5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This is the guy who thinks and insists that Obama is some sort of Socialist dictator - on a par with Josef Stalin.

Says it all really.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Private Pike

[rebeccajo 14]

This is the guy who thinks and insists that Obama is some sort of Socialist dictator - on a par with Josef Stalin.

Says it all really.

Well, you have a point there!

[TayRivers 4]

You say that as things stand you have the freedom to choose your doctor, your specialist, your treatment.. Well the reality is that it is your health insurance company that have the freedon to choose. It is not a case of what treatment you need, it is what treatment will your health insurance chooses to cover.

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

He has tried to get private insurance coverage but as soon as the other companies find out he was dropped by his old insurance company they say the can not cover him..

He is now left in the situation where his MS will get worse over the next few years and he will end up totaly disabled and unable to work. The cost of the MS drugs to slow down the prograsion start at $2,450 a month, cost of a MRI to check the progresion once a year costs $3,700, the cost of a visit to a MS specialist is $350 for 15 mins.

In the UK he would be treated for free. I can not belive how our great country of America stands by and watches those who can not help themselves suffer and die, America prides itself as having the best health care in the world, sadly if you dont have the money to pay for it then you are screwed....

[Peikko 1,575]

You say that as things stand you have the freedom to choose your doctor, your specialist, your treatment.. Well the reality is that it is your health insurance company that have the freedon to choose. It is not a case of what treatment you need, it is what treatment will your health insurance chooses to cover.

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

He has tried to get private insurance coverage but as soon as the other companies find out he was dropped by his old insurance company they say the can not cover him..

He is now left in the situation where his MS will get worse over the next few years and he will end up totaly disabled and unable to work. The cost of the MS drugs to slow down the prograsion start at $2,450 a month, cost of a MRI to check the progresion once a year costs $3,700, the cost of a visit to a MS specialist is $350 for 15 mins.

In the UK he would be treated for free. I can not belive how our great country of America stands by and watches those who can not help themselves suffer and die, America prides itself as having the best health care in the world, sadly if you dont have the money to pay for it then you are screwed....

Another preventable tragedy. People read about this every day, but yet still defend the current system. Unbelievable.

[NickD 203]

I don't mind losing freedoms in this country, as long as my government is keeping me safe. Really find enjoyment waiting in line at airports for three hours when someone is playing with my underwear, and seeing a cop car in front of my home to protect me. As long as I don't exceed the speed limit by 0.1 mph while leaving.

But with health care, could be a different story with some kind of expensive procedure, government can save a lot of money if they let you die. They claim to have our interest at heart. Only time I see that is at tax time, then they are really interested in me.

Ever get the feeling with the government, it's take, take, take?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

Insurance companies aren't allowed to selectivity kick out members of a group.

So unless his employment was terminated and he elected to not take COBRA, or he did take COBRA and neglected to make a payment on time, or he made all payments on time and exhausted the 18-month limit.... your story is false.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

You say that as things stand you have the freedom to choose your doctor, your specialist, your treatment.. Well the reality is that it is your health insurance company that have the freedon to choose. It is not a case of what treatment you need, it is what treatment will your health insurance chooses to cover.

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

He has tried to get private insurance coverage but as soon as the other companies find out he was dropped by his old insurance company they say the can not cover him..

He is now left in the situation where his MS will get worse over the next few years and he will end up totaly disabled and unable to work. The cost of the MS drugs to slow down the prograsion start at $2,450 a month, cost of a MRI to check the progresion once a year costs $3,700, the cost of a visit to a MS specialist is $350 for 15 mins.

In the UK he would be treated for free. I can not belive how our great country of America stands by and watches those who can not help themselves suffer and die, America prides itself as having the best health care in the world, sadly if you dont have the money to pay for it then you are screwed....

Another preventable tragedy. People read about this every day, but yet still defend the current system. Unbelievable.

First off TayRivers, to your brother, I am very sorry. This is not an uncommon event under our current health care system.

While the system is essentially indefensible, to those who still give it the old college try, please explain how a for profit corporation is the best system imaginable? You are just one denial letter away from total bankruptcy, health ruin, and/or personal destruction. But hey, the insurer needs to make a profit right?

