Quote:
Originally Posted by classicman
What costs are we trying to reduce?
Where is the waste - specifically?
Is it the Ins Co.'s, or the Hospitals or Pharma?
Who is going to pay for what & how?
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Are you asking about the current system or the proposed reform? If you're willing to spend some time reading,
here is a fair summary of the current issue list.
I'm just now 30 and I've already experienced one of the delightful ways insurance companies screw people. During my stint in a highly stressful contract position, I developed anxiety-induced skipped heartbeats at the age of 23. Harmless, but I felt I should get it checked out just to be sure. A quick doctor's visit was all it required.
What a mistake. I got a clean bill of health from the doctor, but the insurance company had a field day with it. Despite resolution of the issue a year prior with a simple change in jobs, my policy renewal had a giant rider stapled to the top of the contract indicating that they would have no problems covering any cardiovascular issues because the doctor gave a thumbs-up but would not drop a dime for treatment of "any neurological disease or disorder". That vague statement included every single mood disorder, depression, anxiety, nervous system degenerative disease, palsy, stroke, seizure, syncope, brain tumor, and spinal disease. Had they really wanted to, they likely wouldn't have had to cover a head injury if I had skipped and fallen on the sidewalk. They would, of course, review the rider in 2 years and had the option to remove it if they deemed it viable. Of course, they didn't. It was likely stuck with me for life. Why would they ever feel the need to remove it? Not only did it decrease their potential exposure as an insurance company, but they raised my rates slightly because of it.
Fuck you, Blue Cross.
Thankfully, I got a job some years later that had underwritten insurance, but a large number of jobs in my field leave it up to the policy holder to deal with insurance directly. Next year, my company will reduce the choice of insurance policies from 3 down to 1, and there are discussions that the burden of health coverage will soon be left to the employee in order to remain competitive. It makes one very hesitant to even get an issue checked out for fear that it will bite you in some unexpected way down the line.
This needs to be fixed. It's fucking criminal.