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Are you really sure your health Insurance will cover you??

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Our current national health care system is simple; Do not get sick - Anonymous

Are you one big illness away from bankruptcy?

By Dean Calbreath
San Diego Union-Tribune
June 14, 2009


“The greatest health is wealth,” the classical Roman poet Virgil once said.
But to keep your health can cost you your wealth. In fact, it can drive you into bankruptcy.
A survey this month showed that in 2007, on the eve of the current recession, roughly two-thirds of bankruptcies in the United States involved people who were driven into insolvency because they could not keep up with their medical bills.
Although health care has been eclipsed by overdue mortgages and credit card debt as the primary cause of bankruptcy, it remains a potent driver of debt. And once the current wave of foreclosures abates, it could quickly regain its No. 1 status in the bankruptcy courts, unless something is done to fix the medical system first.
“Unless you’re Warren Buffett, your family is just one serious illness away from bankruptcy,” said David Himmelstein, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard.
“For middle-class Americans, health insurance offers little protection. Most of us have policies with so many loopholes, co-payments and deductibles that illness can put you in the poorhouse,” Himmelstein said.
The study by Himmelstein and a team of researchers at Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School and Ohio University shows that 62 percent of bankruptcies in 2007 were at least partly caused by problems involving health care. That’s up from 55 percent in 2001.
More than three-quarters of the people who were bankrupted for medical reasons had health insurance at the start of the “bankrupting illness,” according to the study, which will be published in The American Journal of Medicine in August. Most of them “were solidly middle class before financial disaster hit.” Two-thirds were homeowners, and three-fifths had gone to college.

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Not to worry.... you will get to deal with these people eventually... everyone does....then you will get to see weaseling...[:/]



dont think so
"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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My (former employer's) insurance administration was pretty notably good, but I've definitely known others that tried to weasel out of what seemed to be fairly valid claims. I don't think that it's necessarily reasonable to assume that all insurance companies are up-front. Just consider the horror stories about homeowners' and car insurance claims, and ask yourself why health insurance would be any different.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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My (former employer's) insurance administration was pretty notably good, but I've definitely known others that tried to weasel out of what seemed to be fairly valid claims. I don't think that it's necessarily reasonable to assume that all insurance companies are up-front. Just consider the horror stories about homeowners' and car insurance claims, and ask yourself why health insurance would be any different.

Wendy P.



Agreed
but to assume the oposite is the norm is just as unreasonable
"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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My (former employer's) insurance administration was pretty notably good, but I've definitely known others that tried to weasel out of what seemed to be fairly valid claims. I don't think that it's necessarily reasonable to assume that all insurance companies are up-front. Just consider the horror stories about homeowners' and car insurance claims, and ask yourself why health insurance would be any different.

Wendy P.




I had great benefits when I was at Microsoft as an FTE... one of the best plans available.

Since mid 2006 I had been doing contracts with several other consulting companies. Their health plans are so full of crap that other than a yearly Dr's appointment and perhaps a few prescriptions they are essentially worthless. Truth be told I think the contract houses know it... and I know it now as well.

When you get sick.. and get pneumonia and they want to put you in the donut to see how much of your lungs are full because you can't breathe you would think that would be covered... but no..it seems the imaging.. is... ready for this.... experimental.. and not covered.

Crap like that just pisses me off... Ok so the bill was only $4500 which I had to pay because the insurance would not. I like my credit rating where it is.. and when the Hospital and the doctors send it to collections because the insuance is weasling... yeah.

You are down there in Texas... how much money does a thief need to steal from you in your home before you can protect yourself from a predator like that???

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Since mid 2006 I had been doing contracts with several other consulting companies. Their health plans are so full of crap that other than a yearly Dr's appointment and perhaps a few prescriptions they are essentially worthless. Truth be told I think the contract houses know it... and I know it now as well.



tending to be smaller, and with transient contractor workers, I've not had much luck there with the agencies. For many, the only benefit offered is direct deposit. More often, they don't even offer a plan. I did a long stretch where I had an individual plan, started when I was 29 (which helped, I'm sure).

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Since mid 2006 I had been doing contracts with several other consulting companies. Their health plans are so full of crap that other than a yearly Dr's appointment and perhaps a few prescriptions they are essentially worthless. Truth be told I think the contract houses know it... and I know it now as well.



tending to be smaller, and with transient contractor workers, I've not had much luck there with the agencies. For many, the only benefit offered is direct deposit. More often, they don't even offer a plan. I did a long stretch where I had an individual plan, started when I was 29 (which helped, I'm sure).



