Where Flu Hits Wallet: A Shot of Reality
Oh, the flu hurts all right. Aches, pains, chills, you’ve had it. But
here’s a shot of reality: It can hurt your wallet in a mean way. Here’s how.
- Got chills? If you’re one of the 70 percent of
low-income workers who doesn’t get paid sick leave, hang on to your hoodie. Say
you’re someone’s lowly assistant working killer hours for no sick pay. Take off
a week of work – and you can’t come back 'till you’re 24 hours fever-free –
and that’s $500 out of your pocket. Can someone say: Where’s the rent money?
- Got kids? Too late to reconsider. Kids have to stay
home from school for the flu (and some schools may close for days or weeks). That
means more staying home and lost work. Or, if you can’t do that, there are
babysitters you (hopefully) have on a short leash. If not, you’re stuck with
one of those sites that charge a fortune for last minute care-giving and
babysitting at home. Some of them cost as much as $100 to join. Multiply that
if you have multiple kids.
- Say AAAAAH! Can the money bleed please stop? Sorry.
If you’re insured, the first doctor’s visit to confirm what you’ve got might be
a $20 co-pay. If you’re not insured, we’re talking three digits. And you have
to go twice – I do not make this stuff up – your second visit to confirm you
are healed will probably cost the same. So that’s a ton of money if you’re
uninsured, a decent amount of money if you are, and if you need medicine, watch
out. Tamiflu ®, what most doctors recommend for flu strains, costs up to $95
and doesn’t even come in a generic.
- The ER is a must if you or a child in your family is
terribly sick. See CDC.GOV
for a list of serious symptoms that should send you there. The payments
here can skyrocket if you’re uninsured. Beware the ER, but don’t avoid it if
you need it. Here’s one cost you’ll want to pay.
- And then there’s the bling. If you’ve got kids, you’ll
probably grab all the over-the-counter stuff that will give you and your family
relief – vaporizers, fever reducers, tons of fluids, Feist and SpongeBob® DVDs,
you get the idea. Again, this can run you as much money as you’re willing to
spend. And if you’re miserable, you’ll spend, I bet. I know I would.
Bottom line, insured or uninsured, all varieties of the flu are going to
be quite the pain this year. That is, unless you’re lucky and all that
hand-washing, vaccination-getting and rest-getting really works.
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