ManageHealthCareCosts.com

“My health insurance used to cover most of my costs. Now I have extremely high deductibles that require me to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars out of pocket before the insurance coverage kicks in. That’s making me avoid going to the doctor.”

“You are not alone. According to the findings, nearly half of the 45 to 59 year olds surveyed ‘did not go to the doctor last year when they were sick or injured.’ Nearly half skipped recommended medical tests or treatment.”

“It’s even worse than that. Due to the expensive deductibles and co-payments, I stopped getting my annual physical. I know an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but I simply can’t afford preventive care.”

“That certainly isn’t good. One doctor told NextAvenue.orgthat chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, are huge problems for millions. He said that early detection and intervention can address them, but left untreated they can lead to heart disease, kidney failure and a risk for getting a stroke.”

“I tell you what may give me a stroke: opening the stacks of bills I get for any medical treatment I do receive! It’s always way more costly than I expected it to be.”

“That’s also a growing problem. The survey found that ‘54% of Americans say they received a medical bill in the past year that they thought was covered by insurance [but wasn’t] and 53% got one where the amount they owed was higher than expected.’”