My wife and I were calculating our gross income minus healthcare costs last night to find out our fee schedule for the school district's Baby Watch program. I was shocked to find that we'd spent over $500 just on prescriptions for my daughter over the past year. I won't even mention how much we spent on hospitalizations, tests and doctor's visits. So far our little family hasn't suffered any financial hardships since my daughter's birth, but I'm amazed at the cost of maintaining her health. Don't get me wrong, it's worth every penny, but I wonder how families manage who don't have good healthcare coverage or a steady stream of income.
I sincerely hope there are programs set up to take care of disabled children who's financial situation isn't up to the job. It takes a lot of cash flow. This also hits home for me because the software company I work for was almost shut down by its parent company just the other day. I wonder what I'd do then, if my company got the axe instead of the one in Kansas City.
The current healthcare situation needs to be looked at by someone in the government who's got the guts to tackle the job. I fear that there may be children missing out on opportunities for as small a reason as money. I'm no socialist and I don't support freeloaders, but I also don't believe someone's inability to pay should keep them from good healthcare. Especially when that person has a disability. I hope there aren't children missing out on the care they need, but my pragmatic side tells me they're out there.
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