Walking and Talking

This morning, as we took a walk through the neighborhood, my wife tried to explain how 'health care' works to me, once again. She's done this before, and like watching a juggler or a street magician, I've gone away thinking Okay, I understand that, its pretty straight forward -- and then days later, as I stand with pieces of shattered crockery around me, I think '..or did he pass the first plate behind his head?' I really don't get it. For years, I didn't undersand what it was that orgs like Blue Cross and Blue Shield did. I knew that it had something to do with paying for medical services, and I even knew that one had to do with services from doctors, while the other had to do with services from hospitals (at least, I think so), but past that....

I was mulling the idea that I would have to continue to work (once we get to the magic hey I can retire now financial point) just to continue to 'have health care'. Of course, I know that you don't need to be a member of a group health care collective -- you can just pay it out of pocket, like everyone did when I was a kid -- but I also know that this is the most expensive way What I didn't know, and still don't know, is if there is a third option -- one that doesn't mean you had to be part of a working group, but doesn't mean you paid full freight , either. I need a kindly grownup to take me by the hand and explain all of this to me -- and to tell me how I can get this magic 'having health care' without having to drain savings, or continue to work.

Bill Gates probably doesn't worry about health care costs, but it seems like most everyone else does. I'd say it sounds like a great political standing point, but thats hardly new news, is it?