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Insurance is a factor that is keeping me from retiring full time (oxymoronic, I know, but I *really* want to retire). Right now, I pay $950/month for my wife and I (I am self-employed and must keep my business so that I am in a group). My rates increased by 28% over last year (and I am extremely upset). I remember an outdoor sign about 15 years ago that was advertising "You, Your Doctor, and Us" meaning the insurance company.
If you have a whole pie, and the insurance company wants a slice, then we all lose, because the insurance company wants a bigger and bigger slice, each year.
I am only 43 and I want to retire, but I can't due to insurance - I can't budget because I don't know what next year's premium will be. It could go up 10% or up 70% - I just don't know!
Since I will not be eligible for medicare for 20 years, I am *really* stressing over this. Unfortunately, I have had a stroke and a heart attack (from working too much), and I can't get affordable insurance outside my group (which is me!).
Something *really* needs to be done at the federal level, and I am a conservative (meaning that government should have a laissez faire approach to its citizenry).
I hope I have not offended anyone with my politics, but I believe that the billions of dollars lobbying congress could have been more wisely spent on providing health care to its constituents. Did you know that, as a result of lobbying, that the Congress, in 1974, made it illegal to sue life insurance companies? Makes you think, doesn't it?
And, the congressmen (and women) don't have social security or medicare - they have their own retirement system which is *much* better than we have to look forward to. And, I postulate that when I am 70 I *may* have medicare because of the increasing costs of health care and the lack of eligible workers contributing to social security.
Sorry - just *really* angry about this subject - I have lived abroad in countries that are considered socialist and their health care seems to cover their citizens at a *very* reasonable cost.
Just my 2 cents....
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