A true story of health insurance

doobnVA

doobnVA

Well-Known Member
I don't have health insurance, but the rest of my family does. My fiancee's employer offers coverage, but we couldn't afford to insure the whole family so he and one of the kids are covered through his employer. This costs us about $300 per month. To put the entire family on the plan would run about $700 per month (this is an entire week's worth of pay, before taxes. After taxes, it's more than 1/3 of his monthly income) which simply isn't realistic for us. To make sure the other child was covered required some manipulation of the system. I had to award joint custody to my parents, so the child could be covered under their plan which has no premium.

Still, we are only 3/4 covered and crossing our fingers that nothing happens to ME - because I'm not covered and medical bills could quickly overcome us, causing us to lose our home, etc. For this reason, I rarely drive at night, during rush hour, or on holidays and I avoid situations that could threaten life or limb. All in the name of NOT having to file for bankruptcy or ruin my credit rating with unpaid medical bills.

Anyone else have a story about trying to obtain coverage for themselves and their family?
 
N

NoDrama

Well-Known Member
Yeah the world is a cruel place. Nice idea about getting the parents to sign on for joint custody so you could game the system.
 
R

redivider

Well-Known Member
one of my boyz from back home was covered by his parent's plan. they didn't tell him (or his parents) that was only valid if he was either in school, or still a dependent on his parents, or both.

Well, he took a semester off college for an internship (5 college credits). he didn't take the companie's offered coverage because he assumed he already had coverage. it was in another state about 6 hours away, he broke his arm skateboarding (long board skateboarding, not vert or grinding or that nonesense) and had to drive back home to be able to get his arm in a cast. they wouldn't cover him over there.

well, technically he didn't drive himself, a friend of ours (a male-nurse)drove over there, put his arm in a temporary sling, and drove back, total of 13 hours straight....

when I asked him why the hell didn't he just go to the hospital over there, he told me he did, but when the nurse told him how much it would cost for emergency room fees and shit, he whipped out his insurance card. 2 hours later his agent said since he wasn't a FULL TIME STUDENT, he couldn't be covered, and since he was working full time, the insurance company doesn't consider him a dependent, even though he is listed as such in his parent's tax forms.....

and he won't be eligible for coverage for at least 1 year of going back to school...

the legality of what his insurance company did is in question, and I believe there is some lawyers getting involved. this was when I was in college (about 5 years ago) so there's probably some details i missed...

the fact is that he didn't get the treatment he deserved. he had a compound fracture in his forearm, he could've ruptured a vein or artery, and a simple fracture could've killed him.....and his company found some bullshit to claim to not offer coverage straight up.

the gray-area in insurance coverage is too complex, and it allows companies to do shit like this... if there was some sort of minimal universal coverage, this wouldn't happen.....

p.s. i think my friend's a jackass for taking on a hill too long/hard for his skills...
 
K

Keenly

Guest
sounds a little paranoid to me

dont let the fear of getting injured control your life
 
ViRedd

ViRedd

New Member
Yeah, I have my own story to tell. Back in 1985 I crushed two discs in my neck. The insurance company wouldn't pay because of a pre-existing condition. I couldn't live with the pain, so I went into the Neurosurgeon and worked out monthly payments. He was more than willing to give me as long as I needed to pay for his service and expertise. I then went to the local hospital and asked them what was the least I could put down and the longest I could have to pay. They said half down and six months to pay. I went to another hospital in town and asked them the same question, and they said $2000. down and six months to pay. So, I went back to the first hospital for the second time as told them I had a better deal and if they would accept $1000 down and six months to pay, I'd do business with them. They accepted my terms. After the surgery and recuperation, I felt like a new man. I went to work and worked my ass off in order to make the money to pay off my obligations. I paid off the doctor and hospital as agreed.

