My Health Insurance Just Killed Me

[Guest Donna Jean]

Well, after having health insurance for over 40 years, I think that I've come to the end of the line....

I'm covered through work but I have to pay a portion....

A few months back my portion of it went up 100%......

This morning I was informed that it will go up 100% more for me ....Right, a combination of the last increase doubled again....

Part of that reason is my age...60.

But, I was able to stay with it on the last increase....I can't handle this one....

So, I have to do my homework.....how much to save out of my paycheck each payday?

I'm e-mailing my gender doc to see if she will be my primary health care provider as I have her and my family doc that I see every 6 mos.

I won't be able to afford both.....

My wife and I own our property and house free and clear...If I got sick and had to be in the hospital for any amount of time I'd face losing everything...

I'm looking into divorce and putting everything in her name to protect everything from the creditors if I were to fall sick...

I'll go on the Wal Mart $4 plan for my prescriptions....

Needless to say...I'm rather put off by all of this....

Blah...blah....blah....

Thanks for listening......

Donna Jean

[Guest NatashaJade]

Oh, Dee Jay

I hate the insurance industry! They take so much and then make it so hard to get proper care. But this breaks my heart. You shouldn't have to deal with this, especially as a veteran and someone getting care through work. I wish someone would do something real to make this system work now.

I'm so sorry.

love and huggs

Gin

[Guest Opal]

Oh Dear Dee Jay, I don't know what to say..... My thoughts go out to you and yours.

Hugs,

Opal

[JenniferB]

I am sorry to hear that Dee Jay. That's scary, not just for you but all of us who are getting closer to retirement. It makes me more open to the single payer option idea. At the very least healthcare should be non-profit.

You should never have to make the decisions you are having to make.

Love Susan

[Guest Alex Blitzen]

I hope that you can find something that will work out *hugs* It's just not right that we have to pay for health care at all...

[Guest Evan_J]

healthcare should be non-profit.

I hope that you can find something that will work out *hugs* It's just not right that we have to pay for health care at all...

And those are the questions we as country have to answer. (since the respondents thusfar have been American)

Why IS it an industry of profit when every single American, on the day that they work the very first job at 15years old or whatever at McDonalds/delivering newspapers/or in the mall, begins paying for a national healthcare policy. Because thats what medicare medicaid is. You paid into whatever private insurace your employer had and you also paid into that. Whether or not you ever had private insurance , you paid into that. But its not available for you. Even upon retirement (cuz thats how they sold it, it will be , you just have to wait) it STILL is not available to people. Theres 999999999999999999 reasons. Even when you finally hit 80 (how much did the hundreds of thousands you spent into get to benefit you by then? why did you need that "other" insurance?) they still wanna tell you what isn't covered, what doctor you can't go to, and how your prescriptions have to be supplimented by cash even when "covered".

Thats bull. I'm paying for something that I get nothing out of, buy a second version of the same thing and get a bunch of runarounds and excuses about when I need it, and in the end end up bounced from both via exclusions and denials yet both are still collecting dollars.

[Guest My_Genesis]

And those are the questions we as country have to answer. (since the respondents thusfar have been American)

Why IS it an industry of profit when every single American, on the day that they work the very first job at 15years old or whatever at McDonalds/delivering newspapers/or in the mall, begins paying for a national healthcare policy. Because thats what medicare medicaid is. You paid into whatever private insurace your employer had and you also paid into that. Whether or not you ever had private insurance , you paid into that. But its not available for you. Even upon retirement (cuz thats how they sold it, it will be , you just have to wait) it STILL is not available to people. Theres 999999999999999999 reasons. Even when you finally hit 80 (how much did the hundreds of thousands you spent into get to benefit you by then? why did you need that "other" insurance?) they still wanna tell you what isn't covered, what doctor you can't go to, and how your prescriptions have to be supplimented by cash even when "covered".

Thats bull. I'm paying for something that I get nothing out of, buy a second version of the same thing and get a bunch of runarounds and excuses about when I need it, and in the end end up bounced from both via exclusions and denials yet both are still collecting dollars.

