Heathcare is Killing The Economy

I'm obviously not the first to say it, but I'm only now coming to understand how deeply healthcare costs are killing the economy. It's a total joke.

Andrew Sullivan is doing a pretty good series of individual recession stories (harkening FDR reading letters to understand the Great Depression). This is what happens - folks are living paycheck to paycheck with debt - credit card, etc and then boom - some health issue comes up. Not only are the costs potentially exorbitant, but you can't work and earn. Basically, if you already have debt and something like this happens - you're going to be bankrupt. And this situation can be expended on more macro or more micro levels.

On a micro level - I actually have pretty good health coverage for working at a small company - a PPO with a $500 deductible. I go in once a year for physical. Last time, my doctor suggests doing blood tests. Not because anything was wrong, just to be safe/preventative, etc. I say, sure, why not. Those tests ended up costing $500. Now, I'm not making a ton of money, but I can afford the $500. But it sets me back a couple months of savings. And I'm perfectly healthy! I'm being set back on healthcare costs and I'm not even sick!

What happens if I get into a car accident or just have a car repair that costs in the $1000s? Or something worse health wise where I can't work? And I'm a single dude without a family or many expenses at all. How do others function? I suppose a lot of people make good money and can get by - but I think a lot don't make good money. How do they get by. It's freaking confusing.

On the macro level - the costs must absolutely kill companies - particularly small ones with not huge profit margins and also big one's with an expensive workforce (GM). Companies have two choices - pay it and become less competitive or pass along the costs to the employees.

What happened? In the computer industry, every year you can get more bang for your buck. Technology improves cars, computers, food...everything. How come in healthcare, we're getting less bang for our buck? Something is ridiculously wrong.