My Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs Reply To HARPO

My Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs Reply To HARPO

 

My Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs Reply To HARPO

Each day I receive HARPO Help A Reporter Out to my email. However, I rarely view the queries. Today this is my Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs Reply To HARPO.

Here is the Query from HARPO: Want to hear from people who have out-of-pocket health care costs that have been a burden–perhaps a serious one. Do you notice these costs have gone up or did the cost arise after a service when you didn’t know how much insurance would cover? Do you have ACA coverage and still have high out-of-pocket costs? What have you done to get them down–shop around at all? 

LifeZette

Dear Ms. Fischer,

My name is Lisa, and I blog under the name HypoGal. I am married, reside in Orange County, CA., and I have two teenage daughters. 

Out of pocket health costs became a way of life when I delivered my daughter, Sarah 18 years ago. The poor delivery of my baby girl resulted in me hemorrhaging, and a seizure disorder for my daughter. 

Fortunately, at the time, our family had terrific health insurance but there were high costs involved in caring for an elliptic child. Such cost includes different types of therapy, e.g., Warm pools, doctors out of network, parents unable to work at times, co-pays for ambulances were a small fortune for us.

Sadly, the hemorrhaging I experienced at my daughter’s childbirth caused my pituitary to lose function, and I developed Sheehan’s Syndrome.

You can read my Sheehan’s Syndrome Story, Here.

For the past eighteen years, our family has spent hundreds to thousands of dollars each month on out of pocket health care. These costs include uncovered medication, co-pays, out of network doctors, therapy, vitamins, and supplements.

Our family is fortunate that we did not have to declare bankruptcy. Over half of all United States, bankruptcy’s are medical related. The out of pocket health care costs have changed the landscape of our family. Our biggest out of pocket expense is our quality of life.

The financial stress frequently domino’s into the stability of marriage. A martial relationship with a spouse with a chronic illness can often feel like a zero sum game. The person with the chronic illness often feels emotionally fragile from their lack of ability and their partner’s feels frustrated by the uncertainty of their spouse’s  health condition.

The out of pocket medical expenses not covered by our health insurance have reinforced an important life lesson; “Money can not buy you health, but it does help.”

Sincerely,

Lisa a.k.a. HypoGal

You can reach me on my HypoGal Facebook Page, Email me at Lisa@HypoGal.com or you are welcome to Skype me at hypogal101.

 

P.S. When I reviewed my reply to your request I was disappointed to read that the deadline was yesterday. In my brain fogged world it seems like I am always off balance. If you are not able to use my story for this piece, please keep my medical journey in mind for other articles.

My Best.

My last HypoGal Blog was April Discount Promos Coupons for Kohl’s, Macy’s and Lord & Taylor

You can read more about Shortcuts to Life With A Chronic Illness at HypoGalBlog.com.

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