Reply #20: right now

[mopinko]

even tho most of the cost is paid by DH's employer, we still pay $600/mo premium, plus rx copays of about $200. our deductible is $500/person. after that, there is a $300/person wellness benefit, but that usually ends up with a balance, because you can't really get the blood tests, vaccinations, and all for that money. beyond that, we end up paying about $20 out of pocket for doc visits.
all and all, it is a lot of money. we are high utilizers here, with a couple kids plus me with chronic illnesses. it could be way, way worse. i had surgery last year that was $100 k, plus a lot of before and after tests, etc. it cost us about $2k.
even with good coverage, it adds up. luckily, dh has a good job and although we could be havin' more fun with that money, it isn't cutting into the food budget.
but insurance is one of the things that has kept DH from going into consulting for ooodles of money. for this family, i would honestly expect to pay a monthly premium of at least $1k, plus a co-pay of $20-50 for docs, and $10-25 for rx.