Re: Insurance Is Not Free


"Will, T2" <wmmckee@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ch6893l0engptvojcsos77a4043i8vjjav@xxxxxxxxxx
Hello friends,

I have just been watching Wolf Blitzer (of CNN) and Michael Moore this
evening, and listening to some of the comments of viewers in the
public.

One thought that flashed very powerfully in my mind a moment ago was
that *insurance is not free*... for most of us here in the U.S. It
costs a huge amount, money that most folks just never see... Also, it
can be argued that in socialized systems like those in France,
Britain, and Canada.... it is not free either. There are costs and
someone has to pay.... there, the taxpayers via the government; here,
the people who are lucky enough to be able to afford it, either
individually, or through their employers.

As the owner of what amounts to a small business, my own law firm, I
have to pay huge amounts every month to insurance companies to cover
the cost of insurance for my employees and their families. What is
created, I submit, is an illusion.... The employees who get the
"benefit package" come to think of it as a "perk" of their jobs, when
it really is a huge bite on "old Will"... and an added expense that
holds their disposable income down.

The illusion is dangerous, friends... people need to be made aware,
however they vote, and whatever their politics. As Ted will affirm, I
am sure, Western economies are riddled with "hidden costs" that belie
popular wisdom, in a way that is often exploited by the politicians.

The recurring question is, "Who will pay?"

Followed by, "I am sick, and cannot work. What about me?"

I have known diabetics who went blind and died, for lack of ability to
pay... because they could not work, because they could not walk, and
then, they could not see...

Did you know that Social Security Supplemental Income and Disablitiy
Income is just spit in the bucket, compared to the needs of the people
I am talking about? By the time we get throught the appeals process,
for many of them it is 2 years, or more, before they get their first
relief, from the time they first apply....

It can happen to any of us, my friends, except those born to wealth
and privilege....

Will, T2

There is a huge burden being carried right now by
the working middle class of America .... those that
work hard but feel that they can not afford healthcare.

Let me give one example. A couple of years ago, my
oldest son, 22 at the time, broke his ankle on Christmas
Eve. He was without insurance then, though he is now
in school and a dependent on my policy. We went
to the emergency room on Christmas Day. I know
that a large percentage of the people in the ER waiting
room were never going to pay a dime for their care.
ERs must treat folks regardless of ability to pay so
those that never pay a cent for their care know that
if they get a sore throat, go to the ER. Another subject
for another day, but in this particular ER many of these people
getting "free" health care were NOT EVEN US CITIZENS.
Trust me, that is a fact.

Anyways, my son got an exam and an xray. The xray
did not show a break so he did not get a splint or a
cast. The bill for the exam w/ x ray? A little over $1000.
Why was this ? I'll tell you why. Because the hospital
must pay their bills. If everyone walked in and paid cash
for services, I'm guessing the bill for this sort of thing
would be $250 to $300. But, between the folks getting
"free" healthcare and the contracts with insurance companies
that beat the bills down to "contract price," the shortfall is
made up by the working folks that need care and will
actually pay for it.

An extreme example of these "contract rates." I get the bill
from my the lab that does analyzes my blood work for
lipids, a1c, etc .... the bill reads $ 185. By the time the
insurance adjusts it to the "contract price" it is $23. How
does this lab stay in business ? By getting $ 185 for this
same blood work from the working schmuck that actually
pays his bills.

Now don't get me wrong, my insurance company did not
pay a cent to the lab, they just "adjusted" the bill down
per the contract with the lab.

To actually get my insurance company to pay a cent,
I need to reach a deductible of $ 5,000 and they will
start paying. That's right, for a premium of $640 per
month, I get 0 financial benefit until I spend over
$5,000 in the calendar year. The only benefit I get
until that point is the insurance company hammering
the health care provider down to "contract price."

I voted for Bill Clinton the first time because his
wife pledged that she would institute a national
healthcare plan. Still waiting for you to come through
on that promise, Hillary.

A National Health Care Plan that will work is one
that health care providers make a good living but
the lying dogs that are insurance companies get cut
out of the picture. Anyone that has ever tried to
get a health insurance company to pay a claim knows
what I mean. The bigger the claim, the more they lie
to you AND the provider. The poor working schmuck
that works for the insurance company and his only doing
his job as directed has the skills to be employed by the
new National Health Care Plan. The lying pricks running
the show will be out of luck. Too f****** bad.

In America, the best health plan is still "Don't Get Sick."



cheers ;-)

Paul


.

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