Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Oh, I do indeed understand that COBRA costs a fortune compared to individual catostrophic coverage. That was my main motivator in becoming self-insured and staying that way. IIRC one of the objectives in the GOP health plan was to allow shopping across state lines for health insurance coverage. Obamacare didn't address this, wonder why?
Because its a good idea and would like likely improve things, and wouldn't help there over all agenda of more government control.
Wow, Annie, what a story and thanks for sharing. In today's age, what about all the people who go to their PCP and get labeled "depressed"? Will this also come back to haunt them? All the insurance companies know EVERY SINGLE PRESCRIPTION you've ever filled and what they are for, so forget that angle. I had ONE prescription filled ONE time that I never took. Needless to say, insurance company dug it up and quoted me premiums of between $1800 to $2200 per MONTH!
I just can't stress things strongly enough. If you have ANY mental health issues, stay off the record. Private pay for it and do NOT let the insurance companies know.
YES! We do not know what our Drs are writing in the chart. Often what he/she tells the patient and what is written are 2 different things - or observations and speculations are written BUT not discussed with the patient. Drs are payed based on diagnoses- so the more, the better. Often we are looking worse on paper than in reality.
If you are over a certain age and have had a hang nail- you are uninsurable. Even something from years ago that has healed and NEVER RETURNED will count against you when applying for insurance.
I am of a certain age, but not old enough for Medicare. I have never been hospitalized, and I take no medications, have no aches/pains, and no disabilities at all. But, like most people, I had been to the doctor a few times for this or that relatively minor thing, which was treated and never became chronic. Still, I was turned down for insurance when the underwriters looked at the chart in my doctor's office. I wrote them that these "problems" were either long solved or unknown to me! They would not budge.
If the doctor writes something down, even as a speculation or precaution, or orders a test for it (even if the test is negative)- it is gospel to insurers.
Because its a good idea and would like likely improve things, and wouldn't help there over all agenda of more government control.
It's not really that good of an idea. Insurers will simply move their bases of operation to the state with the fewest regulations.
Quote:
....... They want insurers to be able to cluster in one state, follow that state's regulations and sell the product to everyone in the country. In practice, that means we will have a single national insurance standard. But that standard will be decided by South Dakota. Or, if South Dakota doesn't give the insurers the freedom they want, it'll be decided by Wyoming. Or whoever.
This is exactly what happened in the credit card industry.......
An examination of interstate purchases of health insurance reveals a number of additional problems for governments and consumers. The first hurdle in offering coverage is the question of pricing. If someone has a policy with Blue Cross in Maryland, but prefers the rates in Oregon, Blue Cross will not allow the consumer to purchase coverage at the Oregon rate. And given the lobbying power of insurance companies, it is doubtful that any legislation would compel companies to offer one state's rate in another state.
The second issue is the issue of state government control. For a consumer in Maryland buying a policy in Oregon, it would be necessary to establish an interstate or federal authority to deal with disputes, gaps in coverage, or billing issues. There is a very serious question whether states would give up control over insurance coverage. It is clear, in at least one case, that states could regard interstate purchase of insurance as dimly as they view individual mandates to buy health insurance.
These are two very big hurdles that need to be addressed before federal and state governments and insurance companies can begin to consider interstate purchases of health insurance.
YES! We do not know what our Drs are writing in the chart. Often what he/she tells the patient and what is written are 2 different things - or observations and speculations are written BUT not discussed with the patient. Drs are payed based on diagnoses- so the more, the better. Often we are looking worse on paper than in reality.
If you are over a certain age and have had a hang nail- you are uninsurable. Even something from years ago that has healed and NEVER RETURNED will count against you when applying for insurance.
I am of a certain age, but not old enough for Medicare. I have never been hospitalized, and I take no medications, have no aches/pains, and no disabilities at all. But, like most people, I had been to the doctor a few times for this or that relatively minor thing, which was treated and never became chronic. Still, I was turned down for insurance when the underwriters looked at the chart in my doctor's office. I wrote them that these "problems" were either long solved or unknown to me! They would not budge.