To this day, I haven't asked any of the Progressives on this site for money to pay for that surgery and hospital stay. bongsmilie
 
Kingb420

Kingb420

Well-Known Member
my gfriend and daughter are covered about $500 a month, i cannot afford for myself, hence the growing of weed. so yeah, i grow weed for healthcare coverage in the future
 
doobnVA

doobnVA

Well-Known Member
NoDrama said:
Yeah the world is a cruel place. Nice idea about getting the parents to sign on for joint custody so you could game the system.
Click to expand...
You realize the rest of the developed world doesn't have to worry about health care costs bankrupting them, right?

So "the world" is not a cruel place. America is a cruel place.
 
doobnVA

doobnVA

Well-Known Member
Kingb420 said:
my gfriend and daughter are covered about $500 a month, i cannot afford for myself, hence the growing of weed. so yeah, i grow weed for healthcare coverage in the future
Click to expand...

That's ridiculous. Almost as much as my mortgage payment :-|

I got a quote for a family policy on the "individual" market. For me and both my kids: $1200 a month, and that's only IF we managed to qualify. I had an abnormal pap smear after my daughter was born. It corrected itself and no treatment was ever needed, but the fact that it exists on my medical record more than likely makes me ineligible. That, and all three of us have "hay fever".
 
P

Parker

Well-Known Member
doobnVA said:
You realize the rest of the developed world doesn't have to worry about health care costs bankrupting them, right?

So "the world" is not a cruel place. America is a cruel place.
Click to expand...
All health care expenses should be a tax credit. Maybe Congress can gather some common sense and make that happen.
 
BeavTek

BeavTek

Well-Known Member
I am sorry to hear about all of your misfourtunes. It is criminal that people have to worry about their wallet when thinking about their health. I am unfamiliar with the amount that the average American has to pay for insurance in the US, but $700 a month for the whole family is ridiculous!!

I am Canadian and our health care is covered by our government. For the amount I make, I have to pay 15% tax on my income, and we have a 13% sales tax where I live (it differs Province from Province). From the money I pay in tax, some of the social benifits that I have personally used include: Free health care, subsidized College and University (~$2500/year for college, ~$5000-$6000/year University), 70 weeks (just recently added 20 weeks) of Employment insurance (or unemployment in the states), and subsidized sporting and recreation programs (to name a few). The tax I pay also pays for social assistance programs that I don't use like: wellfare, disability, food for the poor, other peoples health care, safe and clean drinking water country wide (nowhere in Canada do you have to worry about drinking the tap water), funding for Aboriginal comunities (native indians), and the typical fire, education, police, post service, and all other services in that nature.

In my life so far, I have suffered from 2 broken arms, been hospitallized around 15 times for flu and other illnesses, had to have appendix removal, and countless trips to the emergency room. I never had to pay a cent out of my pocket at any hospital or clinic that I ever went to. If I lived in America, just my 2 broken arms would of cost me $24 000. That is much more than I ever had to pay in tax. And we get all of the other social benifits as well. Plus, I don't have to worry about ever getting denied for anything I will need.

The reason that health care is not in the US is because too many rich right winged Americans have friends working for HMO's making insane money. Not to mention all of the "contributions" made to politicians by the HMO's.

Before the recession, Canada was posting a $12 billion yearly surplus, with health care! It is possible for a country to be in the black and have health care.

Sorry to go off on a little rant. Once again, I'm sorry for anyone that has to worry about paying for health care for their family. It really isn't fair.
 
Puffster

Puffster

Well-Known Member
even if you have coverage,sumtimes the ordeal/snafau/outright lying is incredible.i once racked up $110,000 (multiple surgeries)bill that took liberty mutual 14 months to pay.i lost just about everything i owned trying to stay afloat.i sure dont have the answer for any of the insurance quandry.but it sure is outta wack.have you ever looked at a bill after staying in hospital?its fucking unreal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
jeff f

jeff f

New Member
Yeah, I have my own story to tell. Back in 1985 I crushed two discs in my neck. The insurance company wouldn't pay because of a pre-existing condition. I couldn't live with the pain, so I went into the Neurosurgeon and worked out monthly payments. He was more than willing to give me as long as I needed to pay for his service and expertise. I then went to the local hospital and asked them what was the least I could put down and the longest I could have to pay. They said half down and six months to pay. I went to another hospital in town and asked them the same question, and they said $2000. down and six months to pay. So, I went back to the first hospital for the second time as told them I had a better deal and if they would accept $1000 down and six months to pay, I'd do business with them. They accepted my terms. After the surgery and recuperation, I felt like a new man. I went to work and worked my ass off in order to make the money to pay off my obligations. I paid off the doctor and hospital as agreed.

