Comments on: The "Uninsurables"

CBS News Investigates The Tactics Used By Insurance Companies To Deny Health Coverage

[toldyouso21]

Posted by rsh_rsh at 10:49 AM : May 24, 2007


You don't understand--America is very, very capitalistic--to the point of it being a religion. High insurance, high pharmaceutical prices--high hospital bills all mean more money--the government could not care less about the citizens, they are owned by big business and are in it for the profit also. As long as we allow businesses to run and influence government via lobbies, special interests and donations and PACs--we will have our current system and it will get worse and worse and worse. Social systems are for countries that actually put their people not personal profits first--we are not a social minded country and most Americans have been trained to reject any idea of shared cost or taking care of anyone in addition to themselves.

[jjp735i]

The bigger suprise is that this is the same type of story that is reported almost all the time, yet because the story reads a little different each time, people think it's new news.

People have neen complaining for years about not being able to get health care. Why not really start reporting on WHY they can't get help from Congress or the Insurance Companies. That is the real story. We already know we cannot afford private insurance. We already know the Insurance Companies are *** us. We do not need to read the same story day after day just because it holds a different spin on the story line.

Do some real reporting.

[MizQue]

I have to pay my own insurance premiums of a little less than $200 a month for lousy coverage. After a few health problems this year, my premiums will most likely skyrocket to an unaffordable level next year, and I will be left without health care coverage. I have gone without the care of specialist because I am afraid I might lose what little coverage I have. I have a choice - go broke or risk dropping dead. Something is horribly wrong in this country when those are your only alternatives.

The insurance and pharmaceutical industry lobbyists have our elected representatives in their pockets. That's the main reason for this mess. No name brand drugs are covered under my policy, but I can buy name brand drugs or generic equivalents of some drugs that are not available as generics here from Canada for **half** the US price, but the government wants to outlaw this on the ridiculous grounds that imported drugs may not be safe. We are talking about Canada, not a third world country, and name brand drugs come from the same manufacturer as the drugs sold here.

[toldyouso21]

Part 2. Many people do not realize that insurance companies cut deals with hospitals and surgeons that both must agree to uphold--this often includes the minimum amounts they can be charged as well as a ceiling. Hospitals must be assured of making a certain amount of money to accept or get in bed with a certain insurance group. This means they also have to agree that for certain services they will pay NO less than a certain price. It also means they will allow certain "extra or unnecessary tests to be performed for certain conditions. People think hospitals, insurance cos and pharm are there to help humans. They are not--they are ALL businesses, whose main and overriding goal is not life --but profit. To that end, they will diagnose conditions that do not exist, prescribe tests or drugs that they know are not really needed (like the overprescribing of acid reflx meds) and Pharm and Medical device companies reward them (discount on equipment and drugs or fringes for the hospital they associate with) Insurance companies are also in the same loop.

Be an informed consumer--before you say a situation is a lie or even go against it--LEARN about it--Americans are easily manipulated because most don't learn anything--they wait to be fed--so if they are fed bs--then that is all they spout and believe. Ask yourself why Ins companies charge more for an outpatient emerg. room visit in metro areas than they do if you stay overnight.

[toldyouso21]

The real problem with the costs is not the insurance companies tho(well maybe i don't know if the pharmicutical own them to) The problem is the BIG Pharmacutical companies. They charge extremely prices. A government control over them to try to make them non-profit would be awsome. or something i dont know what would work to lower prices.
Posted by itwasntme000 at 10:25 AM : May 24, 2007

I normally do not call names but you are an ignorant person and do not have a clue of what you are talking about--the classic example of --"if it isn't happening directly to you--then it must not be true" Grow up. Of course what is said about the health insurance industry is true and it is unfair.

I happen to be in the unique position of having worked for a few insurance companies (Golden Rule, Conseco, etc) as well as worked for pharm co. The fact is, most of the high cost of drugs or equipment is NOT from the drug co but from the mark ups by the distributor and then the hospitals. A drug company may produce a drug for about 300K for a batch of 100K vials at a wholesale cost of 20.00 but by the time the customer gets it in the hospital that 20.00 batch of 20 pills (at an individual cost of 1.00 a pill will have become 6 to 20.00 PER PILL. Because everyone wants to make a profit. Insurance companies are complicit in this.

[torontorsh]

I live in Canada, and to keep it simple, I suggest that the U.S. needs to stop all this private *** and switch to a purely public owned hospital, government set doctor payments rate chart system. When I had a heart attack, a week later, after my angiogram, I had quintuple by-pass. When my son had osteogenic sarcoma, he was admitted the moment the tumor was discovered, had a biopsy in a week, had the surgery he needed after initial chemotherapy in less than a month, a year's worth of chemo, two subsequent lung resections, and survived. My cost was all lf $56! So the problem is that the American people have NOT demanded that their politicians stop supporting the AMA, the private hospitals, and the private insurance companies, and instead support the PEOPLE, and only the PEOPLE. If the 90% of Americans who are NOT part of the medical system did that, this nonsence would end!

[torontorsh]

I live in Canada, and to keep it simple, I suggest that the U.S. needs to stop all this private *** and switch to a purely public owned hospital, government set doctor payments rate chart system. When I had a heart attack, a week later, after my angiogram, I had quintuple by-pass. When my son had osteogenic sarcoma, he was admitted the moment the tumor was discovered, had a biopsy in a week, had the surgery he needed after initial chemotherapy in less than a month, a year's worth of chemo, two subsequent lung resections, and survived. My cost was all lf $56! So the problem is that the American people have NOT demanded that their politicians stop supporting the AMA, the private hospitals, and the private insurance companies, and instead support the PEOPLE, and only the PEOPLE. If the 90% of Americans who are NOT part of the medical system did that, this nonsence would end!

