Health Care Costs

I brain has been exploding with topics and it is a great feeling to think I have a lot of ideas... sad part is I am not sure where to start .

I started thinking lately about the medical field. Truthfully before my diagnosis I was one to rarely get sick or even go to the Dr. I lived by the old rule my Grandma always taught me "Wait it out for 7 days if you are still having symptoms, then go to the Dr. " It worked about 99% of the time.

Of course with my diagnosis that all changed. I have been very blessed with some great programs that exist here in Washington state. In particular the E.I.P.(Early Intervention Program) was so important when I was not working or working at Starbucks. Starbucks had insurance to PT employees but sadly the cost was so much it ate very heavily into an already small, and minimum waged check.

I started work at AT&T (where I am currently employed) and I was blessed with very nice insurance (No deductible or out of pocket). After years of the amazing coverage available, the company changed the plans. It is still excellent but still made me wonder how much I was saving myself.

The past year I have become much more interested in the health care system. For a few reasons, one is that I am getting older (a scary yet fact of life). I find that I am coming down with more little things. I am also looking at the future of moving to Oregon. . At this stage I am finding that I look at insurance, HIV programs, with all that is included.

My BF is highly organized (thank goodness) with details I would never have thought about. We are preparing the paperwork such as Domestic Partnership, Insurance details, Living Will, Life Insurance, etc. I constantly find myself “when did I become a grown up”. It crept up on me and now I am on the other side of the wall between youth and adulthood.

In the midst I have started looking a bit further into the costs that I was not as aware of in a case such as what would happen if I was not covered for a period of time. This is what I found as of June 2009 numbers:
My HIV Meds:
Retrovir $405.59
Reyataz $892.91
Truvada $867.99
My Anti-depression/anxiety Meds:
Celexa $4.00
TOTAL= $2170.49/mo.
$26,045.88/Tr.

Now I will put into perspective that I just filed my taxes and based on my wages this would leave very little for me to live on if I had to pay full price. The part that floors me is that these are not just random meds; these are meds that basically sustain my life. Last year the FDA stated that they are working on making generic meds that will hopefully someday be available.

This doesn't include the healthy food to keep us in check and help assist with our immune system and overall health, vitamins, and basic needs. The truth is it costs a lot to be healthy and take care of our bodies and it is even more important when infected with any type of disease. Whether it be HIV, Diabetes, etc. The one thing this doesn't include is all the other costs for something else you may have that is part of having a more sensitive immune system.

The two things that sit my head a lot is
1) How many people I have heard sat that HIV is very manageable now and that it is not a death sentence. I know that it is nothing like it was 20, 15 or even ten years ago. But that doesn't mean that it is a cake walk. The idea of the meds, dr. appointments and added stress of a disease that is a content reminder of your mortality can be daunting as well as tiring.

2) The other issue it brings to mind is the state of the health care system in this country. It must be terrifying for anyone who doesn't have or can't afford conventional health care. The deductable for so many health plans is so high. The truth is that a lot of people are in arms about the health care reform bill. I personally don't feel that a lot of the government officials have truly experienced what it is like to have something chronic. If more people had to struggle and be working class they would be more compassionate about the basic needs that so many of us desire just to live day-to-day.

I really hope that as we progress in our governments; health care reform eyes are opened by the rich and upper class we will see a change and an open minded-ness to what truly needs to happen in order to alleviate the stress of the working class of society. The stress alone in knowing the cost of health care reminds me that we are all struggling and that time will hopefully show the growth in the reform movement and society will have one less stress to combat.

"Here's to forever and this life so unkind" -MLH