Oh they offered that as well but the cost for their "health care plan" was something on the order of $150 a week out of MY pocket after taxes which was supposed to cover a low deductible etc.... yup.. complete and utter rip off.

I guess the trick is to find a reputable company to work for... that has a reputable health insurance company .

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“For middle-class Americans, health insurance offers little protection. Most of us have policies with so many loopholes, co-payments and deductibles that illness can put you in the poorhouse,” Himmelstein said.



Bullshit. I'll submit that most of the people who had a bankruptcy due to medical reasons were already upside down and deep in debt, The med bills were just the last straw.

Jeanne...you said you got a bill for $4500. My stay in the ICU cost me $5000. For some folks that is all it takes to push them into the abyss. Certainly something on the order of a $5000 bill isn't pushing middle america over the edge all by itself.

The health insurance industry needs to be fixed no doubt That 2000 + page POS we got last year isn't gonna do a damned thing.
Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

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I've been VERY pleased with my insurance coverage and all it pays. Before a few years ago, I had NO health problems. Then several knee surgeries, knee replacement, a few medical troubles along the way, shoulder problems and shoulder surgery, then breast cancer, mastectomy, reconstruction...ugh. My out of pocket cost has been incredibly low.

I pay the health insurance premiums for my employees. Our premiums have gone through the ROOF! It's crazy expensive! I don't LIKE paying it, but I do, because it's important and worth the cost. I see it as my responsibility. That's what people don't get. They don't like paying the premiums...maybe because of a sense of entitlement and maybe because they'd like to do something more fun with their money. I like my employees being covered, and I like being covered. Ya' never know when the other shoe is gonna drop.

Then there are people who just can't afford it. If you're choosing between eating and paying for health insurance, eating wins. There needs to be something for folks who just don't have it. Doesn't mean we have to have a sweeping national health plan. But providing basic healthcare to people who have no means isn't unreasonable.

linz
--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

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When you get sick.. and get pneumonia and they want to put you in the donut to see how much of your lungs are full because you can't breathe you would think that would be covered... but no..it seems the imaging.. is... ready for this.... experimental.. and not covered.



What are you talking about...?

Sounds like made up bull shit to me.

Pneumonia is easily detectable on a standard chest X-ray. (Cheap) I think you are full of shit, and your shoulder story too. Care to elaborate on your shoulder surgery story...?

Last person to pull this crap (loud and annoying protests with few and sketchy details) refused to post or answer PMs after I put him on the spot. (Bolas's Education Thread)

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I've been VERY pleased with my insurance coverage and all it pays. Before a few years ago, I had NO health problems. Then several knee surgeries, knee replacement, a few medical troubles along the way, shoulder problems and shoulder surgery, then breast cancer, mastectomy, reconstruction...ugh. My out of pocket cost has been incredibly low.

I pay the health insurance premiums for my employees. Our premiums have gone through the ROOF! It's crazy expensive! I don't LIKE paying it, but I do, because it's important and worth the cost. I see it as my responsibility. That's what people don't get. They don't like paying the premiums...maybe because of a sense of entitlement and maybe because they'd like to do something more fun with their money. I like my employees being covered, and I like being covered. Ya' never know when the other shoe is gonna drop.

Then there are people who just can't afford it. If you're choosing between eating and paying for health insurance, eating wins. There needs to be something for folks who just don't have it. Doesn't mean we have to have a sweeping national health plan. But providing basic healthcare to people who have no means isn't unreasonable.

linz



Well said Linz.

I just wish my experiences had been as positive. [:/]

I helped start a couple companies and I always managed to talk the rest of the owners into making sure we were all covered as well as our employees. But it was also just good business and an expense that was well worth it even if it was not cheap.
Healthy people that are not stresed out about coverage should something happen to their loved ones was and is important to me.

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There needs to be something for folks who just don't have it.



No... if we properly fixed the problems that we do have, not with government bureaucracy and idiotic regulations... Health Insurance would be affordable.

And we need to end Employment Based Health Insurance.

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There needs to be something for folks who just don't have it.