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

Insurance companies aren't allowed to selectivity kick out members of a group.

So unless his employment was terminated and he elected to not take COBRA, or he did take COBRA and neglected to make a payment on time, or he made all payments on time and exhausted the 18-month limit.... your story is false.

Yes they can and do deny individual claims. Your assertion is false.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

You say that as things stand you have the freedom to choose your doctor, your specialist, your treatment.. Well the reality is that it is your health insurance company that have the freedon to choose. It is not a case of what treatment you need, it is what treatment will your health insurance chooses to cover.

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

He has tried to get private insurance coverage but as soon as the other companies find out he was dropped by his old insurance company they say the can not cover him..

He is now left in the situation where his MS will get worse over the next few years and he will end up totaly disabled and unable to work. The cost of the MS drugs to slow down the prograsion start at $2,450 a month, cost of a MRI to check the progresion once a year costs $3,700, the cost of a visit to a MS specialist is $350 for 15 mins.

In the UK he would be treated for free. I can not belive how our great country of America stands by and watches those who can not help themselves suffer and die, America prides itself as having the best health care in the world, sadly if you dont have the money to pay for it then you are screwed....

Another preventable tragedy. People read about this every day, but yet still defend the current system. Unbelievable.

First off TayRivers, to your brother, I am very sorry. This is not an uncommon event under our current health care system.

While the system is essentially indefensible, to those who still give it the old college try, please explain how a for profit corporation is the best system imaginable? You are just one denial letter away from total bankruptcy, health ruin, and/or personal destruction. But hey, the insurer needs to make a profit right?

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

Insurance companies aren't allowed to selectivity kick out members of a group.

So unless his employment was terminated and he elected to not take COBRA, or he did take COBRA and neglected to make a payment on time, or he made all payments on time and exhausted the 18-month limit.... your story is false.

Yes they can and do deny individual claims. Your assertion is false.

They can deny individual claims. That's not what TR said happened.

"his coverage was cancelled"

That is most likely a lie.

[NickD 203]

Kind of like you go in to have a common cold treated, you have a cold, so they treat you. Cold doesn't go away, so you go in again, hey, you already had a cold, that is a pre-condition, you are not covered under the terms of your policy.

Large groups do offer protection for things like this, but if you are self-employed with an individual policy, watch out. One thing they check is that your premium costs always exceed your medical claimed expenses, and the balance always has to be in their favor.

Anyone have a health plan that covers the USCIS form, the I-693? That caused me to shop around with severe restrictions as must be a USCIS approved doctor, and got quotes anywhere from 400-5500 bucks per person. Shouldn't there be a flat fee for this simple procedure? And if you read the form, you can have every communicable disease known to mankind and still be admitted, as long as you agree to counseling. Just one example about health issues when the government gets involved.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

You say that as things stand you have the freedom to choose your doctor, your specialist, your treatment.. Well the reality is that it is your health insurance company that have the freedon to choose. It is not a case of what treatment you need, it is what treatment will your health insurance chooses to cover.

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

He has tried to get private insurance coverage but as soon as the other companies find out he was dropped by his old insurance company they say the can not cover him..

He is now left in the situation where his MS will get worse over the next few years and he will end up totaly disabled and unable to work. The cost of the MS drugs to slow down the prograsion start at $2,450 a month, cost of a MRI to check the progresion once a year costs $3,700, the cost of a visit to a MS specialist is $350 for 15 mins.

In the UK he would be treated for free. I can not belive how our great country of America stands by and watches those who can not help themselves suffer and die, America prides itself as having the best health care in the world, sadly if you dont have the money to pay for it then you are screwed....

Another preventable tragedy. People read about this every day, but yet still defend the current system. Unbelievable.

First off TayRivers, to your brother, I am very sorry. This is not an uncommon event under our current health care system.

While the system is essentially indefensible, to those who still give it the old college try, please explain how a for profit corporation is the best system imaginable? You are just one denial letter away from total bankruptcy, health ruin, and/or personal destruction. But hey, the insurer needs to make a profit right?

