Back to the OP's issue...

KellyJef, I know you have mentioned your situation before. Can you refresh my memory about where you are, work-wise, etc?

I think that one of the downfalls with the employer-based system is portability, and I may be remembering incorrectly, but didn't you switch jobs semi-recently? While I don't want the government taking over, I've also never been a fan of the fact that employers are expected to offer health care as a 'benefit' to their workers. I think that's part of what has driven prices up. Large unionized companies set a standard that really isn't realistic, IMHO, and ultimately that drives the prices of their products up so high that... well, look at all those highly-unionized blue states.

My BIL has always had insurance that I can't even fathom. Their kids cost them $7, total. All pre-natal care, delivery... everything except the $7 it cost to have a tv in SIL's room. I also can't imagine how much his employer paid in premiums... and yet, in their world, companies that didn't offer the moon like that wouldn't get the best workers. The ante kept being upped, and the result was that their products were priced out of the marketplace for many Americans, and then sales slumped when our energy costs went up and people couldn't afford new cars, and the auto industry needed bailed out.

If employers had never been part of the equation, I think the private sector system we'd have would be unrecognizable to us...and much more affordable. When *we* don't see the bills for our premiums and employers are compelled to accept the exorbitant premiums or lose valuable employees, they bite the bullet every time. I think if we were paying for our own insurance the insurance companies - and the medical industry - would be more motivated to keep costs down.