No... if we properly fixed the problems that we do have, not with government bureaucracy and idiotic regulations... Health Insurance would be affordable.

And we need to end Employment Based Health Insurance.



And if wishes were horses all beggars would ride.
--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

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When you get sick.. and get pneumonia and they want to put you in the donut to see how much of your lungs are full because you can't breathe you would think that would be covered... but no..it seems the imaging.. is... ready for this.... experimental.. and not covered.



What are you talking about...?

Sounds like made up bull shit to me.

Pneumonia is easily detectable on a standard chest X-ray. (Cheap) I think you are full of shit, and your shoulder story too. Care to elaborate on your shoulder surgery story...?

Last person to pull this crap (loud and annoying protests with few and sketchy details) refused to post or answer PMs after I put him on the spot. (Bolas's Education Thread)



Nice PA BUBBA.

Incident one Winter 2007. I had been sick with a non specific upper respiratory infection... for over a week. Was almost over it and went back to work but got sicker as the day progressed and could not breathe. I was ashen and I had to leave.
I could not breathe... was in severe pain. they injected something and ran me thru the donut ring. I am not a doctor who am I to argue when I am gasping for air and passing out from the pain.. Bottom line... Insurance... not paid.. I paid the bill


Incident 2 Lost Prairie 2008

I was injured when someone ripped my arm out of its socket and tore my rotator cuff. After 3 weeks it was not getting any better so off to the doctors office I went. The doctor wanted an MRI since the MRI was supposed to be coverd and I even had the Dr's office call to make sure with UHC.. Funny how they said it was... then would not pay the bill. I guess I could have tanked my credit score by not paying too.

No surgery... for the shoulder... I was not stupid enopugh to do that because the 2K I could pay the cash for... the shoulder surgery to fix it.. I can't afford.
Someday maybe I will get my shoulder put back together.. it has not healed.. that is what happens when you get old.

I do take about 5 or 6 Tylenol a day to mitigate the pain. and I do have a prescription for Hydrocodone if I REALLLY need it.. That should have you very very happy.

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"Donut"

You mean a CT scan?

Cause if so... to be billed 4500... you'd have to be run through ~4.5 times, and that's not experimental.

"Injected something" Barium Sulfate? CT Dye...

Nor would that be the first thing ordered if you went to an ER for the problem. You would get a chest X-ray and if you had that bad of a case of pneumonia, it wouldn't be necessary to do a CT.

That doesn't make sense...

Edit to Add: UHC does suck... and MD offices screw up. Good job on the personal responsibility!

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"Donut"

You mean a CT scan?

Cause if so... to be billed 4500... you'd have to be run through ~4.5 times, and that's not experimental.

"Injected something" Barium Sulfate? CT Dye...

Nor would that be the first thing ordered if you went to an ER for the problem. You would get a chest X-ray and if you had that bad of a case of pneumonia, it wouldn't be necessary to do a CT.

That doesn't make sense...

Edit to Add: UHC does suck... and MD offices screw up. Good job on the personal responsibility!



Hey at the time... I was not exactly cohearant.... funny how that works when you are gasping for breathe and passing out.

Good job on the terminology..yes all of the above.. and yes they did a chest x ray as well. I am just a geekette that makes sure the computers that run the internet work.

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I am just a geekette that makes sure the computers that run the internet work.



Right... so then why would you thing a Single payer system would be better, when England is currently ending theirs? (Which started because of Rationing in WWII)


Why????
because what we have now has pretty much failed for me.

I am well trained now.. I dare not go anywhere near a doctor unless I am near death.. I have been sicker than a dog for the last two weeks.. but have stuck with just the theraflu... over the counter and cough drops to ease the hacking cough and the waking in the night with wheezing in my lungs.

I am really hoping it does not turn into the same thing I had before. The tube down the throat thing.. SUCKS

And I really do not want another test of my "health care system"as provided by Aetna this timeB|


The system as it stands has ALSO failed millions of other Americans

I would be better off if I just quit working... lose everything... then I might actually get something that works..

But hey... I guess I should not bitch.. I am alive... in that respect the $4500 ( plus all those monthly premiums that I have no clue how much I actually paid to them over the years was worth every dime) kept me alive..... this time.

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What is your Specialty?



I'm a family doctor. And tonight I'm the ER doctor for our little chunk of South Arkansas. They're wearing me down with all this flu!

:)
linz
--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

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