flat tire.