If you ask me we need to go back to using insurance the way it originally was supposed to be used - for emergencies. We are abusing the system by saying "oh I have a cold, my insurance will pay for the doctor visit." If we all had to pay outta pocket, things wouldn't be so expensive, because no dr. could charge that much money - they would lose their jobs. Procedures like LASIK are going down in cost because they are NOT covered by insurance and competition is driving the costs down. What we have right now is corporatism.

Anyways all that aside... DJ, I'm so sorry you have to go through all this. Like Evan is saying you would think that if you pay into something, you'd get something out of it. My dad has to pay into his insurance (which has to cover my entire family) about $15K a year - he doesn't just get it as a benefit. And STILL there are issues with getting things covered. The company decided not to cover brand name Rx's anymore after the first 2 months. There are issues with insurances all across America. At least you are not alone. But something needs to be done. We can't just let everyone in America die because they didn't have proper health care

[Carolyn Marie]

That really sux, Dee Jay. And the majority of members of Congress, and the right wing blogmasters, say that we have the world's best system

and there is nothing to fix, and if we do fix it, its socialism.

Bull pucky!

I hope you can work something out that makes sense. I certainly hope you don't have to file for divorce in order to protect your finances.

You might also check around for individual insurance policies. It isn't likely you'll find something cheaper, but you never know for sure until you try.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest lvmyftm]

Without knowing your health history or how much your insurance is costing you at the moment I would suggest looking into the cost of ind insurance plans. That might be more cost effective for you than if you were to pay the increase in your premiuns through work. Or maybe look into a secondary like Aflex in case of illness or emergency. The good news is that you can start Medicare in 5 years

[JJ]

Oh Dee Jay-I'm so sorry!

I said I didn't feel well enough to post today but just had to this time.

I've had to live uninsured for over 13 years now because I have a chronic and potentially fatal illness. When I had money I couldn't find coverage at any price and I couldn't get disability because I had too many resources. Now that I don't I can't get disability because it's been more than 10 years since I had a regular job. I'm woking on SSI whic i might ave few enough resources to qualify for since they don't count homes.

It's wrong-really wrong. I'll have medicare before the Health Care Bill would help me but at least we made a start.

On a more positive note-in most states they can't take your house for medical bills, or count it's value in determining eligibility for arrangements on medical bills. Also most judges are very sympathetic when it comes to medical bills should the worst ever happen and you end up in court although that's rare because hospitals write a lot off. And I had an old medical bill on my record when I applied for a car loan at the bank. The loan officer said they routinely disregard medical information on a credit report and I got the loan.

As for insurance companies? Look at what they own now-many of the major corporations are owned by insurance companies. If there is a chance you'll need to use insurance they don't want you. and they'll price you out of the coverage.

When I did have insurance I worked for a federally funded program and I had to beg my doctor not to enter the lupus in my medical records and paid for those expenses myself because I saw person after person forced out of employment if they developed a chronic medical condition. I was friends with the head of our agency and she confirmed that the insurance company-the biggest in the field at the time) pressured them to pressure employees with high insurance risk out. They got a warning about it and if the person wasn't removed from insurance then the rate went way up which affected the whole group. But the agency had policies that made it impossible to deny insurance to one individual or even discuss it so they forced them out. It also applied to anyone in their family since we had family coverage.I saw a person with 25 years of outstanding service pressured out because her husband had a heart attack. I saw that kind of thing often in the 15 years I was there.

Socialized medicine can be messy, confusing and difficult but it beats the tens of thousands of people who die each year because they can't get care in time. There are some countries where it works well. And in the long run they find it is cost effective because people get preventive care. As for it ruining the medical system-there's a reason so many people are now going to Europe for medical care.

My hope is that the insurance companies will finally get so greedy that people will see through te massive campaigns tey mount against any universal heat care proposal. The truth is as long as we ave private insurance it will cost the people of the country more than any universal health care would!

I'm probably preaching to the choir here. But I get very passionate about the right of every person to health care. Without being financially devastated in the process.

On a more positive note-in most states they can't take your house for medical bills, or count it's value in determining eligibility for arrangements on medical bills. Also most judges are very sympathetic when it comes to medical bills should the worst ever happen and you end up in court although that's rare because hospitals write a lot off. And I had an old medical bill on my record when I applied for a car loan at the bank. The loan officer said they routinely disregard medical information on a credit report and I got the loan.

