Insurance and Healthcare

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by cuteASAbug

What type of insurance do you have, because I always have to have a referral to see a specialist, unless (s)he is out of network.

I have had over the years different ones and they always promote cheaper and better.

But, what it boils down to whether you have any claims, after a certain period of time they will raise the rates. Not because of you, but other claims.

If you have Insurance and they want to raise the rates, you can do one of several things.

1. Raise your deductable.

2. Drop Office Co-Pay.

3. Drop medication.

So basically you get screwed!


There will never be a National Health Care Program as the Canadians have, the drug companies or Doctors Union will not allow it! They spend to much money to make sure of that!

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

I have had over the years different ones and they always promote cheaper and better.

But, what it boils down to whether you have any claims, after a certain period of time they will raise the rates. Not because of you, but other claims.

If you have Insurance and they want to raise the rates, you can do one of several things.

1. Raise your deductable.

2. Drop Office Co-Pay.

3. Drop medication.

So basically you get screwed!

Seriously?

Insurance is pooled risk - as you age and other people get hurt (and treatments get more expensive), the risk goes up. So your costs go up, because even if you never use it, you still have a non-zero risk.

Besides this, if I fall and break my arm, you help pay for it - I'm no more likely to have a recurrence than you though.

Also, if your particular pool has a good year, your rates can indeed go down - see your car insurance, which often goes down. It's just that medicine continuously finds new ways to keep the old and infirm alive, which costs money - if these people would just die, then Tom's insurance wouldn't go up! Wouldn't that be better?

Seriously, the insurance company is only screwing you based on the percentage they take as profit (assuming they're not doing anything illegal like lying to you or denying covered claims) - everything else is incredibly regulated. Guess what? Most insurers (essentially) have identical policy language, as dictated by your state ins. comm., it's the implementation that changes - so do the homework and find a company that takes a lower cut or maximizes your dollar. You're a customer - act like one.

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

There will never be a National Health Care Program as the Canadians have, the drug companies or Doctors Union will not allow it! They spend to much money to make sure of that!

There are very good reasons that have nothing to do with profit to avoid a system like Canada's - to start, we have 300,000,000 more people, and if you think prices are out of control now, just eliminate any last semblance of market forces from the equation.

Socialized medicine is a great-sounding idea that is incredibly difficult to implement, and difficult to envision working well in America.

[cuteASAbug]

My insurance rates are low because I'm young and in good health. I was recently sick and spent nearly a month in the hospital. My insurance company had to pay over $100,000 for it.