A New Heart, Tangled in Red Tape

I have yet to hear it straight from a Canadian or Australian that their system is bad. I've talked to several, and they all think we're completely crazy for being 'happy' with a system that denies care to those who can't pay for it up front......

Unfortunately, the only people who will be impacted by this story are the people who already understand that we need reform in our health insurance and health delivery system. Those opposed to reform will read this story (maybe they will read it) and comment that this poor man should have been purchasing his private insurance BEFORE he had the pre-existing condition...in their minds the victim is actually responsible for the inadequacies of the system!?!? They have no compassion for the fact that insurance under those circumstances is NOT affordable for MORE and MORE americans.

How can our fellow americans be so, so, so....stubbornly uncaring about this topic? Wait, I know, they are afraid...because they are listening to people who are paid to make them afraid. So sad...

And for most of this mess we're in healthcare-wise, thank your insurance companies and the government that has allowed them to rule supreme and nearly unchecked since their creation.

Given the other nations I've lived in, visited, and worked in, I'll still take my chances here over anywhere else.


Regarding this gentleman's insurance: even if he HAD been paying for private coverage, odds are that given the type of coverage he could have afforded, they would have dropped him once he was diagnosed.

Group polices as offered by an employer are compelled and required by Federal law to cover any pre-existing conditions - even if they give you a stupid waiting period (which is a BS admin move and nothing more), they HAVE to cover you.

Or not covered it b/c of the expense, or only covered part of it (still leaving the issue of a large deposit for the hospital)- most private insurance plans have fairly low lifetime coverage ceilings.

I am in a very lucky position to have amazing and free health care coverage through my husband's employer. I haven't had co-pays this low since my parents were still taking care of all that for me. We do need a PCP and referrals (like most other plans I've been on), but I just paid $12 for 3 prescriptions that cost me around $200 out of pocket. I place all of the credit for this on the employer, who uses the benefits as a (pretty smart) way to increase employee tenure, not on the insurance company.

I *love* this insurance coverage. And I would happily trade it for a public option that would leave *no one* uncovered and without access to the care they need. That would allow for routine, preventative care, prescription coverage, major procedures like the heart transplant this man needed. That would raise the bar for private insurance companies in order for them to stay competitive.

What is especially tragic for me about this story is that they finally succeeded- they gained celebrity attention, the raised the money, they found a hospital that would do the surgery, they finally got him on disability...but it was all too late.

My heart goes out to the family, you will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Is it then; that we need is HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM?
I dont feel that it is fair, that if someone dosent want health insurance- for whatever reason they may have... that they will have to pay a 2.5% tax on their gross income. After ALL, isn't that their choice?
The proposed bill HR3200, states nothing in regards to setting a limit to the insurance companies bonuses.

They say "Socialized health care rations treatment." In America it is rationed too. Those who have good insurance or lots of money get unlimited care. Those with poor insurance get some care. Those without money get almost none.

They say, "Socialized medicine causes long waits for care." The last time I needed to see a doctor, I had to wait two months for an appointment. A specialist may take a longer wait. Some inner city ER rooms, I have heard the wait can be all day or even a couple days.

They say, "America has the best healthcare in teh world." Midwives deliver 60-80% of babies in Europe and Japan at a cost of about 1/3 of what we pay. America has the highest mortality and morbidity rates for both moms and babies of any of these countries.

I have a friend in his 40's who paints houses for a living. No insurance. He hurt his arm. It can be fixed with an operation. He can't pay. He can go to ER without paying and get some pain meds, but no operation. He now paints houses with only one hand. HIs income is less than half of what it used to be.

"We have the best healthcare in teh world." Yes, we do. For some of us.

Young healthy people have accidents too. They break their bones, they fall off ladders and suffer traumas. They do contract diseases. Then who pays? A broken ankle, maybe someone can cover those expenses, as long as no complications arise. Say, a dvt that becomes a PE that puts someone in ICU for a couple of weeks. They going to have that kind of cash lying around? Then they go into debt to the hospital -if- they actually pay it off.

Almost every state in the country requires car insurance in order to drive. Why not health insurance?

And, I happen to have really good healthcare insurance. But it's nowhere near unlimited.