Best Health Care System in the World?

[George Roberts]

It ($4500) isn't much, but if you are in a precarious position to start with, it doesn't take much to push you over the precipice.

I don't know how much credit card debt, car debt, or housing debt these people had, but more than likely those debts were the cause of the bankruptcy not health care costs - pushing people into bankruptcy. And of course, being out of work seems to make the problem worse.

The author's of the report wanted to blame health care costs and they did.

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The fact that some people "lost" their insurance during the time period may simply mean that they stopped paying the premium, that they lost their job and did not pay the COBRA premiums. I suspect few were canceled over $11K (2 year average of the study) of health care expense.

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I find having a daughter about the house is great for dealing with the insurance company. She is sufficiently close to the situation that she knows everything, yet sufficiently far from the situation that she can discuss the matter without emotion. She has a lot of free time this time of year.

The insurance company nurse who is handling my claim called to inquire about my health and progress. My daughter handled all the questions well.

The insurance company was waiting for somethng before they began paying bills. My wife last week to find out what was holding up the matter. She was told my car insurance (uninsured motorist coverage) had to pay $5000 first. Of course, my wife explained that they had paid. That pleased the person on the phone. My wife was assured that payments would be made promptly. Today my daughter called the insurance company and asked the same question. She was told that a copy of the letter (sent with the $5000 payment) was required. So my daughter faxed the letter.

5 days to put the letter into the system and then 14 days later checks will start to flow. I guess I will have $300 (physical therapy) more out of pocket before money starts flowing. Even with insurance cash flow is terrible. (but we have enough income to cover these things.)

[Nicholas Carey]

I don't know how much credit card debt, car debt, or housing debt these people had, but more than likely those debts were the cause of the bankruptcy not health care costs - pushing people into bankruptcy.

If you have fixed expenses (car payment, mortgage/rent, credit card debt, whatever) and cashflow sufficent to cover it (barely), it doesn't take much of an unanticipated change in your obligations (such as an unexpected medical expense that insurance doesn't cover) to drive you into bankruptcy.[/quote]

[Rapelapente]

The fact that some people "lost" their insurance during the time period may simply mean that they stopped paying the premium, that they lost their job and did not pay the COBRA premiums.

So you find normal to loose your health insurance BECAUSE you're sick ?
Sorry to add something more we have in France: In case of sickness or accident, you CAN'T loose your job (if you are salaried, of course if you are independent it's different) . It's only possible after 2 years out of it, and anyway, you NEVER loose your insurance. Your salary is paid on a 80 to 100 % basis, depending on your company's statute, by the insurances. And the mortgage you may have to pay, are paid by the loan's insurance, illegal to have a bank loan without insurance.

The insurance company was waiting for somethng before they began paying bills. My wife last week to find out what was holding up the matter. She was told my car insurance (uninsured motorist coverage) had to pay $5000 first. Of course, my wife explained that they had paid. That pleased the person on the phone. My wife was assured that payments would be made promptly. Today my daughter called the insurance company and asked the same question. She was told that a copy of the letter (sent with the $5000 payment) was required. So my daughter faxed the letter.

What the hell is the connexion between your motorist coverage (even if it has something to pay) with your health insurance??? Is there something in your contract saying your motorist insurance has to pay BEFORE ????

And you said in the other thread where you tell your accident that you might have 23K $ out of the pocket if the hospital where you was, was'nt listed in your insurance ????

Your system throws you to another planet to our eyes !
How can you accept that ? In emergency, you're driven in the nearest hospital no? Whatever your insurance is.

Don't you think that your wife, your daughter , in the hard days you were living after your accident, had rather better spent their time in supporting you than in coping with these sordid insurance contingencies?

[Nicholas Carey]

What the hell is the connexion between your motorist coverage (even if it has something to pay) with your health insurance??? Is there something in your contract saying your motorist insurance has to pay BEFORE ????

In the US, you may have health insurance from a variety of sources that may or may not come into play. You might have health insurance via any combination of your own employer, your spouse's employer, additional insurance policies you may have purchased, your own automotive liability insurance, and (if you're involved in a collision where you're not at fault, the other guy's automotive liability insurance).

When there are competing coverages, the insurance company's duke it out over which polic(ies) pay, and how much.

For instance, If you were involved in an motor vehicle accident while driving and the police found the other driver to be at fault, any medical costs would be paid by the at-fault driver's policy. If the policy limits were insufficient to cover all your medical costs, then your own automotive policy would kick in, and so would any health insurance policies under which you were covered. Which policy or policies would pay out, and how much, the insurance companies determine amongst themselves (ultimately, of course, your insurance companies would then file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver to collect the monies that they had paid out.)

Complicated, non? And all the lawyers involved $$$$$

The whole [non-]system is a mess.

All I can say is: French- or Canadian-style single-payer system. Much more sensible.

[Rapelapente]

Complicated? Yes !
and unjust too !

[George Roberts]

Don't you think that your wife, your daughter , in the hard days you were living after your accident, had rather better spent their time in supporting you than in coping with these sordid insurance contingencies?

I believe my wife and daughter were taking care of me and were not concerned with who was paying. You are right it is indeed stressful. The normal staff oversights can make life very hard.

But as to your comments ---

No one from the hospital, staff, or insurance brought up the issue of cost or payment.

The only contact with the insurance companies was to tell them there was an accident and there would be bills.

It was only well lafter I was released that the hospital and doctors and the insurers started to do the paperwork and get things going.

And everyone has been very nice. The insurers have been more than willing to pay all the bills. The hospital and doctors have been more than willing to wait for payment. But we are very nice people to deal with (having some money in the bank helps). If asked for payment, we make it and expect to get it back from the insurers in time.