Reply #3: Yes!

[Blaukraut]

It's a manyfold problem, too. We have 'government insurance'. Tricare Prime. It used to be called CHAMPUS, when the government really was in charge of it. Since it was handed over to a private entity to manage, Tricare has gone to the dogs. We used to be able to see any doctor we wanted to and CHAMPUS would naturally pay the bill. There was no 'preferred network' like there is now, with Tricare.

Our 'preferred network' is pretty much limited to the Lahey Clinic employed physicians unless there is an emergency, and heaven help you if there is, because at that point we need to jump through hoops to get our bill paid.

The insurance system in the US sucks, that's all there is to it. Being from Germany, I'm used to going to see a doctor without ever getting any bills or statements mailed to my house. That said - Germany has gone the partial privatization route with their public insurance and lo and behold, rates are going up and coverage is going down. I'd like to know what it takes for any country to realize that health care is a basic right, not a privilege.