My Brother-inlaw was diagnosed with MS, He had good insurance from his employer, Once the doctors had worked out the best plan to try to slow down the progresion of his MS, his insurance company wrote to him informing him that they can not continue to cover him and his coverage was cancelled.

Insurance companies aren't allowed to selectivity kick out members of a group.

So unless his employment was terminated and he elected to not take COBRA, or he did take COBRA and neglected to make a payment on time, or he made all payments on time and exhausted the 18-month limit.... your story is false.

Yes they can and do deny individual claims. Your assertion is false.

They can deny individual claims. That's not what TR said happened.

"his coverage was cancelled"

That is most likely a lie.

Blue Cross denial policy

Blue Shields Right to Cancel Upheld

Regardless, lose your job, have your boss downgrade coverage to save costs or cancel insurance all together. The system is broken my good man. Cobra is a sick joke, unless you lose your job and have buckets of cash on hand.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

If you're part of a group they can not screw you with the pre-existing thing. Any group, regardless of size.

Individual is a whole other ballgame.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Blue Cross denial policy

Blue Shields Right to Cancel Upheld

Regardless, lose your job, have your boss downgrade coverage to save costs or cancel insurance all together. The system is broken my good man. Cobra is a sick joke, unless you lose your job and have buckets of cash on hand.

Read your own links. There's nothing in there about insureds within a group getting dropped unless their membership of the group terminates. It's not there because they can't do it

As for COBRA, I'm quite happy with it. My mom is on it now, she gets to keep the good coverage she had before the 'life event' and the $450/month cost doesn't really require "buckets" of cash.

[Nikita2Charles 32]

Real story

This lady has been paying for her health insurance for years, she developed some skin cancer, now her insurance company refused to pick up the cost of her chemo treatment.

The reason they dropped her coverage, she had an earlier treatment for ACNE. The insurance company said this is a pre existing condition, and that's the reason they are denying her coverage, even though they have been taking her money for years.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...oryId=105680875

2) the Gross margin on those medication

Personal experience, I had a mosquito bite or something, went to a local drug store to get some hydrocortisone, I bought it for $7. One the way home, i recalled seeing a 1st aid Care section at a nearby Dollar Tree store. I stopped there and guess what I found the same medication for $1. So can you imagine the profit margin that exist on those medication.

3) Our previous doctor dropped Unitedhealth care insurance company due to a reduction in payment the company wanted, from the doctor's letter, those charges dated back to almost 10 years, and have never been increased, even looking at inflationary forces, so instead of an increased the insurance company was asking for a cut .

What's really really got them going, that same period the CEO of unitedhealth Care was getting $1BILLION in compensation, I am talking $Billion as in $ 1,000,000,000.

Every year my premium was going up for the same service, now can anybody tell me WHERE"S MY MONEY GOING????

Back in 2006, please tell me how a CEO of an insurance company got to rack up $1Billion in compensation

United CEO says he'll take no more stock options

William McGuire of UnitedHealth Group has accumulated $1.6 billion in stock options; now he says the company practice will end.

http://www.startribune.com/business/11213701.html

IF you think the status quo is perfect as it is, Do you think we as a nation can afford to do nothing?

[mawilson 2,133]

Blue Cross denial policy

Blue Shields Right to Cancel Upheld

Regardless, lose your job, have your boss downgrade coverage to save costs or cancel insurance all together. The system is broken my good man. Cobra is a sick joke, unless you lose your job and have buckets of cash on hand.

Read your own links. There's nothing in there about insureds within a group getting dropped unless their membership of the group terminates. It's not there because they can't do it

As for COBRA, I'm quite happy with it. My mom is on it now, she gets to keep the good coverage she had before the 'life event' and the $450/month cost doesn't really require "buckets" of cash.

Where's the "PWNED" pic when you need one.

[TayRivers 4]

Yes they can and they do. Its called exceeding lifetime benefit limits. anyone with a cronic health problem can be dropped by their insurance group or otherwise and they can increase the cost to your employer and your employer can not continue to provide you with insurance. Yes you get offered COBRA but cost is outwith his budget.

But thank you for calling me a lier. What reason whould I have to do that?