Current Economic Slump

Reed Abelson / New York Times:
A Third of Americans Have Cut Spending or Borrowed Money for Health Care  —  As medical costs rise, more than 80 million people have made sacrifices like skipping meals and driving less, a new survey finds.  —  Americans are feeling the squeeze from rising health care costs, and they are already doing without.
Adriel Bettelheim / Axios:   What Americans sacrifice due to high health costs

No kidding. This reporter has used a credit card to meet annual deductibles. Now regretting blowing US$150.00 on Coca-Cola® train tat last wk., then having to pay a $250.00 deductible & $47.00 co-pay this wk.

Thanks to "Floater Pharmacist",
who got on the horn, appealed the price
& got it knocked down to merely excessive.

Both up from last yr., each by about $12.00, making the monthly co-pay US$144.00 more every yr. Good thing the medication in question has transmogrified me to a breatharian & I no longer need to waste money on idiocy like "food". Literally did not eat anything solid yesterday, just several cups of tea & iced coffee. Higher spiritual plane, losers!!

Some of the sucker-ass chumps may be wising up. Of course, waiting for the American public to wake up & smell the coffee can take two eternities.

Bridget Bowman / NBC News:
Poll: Voters who say economic and political systems are stacked against them tie a record high
Ireland Owens / BizPac Review:   Americans who say economy, politics rigged against them even higher than right after great recession, poll shows