What’s a dad to do?

Our family has had a run of some fairly serious medical issues over the last ten months.

I won’t detail them for you but they include but are not limited to – traumatic brain injury, ruptured ovarian cysts, juvenile arthritis, and a live in nephew with an opiate addiction.

The changes in health care policy have resulted in a DOUBLING of our monthly premium which is now at $1,654 a month with a $9,000 deductible. Fun, right?

One would think that if your premiums double, that there would be a resulting improvement in our health care. In fact, the coverage is worse.

We have insurance through a well-known health insurance company under the “Bronze” level of the federal program.

To review – a federally mandated health insurance program that costs $1,654 a month. We are required by law to pay for insurance and this is the cheapest available.

Here’s the part that absolutely drives this dad crazy – some doctors will not accept this insurance. I am trying to provide health care for my family and pay for the mandated health insurance only to be turned away by doctors who provide that care.

Now, I understand the political process better than most due to my experience as serving as a state legislator. I get it. I don’t blame the doctors or the insurance companies (but keeping my wife on hold for two hours about killed her!) or even anyone legislator.

What I don’t get and cannot accept is that I pay money – and a lot of it – for health care and cannot use it.

What’s a dad to do?