My income is about 20K a year, for 3 years now. I am getting very distressed over not being able to afford much health care. Especially therapy. The copay for my insurance is $40 per visit. Basically that means if I really stretch things out, I might can go once a month at most. In the past I saw a therapist at least every other month. Not since starting this income and living on my own. So no therapy for me!

I see an internist for basic medical needs, which is a $15 copay. Discovered that she is definitely not a good doctor, she refers me to about 4 specialists every time I see her that I cannot afford. She does nothing! I did go to a cardiologist once recently and had to pay $45. That is taking away money for food, clothes and other necessities. It was an unnecessary visit, turned out. She referred me to a dermatologist, a podiatrist, a gastroenterologist and an eye doctor. Each would be a $45 copay. I agree that I need to go to most of those, but what am I supposed to do, go without food? I already do go without the clothes and haircuts. This YEAR I have bought 3 pairs of pants and 2 shirts. That's it.

So basically I cannot afford to be healthy and surely not mentally healthy. I have been trying to figure out how to do better, but when my expenses are right at $1000 a month before groceries, doctors or anything else "frivolous", there is not any wiggle room. I have 4 grandchildren that will be expecting Christmas presents. I would (and have) given up food to buy them gifts.

I think what a lot of us on limited incomes and getting older, I am only 59 by the way, just decide that we would just be better off dead. Horrible truth about the cost of living and health care. The only way I can lower my basic costs would be to move into a low rent neighborhood which is what I am going to have to do at the end of my lease in May, which means in my area, a bad neighborhood. That means high crime and not a pleasant place to live at all. Not much to look forward to eh? Certainly never have a vacation! What a joke that is!

I would like to know the statistics for people in my predicament and the elderly with low incomes for suicide. I bet it is high. So sad.