Health care: what problems do YOU have with the present system?

Question

And what do you propose to address these problems?

For instance, I sometimes have issues and questions about what my insurer covers, and what it does not.

I deal with it by occasionally arguing with the insurance company, and occasionally paying out of pocket for "out of plan" items.

What's your story? Thanks.

This is posted in politics because it's being discussed in the presidential campaign.

Answer 1

My sweetie, the wonderful woman with whom I live and share my life, had total kidney failure a few years ago. She went on dialysis and was put on the list for a kidney transplant. We had a lot of interesting experiences with the insurance companies.

In the US, organ transplants are all done in teaching hospitals and are paid for by Medicare. Our insurance company was responsible for only something like 10-15% of the total cost. This is because the insurance companies only want to insure healthy people and they long ago got the government to take the old and sick off their hands.

After THREE YEARS on the list, waiting for a transplant, Carla got a phone call from the insurance company. The woman told her that she had just noticed that she was on the list for a transplant. The woman told her that the insurance company hadn't -authorized- a transplant and Carla couldn't get it until they did. This was at her work, and Carla came home in tears! I said 'Don't worry, honey, we can cover their share, and then we'll SUE the bastards!' Carla called her doctor, who called the insurance company to give them hell. He was told 'Gosh, I don't know who told you that! WE never said that!'

When Carla did get her transplant we mentioned this to the transplant doctor. (You know the actor Willem Dafoe? The surgeon who led the team that did Carla's transplant is his brother!) They said 'Oh, that happens all the time. We wouldn't have turned you down just for that. We always get paid eventually.'

We had a lot more run-ins with the insurance people, this is just the story that first comes to mind.

With a kidney transplant, Carla has to have medical insurance to survive. That means she has to have a regular job. She works a technical writer and could make more money an have more freedom as a free-lancer, but then she'd have to buy her own medical insurance, and nobody would sell her individual insurance because of her condition. She has a kidney transplant and I am diabetic, and between the both of us, individual healthcare insurance would run $50,000-60,000 a year!

Answer 2

I happen to currently be UN-employed but what sickens me is the fact that you can come to this country illegally and hurt yourself and be covered.But I've worked my whole life here and have nothing for coverage.Socialized health care is NOT the answer but some assistance other that the welfare/medicare system should be in place.I do expect to be working again in the very near future but the company I work for was bought by a private investor and it is uncertain what he will do with our contracts.But I am actively looking and some support would be greatly welcome as I have two children.They are covered under the Michigan Mi Child program but what if something would happen to me in the mean time?

Answer 3

Just the same problems you have. I'm very happy with my healthcare. I pay less for office visits, etc. than I did 25 years ago. And, if I don't like my insurance provider, I can change to another one (which I have done from time to time). I'm grateful that there is competetion because it encourages the providers to do a better job in order to get more business.

Answer 4

My biggest concern is that I get older, my health insurance costs are rising, and my health insurance seems to be covering less just when I really need things to be covered. I would like some sort of credit for all that I have payed in to health insurance when I didn't need it.

Answer 5

My problem is government influence. If medicare and medicaid had never been implemented, doctors and hospitals would have never gotten used to the taste of sweet government boob juice.

Now, they try to butt f your private insurance and get away with the same thing. If my insurance doesn't cover it, they can cram it.

Get government out of medical care and make it a competitive business like every other business. No more government ball-gargling.

Answer 6

I have no problems with my health insurance. I had surgery in April and they covered all but $300. The surgery cost well over $20,000. I pay for my healthcare out of my paycheck at work. I am totally against univeral healthcare. They are going to screw me and everyone like me up with their bull crap healthcare plan.

Answer 7

I have problems with the Democrats and their disinformation campaigns. There is too much regulation in the insurance industry and in the health care industry. Regulation makes both more costly and inefficient. The fix is not in more regulations.

Answer 8

None really. My insurance pays for what it says it will and if I'm not happy with that I can look for other insurance.

I shudder to think of a government run health care system.

Answer 9

Only people without jobs don't have health insurance. If you work, you're covered, so get a job!

Answer 10

Zero