Amen. Insurance should be used to cover catastrophic & major hospital expenses. Everyday office visits, checkups and minor illnesses should be paid out of pocket.
That makes sense
I remember the days before HMO’s, you got sick you paid for your own doctor visit and if you had prescription coverage it was a reasonable cost....along comes the HMO and everything skyrocketed as did the wait to get into to see the doctor.
I have insurance, for which my contribution is $369 per month, lots of deductibles and co pays etc. Office calls are not covered at all. In 2009 I paid a little more than $16,000 out of pocket (That includes premiums), I am a retired factory worker, that’s a hell of a lot of money to me.
I’m not complaining mind you, at least I have insurance, even if it isn’t the best in the world. I still can’t afford “free” gov (Obamacare) insurance.
I received a letter in October from my insurer, notifying me of changes in the law effective Jan, 2011. Including such nonsense as children covered to age 26, no more copays on well children check ups, no co pays on vaccinations, no cap on life time coverage, no denials on any new dependents for any reason, etc.
In the same letter, they told me that there would be a premium increase and I’d be notified some time in November. Can’t wait to get that letter huh?
I hold every liberal responsible, no matter what letter they have behind their name. Here in Illinois the liberals just elected Mark Kirk for the U.S. Senate, he calls himself a “republican” but he will out liberal Snowe and Collins every day of the week. There was a more conservative choice on the ticket and I voted for him, his name is Mike Labno and was running as a Libertarian, first time in my life I have ever voted for one but he was the only one on the ticket that was pro life - he received a little over 2% of the vote.
That was the way it was when I first entered the work force in the 70’s. Ins paid for ER visits with a co-pay, hospital stays, dr when in hospital, (and tests). Other wise it came out of your pocket. You didn’t run to the doc with every hang nail, because you didn’t want to spend the $$ on it. I still use that method in determining if I should make an appointment.
Ditto for dental, which I totally pay for out of pocket.
Much of the high cost of medical care comes from doctors ordering extra test to cover their tails from lawsuits.
I don’t need a doctor’s visit to treat a simple cold or muscle strain. Most minor illnesses can now be treated with OTC meds, you just have to be smart enough to know when they don’t do the job, then go see the doctor, as it may be a more serious condition.
Ok, but they're going to have to quit charging me just shy of a grand a month to insure a family of 4. As long as I'm paying outrageous premiums, I want outrageous coverage.