I am a bit disgusted by the American Health Care System right now. Again I have to question the need for so many different plans, instead of one comprehensive system. It would be so much easier and less complicated. So what happened?
Well my DH switched jobs last June and in doing so he switched insurance companies as well because the new company offered different plans. So this year when I went to the doctor, I gave them my new insurance card and they doctor’s office correctly processed my office visit. However the labwork was done by the hospital who did not “update” the new insurance information.
Thus I received a letter over the weekend informing me the insurance claim was rejected and the tests were not covered. I was responsible for a bill of ~$400. Weird I thought. The letter stated that I was not covered by the insurance company. My DH called because he is the “primary subscriber” turns out they used the old insurance information.
After he discovers the mistake, I call and have to spend 1 hour updating information and waiting on hold to talk to the right deparmtent. When I was talking with the woman on the phone, she was VERY nice, she said this seems to happen all the time. She said it’s so difficult for doctors, hospitals, labs, to keep the patients paperwork straight with constant flux. Besides the obvious making everything electronic, I have to question the need for the US to have so many independent insurance plans linked to everyone’s job?
That the insurance company won’t always talk to you because you aren’t the primary subscriber? That the insurance changes based on what job you do have? All these rules regarding pre-exisiting conditions? I guess I wonder if one insurance across all states, covering all people wouldn’t be easier? That there would be no tracking down mistakes in insurance. That everyone would be automatically covered whether they work or not. No one with catastrophic medical bills.
Wouldn’t life be a bit easier if we just had one insurance to deal with instead of having to learn the nuances of many?
6 responses so far ↓
1 madsow // Aug 17, 2008 at 12:08 am
I agree, the insurance racket has gotten out of hand in this country. With the way everything is online now, you would think that somehow the insurance companies could figure out how to all link together for the patients sake.
My employer stuck us with an HSA this year which means that we pay about 3k in premiums a year for the privilege of paying the first 6k out of pocket. Thanks a lot.
Things have gone from bad to worse and yet the government sits idly by and does nothing.
2 Sense // Aug 18, 2008 at 4:37 am
yups, I totally agree. I think that one healthcare system, paid for with taxes, would be awesome. people fussing about higher taxes are going to end up paying the same amount out of pocket for coverage, anyway!
Coming from living in NZ, I have to say not having the health insurance linked to your job is pretty sweet. AND if the base healthcare isn’t good enough for you, you can opt for more coverage to get ’special’ consideration–most workplaces give discounts for that extra coverage. (not to mention if you aren’t married [BF and I are 'partners' here], you can still get that extra discounted coverage through your partner!)
3 Livingalmostlarge // Aug 18, 2008 at 8:31 am
I think people don’t want nationalized healthcare because they think they are paying for everyone else. In some ways true. BUT you also are sharing the risk if you should become uninsurable in the US, meaning you get a preexisiting condition and no one will insure you.
4 Jim ~ mydebtblog.com // Aug 19, 2008 at 12:40 am
I don’t want universal healthcare because I think it is a failed plan. Look at other countries that have it, it’s not as peachy as you would think from watching Michael Moore’s documentary Sicko. Does that mean that the insurance should be linked to someone’s job? No, I think companies are going to drop this long held benefit and people will have to cover their own healthcare costs/insurance. You’re also wrong about pre-existing conditions because you can get high risk insurance. The real problem with healthcare is nobody is willing to pay for it. I also think illegal immigration is linked to the increased cost of healthcare. Hospitals are getting stiffed with the cost and the taxpayers have to foot the bill. The US still has the best healthcare in the world, which comes with a cost.
5 Livingalmostlarge // Aug 19, 2008 at 8:42 am
Jim, have you ever talked to someone who has a preexisiting condition and the struggle of getting insurance? Most can’t afford the high risk insurance and so they work. Or they have to get a job with benefits.
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