Thoughts on Universal healthcare

[annmarie]

All I know is that the health insurance industry must die. It's ridiculous that millions of Americans hand them huge portions of their paychecks each and every payday, and they also collect thousands and thousands of dollars per employee from our employers each year on the off chance that something catastrophic happens to us, and if it doesn't they can pocket the money. It pains me to think of how much they've made off of me and the companies I've worked for (I'm sure enough to pay for 17 cancers, 12 heart attacks, and getting hit by a car about 30 times) all these years while probably only walking into a doctors office a handful of times, for minor issues. I would much rather have that unthinkable amount of money go into a pool that would pay for others who haven't been as lucky as me with their health, and have the assurance that when I do need major medical attention, it won't mean losing everything I've worked so hard to obtain because my insurance doesn't cover it fully. The entire concept of health insurance is just plain crooked and we're fools for tolerating it as long as we have.

 

[ursusarctosana]

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I like what you've said here.

 

[HennysMom]

thats very true hinkjc - alot of companies do the 80/20 thing - and then the employees are responsible for the yearly deductibles as well.

DH's employer pays $14K a year per employee family plans and about $8K a year for a single person - thats their 80% fee.

 

[pips&peeps]

What alot of you don't understand is that the health care companies don't make tons of money.

I worked for an HMO for several years and they were required to take medicare patients. Those patients could sign up at anytime. This included, say three months after they had been admitted to a hospital for major heart issues.

Because the people were admitted at the time of applying for coverage the HMO had to go back and cover all the previous days the patient was admitted for, for just one payment of $68.00 from social security.

This is the type of thing others are paying for. There are issues on both sides of the coin......

 

[hinkjc]

Risk is all part of the insurance industry. Whether it be health, life, auto, disability, homeowners, flood or fire. We pay to have a safety net there in case we need it. Yes, all insurance carriers are in business to make money - otherwise they couldn't run their business. What you pay in and don't use is paid out in claims for those who do use it. That's the way of the business. Some will have no events, some will have mild (low cost) events and some will have catastrophic (high cost) events. All premiums are put into a bucket to pay the events when they occur. At any moment, you could be one of those, called risks, that need to use it. That's the point of everyone contributing and having that security/safety net available to them.

 

[ursusarctosana]

Doesn't it balance out in the end, though? I may pay, but not get sick, but someone I care for does get sick and benefits from what I have contributed. What if something happens to me or someone I love, then I will be grateful. If nothing ever happens to me or anyone I love I may be resentful at having to pay for "other people who love their loved ones and families" because I can't relate to the other perspective.

Or I can just do what my grandparents of 81 and 87 did: never go to the doctor and treat myself with animal medication from the feed store. (If only I may be so lucky, but I don't smoke like they did, so I will probably get cancer soon.)

 

[HennysMom]

insurance in general is a rip off - we pay for auto insurance that is now based off of our credit reports ... uhm.. WHY? does my credit score have anything to do with my ability to drive? No... and it has nothing to do with my ability to pay my insurance bill either, but..every year they pull it to adjust my rate up or down. Insane.

House insurance - you can only use it twice before they drop you for "excessive claims". Case in point: My parents house had a small fire (first claim) and was paid out - 2nd claim was due to storm damage - they paid but raised the rate and then told them if they had any further claims, they'd be canceled for "excessive claim usage." Uhm.. isnt that what we PAY YOU FOR?

Guess what... Isabelle came through..yep.... storm damage... they got dropped!! Insane... picked up by another company... no limits on claims filed.

Life insurance: Pay out the ear for coverage..but get one little thing wrong with you and they nix the policy. Have fibromyalgia and they find out you have it - forget it...unless its whole life or you're locked into a set term amount, they'll drop you in a heart beat because they "feel its something bad enough to not warrant coverage". Yet.. their policies state only denied if its a "life threatening condition." Hmmm.. And paying out for life insurance - HA! Took them nearly 4 months and my mom had to prove she owned the policy 4 times even after sending it into this big time company along with my dad's death certificate - and they werent going to pay her. I got on the phone and started a not so nice conversation that began with "My laywers name is..." - she finally got the money dad paid all those years on.

Insurance.... the best of things.... and the worst of things.. all rolled into one.

 

[EweSheep]

Dont you HATE about insurance companies and even Medicare dictates what you SHOULD have and not have when you and your family doctor knows whats best for you and your treatments? Don't we have a say so when we know the treatments will work or medications that we know it is better for us (like my case the RX Toprol is NOT covered by either Medicare or Medicaid, because its a brand name but the genetric brand does not work for me at all, too many horrible side effects but neverthanless, Medicare denied it all!). I dont get a tax write off on that either because it is not more than what the state allowed to do for the max payments. But still, Im on SSD and hubby's hours are cut back so much that sometimes I must think should I buy meds or tap into our food expenses? Gladly at this point, Toprol is no longer made (dunno why and neither did my doctor) and was on a different med with generic which works pretty good with less side effects than Toprol. Toprol is high blood pressure medication for those who do not know.

This one clinches the medical system, I had to have an doctor's orders for a new ear mold for my hearning aid!!!!!!!!!!!! Even I can pay it out of pocket but the factilities that does the services said I must have it even they have my files on record!

And the Medicare does NOT pay for hearing aids so what do I do now without hearing aids which I had them all my life????????? I dont think I can manage without it otherwise I would be going HUH?!! all the time. Come on!

Even my good doctor has to fight the system every darn time and its a losing battle with the companies that think you need to have this and that when they never seen you or know you what suits your needs and what make you better. He was getting madder and madder and he wonders how long he will stay in practice and jeopardizing his patients well being just because of the health system that we have going now.

Need to go back on the drawing board, my dear politicians! it was good at that time of FDR but with growing needs and better technology, it fell apart.

 

[EweSheep]

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AMEN!

 

[texaschickmama]

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I can't wait either.

Fortunately, I believe we will NEVER have to worry universal health care. Look at Canada, ask them, does it work good for them, ...............NO.

BTW, sugarbush, I love your sig line. I just love T Boone Pickens. He is from neck of the woods, that man has a great mind.