I used to be unsure about the public option until I found out what happened to my co-worker. We both have decent jobs with “good” health insurance coverage. I’ve always assumed that if I got sick, my insurance company would take care of me.
Well, unfortunately, my co-worker did get sick and was forced to take a leave of absence. He signed up for COBRA but the sickness & treatments dragged on for over a year. After that, his eligibility for COBRA ran out so his only option now is to buy insurance on the open market with his pre-existing sickness. There’s no way he can afford to buy insurance anymore.
This was a real revelation to me. I’ve talked about this with my friends and they were all shocked to hear it. Everyone thought they were covered. It never occured to them that they were only allowed to be sick for a year or so.
I’m guessing that most people with insurance have absolutely no idea how vulnerable they really are. I understand it and still have a hard time getting my head around it. It just boggles the mind.
