BCBS of Texas to drop individual PPO plans in 2016

This is not a simple situation there are many factors involved.

I don't begrudge dr's their salaries the cost of their schooling and the smarts, stamina and discipline required to earn the MD are not for everyone:

The median four-year cost of medical school (including expenses and books) was $278,455 for private schools, and $207,866 for public schools in 2013 according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. While grants and scholarships account for some of this total, lowering eventual debt to an average of $170,000–interest accrues while doctors are still completing their residencies, sometimes adding as much as 25% to the total debt load. Added to the lost potential income above, and assuming a modest 10% increase in debt burden through interest during school, doctors are routinely $416,216 more in the hole when compared to the average college graduate. In other words, comparing doctors to average college graduates, doctors are half a million dollars behind in real and potential losses, all by their early thirties.

Source: http://www.bestmedicaldegrees.com/is-medical-school-worth-it-financially/

Another problem is the Corruption in the Medicare System:National Medicare Fraud Takedown Results in Charges Against 243 Individuals for Approximately $712 Million in False Billing


I was surprised to see Medical Malpractice has gone down

A new study reveals that the cost of medical malpractice in the United States is running at about $55.6 billion a year – $45.6 billion of which is spent on defensive medicine practiced by physicians seeking to stay clear of lawsuits.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2010/09/07/the-true-cost-of-medical-malpractice-it-may-surprise-you/


A couple years ago a friend was in the hospital curiosity prompted my DH to go the accounting office to ask how much a particular outpatient procedure would cost? They asked if he had insurance? He asked for both prices $800 for cash and $2000 for insurance. If we got rid of the middleman healthcare costs might go down? I have met a couple of people on the road that have paid their own medical bills by making arrangements directly with the hospital or doctor's office instead of an insurance company.

We are all going to have to do a lot of homework when it comes to health insurance especially if we want to stay on the road full time.