all 14 comments

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 7 fun4 insightful - 6 fun5 insightful - 7 fun -  (1 child)

I offer breast cancer screenings free of charge ladies

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]CanisRex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    and the height of insurance corp greed - Prior Authorizations

    [–]Zapped 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

    This highlights the disfunction between healthcare and "insurance". Insurance is not real anymore. It is merely a payment plan for most of us, and includes payments for a portion of others' healthcare who refuse to pay for theirs.

    [–]LtGreenCo 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

    The concept of insurance looks good on paper. A group of people pooling their money together to be used if and when individuals in that group really need it.

    But as with anything, dishonest shitty people ruin it for the rest of us.

    [–]Alienhunter 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    Insurance is basically gambling but just with somewhat favorable odds and a lot more rules.

    The insurance company essentially makes a bet with you that if this really bad thing happens then they'll pay out x amount hoping that the odds are low enough that they'll make money.

    You want to take that bet because the cost of paying yourself is higher than the cost of the bet so it's reasonable to take even though you expect to "lose" would you bet 1 dollar on a one in a thousand odds to make 100,000 dollars? Hell yeah you would.

    Also it's complicated by the government standing outside the door ready to break your kneecaps if you don't make the bet.

    Naturally the house always wins so if everyone magically starts "winning" at the same time the casino shuts down and you don't get to keep your money.

    [–]LtGreenCo 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    odds are low enough that they'll make money

    There's the crux of the problem IMO. Insurance in principal shouldn't exist to make money, at least not beyond management and overhead costs. It should be a not-for-profit business model. Otherwise you end up with what we have now, which is a lot of corrupt motherfuckers making way more money than they deserve, and at the detriment to the insurants.

    [–]TaseAFeminist4Jesus 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

    Sensationalist euro-porn.

    She was never on the hook for more than her annual deductible. Assuming she'd paid $0 out of pocket all year (which sounds like a pretty good deal), that would have been $6,000... which she knew when she selected a plan with a big $6,000 deductible.

    The hospital adjusted this to $3,000 and change, payable over time. That's a lot, but less than you'd pay to, IDK, get a roof put on your house. A roof lasts maybe 10-15 years... is this woman prepared to cover that inevitability? Does she expect government roof insurance to cover it, since shingles are a human right?

    What about that CVT in her car? I doubt she's shifting her own gears. A CVT might last 5 years and can easily cost $3,000 to replace. Are transmissions a human right?

    Pay your bills.

    [–]iamonlyoneman 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

    Thanks bby this is exactly what I came to comments to see.

    [–]CanisRex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    while i agree with you that our privatized health care is mostly fine and is infact that best system for our country, i do think the concept of prior auth is utter bull shit - a panel of corporate money grubbers sits around a table to decide whether or not you need the prescribed treatment? Nah fuck that.

    [–]TaseAFeminist4Jesus 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

    Yeah, I've had employees struggle with that part of it. Of course, nationalizing healthcare won't help with that particular problem.

    I think "Medicare for All" is something the US will eventually have, if only because experiencing it firsthand is the only way to advance the debate to a conclusion.

    When we have "Medicare for All" I feel strongly we'll still have a private sector option. The public option will turn into what public schools, public transportation, etc. are in the US- crappy options for poor people.

    Poor people already have Medicaid, so ultimately "free healthcare" will mostly just consist of renaming Medicaid. The same people will have government health insurance.

    [–]makesyoudownvote 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

    Something like this happened to me, only with way less money, but I'm still pissed about it.

    I had my hearing go out on my right side a few years ago, during a particularly rough time in my life financially, and rightly I went to the doctor to try to figure it out. I had been having a lot of issues on the right side of my body (I still am, but that's only somewhat related) He ordered a series of tests including an MRI and a hearing test. My insurance did not approve the MRI so I didn't end up getting it, but several of the other tests I had to do they didn't deny until AFTER I had finished the test leaving me in a bit of debt. My hearing also returned about a week before the hearing test could fit me in, so naturally I felt it wasn't necessary but my doctor told me to get it anyways because my insurance would definitely cover it and he wanted to establish a base line in case it got worse again in the future.

    When I went to the lab I told them I didn't really want to get the test unless it was 100% covered by insurance. I reiterated that I did not have the money and I do not consent to the test if it makes me liable for paying a cent. They assured me it was and they had gotten pre-approval from my insurance. Now the test cost $60 without insurance but with insurance it was a little over $500. I got the test done, and 3 months later I received a bill for $539. I called them and told them that I wasn't paying it, they had told me it was pre-approved and assured me that I wouldn't be paying a dime. They said that my insurance was refusing to pay it. Now I should add here, this insurance was still the insurance I had from when I had a good paying job, it was Blue Shield Platinum PPO which is supposed to be the best insurance you can get, yet they still weaseled out of everything. I fought this thing tooth and nail and eventually got the bill talked down to $150 after over a year when it started affecting my credit score because they had sent debt collectors after me. By then I had a job again and I could pay it, but the principle of the thing REALLY pissed me off.

    [–]SoCo 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    ...it would cost less without insurance...

    Remember how Obamacare came with a mandate and all Democrats in congress demanded it, saying it wouldn't work without a mandate...you know the mandate to fine you if you don't buy a garbage insurance plan from greedy corporate insurance companies, which help inflate medical costs......yeah, I member.

    [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

    When idiots fuck around with numbers, this is what happens.

    Tinkerbell doesn't like wannabe-"smartasses" trying to fuck her, fyi.

    She only "likes" people sort of blindly stepping the path she is showing, so to say.

    Insurance companies often are steered by these (greedily fucking) blind microdicks that did "math" for some paper to "make" money.

    It's rooted in problems of various educational systems worldwide, I suppose.

    [–]Alienhunter 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

    Just don't pay.