Do You Have Health Insurance?

[KSG_Standard]

Yes, I have a plan subsidized by my employer...my Wife has a plan subsidized by the State as she's a teacher. When I was self employed I paid for my own plan...a catastrophic illness and accident plan. It was fairly cheap because it had a relatively high deductible and didn't include coverage for viagra, birth control, abortion and other services I didn't want. It's too bad that these plans are being phased out in favor of gov't mandated plans that cover everything...including the kitchen sink. I have a pre-existing condition and health insurance is important to me...I made sure that I paid the premium instead of buying crap I didn't need.

I guess other people's experiences and desires are different than mine.

 

[blues24]

HSA here.....first 2000 out of pocket

 

[rcole_sooner]

Yep. It is part of my work benefits. It is not great, but better than a poke in the eye.

 

[Caleb]

Aetna HMO.

 

[Joeydego]

DONT get me started. Went in for a vasectomy. I have united healthcare for office/outpaitent stuff, BCBS for hospitalization and something esle for scripts. I called a month in advance to the urologist to get an appointment. After waiting a whole month, I hand over my benefits card. My plan, the Empire plan, evidently administrates my benefits. The urologist office wont take Empire, but they take United Healthcare, which my plan is. THIS, folks, is what needs to be changed. I dont even really know what Empire is. They dont have an insurance product. Seems like they're some kind of middle man which administrates the actual plan somehow. WHY they need to exist and cost the world money I have no idea. I bitched and moaned and they took it. This insurance stuff, and the cost of services from doctors needs to be transparent, up front and streamlined.

 

[Joeydego]

Yes, I have a plan subsidized by my employer...my Wife has a plan subsidized by the State as she's a teacher. When I was self employed I paid for my own plan...a catastrophic illness and accident plan. It was fairly cheap because it had a relatively high deductible and didn't include coverage for viagra, birth control, abortion and other services I didn't want. It's too bad that these plans are being phased out in favor of gov't mandated plans that cover everything...including the kitchen sink. I have a pre-existing condition and health insurance is important to me...I made sure that I paid the premium instead of buying crap I didn't need.

I guess other people's experiences and desires are different than mine.

ummmm, my ex wife is an RN and her private hospital employer bennies cover viagra, birth control and whatnot. It even covered propecia. Not sure what govt plan covers viagra. And frankly it ought to. Birth control, too. Sexual health is still important to many people.

 

[Tone deaf]

I'm at $380 each month for pretty good health insurance for my son and myself. My wife has coverage through her employer, thankfully.

What irritates me is that, at least in Texas, there is NO individual plan that will cover pregnancies. Not even as a deductible met sort of thing - pregnancy and birth just isn't covered. So, if we want more kids, my wife will need to continue working and receive that coverage through a group plan her employer offers.

Bullshit, just bullshit all around with the way our medical and insurance system works here.

She only needs to keep working until she delivers...I'm not a fan of using government largess to screw private sector employers but, that is standard operating procedure for woman all across the country: get good health coverage a work, get a bun in the oven, deliver, take full, paid maternity leave and quit.

 

[Tone deaf]

Yeah I've seen those on you tube, pretty nasty. Those are ones under the tongue though, mine is the parotid, around jaw and ear. Pressure of saliva builds up pressing on ear drum. Constant ear ache and smell or sight of food flares it all up bigger.
Did go doctors when it first happened and they told me what it was, never heard of stones in there before. Unfortunately I will keep getting them until I have some sort of surgery. Doctors do not know the cause so cannot avoid them.

I am so used to being able to go to a doctor whenever I was ill back in England, without having to worry about insurance or money, so it has been quite some experience to say the least.

I know many with insurance who still suffer because of the lack of coverage or they relate it to something per-existing so they are stuck with additional bills.

Sonar, my thoughts go out to you both.

I feel for you Harmony. However, if you have an acute health issue, please get your ass to the emergency room. Even in your state they have to care for you regardless of insurance, it's the law.

 

[KSG_Standard]

ummmm, my ex wife is an RN and her private hospital employer bennies cover viagra, birth control and whatnot. It even covered propecia. Not sure what govt plan covers viagra. And frankly it ought to. Birth control, too. Sexual health is still important to many people.

Yeah, but consumers should be able to CHOOSE what they want to pay for...no? If I don't need viagra or birth control, should I have to pay for a policy that covers such things? The new gov't healthcare regulations are going to require "minimal essential coverage"...which means policies will be required to offer many things that might be nice to have...might even be essential for some folks to have...but will be required for ALL people to have. This mandate will raise the cost of premiums.

Some states already regulate what coverage is required in a policy...not every state offers/offered catastrophic care policies. I happen to believe that the choice of what YOU want from an insurance company should be up to YOU.

 

[Joeydego]

Yeah, but consumers should be able to CHOOSE what they want to pay for...no? If I don't need viagra or birth control, should I have to pay for a policy that covers such things? The new gov't healthcare regulations are going to require "minimal essential coverage"...which means policies will be required to offer many things that might be nice to have...might even be essential for some folks to have...but will be required for ALL people to have. This mandate will raise the cost of premiums.

