The question is, how is the economic crisis affecting me?

I am retired but will now need to return to work, at least part time, to help pay for the 236% increase in my health care premiums for 2009. That increase comes from my employer of 30 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The days of thinking your employer will take care of you in your retirement years are long gone.

Medical costs are unbelievably high. One minor outpatient surgery was billed to the tune of $35,000 to my insurance. My insurance paid $8,000 and the participating hospital accepted that amount as payment. Why so high though? It is ridiculous. I feel a large part of the problem are the excessive costs from medical supply companies to the medical providers. Price gouging if you will.

And what about the cost of prescriptions. Don't a lot of those pharmaceutical companies obtain government grants for research? Then they get a 20+ year patent that prevents generic brands from being provided during that time? If so, that needs to change.