Huh?

After my confusion on open enrollment in health care benefits a few weeks ago, I introduced some clarity (and some more confusion) after my most recent visit to Walgreen’s to pick up my Rx. Because of the money in my company health care account and how it’s set up, I usually pick up my Rx and it automatically deducts from this money, and I am charged $0. The confusion I referenced before was about what happens after that money runs out. According to the policy, I pay “full sticker” for health care up to my deductible, and then I move to a co-pay. It's not that hard to understand. I guess my confusion is tied to my unfamiliarity with what “full sticker” health care even costs.

Well, I finally ran the well dry on the company funded health care spending account, and was a little shocked to receive the total of $24 for my two prescriptions. One Rx rang up as $.53. The second (my usual monthly prescription which I thought was around $50 “full sticker”) rang up as $23. What? Now $24 is not a lot for a Rx by any means, which is great, but just plain confusing.

But what is clear is that for the last two months of this year (before my health care spending account addition for 2008 kicks in), I need to budget for Rx expenses. I know universal health care is only one of the issues on the plate of president-elect Obama - and we may not get there in one year or one term - 'but we will get there.'