Uggh . Just got my annual letter from MVP telling me my next year’s rates.

We have the absolute budget HMO and I get some break since I’m getting it through my corporation. But for 2 adults (no kids), $25 co-pay, [I think] $500 deductible, NO prescription help here is what we have paid here in Vermont.

2001: $425/mo
2002: $527/mo (yes a $100 month — $1200 year increase!)
2003: $568/mo
2004: $597/mo
2005: $617/mo

Sad part is we hardly ever get sick and don’t go to the dr. much. Last year Rich had a wierd dizzy spell that freaked out our doctor (thought it was a precursor to a heart attack) and ended up in the hospital for 3 days getting every test known to mankind and got a clean bill of health. A $7000 physical! We joked that at least we got something out of our insurance money.

My poor hubby has also had a lot of dental problems and that is 100% cash out of pocket so add about another $4000 on top of our health insurance costs. I’m more sad for Rich though than for our wallet.

Each year we spend many hours reviewing our options and determine (when thinking about maximum out of pocket what-if situations) that this is still our best bet. This is a big problem in Vermont (this is the health care that Howard Dean wanted to share with the whole country) because we have run most of the competition out of the state.

I’m thinking about the problems Shelley Powers had when talking about her finances on her blog – somehow the tax department read them and used that info against her. I think I’m okay with this here, though.

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