To this day, I haven't asked any of the Progressives on this site for money to pay for that surgery and hospital stay.

Click to expand...


nothing to add other than to ask everyone to reread this post. this rarely happens. the sad thing is he is working, when he easily could have gotten out of it and recieved benifits. after all his hard work just to get back on the job, he now pays for the fucks who dont want to work. thats not america. in america this cant happen very long before the people uprise. i suspect the abnormally high rate of protesting will continue to increase until things get straightened out. could get ugly, hopefully wont
 
doobnVA

doobnVA

Well-Known Member
jeff f said:
[/COLOR]

nothing to add other than to ask everyone to reread this post. this rarely happens. the sad thing is he is working, when he easily could have gotten out of it and recieved benifits. after all his hard work just to get back on the job, he now pays for the fucks who dont want to work. thats not america. in america this cant happen very long before the people uprise. i suspect the abnormally high rate of protesting will continue to increase until things get straightened out. could get ugly, hopefully wont
Click to expand...
"The fucks who don't want to work"? You realize that most of the unemployed WANT to work, there just aren't enough jobs?

And where did you get the idea that everyone without insurance is a lazy "fuck" who doesn't work? I work TWO JOBS and STILL can't afford insurance. And I'm sure I'm not alone.
 
doobnVA

doobnVA

Well-Known Member
BeavTek said:
I am sorry to hear about all of your misfourtunes. It is criminal that people have to worry about their wallet when thinking about their health. I am unfamiliar with the amount that the average American has to pay for insurance in the US, but $700 a month for the whole family is ridiculous!!

I am Canadian and our health care is covered by our government. For the amount I make, I have to pay 15% tax on my income, and we have a 13% sales tax where I live (it differs Province from Province). From the money I pay in tax, some of the social benifits that I have personally used include: Free health care, subsidized College and University (~$2500/year for college, ~$5000-$6000/year University), 70 weeks (just recently added 20 weeks) of Employment insurance (or unemployment in the states), and subsidized sporting and recreation programs (to name a few). The tax I pay also pays for social assistance programs that I don't use like: wellfare, disability, food for the poor, other peoples health care, safe and clean drinking water country wide (nowhere in Canada do you have to worry about drinking the tap water), funding for Aboriginal comunities (native indians), and the typical fire, education, police, post service, and all other services in that nature.

In my life so far, I have suffered from 2 broken arms, been hospitallized around 15 times for flu and other illnesses, had to have appendix removal, and countless trips to the emergency room. I never had to pay a cent out of my pocket at any hospital or clinic that I ever went to. If I lived in America, just my 2 broken arms would of cost me $24 000. That is much more than I ever had to pay in tax. And we get all of the other social benifits as well. Plus, I don't have to worry about ever getting denied for anything I will need.

The reason that health care is not in the US is because too many rich right winged Americans have friends working for HMO's making insane money. Not to mention all of the "contributions" made to politicians by the HMO's.

Before the recession, Canada was posting a $12 billion yearly surplus, with health care! It is possible for a country to be in the black and have health care.

Sorry to go off on a little rant. Once again, I'm sorry for anyone that has to worry about paying for health care for their family. It really isn't fair.
Click to expand...

I very much enjoy hearing the rest of the world weight in on the US health care debate.

What's the general consensus up there in Canada about what's going on with your neighbors to the south? Do they think it's as ridiculous as we do that people are fighting against universal health care, and for the current, for-profit system to stay in place?
 
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