If the doctor writes something down, even as a speculation or precaution, or orders a test for it (even if the test is negative)- it is gospel to insurers.
OMG, I can just imagine what my charts look like. I just requested an app from Blue Cross today so I can apply and get turned down. I need to do this so I am eligible for the PCIP plan. I have no doubt but what I'll be denied with one minute of looking at my app.
And you're right. I have even gone so far as to challenge a Dr's diagnosis of me for insurance reasons. Of course, he would not change it. He laughed and told me "not to let these people control my life so much."
Needless to say, I never saw or spoke with him after this. He really ruined me in the insurance area. The kiss of death. That is why I always tell people (now, hindsight IS 20/20), be VERY careful what you tell your Dr. Unless it's something that you think is serious or could be, I'd say nothing. JMHO, of course, and take it with a grain of salt.
I think you are very funny. Thank you for posting.
LOL...comes from having your income slashed by a third,going bankrupt,having your house going into foreclosure,a loved one going through the early stages of Alzheimers, and moving to an area with 12+% unemployment with no job lined up....
Once you have all that poop piled on you,life is easy.
I have it thru my employer, pay around $80.00 a month premium. I'm very fit, dont drink or smoke, exercise daily, and then one day my feet started feeling numb, then my legs, then I had trouble walking. Now an MRI reveals that there is a spot of blood vessels putting pressure on my spinal cord, its a fairly low risk surgery but very delicate and a team of doctors using microscopic cameras will be removing this pressure point directly on my spinal cord.
W/O insurance I file for bankruptcy, I'm grateful my employer has a MOOP plan (max. out of pocket) which caps my costs at around 3K.
My advice: Do NOT let your coverage lapse, its too important, accidents happen, so do emergencies.
Good luck on the upcoming surgery!
Quote:
Originally Posted by charolastra00
I am lucky to have health insurance provided by my employer. It's $110 a month for the "value" plan, but thank G-d I have it.
I am a reasonably healthy 23 year old, less than a year out of college and 4 months into my first job. I have some minor health problems that cause more of an inconvenience than anything. Yesterday I went into the doctor with some swollen lymph nodes thinking I had an infection. Less than an hour later, I was being rushed by a coworker to the hospital to have a barrage of tests done. Today I am going back to the hospital to get my lymph nodes biopsied to confirm a preliminary diagnosis of lymphoma.
It can happen to anyone. Just because you feel healthy does not mean you are. I show NO symptoms except for a swollen gland in my armpit and never would have known I was sick if the gland didn't feel a little weird to me.
I'm barely going to be able to afford my copay, but I can only imagine what my situation would be like if I did not have insurance.
I have insurance through my employer but it is crap. I pay $46 a week and have a $1000 max per year. I also have co-pays and it doesn't even cover my birth control. I'm told that after a year we get better insurance. The ONLY reason I have it is so I don't have a gap in coverage that they can use to deny payment for something.
Why do people , specifically Liberals... only get mad at "Health insurance providers" for not providing coverage... but never get mad that the actually health CARE providers refuse service to people that can't afford it?
Does it have to do with being politically correct?
I have insurance through my employer but it is crap. I pay $46 a week and have a $1000 max per year. I also have co-pays and it doesn't even cover my birth control. I'm told that after a year we get better insurance. The ONLY reason I have it is so I don't have a gap in coverage that they can use to deny payment for something.
You live in a geographical city with the most health care workers in anywhere else I know, and you are paying $2392 a year for "health" insurance, but can only claim a maximum of $1000 a year?
You are being very wasteful and/or its an insurance/big government problem, and not actually a health PROVIDER (meaning people like nurses/doctors/etc) problem.
So in a town where over 25% of the people work in the health care business in some form or fashion, we have a city-data user "molochai2580" who is being pratically DENIED health care b.c of the health insurance/big government laws in the industry.
I once heard a liberal lobbyist say "there is no bigger regulated industry than health care"
And we wonder why it's the most expensive service in our "civilized" society.
Last edited by 1bright_future; 01-29-2011 at 10:03 PM..
I've been fortunate enough to find a new employer who offers decent health insurance in this tough job market.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
