Low health insurance caps leave patients stranded

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today/AP

Mary Wusterbarth thought her toddler was struggling with an ear infection when she seemed sluggish. Instead, a virus had attacked the little girl's heart, damaging it beyond repair. Brea needed a transplant.

Within three weeks of a 2007 doctor visit, the 20-month-old had exhausted the $1 million lifetime maximum on her health insurance. Her parents have scrambled ever since for ways to cover thousands of dollars in monthly medical costs.

"We have no idea what kind of financial future we have," said Wusterbarth, of Wake Forest, N.C. "The medical bills come almost daily. There's never an end."

Insurers set lifetime limits to keep rates low on some policies, but holders are learning that individual caps that seemed large quickly max out as health care costs soar. Several patient advocacy groups are prodding insurers to raise the caps, which generally don't adjust for inflation. Congress also is considering two bills that would do that.

Only 1% of employer-offered group plans — the largest health insurance segment — had caps as low as $1 million last year, according to a survey by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. But 22% had caps of less than $2 million, and some want to see all these relatively low maximums eliminated.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-07-14-insurance-caps_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

---

Just one more reason we need universal health care! These days it doesn't take long to get to 1 or 2 million dollar cap when medical costs are so high!

[Donnachaidh]

1. we need universal health care AND CEILINGS on what these greedy

medical companies are charging. THEY need to be HEAVILY regulated. Yes, 1 million is a low cap, but jeez -- they went thru that in 3 WEEKS?

We holler about corporations fleecing the consumers. Well - so are the hospitals and *specialists*. :grr:

[Earth_First]

2. My brothers' father in law suffered a massive stroke in March...

He's been hospitalized since with a slow, but positive recovery. However, the positive recovery has not been quick enough for the insurance company. In two weeks they will cut him off of life supporting medical attention as the cost of rehabilitation is not what the insurance company is willing to cover.

Here's a man, who spent his entire life dutifully paying his insurance premiums only to find that in his greatest moment of need, the policy that he thought would perhaps save his life, will now maybe cost him his life.

Hey, (R) voters: "Go fu*k yourselves!"

[EbenezerMcIntosh]

3. A million dollars in three weeks?

I don't believe it. Maybe we should get rid of the insurance companies and let people deal with health care providers directly, if you know what I mean.

[democrat2thecore]

4. Dental caps are insanely low. $1000 a year on my policy. HORRIBLE.

And we're finding out more and more how dental and gum disease cause heart attacks and other health conditions. What jackass ever decided that the teeth weren't a part of the body and should be treated separately with different insurance for both? Same with vision! Hell, the body is the body. Health is health.

We need Single-Payer NOW.

[Delphinus]

5. HR 676 - Medicare for all

Takes care of everyone without needing the insurance companies.