Now I see why people go bankrupt

With medical costs.

I called my insurance company to verify coverage of a test procedure I have to have done next week. It's considered surgery, even though it's really not. (maybe because they have to whack me out during it? good times...)

So many different categories! No, it's not "preventative," because that's usually done when you're older. It's a test the doctor ordered, for whatever. Ok, so it's covered 90 percent if the doctor and the surgery center are in-network, 70 percent if they are out-of-network... And a $100 co-pay for the surgery center.

Curious to see how much the test would cost overall, I called the medical center where I'll have the procedure performed. I asked how much the costs would be overall. It's something like $1000 for just the doctor's work, plus an additional $1500 - $2500 for the test itself.

Ouch.

Oh and the medication that I need to take to prep myself for the test could run me a couple hundred dollars without the insurance.

So we're talking over $3500 possibly for a diagnostic procedure. Let's add on the 2 days you have to be out of work (good thing I get paid for that, not everyone does) and the costs really start to add up.

Something really needs to be done to reform health care coverage in this country. If someone in relatively good health (such as me) has to go through this on occasion, how's it like for the chronically ill? Who are too young/make too much money to qualify for Medicare/Medicaid/whatever it's called?