how is this better than single payer, or even different [View All]

[barbtries]

other than the profit aspect?

my son has an apparent pinched nerve in his back which is causing him constant pain. the doctor recommends an MRI. i'm scared shitless of how much this will cost me since my Aetna "gold" HMO has already resulted in surprise charges following my colonoscopy and IVP procedures (even though in the latter case, i was very careful to explain to the Dr's office that i needed to know my bottom line before anything was done).

so i called Aetna this morning to get the bad news ahead of time. if it's too much money we'll do cortisone shots first, or acupuncture. but given the amount of pain he is in, how long he's been symptomatic, and his tender age (he's only 17), i would like for his doctor to be able to see what's happening in his back. as would his doctor.

so aetna tells me that authorization must come from their "third party Administrator" MedSolutions. Apparently what must happen is my doctor's office calls these MedSolution people who request and review the "clinicals" and then render their decision on whether an MRI is indicated. According to my dr's office it's 50/50 whether they'll approve it. i am then told that if it is approved it will cost only my copay of $30.00. I record the Call ID so that when they hit me up for more than $30 later they can hear for themselves this rep of their company telling me repeatedly that i will only have to pay $30 as long as the doctor's office contacts the proper "third party Administrator" and procures authorization through them.

i want to know: how does this rigmarole constitute making a decision "between the patient and his doctor"?! it's BULLSHIT! private insurance companies, ever mindful of the business they are in (read: it is NOT patient care, it IS profits for the shareholders), have created a bureaucratic nightmare for hapless consumers to try to pick their way through even a minor illness or injury. i dread ever having to maneuver this maze in the event of a major life threatening illness.

the government could not possibly do worse than this, probably would do much much better, and without a doubt when the profit aspect is removed from the equation, more people will be covered for less money.

SINGLE PAYER Health Care for Everyone. NOW.