California's Costly, Inaccessible Healthcare System

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

  On 7/24/2018 at 12:10 PM, Keith & Arileidi said:

This a great point. 

Honestly, I don't get why insurance companies don't provide free gym memberships. 

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Our insurance company actually has an app that interacts with fit bits , samsung health etc. It gives you points for daily exercise, doctors visits, health quizzes etc. That leads to insurance rate reductions 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

  On 7/24/2018 at 12:10 PM, Keith & Arileidi said:

This a great point. 

Honestly, I don't get why insurance companies don't provide free gym memberships. 

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What I saw in California is that a lot of the health insurance plans out there offered to pay for gym membership for older retirees.

[Unidentified 2,930]

  On 7/24/2018 at 4:01 AM, Lemonslice said:

Some marry for immigration benefits, others to get health insurance... 

 

Agree totally on insurance linked to employment being a terrible idea.  

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1

Yup or they don't get a divorce when they would be happier... The first family I lived with as an Au Pair ( I left them after a few weeks ) the husband pretty much told me he was only still married to his wife because he would be left without a health insurance. He had gout and ADD so he needed a health insurance. 

[Unidentified 2,930]

  On 7/24/2018 at 12:26 AM, Neonred said:

Think it's bad now?  Wait and see what happens when we get single payor "medicare for all".

 

It's coming.  Just going to take some time, but it's coming. 

 

 

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I'll take single payer any day instead of what the US has now. 

[Unidentified 2,930]

  On 7/24/2018 at 1:22 PM, Nature Boy Flair said:

Our insurance company actually has an app that interacts with fit bits , samsung health etc. It gives you points for daily exercise, doctors visits, health quizzes etc. That leads to insurance rate reductions 

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I wish mine did that, would be neat. 

[Keith & Arileidi 437]

  On 7/24/2018 at 1:27 PM, Cyberfx1024 said:

What I saw in California is that a lot of the health insurance plans out there offered to pay for gym membership for older retirees.

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They should think about expanding the service to all ages. 

 

"Our insurance company actually has an app that interacts with fit bits , samsung health etc. It gives you points for daily exercise, doctors visits, health quizzes etc. That leads to insurance rate reductions "- @Nature Boy Flair

 

I absolutely love this idea. 

Our healthcare system as a whole needs to implement more incentives to help people become more active. 

 

Edited July 24, 2018 by Keith & Arileidi

[Unidentified 2,930]

I wish companies could do this more too. I know Walgreens lets you earn points you connect your fitness tracker with them and get a certain amount of steps collected. 

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

Just talked to a guy yesterday who lives in CA.  Said he dumped his company health insurance and chose a Kaiser HMO.  His premiums went from over $600 to about $85 per month.  CA is one of the few states that guarantees the right to use a HMO.

[Dee elle 1,368]

  On 7/24/2018 at 12:42 PM, Bill & Katya said:

That is about as perfect as it might get.  I am fine with having a parallel public and private system.  Is it more common to have people ask their providers for a cash option at the Dr.'s office in Australia?  I find myself asking this more often now that I am on a High Deductible plan and not an HMO.

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No .. it just doesn’t work that way because of our system.. because the insurers don’t run the payment system and set rates , the fee will be the same whether or not you carry private insurance .  But costs are way less for equal if not better care..

eg. Real example:

Trip to the urgent care here for care of a wound.  $450

Australian city Same visit to clinic for same treatment ..$70 and $45 of that is covered by our single payer system.. I pay $25

One  of the significant reasons for the difference is that here I would see 7 different staff.. home clinic 3.. they don’t need all the billing and insurance in and  out staff, fees are very very transparent, billing doesn’t make mistakes because the system is straightforward, and there aren’t dozens of Cigna staff needed to answer my questions because the system doesn’t foul up like this one .. see how much I love my kids and grandkids!! 

[TBoneTX 46,696]

  On 7/24/2018 at 12:26 PM, Dee elle said:

you can get your knew replacement

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Is this for people who have Alzheimer's or dementia?

[TBoneTX 46,696]

  On 7/24/2018 at 1:22 PM, Nature Boy Flair said:

points for daily exercise

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If I'm healthy enough to exercise, I'm healthy enough NOT to, si man.

[Dee elle 1,368]

  On 7/25/2018 at 4:18 AM, TBoneTX said:

Is this for people who have Alzheimer's or dementia?

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Both!!! Very advanced healthcare system in australia.. also useful for forgetful husbands.. 

[Steeleballz 7,550]

  On 7/24/2018 at 4:38 PM, Satisfied said:

Just talked to a guy yesterday who lives in CA.  Said he dumped his company health insurance and chose a Kaiser HMO.  His premiums went from over $600 to about $85 per month.  CA is one of the few states that guarantees the right to use a HMO.

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      Employer plans have never been the best deal for everyone. People get the same plan at the same group rate. Imagine everyone in your neighborhood pays the same rate for car insurance based on how well they have driven as a group. Good deal for the worst drivers. Probably not for the rest.

 

    What's hard to beat for many is when employers are paying up to 80% of the premium. If they gave that as compensation, most people could probably find a better deal for their situation, although not everyone.

[yuna628 9,779]

  On 7/25/2018 at 5:00 PM, Steeleballz said:

 

      Employer plans have never been the best deal for everyone. People get the same plan at the same group rate. Imagine everyone in your neighborhood pays the same rate for car insurance based on how well they have driven as a group. Good deal for the worst drivers. Probably not for the rest.

 

    What's hard to beat for many is when employers are paying up to 80% of the premium. If they gave that as compensation, most people could probably find a better deal for their situation, although not everyone.

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Agreed. Its shocking to see how much my husband's employer pays out. It's great insurance, but he always argues that a lot of the American worker's financial issues could be improved by being given the compensation. The employer paying the benefits is one way of artificially lowering wages. Of course I'd argue to him that he still gets paid way more in America + benefits and he doesn't have to pay as high taxes as he would at home.