I'll add to that. Your job. Call in sick, you need a note from your Dr. Then you need a return visit to Dr for a note saying you are well enough to return to work. Drug tests for work, another insurance expense. Regarding kids. You need a physical to enroll in school, another physical to play sports and yet another physical if you send the kid to summer camp. Kids today, are not as physical active. So you send the kids out to play and he twists his ankle the first five minutes he is outdoors, gotta get it checked out.
I did not include insurance because the cost of insurance is driven by the cost of healthcare, not the other way around. Insurance, costly as it is, and abused as it is, is not the root cause of the problem.
Re Obamacare: Starting next year, the law will block insurers from refusing to sell coverage or setting premiums based on people's health histories, and will reduce their ability to set rates based on age. --------------- So insurance cos cannot set premiums based on peoples health history, yet CVS is allowed a surcharge? Sounds illegal.
I don't think so, at least from what I've read here. The law theoretically says you cannot charge based on age, health, existing conditions, etc. CVS is charging based on habits and activities. Which begs the question, are you a smoker or are you addicted to tobacco? Are you a couch potato or do you have some mental illness that makes you love ice cream and Oprah, and hate sweat? Given our societal direction away from personal responsibility towards a place where nothing is anyone's fault, you may prove to be correct. Eventually, anyway.