Affordable Health Care Act

There is probably no single issue that is more controversial today than the Affordable Health Care Act or Obama care. I really have tried to understand the ramifications of this bill that the House of Representatives has tried over 40 times to dismantle.  It is mystifying to me that people that really need affordable health care and complain about how expensive health care is are against this plan.

I am a retired educator.  My monthly check deduction for health insurance is $341.  My dental insurance deduction is $110. This means that 18% of my net income is used to pay for medical insurance.  Now that would be OK, if the insurance company actually paid the bills when I need to use the doctor, but sadly that is not the case.  For example- I recently had a small mole removed for analysis.  The results came back that it was abnormal, so I had a larger sample removed and analyzed.  I spent over $200 of my own money because my "deductible" hadn't been used up yet.  My deductible is $4000 per year.  I spend over $5000 per year on monthly medical insurance payments.  This means that technically my medical bills will not cover me fully until I have spent over 28% of my total annual income on medical bills.  I do not consider this to be affordable health care.  I am insured and I always have been insured.  I have put thousands of dollars out there over the last 31 years that have not been used.

I recently was hit by a car while bicycling and had to be put in a ambulance to go to the emergency room.  I am truly terrified to get the medical bills from this because I think this will be considered as out of network and then not count as part of my individual deductible. This will then be all my cost.  I also visited an orthopedic doctor after and she wanted me to get an MRI, because there is definitely more to the injury.  I decided not to go, simply because I can't afford to pay for an MRI.  My daughter had one earlier this year and my out of pocket cost was over $400. 

I guess the point I am trying to make is even when you do everything you are supposed to do.  You go to yearly checkups and floss, you  work thirty one years for the same employer, medical issues can
sideline you.  I am lucky to be relatively healthy.  I have several friends that spend 30-40% of their net salary on medical care because they have diseases like Type 1 Diabetes I or Chron's Disease.
I am not even discussing the people I know that work for themselves and can't afford health care. 

Georgia practically opted out of the Affordable Health Care Act.  Doesn't it make sense that if more people are paying into the system that care would eventually be more affordable?  I don't think that medical issues should be political.  People should be able to go to the doctor and not be afraid of the bill.  I try to read the paper each day and understand where all this is going and I am at a loss.  Help!