HUGS

JJ

[Guest Donna Jean]

Thanks, JJ...............

You know...what ever happened to the simple days when the doctor would come by your house, put a cool damp cloth on your forehead and give you a good dose of mineral oil....

And in a day or two you'd feel much better...

And you could give him a chicken in payment?

I'm a dinosaur.......

Donna Jean

[Guest Alex Blitzen]

Thanks, JJ...............

You know...what ever happened to the simple days when the doctor would come by your house, put a cool damp cloth on your forehead and give you a good dose of mineral oil....

And in a day or two you'd feel much better...

And you could give him a chicken in payment?

I'm a dinosaur.......

Donna Jean

If you give me a chicken I will come by your house, put a cool damp cloth on your forehead and give you some mineral oil

[Guest My_Genesis]

Thanks, JJ...............

You know...what ever happened to the simple days when the doctor would come by your house, put a cool damp cloth on your forehead and give you a good dose of mineral oil....

And in a day or two you'd feel much better...

And you could give him a chicken in payment?

I'm a dinosaur.......

Donna Jean

that does sound quite nice... better than what we have now

[Guest ~Brenda~]

Dee Jay hon,

I am so sorry to hear this

For what it is worth, I bought my own health insurance for many years when I was an independant contractor. If you go online, you should find something affordable. Try ehealthinsurance.com for example.

I hope this helps hon

Love you

Brenda

[Guest Leigh]

i'm so sorry to hear this Dee Jay.

i'm sure you will be able to work something out.

let us know how it goes.

peace&love

[JJ]

Thanks, JJ...............

You know...what ever happened to the simple days when the doctor would come by your house, put a cool damp cloth on your forehead and give you a good dose of mineral oil....

And in a day or two you'd feel much better...

And you could give him a chicken in payment?

I'm a dinosaur.......

Donna Jean

Me too!

That was in the days when doctors became doctors because they wanted to help people and not because they wanted to become the richest person in town.

I remember when they even came to your house in the night if you needed them.

Not that I think all Drs are strictly financially motivated-but too many are. Business first. My dad was a claimant's attorney and once sued a Dr and won because he let a man sit in his office and die while he finished his round of golf. He was having a good game and didn't want to leave till he finished the round even though he knew the man was critically ill and suffering.

(By the way not all lawyers are bad-I remember things like armadillo and possum in the freezer because my dad took them as payment from some poor farmer who insisted on paying. He was my step-dad so my sense of social justice wasn't from him but he sure reinforced it. We never ate the pathetic things but he wouldn't let Mother throw them out since they were symbols of someone's self respect! Sorry I'm off topic.)

Actually the real villains to me are the insurance companies. They've just gotten too big and too powerful.

Hugs

JJ

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

If you ask me we need to go back to using insurance the way it originally was supposed to be used - for emergencies. We are abusing the system by saying "oh I have a cold, my insurance will pay for the doctor visit." If we all had to pay outta pocket, things wouldn't be so expensive, because no dr. could charge that much money - they would lose their jobs. Procedures like LASIK are going down in cost because they are NOT covered by insurance and competition is driving the costs down. What we have right now is corporatism.

Anyways all that aside... DJ, I'm so sorry you have to go through all this. Like Evan is saying you would think that if you pay into something, you'd get something out of it. My dad has to pay into his insurance (which has to cover my entire family) about $15K a year - he doesn't just get it as a benefit. And STILL there are issues with getting things covered. The company decided not to cover brand name Rx's anymore after the first 2 months. There are issues with insurances all across America. At least you are not alone. But something needs to be done. We can't just let everyone in America die because they didn't have proper health care

Exactly. I saw a nice graph showing how fee for service medical care costs have come down or stayed the same while those covered by insurance are going up. Plastic surgery is another example for this. It's getting cheaper!

DeeJay, don't you have some kind of veterans' benefits you can use? This is totally unacceptable. I'm so sorry this happened. Our country should treat their veterans much better! You should have insurance, no questions asked, for as long as you need it.

