Everything Is Relative

If a millionaire had to pay $200,000 for every trip to the doctor's office, he might begin to understand what it means to those of us on limited incomes with no insurance. In other words, if everyone had to pay 20% of their monthly income for one office visit then maybe that would even things out -- or not.

Of course it really wouldn't matter because the millionaire, although he may have more eloquent and costly expenses, would never have to forgo food, or gasoline, or heat in order to get an antibiotic, or allergy medicine. First of all, money has privileges. Many very rich people can simply call their doctor and get what they want over the phone.

The other day someone asked me if I didn't have to have insurance now and since it couldn't be denied me, why didn't I have it? Well, having to have insurance, and being able to get it, and being able to pay for it are not the same thing. The insurance companies have a way of evening things out for those of us they consider un-insurable. If I could afford to put 25% of every month's budget into just the insurance, I could afford it too. That just wouldn't leave me any money for food, or the most generic of generic prescriptions, or actually going to the doctor afterwards, because insurance like that doesn't pay for office visits.

Everything is relative.

For many of us medical care is not really an option. We are the real middle class. We don't qualify for any help and we don't make enough to make ends meet without trimming out all the frills.

When going to the doctor for gout is a luxury, you have reached our level.