The System is Broken

My companion is a politically minded guy.  He is a Bernie Sanders supporter, while I am not into any candidate.  I might write myself in.  The point is that this system that we have right now is broken.  I can attest to that because of the cost of living and healthcare.

A year ago today, I spent a few hours in crisis intervention.  It has taken me a year to pay off that bill for the simple reason that they billed the wrong insurance....3 times.  Now that it's fixed, I paid the balance off on my credit card which I will reimburse myself with my HSA.  The thing that irks me is that healthcare is way too expensive.  A blood test at the hospital should not cost $1000.  That is ludicrous.  In comparison with other industrialized countries, we have to pay for an ER visit.  Other countries with socialized medicine on some scale is paid for by taxes and/or covered by the insurance completely.  The cost of hospitals might also be the reason why Urgent Care clinics have popped up more frequently.  The downside is that these clinics can't fix everything.  They can't really do crisis intervention.

While I work 40 hours a week and tutor, I cannot afford my own cost of living on my own.  Part of that was heavy debt from living on my own for the first time.  The electric bill was the worst along with car repairs on a dying car.  The car is at least 1/5th of my credit card debt.  Due to all this, I don't do as many social activities as I would like.  I don't go to movies anymore because it costs too much.  I don't go out to bars or dinner a lot because I don't want people to pay for me.  I also had to cut out fresh fish because it's too expensive. 

I do plan to fix my finances in the next few years.  It does take a while to pay off debt.  I have gone off Pristiq, which is saving me $250 a year and I don't have to see that doctor anymore either, which is a $400 savings as well.  Like I said, healthcare in this country is still too expensive.  The healthcare reform act did not do enough to make healthcare affordable.  I don't know how people with worse chronic health issues can afford to live. 

There are still good things in my life.  I just have to work at getting to them more.  I have to look into free or low cost alternatives to get my social life back together.  I do a lot of stuff with my companion, who doesn't mind paying.  I make up for that by cooking for him and foot massages.  I do have some very supportive friends as well.  I'd rather just spend time with people then go out and spend money with them.  I'm not really a home-body, but debt has made me one. 

After getting debt in check, the last major obstacle of overcoming the trauma is getting my weight in check.  Moving forward at a turtle's pace.