Comments on: The Clusterf**k That Is The US Healthcare Industry

By: injaynesworld

injaynesworld — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:07:28 +0000

First of all to Don: If you want accurate news, you might want to expose yourself to a few other sources besides Fox.

Sheila: I’m so sorry for all the crap you’re going through. Of course we should have single payer health care in this country. Administrative costs for Medicare are only 3% compared to right around 20% for the insurance industry. It would have made so much sense just to abolish the age requirement for Medicare and let all who wanted to simply buy in, but Congress is so far up the ass of the insurance industry lobbyists, they wouldn’t even go for a public option.

I believe the new health care reform act is a good start, but we have a long way to go the catch up to the more civilized nations.

By: sashamlick

sashamlick — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:34:17 +0000

it was very interesting to read.
I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
And you et an account on Twitter?

By: Ratty

Ratty — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:30:24 +0000

I don’t have much to add except that I agree. Insurance companies have been charging more than an actual doctor bill usually is. That’s not insurance at all. It’s prepaying for something they might deny us anyway.

By: melissa

melissa — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:58:22 +0000

I will not say a thing nice about health insurance companies. I will however not say one nice thing about health care providers either. They think they are worth what they charge, and they are just as greedy and selfish. But I won’t rant. I will tell you that public health will give your children shots for free, and do the physical for next to nothing. Also if you contact medicaid, which you pr0bably don’t qualify for, they will tell you how to sign up for the state insurance offered in your state. The price you pay out will depend on your income. Your kids will probably qualify but you and your husband will have to go uncovered. When dealing with a doctor’s office try to negotiate before you go in. Some have flex pay plans, and some will offer you to pay what the insurance company will pay. As for a hospital if you ever need care be sure to negotiate your bill. Most of the time they will again allow you to pay what an insurance company would pay, which is usually about a quarter of your actual bill.

By: Don E. Chute

Don E. Chute — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:27:21 +0000

All the comments above me sum it up. I really can’t add more. It sucks, Obamacare scares the crap out of me! I heard this morning on Fox, that the IRS will be responsible to make sure we all have insurance, I guess check a box or something on tax-forms. They will be adding 17,000 more agents though!

Please don’t let me start ranting on Social Security Disability! 35 years of working, 51 years old. Almost died in September. It’s a fightfightfight ever since.

Great post.

PLU!

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:00:08 +0000

I’ve been on both sides of this (doctor/patient, not insurance side). Doctors are indeed inflating their prices because of insurance but they don’t recoup enough for what they are forced to discount the insurance companies so they are suffering too. In my father’s last years of practice he was using his savings to cover payroll and all the other costs he couldn’t cover with payments from patients.

I have state insurance because I can’t afford to cover my kids, I pay about $65 per person a month which I know is really cheap. I don’t go to the doctor unless necessary and when I do I often feel humiliated by the staff because of my state insurance. I’ve had a rant of my own about that for a long time but it’s too painful to write.

It sucks all around and the blame lies directly at the door of the insurance companies. Maybe if they let go of all the people who make all the different paperwork that needs to be filed it would be a lot less expensive?

By: Katherine

Katherine — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:59:02 +0000

Wow you just struck a BIG nerve with me. I have a huge problem with health care costs, the cost of insurance and with all the people who desperately need medical care and can’t get it. I have a few close friends who not only have lyme disease, but their KIDS have lyme disease…. they need lots of medicine and can’t get half of it b/c they don’t have health insurance and can’t pay for it. The moms go without meds so the kids can have them… therefore the moms are constantly in pain, which changes the whole dynamic of the family…. AMEN to your post!

By: Marg

Marg — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:34:54 +0000

I totally agree with you. Insurance is just out of site and so are the doctor fees. I just don’t know what can be done. It is all so scary. Wish there was something we could do about it.

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:36:18 +0000

When I was pregnant with my younger daughter (during the last recession) our Cobra ran out. Since I was pregnant, I was uninsurable. My husband was fortunate to get a job that offered healthcare because we would have lost everything without it.

By: Cynical Musings/ JLandsberger

Cynical Musings/ JLandsberger — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 18:24:55 +0000

Sad as it is, my husband was undecided for awhile whether to stay in the military or not. When we sat down and figured out how much my medication (I’m on six for bi-polar disorder) alone would cost…well, it wasn’t the only reason he decided to stay in, but it definitely had an effect. There isn’t a chance in h*ll that any insurance company would cover me.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you guys.