It’s open enrollment time!  I just submitted my benefits elections.  There’s always grumbling about how much insurance costs at my company.  I do know that they’ve really structured our insurance more and more each year to shift the cost of premiums to the users of care.  So, as a single person, I have a pretty low premium and a not-too-horrible deductible/out of pocket.  Families with lots of children pay a much higher premium and have a pretty big deductible/out of pocket max.  

I have to say…I’m thankful.  I pay less than 100 bucks a month for coverage that includes free clinic visits, coverage on pretty much all the standard stuff, access to a pharmacy with very competitively priced prescriptions, and a bucket of dollars each year to spend on care.  Not only do I have access to health insurance, but it is not a budget breaker.  I hate that so many in our country are priced out of health insurance because they don’t have the benefit of a large employer’s health plan.  I hope that health care reform will truly improve the affordability for Americans.