Jezebel 
Enter your username and password.
-
posts about #uninsured more → 
Rocky Mountain Cry
Health Insurers Are Idiots, Possibly Evil
New York, 11:11 AM
Sat Nov 28
29 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip your editors:
tips@jezebel.com
Editor-in-Chief:
Anna Holmes
Email | Twitter
Deputy Editor:
Dodai Stewart
Email | Twitter
Senior Contributing Editor:
Tracie Egan
Email | Twitter
Contributing Editors:
Anna North
Email | Twitter
Sadie Stein
Email | Twitter
Reporter:
Irin Carmon
Email | Twitter
Editorial Assistant:
Margaret Hartmann
Email | Twitter
Contributors:
Rich Juzwiak
Email | Twitter
Latoya Peterson
Email
Jenna Sauers
Email
Lizzie Skurnick
Email
Interns:
Katy Kelleher
Twitter
| posts about #uninsured more → |
Rocky Mountain Cry |
Health Insurers Are Idiots, Possibly Evil |
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
07/29/09
For instance, I've recently been looking into IUDs and they're not covered since I haven't met the deductible. The doctor I was referred to gave me a $1,000 price tag ($800 for the IUD and $200 for the placement).
Needless to say, I will probably end up at Planned Parenthood and pay half that. I feel badly because I think/hope/want PP to spend its resources on people without insurance who really need their help the most. It's absolutely insane to HAVE insurance and be attempting to get the kind of preventative care the insurance companies should be begging for (since it lowers their costs) ... and it still has a 4 figure price tag. Mind boggled.
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
There is actually a movement by insurance companies to create plans focusing on wellness, but that is because of the demand by the large employers.
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
If you want to know which lobby group will be shouting loudly to fight the government plan, look to the doctors. Long term they stand to lose more than the insurance companies.
As individuals, you can do nothing to stem the rising costs of health care. You can be sure however, once the government becomes the largest consumer they will look to control spending beyond the costs of drugs.
While I think equal access to health care is vital for any society that prides itself on equity and basic human rights, do inform yourself of the lessons we have learned and the challenges we are facing in trying to keep the system going.
07/29/09
What annoys me to no end about Canadians complaining about our health system is that people act like an American-style system is the only other option. Many European countries do health care much better than Canada or the US. I now live in the UK, and I can get a doctor's appointment more easily than I could back in Toronto, although even there, it's not impossible.
The doctor shortage in Canada has at least as much to do with poor planning, resulting in not enough med school places, as it does with the "brain drain." It would also help if foreign-trained doctors could have an easier time getting licensed. I'm not advocating letting unqualified people work, but it is much harder for foreign-trained physicians to get licensed in Canada than in other countries.
07/29/09
07/29/09
But it's disappointing to know so many are in the field for MONEY, as opposed to their incredible ability to help those who can't help themselves.
07/29/09
07/29/09
Yes, everyone in Canada has health care. But what is the quality like?
I don't know that Canada has it right. But I do know that America has it wrong.
07/29/09
The Canadian system is looking to address this by easing the student loan load on graduates who practice in Canada, particularly in areas that need doctors or nurse practitioners. And they are doing their level best to expedite the process so that doctors immigrating are able to be licensed more quickly. But still, the stresses will increase, even if Canada were to adopt the far superior health care systems available in many parts of Europe and Australia.
That said, we make a trade off for free health care here, and that's often long wait times for non-emergent care. It's not perfect. It is a system in need of repair. But I'll take it until a better one comes along.
07/29/09
I'd like to see a system more in line with Australia's, myself.
That said, a dear friend of mine was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He has had multiple, expensive tests and from time of discovery to meeting with one of North America's premier specialists in his particular cancer was one week—all covered by Canadian health care.
07/29/09
Canadian healthcare is administered provincially. I think the Quebec system seems to be in a particularly bad state, but that may just be my impression. I have no stats to back that up. I'd still much rather live in Quebec than in the US, based on healthcare.
07/29/09
"But it's disappointing to know so many are in the field for MONEY, as opposed to their incredible ability to help those who can't help themselves"
While I happen to be personally motivated by things besides money in my choice to go into the medical field, I think it is an unfair expectation that physicians must be motivated by altruism. It's a profession and just like any other career, those who choose it have a variety of reasons for choosing it including earning power. It doesn't make them bad doctors or bad people, and it isn't IMO the source of the problems with our healthcare system.
There are also issues like high debt burden from the astronomical cost of medical education and increasing costs of malpractice insurance that contribute to decisions to go into well-paying specialties.
07/29/09
So, you know, honestly, I go to Planned Parenthood for everything.
07/30/09
07/30/09
Please don’t get it twisted. I am very happy to be a Canadian, and our healthcare system – problematic as it may be is just one of plethora of reasons. My point was that universal health care does not automatically insure access to a family doctor.
My Carte D’assurance Maladie does however insure that I can walk into any clinic and receive service according to my assigned number, or into a hospital and be seen according to triage protocols. The one thing that will not factor into my care – at least for now- is my ability to pay.
I am also well aware that Canada does not hold a monopoly on universal healthcare, and that there are other functional systems out there. Nor did I intend to imply the doctor shortage issue was a simple one.
You can now take me off the list of Canadians that annoy you.
07/30/09
07/30/09
I see your point. Fact is no matter how bad it has been here, I as so greatful I do not have to deal with an HMO - a system I am familiar with due to a relative that was a part of setting them up.
07/29/09
All these people ranting and raving against "socialist medicine" need to stop and think. Why is the United States the only G8 country (maybe even G20...not sure) without some kind of national health care system? Quality health care is not a privilege it's a right. Just like elementary school education, police and fireman, etc.
Many people in other countries do opt to buy private insurance but at least people don't go bankrupt because they get sick.
People don't avoid going to the doctor when they are feeling ill because they can't afford it.
Preventative health care is much more cost effective than showing up in the emergency room when it's too late.
Why is the GOP so against any kind of health care reform?
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
I know so many people who think that if they want to look like they're richer, all they have to do is claim to be Republican, and voila. Even though it's pretty obvious that they're just plain ol' middle class, or maybe a liiiiittle wealthier than your average, but still not rolling in dough.
Also, healthcare reform will *gasp* help minorities, who are disproportionately less wealthy than white folks. I honestly think that that's what it comes down to- the white conservatives don't want to give a dime to blacks or Hispanics.
07/29/09
@Skellatrix:
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
NPR has been doing stories where thousands will drive miles to get to state fairgrounds for a chance to see a free doctor. Yet they vote over and over again for Congressmen who blatantly defend Insurance profits or would torpedo reform just to make Obama look bad.
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
Looking from the outside at America, it seems that two-party system makes American politics extremely divisive.
07/29/09
We all like to point and laugh at Sarah Palin, for example - but who is supporting her? Mr & Ms Mcmansion? If you look at where Obama fared worse than Kerry it was Appalacian counties - where the poor, uninsured, unhealthy live.
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
Makes me especially sorry this girl won't have the benefit of seeing the same doctor, who would also be getting to know her and be better able to spot changes that could mean a problem.
So many things wrong with the system in this country. And so many bad reasons not to fix it.
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09
07/29/09