[Dueller]

Along the lines of what you're saying, John, I was discussing this with a doc and an insurance guru......they both agreed the only way to reel in healthcare costs was for the consumer to have some skin in the game. I have to spend my healthcare dollars in my HSA very carefully...e.g., when wife had to have outpatient surgery we negotiated cash discount with doc/anestesiologist, had the surgery done in a surgical clinic rather than hospital ($1100 vs $9000. etc)...when I had a shoulder injury I had an xray but didn't spring for a $1900 MRI...and gues what? I recovered just fine. Always asking for generics since prescriptions aren't covered. Shop "specials" at clinics for routine BPP/cholesterol etc checkups.


But I felt like a cheap bastage or beggar when doing this. And in the process saved $10K.

I have a buddy who has a Cadillac plan thru his employer. He had a heart attack and quad bypass surgery. 8 days in hospital. Tab? $450,000. Paaid about $5K out of pocket. Happens to me? Told my wife to drive me staright to the crematorium.