On Aug 28, 3:09*pm, "William Munny" wrote:
"terry" wrote in message

...

There's been so much debate here and on other forums about Universal
US health care (pro and con) that one gets curious about how much it
NOW costs, say, the average US family, to have 'Health Insurance'.

We guess that the cost is either fully paid by the subscriber?
Or in other cases, partly by the subscriber and partly by their
employer?
Then there are others, we gather who have no health insurance at all?
And we understand there is something called Medicaid?

Insurance cost numbers a) As little as 'a few hundred' b) Over
$12,000, per year have been mentioned?.

But what is a 'typical' (or average) USA cost?

Early 60's, self-employed. For self and wife pay $19,000 per year in HMO
membership fees + $20/$30 co-pay per MD visit, $15 for 30 day supply of
generic Rx, much more for brand name, no charge for lab work, x-rays, most
diagnostic stuff.

Only bright spot is that being self-employed, the HMO premiums are tax
deductible. But before you rant, remember that self-employed people pay
DOUBLE the rate that employees do for social security tax.

Big bucks overall but I sure as shootin' don't want the government involved
in it!!!

Back in the early 90's I was also self-employed and having difficulty
getting insurance on my wife and I because of pre-existing conditions
with my wife. I was paying over $1600 per month for $2500 deductable
major medical only. When Clinton started the healthcare overhaul push
I was elated and hoping it would finally give me some relief. Then I
read the details of the plan they were proposing, realized that it was
opening a door for government control and promptly contacted all of my
Senate and Congressional representatives and demanded they vote it
down. Now that damn snake has reared its ugly head again and this
time we should cut its damn head off.