Finding affordable health care in America is getting harder. Workers are being hit hard by employers anxious to save money on their premiums by reducing cover or passing on the rises in cost. I know this because I am one of those workers; I have a great job and prior to 2006, I also had an amazingly wonderful health care plan. My employers excuse was it was getting to expensive with the current company and was going to switch to a less expensive one.

They said that to have a low cost health care scheme for everyone meant we would have to change companies. I suppose some people are better off and perhaps I should not sound ungrateful. To some extent I do agree, but their search for another provider now costs me double the money from my paychecks to have my husband and daughter on my policy. Other than a few exceptions, everyone else seems to benefit from this new arrangement but because I have not had a raise but I am taking a great deal less home so my family can have health cover.

I liked the previous company and so far I am not as impressed with the new one although the health care plan does not seem that bad. To my mind the whole point of providing this new affordable health care scheme was a cost cutting exercise for the company which just meant greater expense for some of their employees. You see, four years ago, I gave birth to a little girl and of course my old insurance paid for the whole of my hospital stay. This new plan, under similar circumstances however, would personally cost me in excess of 5,000 dollars.

Keep in mind that although I would have to pay hospital fees, there is also the small matter of my co-pays as well. The availability of affordable health care plans is on the increase which should help those less fortunate. Those less fortunate can now get free health care more readily and workers without health care are able to join special schemes. While I appreciate these programs because they are saving lives and helping people to grow stronger and healthier, some people take advantage of them.

Those less well off are in need of these affordable health care schemes but they are also used by those who are intent on living of the state and do not actually contribute to society. We often forget who is ultimately paying for these schemes; us, the taxpayer. The health plan program my employer found definitely had improved financial benefits for him. Many of the workers found themselves subsidizing the companys desire to save money yet still provide a scheme by ensuring that they paid in their paychecks. We have a responsibility here in America to providing some sort of affordable health care for those that need it most.