Healthcare and the Stay At Home Mom

Healthcare costs have become insane. When I was a single working women I never really paid attention because my employer covered most of the cost and I simply paid about $80 a month (tax free) out of my check. I never missed it. Once you have a family, as every mom knows, things change.

For example, for us to insure all three of us under my husband's HMO plan it's $701 per month. For just my husband and son it's $371 per month. Therefore, to add me would be an additional $330. However, my husband's plan does not cover chiropratic care so I would have to pay cash for that, which would be $120 per visit. I need to go at least once a month. So, that would add up to $491 per month minimum.

Another option is for me to go on Cobra under my former employer's plan - this costs $415 per month. However, under this plan my chiropractic visits are covered. So my total cost per month would be $415 versus $491 on my husband's plan.

So to insure 3 healthy people for one year is costing us $9,672. Plus, in addition to this we pay copays.

I really worry about all of the people who are now unemployed - how are they able to pay for Cobra? Do we need universal healthcare or what?