Rant about insurance and healthcare

[Supra Blues]

My wife gave birth to our first child on June 14, 2006.

Today I get the hospital bill in the mail.

Total bill $9,000 (for delivery and two nights)

Insurance paid $6,000

Adjustment $2,000

Now I have to pay $1,000 of it.


I know people that don't have insurance and they didn't pay one single red penny when they had two of their children, doctor visits and surgery, yet because I "can afford it" they want me to cough up $1,000.

I already pay more in taxes than they do, put more money into the economy than they do, yet I am being burned again. No wonder the state and Fed have no f-ing money.

This is total BS...God just put in charge for one week and the world would be a better place.

 

[lagged]

dont pay it? around here i know a few people who never pay their hospital bills (i personally dont think thats right ...) and the hospital eventually gives up. they call for a month or so then you never hear from them again.

 

[Kai]

Chalk one up for the NHS. Sure theres lousy service sometimes, but at least its all free. I've been in a few times, i walk in injured, walk out on drugs, its great!

 

[cadman]

any plan that makes people who work, pay for peopel who don't work, won't work for long without major problems. I know too many people out there that aren't even trying to get a job, and all their health care is free. I have to pay $300 a month just for basic health care, and then I STILL have to pay what they don't cover!

Car insurance? Too many problems to list. My friend just got charged $500 from Progressive on top of his regular bill. Progressive couldn't explain what the charge was for. But because he didn't have that much extra money in his account, they canceled his insurance, and will make him pay to enroll again, over and above his regular monthly ammount.

My car insurance... I have one speeding ticket on my recored. And because of that one speeding ticket, my insurance doubled. I had a perfect recored before that. And now, it's no longer just 3 years that it's on your recored, this insurance company keeps it on for 4 years.

Any time you are stuck paying money by law, it will be abused. You will pay too much. And you are also stuck paying for people who are just to F#@% lazzy to get it themselves.

I have a solution that insurance companies will obviously not like but it could help the economy. Insurance is no longer required, but full responsibility is. If you cause an accident, and you don't have insurance, you have a set time to pay damages.

 

[lagged]

but full responsibility is. If you cause an accident, and you don't have insurance, you have a set time to pay damages.

that wouldnt ever work. what about someone with no assets what so ever? what about someone who can ONLY afford rent and money for food? and thats it?

youll never see a dime.

 

[3p141592654]

Cad: It is already legal to post a bond and drive without insurance in California, and I assume elsewhere is similar. If you are involved in an accident with me, I don't want an IOU from you for 20 years, or even 20 days. I want immediate payment, since my car is now down and somebody has to pay now to get things rolling again. May I ask, if you are allowed to pay off the damage over a set time, who fronts the cash to the repair shop/hospital/legal services that are needed immediately?

SBlues: You would rather deny the services to those who cannot pay, and have them perhaps die on the street or wherever they are living? Be thankkful that you can afford to pay, and look at the free services to those who cannot as charity from yourself. I'm sure the God you speak of would approve.

 

[cadman]

Pie,
As long as people won't take responsibility for themselves, there can never be a perfect system. And you pose very real problems, even with current insurance in place. The fact is, insurance is only mandatory because people will NOT take responsibility for their own actions. And because of that, the only system that even remotely works is to be raped by insurance companies.

What I would push for is a plan that would act like our insurance at the moment, however instead of paying for everyone else, your insurance only paid for you, and the damage on your car. No matter who's fault it is. BUT WAIT! Before you go nuts on that, here's the other part. If someone is totally in the wrong, or more so than the other, they must pay that money back over time, or in one lump sum unless they also have insurance. In this way, if they didn't have anything to their name except for a car, you still get paid. And they would be held responsible to pay, or work on public roads until the debt is paid off.

And don't give me the sob story about taking jobs away from other people. There will always be a shortage of jobs no matter what you do. The poor will always be amoung us, and it is not a valid point.

 

[lagged]

it has nothing to do with responsibility. if someone simply cant afford it they cant afford it. what would you have them do in that situation? repay you via indentured servitude?

insurance exists for many reasons. one of those reasons is the simple fact that some times you can not afford to pay a medical bill, which can be in the thousands, or you can not pay some ones car repair bill, even if you did cause the damage and you admit fault.

insurance isnt here only because people wont take responsibility, its here to ensure that you get paid even though the guy that rear ended you cant afford the whole bill. its here to pay for outragous hospital bills, and yes, its here to fix your car when some deadbeat rams you from behind (provided you have that type of coverage!).

 

[Joel W.]

The thing that amazes me, is that people have been having kids long before doctors and hospitals, on their own and usually without much difficulty since the dawn of humans.

$9,000.00 for a normal delivery is insane in itself.

 

[WeDgE]

I know people that don't have insurance and they didn't pay one single red penny when they had two of their children, doctor visits and surgery, yet because I "can afford it" they want me to cough up $1,000.

I already pay more in taxes than they do, put more money into the economy than they do, yet I am being burned again.

And I'm sure you have more disposable income than they do.

 

[jtamulis]

I'm yet again reminded about how unbelieveably happy I am that I got fixxed.
The single best decision I have have ever made in my entire lifetime, I've made
some great life choices, but nothing has hit the level that has, ever.

Jeff

 

[3p141592654]

The thing that amazes me, is that people have been having kids long before doctors and hospitals, on their own and usually without much difficulty since the dawn of humans.

$9,000.00 for a normal delivery is insane in itself.

Infant mortality in the past was enormous. That $9k buys your family a lot of protection against death of both the mother and infant.

From wikipedia.... World map indicating infant deaths in 1000 births.

 

[Joel W.]

Yeah, I understand that, but I still think 9k is just insane imo, I would probably feel differenty if I was married or about to have a kid..

 

[Supra Blues]

And I'm sure you have more disposable income than they do.

That's not the point.

The point is that my wife and I waited until we could afford to have kids and not be a leach on other people. Self reliance and self responsibility.

These same people I speak of also got huge refunds on their income tax returns, above what they paid in. So not only do they get free healthcare, but they are getting additional money from the government in the form of refundable child tax credits, EIC, and the like.

Tell me what sense does that make???

 

[figgie]

that wouldnt ever work. what about someone with no assets what so ever? what about someone who can ONLY afford rent and money for food? and thats it?

youll never see a dime.

soo true

my mom went through this

250,000 hospital bill (spinal injury). we lawyered up, guy only had $10,000 insurane. went after his asset. ZERO assets. So nothing. Luckily for my mom that hse also has ZERO assets so the hospital gets to write that off at the end of the year.

 

[figgie]

That's not the point.

The point is that my wife and I waited until we could afford to have kids and not be a leach on other people. Self reliance and self responsibility.

These same people I speak of also got huge refunds on their income tax returns, above what they paid in. So not only do they get free healthcare, but they are getting additional money from the government in the form of refundable child tax credits, EIC, and the like.

Tell me what sense does that make???

IRS refund?

dude not for anything but think about the "IRS refund" this way.

When was the last time, if ever that a lending agency loaned you the money with ZERO percent intrest?? Basically you are giving the goverment an intrest free loan So do not go by those people getting huge checks as those are the ones that can not save money