- May 8, 2008
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I work for a large corporation that handles other business's call centers. My current training etc is handing individual health insurance sales, for a large health ins company. Massachusetts has "mandated" health insurance. Meaning EVERY resident must carry health insurance. Whether employed or not. And in this economy many are not. Anyway...
Yesterday I had a call back on a woman needing info on rates. She opened the call with
"My husband is going to be loosing his job the end of March" My heart fell.
Then she adds "We have two kids, one has to see his oncologist" more sinking.
"I cant work because my son has so many appts" Now I am beginning to hurt inside.
"I went on your website and found the S Plan, we could still work with that amount after our mortgage...." killing me.
I checked the "cheap" plan to see if her sons oncologist accepted it. Knowing it wasnt going to, since it is a very limited doctor network. Only plans we had that did have her doctors, and her sons doctors were the more expensive ones.
Over TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH! And sadly.. that is right on mark with the other carriers.
The silence on the other end of the line was so disheartening. When she finally spoke all she said was "How can we do this on unemployment? We were hoping it would be cheaper than COBRA."
So.. to those that think we dont need health care reform. I say bull.
The shock I hear. The anger I hear. The sadness... is awful. Mandated health care would be fine if the economy was strong and people were working and could afford this. But people can't. Unemployed people can't. People that are barely making it and loose their jobs. Can't. Hmmm pay mortgage or buy health care? Roof over heads or health care? Roof darnit.
Something needs to change.
Yesterday I had a call back on a woman needing info on rates. She opened the call with
"My husband is going to be loosing his job the end of March" My heart fell.
Then she adds "We have two kids, one has to see his oncologist" more sinking.
"I cant work because my son has so many appts" Now I am beginning to hurt inside.
"I went on your website and found the S Plan, we could still work with that amount after our mortgage...." killing me.
I checked the "cheap" plan to see if her sons oncologist accepted it. Knowing it wasnt going to, since it is a very limited doctor network. Only plans we had that did have her doctors, and her sons doctors were the more expensive ones.
Over TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH! And sadly.. that is right on mark with the other carriers.
The silence on the other end of the line was so disheartening. When she finally spoke all she said was "How can we do this on unemployment? We were hoping it would be cheaper than COBRA."
So.. to those that think we dont need health care reform. I say bull.
The shock I hear. The anger I hear. The sadness... is awful. Mandated health care would be fine if the economy was strong and people were working and could afford this. But people can't. Unemployed people can't. People that are barely making it and loose their jobs. Can't. Hmmm pay mortgage or buy health care? Roof over heads or health care? Roof darnit.
Something needs to change.