[arrowcatcher]

I'm self-employed but with the help of my creative insurance agent, I joined a union. I pay the dues and get a great Pacificare plan for just $721/month. Such a deal. It doubled in the last 4 years. Basically same situation as Mr. Svonkin. Just under $9K/year after taxes. Glad I can afford it. With a family, it would be $15K/year.

There's more than "cherry picking". I've gotten annual physicals - a mistake! - and any trivial finding the doctor notes has become a major illness on my record. One example of several is a 1995 creatnine test that went wrong at the lab and became "acute renal disease" forever. He redid the test, and it came back in the normal range as it always was and is, but that doesn't matter. My doctor is outraged and says he'll write letters, but we never bothered. There's clearly both cherry picking and gross exagerration going on in the qualification process.

[jlwesley]

Where do you buy state sponsored for 528, I had to cancel my state high risk when it went to 1138.

[itwasntme000]

I don't consider this the problem. Health insurance really dosen't cost as much as you people make it seem. Plus you know damm well right that most of the people uninsured say they cant afford it yet they blow tons of money in bars drinking, in casinos giving it to the indians, or how about on buying and smoking one pack of cigarettes a day if not more??? How many alacholoics and smokers do we have in this country(or both at the same time)??? yet you feel pity for them because they didn't get their priorities straight??? Or if we were in a universal health care system would it not bother you that the idiots that don't care about their bodies are draining the system??

The real problem with the costs is not the insurance companies tho(well maybe i don't know if the pharmicutical own them to) The problem is the BIG Pharmacutical companies. They charge extremely prices. A government control over them to try to make them non-profit would be awsome. or something i dont know what would work to lower prices.

[nanaboz]

What I want to know is what is this guy Scott whining about?! He can get insurance through the high risk pool and I bet he can afford it! Or why doesn't his wife go get a job with ESI if he wants insurance so bad. Sometimes, you have to play by the rules. I tired of this "ME" society whether people thing everything is owed to them. I know the private market needs a MAJOR overhaul, but at least he (Scott) has options. If he lived in FL he would have none.

[glb1969]

I am so glad I live in MAss. Here we have laws preventing the consideration of any pre-existing condition as grounds for denial, it is also illegal to investigate or share any medical claims information between insurer's, credit history searches are also illegal, and with the new mandatory health care law in place soon no one will be able to be legally denied health insurance. If the country was not ruled by the largest moron in the history of the species, this would be the nationwide rule of law now. So come on down to MASS and enjoy some freedom.

[funkiwiteboy]

Now wite Americans are feeling some of what (US) blacks have been putting up with since before reformation. You ain't quite what we was lookin for... thats what the recruiter said when I answered his questions honestly about my past as I was willing to join the service for the health benifits. Ha!! lucky me. Yea right...
LORD hep me forgive em!!

[omega39-2009]

Its abundantly clear why Bush has been squealing about getting all medical records digitized, the insurance companies can further cherry pick their clients and companies could lower their premiums by screening their potential employee health records.

[wiredwilly]

The President and the Congress are an embarassment. Any Nation that robs the sick and elderly in the name of Corporate profit is not worthy of the respect of its Citizens. Demand " the Deceiver" and Congress have to go without Medical Insurance, lower their pay to $16,000. a year, and see how THEY like it.

[mikeypres]

move to a Foriegn country and come back as an illegal and get your healthcare for free!

[heresmy2cent]

All necessities in America are now a racket. Health care, gasoline, heating, etc. Prices are set with no concern about who can afford them. The gov't doesn't care and the crooks who run things in Washington, DC are in the pockets of big businesses.

America is going to h*e*l*l in a hand basket because of greed, corruption and indifference to others.

We are experiencing the modern day "fall of Rome"--American style.

[uhf62]

In Canada there is government health care run by each of the provinces here and while it is not perfect by any means,rationing ia a big problem,
a serious shortage of doctors is another,
having to wait many long months to have surgery and numerous other things,there is one advantage that I wish my American friends had too,You are never stuck with a huge hospital bill to pay.
I dont pay one cent after a visit to see my family doctor.However you do still need to have private insurance bought at your own expense or through your job,in order to see a dentist or to
visit an eye doctor.The downside of course is that taxes are much much more higer here than in the US,however most people here are willing to pay the extra taxes to have health coverage.

[rj760]

I had a situation similar to this gentlemen.

I have come to the conclusion that there are only two realistic solutions:

1. Take a low-end job for long enough to get health coverage; then quit and go on COBRA for 18 months.

2. Do what I did and join a union, trade group, or organization that offers group insurance. I keep my real estate license current, not to sell property, but to buy group health insurance. I got a high-deductible HMO for $271/month, no questions asked. For a 52-year-old guy in marginal health, this is a steal.

[rj760]

I had a situation similar to this gentlemen.

I have come to the conclusion that there are only two realistic solutions:

1. Take a low-end job for long enough to get health coverage; then quit and go on COBRA for 18 months.

2. Do what I did and join a union, trade group, or organization that offers group insurance. I keep my real estate license current, not to sell property, but to buy group health insurance. I got a high-deductible HMO for $271/month, no questions asked. For a 52-year-old guy in marginal health, this is a steal.