Is it Visa Fraud if ...

[ktun 0]

As far as the hospital bill goes, it might be worth looking into a Catholic Hospital or another hospital affiliated with a religious organization. We found out that our local Mercy (catholic) Hospital has a policy that a patients final hospital bill will never total more than 20% of their annual income, they also have a very good financial aid system if your income is below a certain level for your household size. We're keeping this in mind for me as I am not insured right now and can not be added to my husband's insurance. As Michelle said, it might well be worth checking with the hospitals around you, and see what they have to offer.

My husband is overinsured (former CEO/insurance professional). The two surgeries on his broken hand totalled some $18,000 + about $5,000 surgeon fees. Very fortunately, it turns out that we're not liable for a penny of this (otherwise we'd be paying it off for the rest of our lives), and we even Got $2,000 back from the surgeries in hospital and surgical riders. Insurance riders are definately worth looking into if like my husband you are accident prone and likely to have several trips to the ER or operating theatre every year.

[thndrdancr 0]

I am one of those "unfortunate" ones without health insurance. It does scare me, as I am diabetic. I was on the cobra plan for quite some time, but then in 2001, the premiums went up to $750 a month, with another increase coming six months from that time to increase it to $1000. I really cant affort that, and I checked in umpteenth insurances, so no suggestions there, please. Since I had the "pre-existing condition", the cheapest I could find was about $400 with a $5,000 deductible and a 15k cap. I suppose its even worse now, that was 5 years ago. So...for the last 5 years, ....cross my fingers and toes!

Yes, I agree we need to so something in this country, its pretty bad, and my sis dropped hers too just this year, same thing for her, only they just increased hers this year.

HOW does one pay over $1,000 a month for insurance when they make 20k a year?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

HOW does one pay over $1,000 a month for insurance when they make 20k a year?

Clearly you can't. Of course lets not forget that its your fault for not having a better paying job... At least that's what some folks would try to tell you

Makes you wonder what planet some people are on. Its the attitude that so long as they are ok, why should they give two shits about anyone else.

[aussiewench 9]

I'm a nurse in a doctor office and on a daily basis, insurance companies will call us to see if a patient can be on another medication other than the on prescribed by the doctor. They will say....has the patient tried this, this or this yet??? We want them to try this before we will approve what the doctor has ordered! Burns me how insurance companies can over-ride a doctors orders. Something has to change.

Exactly. And you KNOW that they're not calling up because its in the patient's best interests to use a different drug - they're protecting their profit margins first and foremost. Concern for the patient's welfare is secondary.

Seems like if drug X cost less than drug Y, they'd put you on it even if it doesn't do as good a job as the more expensive one.

And something else that burns me is the person that is asking me this I can almost bet has no medical background. With some insurance companies, once they deny coverage on a patients meds, I just hang up and call them back, get ahold of someone else, and they approve. What a tangled web.

OMG I didnt know that happened on top of the exuberant health care costs....that is just so wrong.

[Artegal 1]

Aussie here is another thing that they do, suppose you opt out of medical insurance. Then the next year you decide you do want to have medical insurance--well guess what you pay the same premium out of your paycheck but you get only first tier (level A) coverages and no second tier (level B.) coverages. They have a policy that you must be covered the prior year in order to have full medical benefits--even though you are paying the same premium as everyone else. Its wrong.

And they of course they increase the premium each year without any added benefit. And then of course the doctors care is less and less actual "care" anymore.

Edited June 12, 2006 by Artegal

[dmartmar 1]

... if my wife pretends to not have a valid visa--that is she pretends to be undocumented and go and "dar the luz" (give birth) to our baby in the Public County Hospital. I mean I am paying out the butt for Aetna healthcare with my employer--granted the 9,000 per year is deducted before taxes--but then I have to pay co-pays and deductibles--the prenatal vitamins are not covered so that is totally out of pocket. Anyway she is thinking of pretending not to have a Visa and wants to get free health care at the public clinic and hospital. Like also for later when the baby is born--she is thinking of the cost of immunizations---she even has thought of returning to her home country because vaccinations are so much cheaper there--and on top of that the 9,000 per year I pay in premiums will go up because I am adding another family member.

You can look at it two ways: either she's trying to help you save money or take advantage of our healthcare system.

But it doesn't make any sense for her to get public healthcare, when you, her husband, pays for private healthcare.

Ever heard of the I-864 or what it's for? Public benefits anyone?

Are you ok with the idea of having your premiums go up or not?

Edited June 12, 2006 by dmartmar