
After settling him into the car, I asked, “which hospital do you want to go to?”
What seemed like a very straightforward question at the time was, upon later reflection, one that demonstrated a major issue related to healthcare access.
1. Insurance – While insurance provides folks a degree of coverage it also can impose restrictions that limit options related to where people can seek care. Some are forced into networks with limited access to specialists or with doctors that are culturally insensitive.
2. Copays – The thought of a copay never crossed my mind, despite the fact that if we went out of network, we would pay 20% of the hospital bill out-of-pocket. $100,000 hospital bill = $20,000 out-of-pocket costs. Deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance can be expensive and prevent some from going to the doctor even when sick. Medicare only covers 80% meaning the savings of older adults who cannot afford supplemental insurance may be at risk. This is called being underinsured. |
~One Drop of knowledge