Thanks for the kind words...but...No no no...it was a series of episodes of inadequate care, broken billing, fraud...over a series of years! Not A (single) bad experience...sounds like you’ve had some tough times too. And this is what I’m talking about, once you actually need it, it’s an UTTER nightmare!
This was HARDLY an isolated incident, I only wish it were!
My wife had a mis-diagnosed bladder tumor that nearly killed us both (me from stress) for 6 YEARS...
AS in 365 days times SIX! MRI’s, CT scans...labs...surgeries, medicines...And once you have a $400,000+ bill, 20% of that is NOT a small number, particularly when she’s out of work and I’m missing alot of days too!
And keep in mind ‘m a nurse, in fact, had I NOT been a nurse (and Air FOrce medic prior to that), I’M CERTAIN she’d be dead!
Additionally, I worked at a nursing home, where the CEO and CFO are now in the Fed. pen for medicare and medicaid fraud, and oh yeah...bilking employees...ME by taking health insurance premiums but NOT passing that money along to the insurance company leaving hundreds of employees without coverage...and then filed bankruptcy, so they couldn’t be touched and the lawyers in NY got the funds after 5 years later...WE never saw a dime.
Soooo...we paid out nearly $700 in monthly premiums AND got to pay for for our dtr’s birth...100%!
No...I’ve also got dozens of stories both inside and outside the industry, and I’m not alone: and unless people wake up, we’ll have universal coverage...and THAT is my warning! Take it or leave it!
What we now have is CLEARLY a broken mess also.
But let me be crystal clear AGAIN, I’m NOT for socialized medicine...that would be even worse. I think I’ve mentioned that in every single post!
BUT that IS my warning...unless we honestly address the nightmare of these insurance companies, it’s what we’ll get! Sure as I’m sitting her typing! Frankly, I think it’s already too late!
MY point is the rosy picture some people paint are based mostly on anecdotes from people that simply haven’t been through either too many issues or a major one with our system, that’s all.
And I’m busy now with trying to determine today why my healthplan will not cover eye drops for allergies...CVS wanted $50 for some eye drops because the pollen is KILLING me today (here in Atlanta it’s not just high, it’s high on steroids!)...
I get SOOOOOOO tired of trying to get a prescribed med. and it’s not covered for some kooky-assed reason or another!
SHEESH, We pay $700 a month to have the crap and they don’t want me to have eye drops that actually work (patanol)...NOTHING OTC works...
and I won’t start with our dental plan...not today! :(
I think we agree here. We agree that there is much that needs to be addressed in our healthcare system but also that socialized medicine is not the answer.
Btw, we pay a fortune for health insurance, too. It depends on the plan your employer offers. Some companies cover insurance. Others don’t. We have a PPO, and the employer doesn’t cover the cost. HMO’s are cheaper, but what a nightmare they are. When I think of socialized medicine, I think of HMO’s.