If you need further proof that President Obama and the Congress bungled health care legislation, and bungled it to what I consider a morally criminal extent, read Mike Dennison’s story on the Montana Affordable Health Care plan.
According to Monica Lindeen, Montana’s state auditor and insurance commissioner, Montana is receiving $16 million in federal funds to help people without insurance, but with high risk medical conditions, purchase health insurance at a price comparable to a health insurance policy for someone without pre-existing conditions (the yet to be conceived). The $16 million will help up to 400 Montanans, and those helped will be chosen on a first come, first served basis, not on the basis of need.
That’s unjust, but it probably doesn’t matter. The premiums, Dennison reports:
…will cost from $190 to $615 a month, depending on a person’s age. The annual deductible will be $2,500 and, after that deductible is met, the policy pays 70 percent of the cost of services provided by health professionals within the provider network.
The maximum annual out-of-pocket payout for someone covered by the policy will be about $6,000.
About six grand? That might be the average, but it’s certainly not the maximum. A $615 a month premium costs $7,380 per year. That, plus the deductible, totals $9,980 per year — and after that, heaven help you if you suffer a heart attack and run up a $35,000 bill, your share of which would be $10,500. And don’t even bother counting if you develop cancer and require medications that cost $50,000 a month. Just call your bankruptcy attorney and find a packing crate that will fit under the bridge.
Affordable? Hardly.