China Virus Threat 2020

[CharlesHarris]

My retired gov't employee medical provides a 90-day supply of my meds each, with one Rx renewal each time I go in for labs and follow up with my primary care physician. While the insurance premiums are not cheap, they are deducted from my pre-tax pension income so as to reduce my taxable amount. With Medicare and my open access high option total premiums are about $10,000/year, but my out of pocket co-pay for laser-assisted cataract surgery, lens implant and goniotomy for glaucoma was only $75 for the hospital and $50 for the surgeon. Post-op followup eye doctor visits were fully covered, as were two pairs of new eye glasses which the insurance paid $800 for.

Co-pays for my blood pressure and type two diabetes meds, including the weekly Trulicity shot totalled $244 for the year. Uncle Sam paid for everything else. Out media likes to complain about the cost of health care, but I have no complaints. When I needed surgery to repair a detached retina from a workplace injury it was done the same day, covered under workman's compensation and didn't cost me a dime. When my eye doctor determined the second eye was ready for cataract surgery it was scheduled the next week.

At age 70 I got a full cardiac workup, dual-isotope stress test, echo cardiogram, etc. and only out of pocket was a $75 co-pay for the nuclear medicine doc and $50 for the cardiologist. Everything else was covered. Again, prompt scheduling for the workup with no waiting.