[Vision2020] Do You Want Wall Street to Control Your Health Care?

[Tom Hansen]

GS stated:

"Well for one, the most typical health care plan for all federal
employees is a Blue Cross preferred provider."

I don't know where you got this Blue Cross reference as the "typical
health care plan for all federal employees", GS.

You're wrong, unless you discount the federal employees in military
uniform, and those who have retired from the military (such as myself). 
Their (and my) coverage is provided by Tri-Care.

Jus' to give ya a "fer instance":  I had a double hernia operation a few
years back (right here in Vandalville under the fine care of those great
people at Gritman).  The total bill came to just under $25,000.  My
out-of-pocket expenses amounted to just over $500 (five hundred dollars).

And another "fer instance":  Back in '06, my spouse experienced a severe
case of pneumonia, reducing her to 30% lung capacity.  The treatment,
care, and tons and tons of extras (6 days in ICU and 10 days in CCU) came
to just over $65,000.  My out-of-pocket expenses amounted to just over
$1,400 (one thousand, four hundred dollars).

When our benefits exceeded the annual catastrophic cap of $3,000 (three
thousand dollars), my spouse's prescriptions were  free (zero dollars) for
the remainder of that fiscal year.

During all those other years, the ones where we did not exceed the annual
catastrophic cap, our co-pay prescriptions amounted to no more than $9
(nine dollars) each, most oftne $3 (three dollars) or $6 (six dollars)..

And . . . don't even get me started on supplementary at-home medical
equipment, like portable oxygen concentrators . . .

Check it out, GS . . .

"Tri-Care"
http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/

Not bad for socialized medicine, huh?

Seeya round town, Moscow, and a SUPER "thumbs up" to those great guys at
Gritman.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown