An unexpected rant on American Healthcare

I haven't been blogging the last few weeks because of computer and medical issues.  I've missed it so.  I've been able to hang out on twitter but trying to blog from a phone is not very effecient.
2010 and 2011 have been rough years for me physically.  It seems once I get one thing under control another pops up to take it's place.  Some things are minor, others not so much. Minor like a virus or major like my neck/shoulder problem.  I've been trying to stay positive, though I have to admit it's been very hard.  It's taken it's toll on my mentally and emotionally at times.  I'll tell you it's never been boring though.  Besides the hope that things phyically get better over all I wish we had better medical coverage.  The deductible plan we have is going to kill us.  It's $1700 individual, $3700 family.  We've had to put off doing some things medically that are needed.  In October, my husband had a severe allergic reaction that took a long time to get under control.  We still can not tell what caused it and pray nothing triggers it again.  We do know he is allergic to almost every outside seasonal thing possible year round.  Doctors wanted to have him start allergy shots but unfortunately our old (co-payment based) medical coverage ended at the end of October.  We could not afford to pay in full the every other week visit to the allergist for shots (for approx 3 months) at full cost.  Plus follow up shots for another 9 months. So, we've forgone it and hope for the best that he does not have another reaction.  My son's audiologist has suggested trying hearing aids to help with his minor hearing loss and tinnitus.  Unfortuanately, the aids cost around $4500 for two.  That doesn't include the maintaince and reprogramming fees.  We've had to put those off while we save money.  Even our old plan wouldn't cover any of it.  Our audioligist is helping by lending us an aid to try out but it's still going to cost out of pocket expenses.  He's 8!  His hearing effects his learning which effects his attitude towards school, which in turn can effect his whole attitude towards life.  His self esteem and furture are at stake.  He really needs to aids but we'll try the one.  Problem is, even if the aid turns out to be a godsend, we can't afford it and we don't qualify for any time of aid.  The audiologist, while nice, doesn't understand.  She keeps trying to press us into getting a line of credit.  We can't afford to make the monthly payments on said line of credit.  We're barely making our mortgage payment right now.
I've been lucky in that the issues with my neck, shoulder and back have been coverered by worker's compensation insurance up to this point.  However, it's $80 for a doctors visit.  When we all had the flu back in February my husband finally dragged himself to the doctor because he had to be healthy to work.  We couldn't afford the Tamiflu.  Its $90!  He did get two other meds that did help some.  So it was $80 for the visit and another $60 for the meds he did get.  Thank goodness the doctor let us pay $20 and billed us the rest of the $80.  The rest of us sufferered through it.  It wasn't pretty.  When I threw my back out in February, I was able to get it billed under comp because it was the same area that I had injuured at work 2 years ago.  My son needs to go back to see the ENT for  6 month follow up, the audiologist wants to do a follow up too.  Who knows how much that's all going to cost.  These are two things we can't put off.  I'm hoping the doctors will work with us.  My heart is sickened by the greed of insurance companies.  I can suck it up for some things but my children's healthcare needs should be coverered 100%.  America is failing all of its people, its sad.
The last two months I've been battling with another medical issue.  Nothing life threatening, thank goodness but it's been quite painful and it's one of those things people either don't talk about or whisper about behind closed doors.  I had planned to blog about it now, but I got off my original topic with my medical insurance rant.  I'll blog about it next time.  I'm so upset over how American Healthcare is hurting families more than helping them.  It's such a shame.