On breast cancer and health insurance

[ThatsMyBarack]

Next month is National Breast Cancer month. Everywhere we look, there are pink ribbons, pink lids on yogurt, pink cars, pink T-Shirts, pink everything. They rub it in our faces that ever woman should get a mammogram. It's all driving me nuts because, if I DID get a mammogram and they found something, I'd be battling BCBS till kingdom come for coverage. I'm on a CHIP program, so I pay more and get a lot less coverage that one who is a direct (PPO) member of Blue Cross.

I tried calling BC to ask them why, and they said call CHIP.

I tried calling CHIP and they said call BC.

I said, "No, I tried that. They said to call you."

CHIP said, "Sorry, that's the way we do it."

I said, "Let me speak to your manager."

They put me through to somebody's voicemail. I left my name and number, not expecting to hear back ever. If they DO call back, they'll just give me some song-and-dance crap about how sorry you're over 16 you're not eligible for this or that.

In short, if I DO get sick, I will end up in JAIL, BROKE, or DEAD!

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. Supposedly the health act that was passed is supposed to enable a sick person to get coverage.

Of course it remains to be seen how that will actually work. Chances are the penalties for not complying with that are not more severe than paying for cancer treatments or the cost of coverage will be so high that if you can't afford it, you won't be covered.

[ThatsMyBarack]

2. Simplify, please.

I'd like to understand what you're saying.

[Shagbark Hickory]

3. Effective January 2014 (yeah that's a couple of years off yet)

"The law implements strong reforms that prohibit insurance companies from refusing to sell coverage or renew policies because of an individual’s pre-existing conditions. Also, in the individual and small group market, it eliminates the ability of insurance companies to charge higher rates due to gender or health status." (*)

More info at
http://www.healthcare.gov/blog/2011/01/preexisting.html

Also in January 2014 is when people are supposed to be able to shop for insurance plans in a marketplace similar to how members of congress shop for insurance.

(*) what remains to be seen is whether or not the insurance cartels will comply with the law.
It's been said that the penalty as it is written in the law, is far less expensive than paying for many expensive treatments. So whether or not it will just make more business sense to break the law is the big unknown.

[ThatsMyBarack]

4. Now I get it.

It's cheaper for health-insurance companies to break the law. Wow that makes a lot of sense....

[Shagbark Hickory]

6. That's just speculation at this point. I'm trying to be optimistic about it.

Exactly one year ago tomorrow, the ban on pre-x conditions for children went into effect. ( < age 19)
I haven't heard of any stories yet where they are breaking the law to save money however there was a story on our local news how the insurance cartels in our state are no longer writing insurance policies for children. (Children only policies) Only covered under a family plan or whatever.

You may be thinking, oh well what's the big deal about that, but there was a case where an a child's mother had died and she was cared for by the grandparents. The grandparents couldn't get a policy just for the child and they child had some health problem.

[bengalherder]

5. I know the feeling.

I've wondered exactly how much help I would be given if they found something. I'm sure nothing public (I make less than $20,000 year) would kick in until I was too sick to work and I'd get the cheapest shit so I'd die anyways. And good luck trying to get a sonogram on the govt penny rather than the standard and possibly dangerous compressed breast X-ray.