I am so ready for the government to take over my

[TNDemo]

healthcare and deal with the doctors' offices and employers. Oh wait - employers wouldn't be bothered any more. Why business owners would not be in favor of government healthcare is beyond me. Right now I am arguing over charges with the doctor's office (who charged my HSA debit card three times instead of one), along with lots of other issues, and now I get a letter from my husband's company (where he has worked for 20 years) that I have to provide them with our marriage certificate to prove I can be on his policy. We have been married for 32 years and I have no idea where our marriage certificate is. Also have to prove our 19-year-old daughter is legally ours (birth certificate), though they have insured her her entire life. Grrrr. I know, I know - at least I have insurance. Just wish it wasn't such a pain in the ass.

[DJ13]

1. Kick

Rec did no good, someone neg'ed it before me.

[MineralMan]

2. My rec worked.

[ejpoeta]

3. we had that happen. my husband and brother and brother in law

all work for the same company. i know that my husband and my brother were told they had to provide some proof of our marriage. he's worked there for several years, not 20 but at least 3 or 4. and we have been married for five. i wondered if they were asking everyone or just those who used the insurance. we now have state insurance, but it really pissed me off. i know my brother was pissed. he refused to send them anything. lol. he sadly is right wing and listens to rush and faux news etc. but that is another matter.

i don't understand why everyone doesn't demand single payer/medicare for all. i mean. i was just talking to my sister the other day and she was telling me all this money she owes for ambulance for her daughter when she had her seizure... $50 copay! and she pays for braces for her daughter's legs... her daughter has multiple disabilities including legal blindness, she just had hip surgery... and my sister has insurance! even someone who has a good job and insurance can drown in medical debt.

[Warpy]

7. An insured coworker at my last job declared bankruptcy

after surviving breast cancer just over the copays, which can really mount up when you've got oncologists, hematologists, nutritionists, internists, gynecologists, and other specialists on your case. Then there are the frequent labs and multi medicines. Thirty bucks for a doctor visit isn't much when you've got that once a year flu that has settled into your lungs as bronchitis. It's financially crippling when you get really sick.

For profit insurance has failed us utterly, yet neither they nor Congress has seemed to notice that fact.

The main reason people are disgusted with the Democrats this election season is the halfassed health insurance reform package, both far too little and kicking in far too late for far too many people.

If Obama is blessed with another Democratic majority in Congress, he has to push at least for a lowering of Medicare eligibility at full price buy in for people over 50 if he wants another term. He's not going to get it unless the insurance industry is challenged more than they have been to get their acts together both in providing care and in shielding people who are unlucky enough to get really sick from financial ruin.

After all, if they don't shield us from financial ruin, what the hell good are they?

[MedicalAdmin]

10. It's still the number one reason for foreclosures in the USA.

Unexpected medical expenses of those WHO HAVE INSURANCE is still the number one reason for getting behind in payments and going into foreclosure.

Either the US needs single payer or Canada needs to build a big damn wall.

[liberal N proud]

4. You would think they would be clamoring for government run health-care

I don't get it either.

[snot]

5. I understood many corps. WERE in favor of single-payer; but

there are few big industries left in the U.S. these days, and healthcare is one of them. (I believe the other biggest industries are banking and education.)

[surrealAmerican]

6. The only reason I can think of ...

... is that they suspect that some large number of employees are only working for them to keep their insurance. Without that hold, they might just quit and work somewhere else.

[truedelphi]

8. The young and starry eyed Obama who ran for the Illinois Senate decried

That hold over people, and insisted that we would have Single Payer Universal HC, as soon as we had a majority of Dems in Congress, and a Democrat in the Oval Office.

Then he was abducted by aliens or something, because he immediately forgot all the reasons why we needed Single Payer once he began running for the WH.

[Scuba]

9. Nailed it. Fear of being without a job is magnified when fear of losing healthcare...

...is heaped on top. They like us poor and afraid.

[MedicalAdmin]

11. Good point.

At our medical clinic (smaller, private, and WAAAAYYYYY nicer than the HMO's to our patients) we have a hard time competing with the bigger clinics due to benefits (mostly medical) that we just can't compete with. Many prospective employees that I would have loved to have hired have told me that they would have LLOOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEEDDDDDD to work for us but had to have the benefits for their kids, family etc.

If you consider that small business drives jobs, and that the best employees would feel just fine for working for one if they didn't have to worry about their kid getting sick without insurance, then we could also be driving a job renaissance in the US by passing single payer. I know I'd be hiring.

[ejpoeta]

13. that's why it's so funny when the republicans always say they are for small businesses

and then make it harder for small businesses every chance they get. singlepayer would be great for everyone except the healthcare companies that are raking in the dough.... and i suspect for the congresspeople who get lots of campaign contributions from these same healthcare companies. just like if we had the ability to negotiate prices with pharma companies instead of getting hosed by them. they give lots of campaign contributions to the congresspeople too.

i think there is something to be said for people taking a job because they need the health insurance. the fear of not having it is enough for many to keep their mouths shut and not make waves.

[CTyankee]

12. I had to produce our marriage license when I switched to hubby's insurance in 04.

I went to the Vital Statistics office in the town I was married. Luckily, I was married in little Woodbridge, CT and not New Haven. A small, two person office in an old building on the town green right near the library...lovely visit...no hassle, $5, done...

[onethatcares]

14. wtf is going on?

my wife just had to do the same thing. We've been married 4l years and it's a good thing we didn't throw that licence out years ago.

[ThatsMyBarack]

15. Hearing your story....

I'm all for "socialized medicine!" :patriot:

[xchrom]

16. Recommend