Last Thursday night, I caught a cold.  Sore throat wouldn’t go away, so today I went to get some medicine for it.  Fairly standard, and I’d done it millions of times before.  Today was different.  Just a tinge………

 

I’m one of 40 million+ Americans currently without health insurance (just started working again and it takes some time to click in).  The routine walk-in doctor’s visit cost $95.00 (AFTER a 10% discount…yippeee!) and an hour of my time; filling the prescription would’ve cost another $98.00 if I actually filled the full prescription slip.  It would’ve been $193 and 2 hours on my day off, just to take care of a cough.

 

Yet it was only $120 and two hours because I didn’t buy the prescribed antibiotics.  Here’s why:  They consisted of only 6 pills in a special package that cost … sit down … $73.00.

 

No, this wasn’t an HIV cocktail, just “the latest” antibiotics for treating  cold-induced throat soreness.  After claiming post-Weimar fascism, I asked the unfortunate pharmacist how much said pills would’ve cost if I HAD insurance.  “Around $25.00″.  He paused.  “Yes, I know, things are getting a bit out of hand…”.

 

Just a tinge…

 

God forbid someone without insurance catches a cold, let alone a serious illness, in this nation.  It makes complete sense why people were refinancing their home mortgages…they needed money to live with.  It’ll be sad to see them not afford to breathe when rates rise.

 

There’s NO WAY this system of profligate, priced-out living will sustain in this country.  Something’s gotta give, and it will.  Very, very soon.