Are you happy with your health insurance and the heatlh care you receive?
By wotfpatty
@wotfpatty (2065)
United States
August 12, 2007 2:30am CST
I ask because I watched Sicko last night, a documentary on the terrible state of health care in America. I do not like Michael Moore but I felt the movie was shocking and eye opening.
I have had many issues with my health insurance. They refused to cover a visit to Baltimore for my very ill son who was having 100's of seizures a day and was considered hopeless. I wanted to try a special diet that sometimes worked for hopeless kids and was denied the $3000 charge but they did agree to institutionalize my then 4 year old. I went on my own and my son stopped having seizures in 18 days and never had another one and has not taken medication. The diet saved his life. He would have been in an institution or brain damaged if it was up to my insurance company.
My mother didn't have good insurance and she got terrible, rotten health care. She would be alive today is she had better doctors. My dad had somewhat better insurance but not good enough as they killed him slowly then totally messed up and he ended up dead because he was not being treated for something that missed.
On the other hand, I have had a number of tests and things and didn't have to pay too much for them. But doctors? Not great around here at all. They admit they don't know what is wrong with my blood but "something is".
Anyway, how do you feel about your health care insurance and providers? Do you feel you are getting the best care and do you trust that you will be taken care of with dignity and respect or do you question if they are shuttling you out before they even know what is wrong with you?
Any storiesor opinions - good or bad - to share?
3 responses
@dannyd (30)
• Canada
13 Aug 07
Health Care is good here in Toronto...Thank god I am hardly sick so I don't have to go to the hospital.
I noticed a lot of Americans are moving to Canada!
Americans Moving to Canada is at a high time high.
Free Health Care, Sick of American Government, Afraid to get Drafted... You decide.
I watched sicko and that is sick. How does America have so much for the so called war on terror and can't even look after it's own people.
1 person likes this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
13 Aug 07
Sicko is sick! But I have heard from Canadians about the long waits and the lack of being able to choose what doctor you want. Is that the case for you?
@belhaven14 (454)
• United States
13 Aug 07
I recently have had a lot of trouble with my coverage with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. I hurt my shoulder playing baseball this summer. Everyone told me there was no way to tell for sure what was wrong with it for without an MRI. The insurance company immediately denied a MRI for me. So i started physical theropy and did that for three weeks. It helped at first, but never got fully better. My doctor told the insurance company that I hadn't got better and I needed an MRI. I was denied again. My doctor had to personally call the company and spend 45 minutes on the phone with their doctor to finally get it approved (luckily my doctor is a friend of the family and cared enough to call). They finally approved it and I got a MRI later that week. Turns out I have had a torn labrum in my shoulder and will need surgery which I will have Tues. Because they wouldn't let me get an MRI the first time it was requested we lost about 6 weeks. The surgeon told me I should be 100% by the end of January or beginning of February, but baseball games start Jan. 28 this year. I'm just hoping this doesn't force me to redshirt or lose any of my scholarship because I couldn't get the MRI. It's been very frustrating dealing with the insurance company, and a long process that could have been simple.
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
13 Aug 07
I am sorry to hear that. I had a similar situation. I hurt my neck and my insurance company wouldn't pay for an MRI so I was sent to PT. That made everything much worse and the pain was terrible. They finally did Xrays and could see bulging discs. Finally, after a long run around, I was able to get an MRI and I have a herniated disc and two bulging ones in my neck and the therapy was making things worse.
And I had to pay $150 copay for the MRI plus all the $20 copays for physical therapy I didn't need. Ugh.
I hope all goes well for you and you heal faster than expected.
@belhaven14 (454)
• United States
13 Aug 07
I hate to hear that. I know what you feel though. We had to pay $60 copay for an x-ray even though we knew the bones were fine because it is "part of the procedure" for getting an MRI approved. That was before the MRI got denied the first time. So frustrating.
@us2owls (1681)
• United States
12 Aug 07
I can't complain too much about my health care in the USA , but then until recently my health has always been pretty good. I spend a lot of time in the UK - now there is a health care system that leaves a lot to be desired. The NHS is nothing but waiting lists. No matter what the problem is - you face a waiting list. After seeing the health care here I think we Americans are very fortunate.
1 person likes this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
12 Aug 07
It is funny because the UK is ranked higher than we are for health care as far as quality yet I know many people who say the same thing you did. I am not sure if socialized medicine is a good thing although we are the only country (civilized) that doesn't have it. I just feel that the rich are well taken care of and the poor get taken care of but people like my 21 year old son who works part time and goes to school have to pay a TON for insurance and then have to pay a lot in copays and other things. Those are the people who are hurting I think.
I guess the answer is....don't get sick. :)