Some states already regulate what coverage is required in a policy...not every state offers/offered catastrophic care policies. I happen to believe that the choice of what YOU want from an insurance company should be up to YOU.

To a degree, yes. I don't think you should be able to pick ala carte from a list of drugs and services, because then its not insurance IN CASE something happens, you're more looking for someone to foot the bill for a condition. If el winkie went el limpie tomorrow, wouldn't you want to be covered for the medication to fix that? I think I'd rather lose a foot than never be able to use my **** again. I think levels of coverage should be offered, but these levels should deal more with dollars and cents and less with WHATS covered. EVERYTHING should be covered for everyone, just the BEST policies you pay very little/nothing out of pocket, and the worst should have high co pays.

 

[sonar1]

...If el winkie went el limpie tomorrow, wouldn't you want to be covered for the medication to fix that?...

You mean Big Jake?

Durn tootin'!

 

[Mike-t]

My wife is a nurse so she pays $40 a month for herself and $400 a month for me. It's only a $600 deductible with vision and dental so overall it's pretty good. Oddly enough, she asked me this morning to see if I can get cheaper insurance somewhere else but I doubt that is going to happen.

 

[Joeydego]

You mean Big Jake?

Durn tootin'!

See that? Some of us need significantly more blood flow than others!

 

[Harmony]

I feel for you Harmony. However, if you have an acute health issue, please get your ass to the emergency room. Even in your state they have to care for you regardless of insurance, it's the law.

Unfortunately not
I did that before and all they did was give me strong painkillers and referred me to a specialist as an out patient. ER does not do surgery for something like this, even if it is of extreme pain.
They tried unblocking the duct but to no avail. It all depends where the stones are. The doctor I was to see would not accept to see me unless I paid most of the bill upfront, which of course I could not do.
I have a more serious health issue but unfortunately the hospital will not touch me without insurance or pay up front.
ER are good if you need a real emergency but as an out patient or ongoing treatment, no insurance you are out of luck. There are thousands in same situ.

ER will only make you comfortable or do something short term.

If you can't afford insurance and employer doesn't offer it, what can one do? Not a lot.

 

[sonar1]

See that? Some of us need significantly more blood flow than others!

Tha's raut.

I get to feelin' faint sometimes as all the blood rushes from my brain fill the reservoirs of pleasure and, and, um...






uh....





Y'know After Hours is starting to get to me.

 

[KSG_Standard]

Well, coverage for a preexisting condition isn't really insurance either...you're asking someone else to foot the bill for a condition you already have and that ain't insurance. I hear what you're saying Joey, but the question...it seems to me, is do we want lower overall costs or coverage for everybody's ills? The answer to that question is going to be different for different people.

A policy that covers everything will necessarily be more expensive than a policy that provides limited coverage. A gov't mandate on minimal essential coverage that includes things like viagra, birth control, preventive care, etc. might be a good thing for some folks but it will raise the cost of premiums for everyone...whether the payer is an individual or the tax payer at large.

Increasing the levels of coverage and keeping the payer separated from the true cost of a policy will increase access to providers and it might not increase quality of healthcare. Part of the reason for rising costs of care and premiums is the increased access to providers for non-essential reasons and the increased cost for insurers to cover all the mandated procedures/coverages/etc and the complete lack of knowledge of the consumer on what the true costs of treatments are.

Health insurance is a complicated subject and while many folks think that a single payer system would be a good thing in the USA...it would be extremely costly (the NHS in England is the 7th largest employer in the world and that's just to provide care for about 51 million people)...imagine how big an American version of the NHS would be with our population of over 300 million.

 

[red dog]

I have good insurance. That is not the problem!!!!! Check out the postcard I received from my family MD in Oct.

=================

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

It is with mixed feelings that we announce the closing of Dr.XXXXXXXXXXX private practice. The continually changing healthcare regulations have added an unmanageable burden for solo private practice to such a degree that it is no longer a viable option for us. It has been a privilege to serve your. The final closing date is XXXXXXXXXXXX.

Blah Blah pay $25 for a CD of your records and good luck.

=================

I thought I had everything set, a doc with whom I had a track record, a good working relationship, and a point of entry for referrals to specialists. GOne now.

 

[Joeydego]

I'm no advocate for a single payer system of nanny state healthcare. Insurance needs to be insurance. Anyone would be silly to insure a car for side impact only collisions, right? The way I'd like to see it go is the way I stated, everything covered, quality of plan deals with how much you pay out of pocket. Welfare coverage covers everything, but welfare needs overhaul too. Thats for a separate thread tho………..

 

[moodyedge]

Theres not many good things about England but the NHS is one perk Id say. If you fall down like a sack of spuds and wake up in hospital after an operation your safe in the knowledge that you wont get stung with a hefty bill to pay for the job they did on you.

God bless England....whoever that is.

 

[Louie]

Yes. Private, all-encompassing, expensive and glad to have it.