My Insurance nightmare

[DiverDave]

Our new policy just went into effect and I, frankly, don't know how I will afford it.
I have to pay a 750 buck deductible and if there is something catastrophic, I gotta pay 3 grand.
I really cannot afford it.
If I get pneumonia again and have to stay in the hospital, I wont be able to pay...and I have insurance thru my work.
So this bullshit that our "change I can believe in" president has made my families lives worse, not better.

I cant even see my doctor because I cant afford the visit, it used to be 25 now it's 75, till I pay the deductible.

I really hope the kids dont get sick, or me, as my wife has been unemployed for a year now.

I guess I'll just wait till I have to go to the ER...then lose my house...God just let my kids stay healthy...

[grantcart]

1. and I would feel damn lucky to have that

and I did lose my house.

[DiverDave]

3. Man, I'm sorry to hear that

I am so sorry to hear that, I cant sleep, I'm just a wreck with worry...shoo, I'll get through somehow, I got to.

[DURHAM D]

5. Its not a contest.

I feel badly for both of you - and everyone in the same or similar situation.

Access to health care is a right, not a privilege. The problem is that our ignorant public policy doesn't support that basic truth.

[demodonkey]

2. I have NO insurance at all.

I can't even THINK about seeing a doctor. Cheapest doctor around here is over $100 just to walk through the door, then it starts going up from there.

If I get something catastrophic, I die.

Period.

Count yourself lucky, Dave.



BTW, Obama did NOT do or cause this.

[DiverDave]

4. well, from what I understand

he sure aint helping me or mine.
And i guess I should feel lucky to have it, and I feel so sorry for ya, but I now feel as if I dont have any either.
Hang in there, PM me if I can help, I aint got much, but your welcome to it.

[demodonkey]

6. On edit. I am sorry you have your problems, but we all have to both hang in and pitch in.

Grousing about Obama isn't helping any of us. He can't shovel the shit out of a barn in a few months when it has been building up in there for YEARS.

[DiverDave]

9. Yep, thats right

I have been working since I was 14 years old ( I just got that SS summery) and I will receive 1700 a month if I work till 70.
Frankly, I dont see retirement in my future, just work till I die.
But, I will try and make my kids lives better.

[Morning Dew]

12. Lucky you.

My SS summary shows I'll get about a grand a month if I work until 70.

No retirement for me either.

[Ecumenist]

7. Bless your heart Demodonkey...

For the vast majority of the working public, this is the situation. However, I was also wondering how Obama was responsible for the insurance company gouge.

[Capn Sunshine]

10. That's a little too logical around here

:nuke:

[laughingliberal]

19. I think the point here may be that the HCR bill won't change scenarios like this

Many people who have 'coverage' have deductibles so high they can't afford to use it. And there will be a lot of policies like that sold under the new law.

[DiverDave]

20. How about promising to get

a single payer system?
I remember his speeches on the stump, and just saw the replay on countdown.
he just said he never said it, yet, there it was.
So, how is he helping me?
By telling us what we wanted to hear and screwing us when it came time to deliver.
Same old, same old.

He lied about it.

[panader0]

11. Same here. Stay healthy.

[peacebird]

8. i was suprised how much I had to pay out of pocket when I broke my wrist in Nov

I have good insurance (and pay for it) but while stuff used to be covered, now it's either part of my co-pay, or goes towards deductible. The amount insurance pays it tiny. Really suprising to me how much I have ended up paying out of pocket.
I can't imagine how someone without insurance could pay for this - the insurance company negotiates down the cost of the bill, those WITHOUT insurance would have to pay the higher amount??? How does THAT make any sense?

[Ruby the Liberal]

13. "till I pay the deductible"

You may want to double check that. One sneaky thing that changed with my ins last year is that co-pays didn't count against the deductible anymore.

:grrr:

[we can do it]

14. I Just Found Out My Insurance Only Covers 80% of Most Anything

Whats the freaking point - a $100k hospital stay will cost me over $20,000 - this is Ohio Police and Fire retirees insurance, only option - United Healthcare - what a crock of shit - between retiree and pension fund it costs over $600 per month - and the prescription card is extra, I am also pissed off..............

[dysfunctional press]

21. medicare is the same way- 80% coverage.

and being 49 and disabled- nobody will sell me supplemental coverage, and they aren't required to.

[JTFrog]

22. There is usually a max out of pocket expense per year on your policy.

Mine has ranged from 4-5k over the last couple of years. So if I got hit with a $100k hospital bill, I wouldn't be responsible for more than $5k of the bill. If I had to go back again the same year, it wouldn't cost more than my co-pays if anything.

[pansypoo53219]

15. at least you are not afraid of

SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. cause that would be worse. right? RIGHT?!?

[alstephenson]

16. I don't get it - this type of thing must be happening to REPUBS as well as Dems.

Why do they vote against their own best interests? Why do they defend the status quo for-shit health care system? I just don't get it and I guess I never will. My Mom and Dad, both on Medicare and limited fixed incomes, are perfect examples.

[JoeyT]

17. The short short short version?

They're afraid someone else will get something the Republicans think they shouldn't.
Doesn't matter if it helps everyone. If they could be guaranteed it'd help them and only them, they'd be all for it.
The attitude is best summed up as "It isn't about what I have, it's about what I have relative to everyone below me."
As long as they can keep enough people below them in social status and quality of life, they're perfectly happy to suffer.

[Blackhatjack]

18. The first healthcare provider billing telephone inquiry offered us 'confession of judgment'...

It was the first contact from the billing department of a healthcare provider after a series of tests were performed. We had just got the bill in the mail the prior week.

Basically they wanted us to know that we needed to pay the bill right away, and if we were unable to pay the bill in full we could talk with someone in their department about payment arrangements or JUST GO AHEAD AND AUTHORIZE CONFESSION OF JUDGMENT.

The way it was presented in message format did not indicate that this option was any different than setting up a payment plan.

DO NOT ENTER INTO A CONFESSION OF JUDGMENT for a medical bill. It will trigger a civil collection action against you that will result in recordation of the 'confession of judgment' and execution on that judgment against your assets will follow.

The pitfalls out there for the unsuspecting public are everywhere....