With the exception of the first few years of the plan, we saw our annual premiums rise typically between 30 and 50 percent each year, and were able to avoid or delay such untenable increases only by increasing annual deductibles, office co-pays, and by reducing benefits. Finally, the cost became so great—about $ 9,000.00 per covered party per year for combined premiums and deductibles—that it simply made no sense at all to continue coverage. We are now effectively self insured, with individuals making their own payments to providers out of pocket. To some yet to be established threshold, the company remains committed to reimbursing such expenses, but economic realities have rendered even that possibility difficult to achieve and unlikely.

I have not consumed $ 9000.00 of medical care in fifteen years, despite being 56 years old and visiting a doctor one to two time per year. Yet, I would have seen that amount paid on my behalf this year alone, simply for ‘covereage’ which exceeded the $ 1000.00 deductible and for payment of 80% of usual, customary and reasonable fees imposed by providers.

The system is well beyond broken for most consumers. While Federally administered programs like Medicare generally report administrative costs of roughly 3 percent, for-profit health maintenance organizations consume typically 10 times that amount in overhead.

The Federal government administers a healthcare system for each branch of the military, another through the Veteran’s Administration, another for the Public Health Service, and shuffles reimbursements for state Medicaid programs and military dependents, Federal employees and members of Congress, among others.

It’s long past time to argue about ‘government run healthcare’ and to finally get the for-profit segment out of the business by establishing a single-payer plan. It’s strange how some of the loudest public voices complaining about ‘government run healthcare’ are, in fact, recipients of it.