I’ve been watching this debate with desperate attention.  I’ve been calling Congress and the White House.  Because I’m one of those people with a pre-existing condition that means I’m an automatic deny for purchasing an individual policy. 

 It seems likely my taxes will go up, and that’s okay because here’s the financial breakdown with which I’ve been dealing.

Carl and I founded a two person company so we could qualify for "group" insurance.  Thus incurring expenses for lawyers, accountants, and added state and federal fees.  We went with the medium cost policy.  It ran us $1100 a month with a $500 dollar deductible.  Meaning I was spending $13,200 a year. 

Now that I’m divorced I am doing COBRA through Carl’s employer at a cost of $700.00 a month.  $8,400 a year.  The COBRA runs out two years from September throwing me back into the frantic search for coverage.  

Because I’m an automatic deny the only individual policy I can buy is in a so-called High Risk Pool.  The cost for that — $1700 a month with a $10,000 dollar deductible.

I’m pretty confident that my taxes aren’t going to increase $8,400, and I know damn well they aren’t going up $20,400.   And with a $10,000 deductible I have to pay for my own mamagrams (six years ago a mamagram cost $1600 if you didn’t have insurance.), my own colonoscopy which I have to have because of the Crohns ($3000) — well, you get the idea.

Give me health care reform with a public option so I can’t be denied coverage, and I’ll pay more tax.