The battle for a health plan that works

Our church has graciously sought to provide health care for our family. It is currently being re-evaluated as costs and coverage are an ever-changing commodity in the health care market.

The debate about health care--who gets it, how they get it, why some don't get it, who should pay for it and where all the money is going--is raging. And it is being waged across party lines witha diversity of opinion on both sides of the political aisle.

For me, the battle recently became intensely personal. I have a high $3500 deductible policy and with recent cataract surgery facing me, I was trying to be proactive (a critical word) about the cost of my procedure. I called the local surgery center and was told that if I submitted a claim for the procedure--1 hour and twenty minutes there--my insurance company would be billed $5,150; if I wanted to pay cash the cost would be $1136! With a $3500 deductible I was faced with the dilemma of not submitting my claim (so it could be counted against my deductible) and paying $3500 or shelling out $1136 for the same service as a cash-paying customer.

Here's the dilemma. With a $4000 differential between the insurance claim cost and the actual cost for the cash customer...where does that extra money go?

I am not complaining. I was able to pay the bill and my right eye sees much more clearly, having been declared "legally blind" in that eye weeks before.

What I still cannot see clearly is how it is as a well-paid professional I still cannot afford my health plan and its suggested "benefits"...?

And then I remember, there are many who make significantly less than I do, and are faced with the same gripping questions.

As Christians, we should have a deep concern for the hurting. There are many who simply cannot afford health care, even though they come from responsible, hard-working families. In a country where our health care is excellent (if you can afford it), it is a challenge for all of us to beseech our congressmen (and women) to take a hard look at the options that are being laid before us and to take off our "party" hats and pray that we can find a way to direct the trillions of dollars spent on health care so those who work hard can utilize a plan that works!