This podcast episode marks the one-year anniversary of launching this podcast. Today we're going off-script and talking about what our healthcare landscape looks like today. Our medical system today is quite changed from what it once was—especially since the Affordable Care Act was enacted.

Most people pay the equivalent of a monthly mortgage for an insurance plan, and unfortunately, this plan doesn't provide the same amount of coverage as it once did. If you do have insurance, you will definitely need to know your deductible. This is the most important and relevant number to know for your healthcare costs.

Many doctors go private and stop accepting insurance because of the benefits it has for their business. Setting their own prices and accepting cash can make it easier to run their business. A $300 blood test could be billed to your insurance for thousands. When you do the math—and take your potentially high deductible into account—sometimes it works out better for the patient too.

A patient's autonomy goes out the window when they aren't fully informed of their possible options. Yet, many doctors don't have time to spend an hour going over all those options because their time is limited. They also likely do not know the details of your insurance plan, so they can't get into details. In the end, this is not in the best interest of the patient.

Most patients have to consider cost when weighing their options for treatment. When cost is an issue, you're no longer choosing the best treatment for you—you're choosing the treatment you can afford. So, what should you do? The answer is to do your best to stay healthy and avoid treatment altogether.

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