My grandmother is in a similar situation to you with respect to owning property. She recently became ill and had to sign everything she owns over to my mom so she could be put on Medicaid. It was the only way to avoid losing the house. Her insurance, and she had both primary and secondary coverage, simply refused to pay for the care she needed. My grandmother is 88 and has cost the insurance company very little up until now. This isn't fair.

It's about time for a mass rebellion! We can't allow this to continue. The Obama plan is a start, but if you read about it, it only puts a band-aid on some of the biggest problems.

[Guest sarah f]

Dee Jay, I am sorry about your INS problems. Being ex-millitary, can you get INS through the VA? That is the only INS that my dad has since he is an independent contractor. Just a thought.

Love,

Sarah F

[Sally]

This is one part of the sisterhood that I am so sorry to welcome you to - the ranks of the uninsured!

I have not had health insurance since 1984 - when you get a cough and others have pneumonia - you have to worry.

I have been lucky so far, even my HRT is inexpensive but I am moving away from my clinic.

Hang on, things will work out.

The world's best health care system was in ancient China where the village fed the doctor so he could grow and study herbs - if some one was sick they didn't pay until they were well again.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest ricka]

Donna Jean---I'm so sorry, but your situation is becoming all too common for so many Americans. It is not nearly so bad if you are young and healthy but for those of us who are older it can be a nightmare. I am finding each year my own insurance covers less and less. I have learned to partner with my doctor to budget for and ration my health care. She has helped me to prioritize what is most needed. We've discussed preventative measures such as life style changes like diet and exercise in order to stay healthy.

Hugs, Ricka

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Find a rich man (or woman - heck, another T-Girl) and marry them - get on their insurance!

Its so insane! My therapist says hold on until I am eliable for Medicare! What is the world coming to? In Louisiana the state will assume your care if you liquidate everything you own. Such a deal!

Lizzy

[Flint]

Sorry about this.

*hugs for you*

[Guest Emily Ray]

I checked online for a quote and found insurance for around $200 with a $5000 deductible and HSA savings plan it may be better than divorce and may be your employer can give you the money they would have used to pay insurance as wages. You can then put that money into HSA to help offset the higher deductible.

I really would hate to see you get divorced over this!

Huggs,

[Guest Zolrek]

Hey DJ, come live with me in Canada! Then if you're low income you get 100% free doctor vists, endo vists and medicine(well, not fully covered medicine). Here, the more you make the more you pay towards medical coverage, the less you make the less you pay. That's how B.C works, at lest. Everyone gets the same amount covered and of course if you have lots of money you can buy exended but this is just extra things. People may want to argue that only the rich should get the best health care and the poor should suffer with bad health care because they don't"work for it" but thats never the case. Just because one person isn't paid as much in their job as another doesn''t mean one works harder then the other.

Anyway, I hope you're able to find something in the USA to help you out.

[Paula ult]

Donna Jean hon,

It is a crime the way these insurance companies operate, but is also the company you and i work for that tries to get cheaper insurance so they do not have to pay more, i pay a pretty big chunk of my earnings each pay period for the privilege of paying more for my health care, also take into account that i have not had a pay raise in over 11 years, i too am at a point where i am thinking of consolidating doctors, i have my GP, Cardiologist and endo, each one i have to pay a copay every visit, they all want to do blood tests each visit, pretty much they are the same ones even though i asked them to coordinate between them so i only need one or two a year, any additional tests i usually have to pay part of them, my co pay used to be $25, it has now gone to $35, i am thinking of seeing if my GP can also monitor my heart condition so i can drop my cardiologist, my endo is for my hrt and that is all out of pocket.

Untill this year i was paying a $15 copay to my therapist, this year it went to $35 a more than 100% increase, thank goodness i do not do weekly sessions like in the beginning, now it is every 3 - 6 months, which is doable.

My mail order meds have gone out of sight, i end up paying a large portion of the cost now, i take 7 different prescribed meds in addition to 4 off the shelf and of course Spiro, Estradiol, Avodart and Progesterone.

It is no wonder people stretch their meds out by skipping a few days to save costs.

Paula