Even those with health insurance are going broke

[SHRED]

When is Obama and Congress going to protect us from private health corporations?
What is stopping them?


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Even those with health insurance are going broke
By Kyung M. Song

Seattle Times health reporter

When Mark Moody and Glenda Krull could no longer afford both health insurance and mortgage payments, the Edmonds couple knew which had to go.

They sold their house.

Moody, 60, had a liver transplant four years ago and may need another. He alone pays $1,345 a month for the most generous policy he can buy from Premera Blue Cross.

And he's desperate to hang on to it — even though the costly premiums drove his wife to downgrade her own coverage, decimated their retirement savings and, just this month, forced them out of their well-appointed home into a newly purchased house half its size.

For Americans with serious illnesses, even good insurance is no guarantee they won't go broke and they will get all the medical care they need.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2009393598_insuredandbroke28m.html


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[Kittycat]

1. They're lucky they could sell their home.

With 30% down, I doubt we'd still be able to clear anything once the realtor's got their share. A $418K home recently sold here for $285 (3 years old, new construction).

[annabanana]

2. There are so so many stories like this.

The only people who REALLY like thier health plans are those who haven't had much need to use them. They are good for a quick recovery from an accident (one with no lingering effects). They are good for routine tests..

They are NOT good for chronic conditions, or anything unusual or hard to diagnose.

[customerserviceguy]

7. That's usually the case with auto insurance companies, too

People don't really get pissed off until it comes time to file a claim. As long as most people stay out of accidents, and the auto insurance company keeps exchanging a little piece of paper to show to the cops for a series of checks, nobody really knows how screwed up the whole insurance industry is.

[NYC_SKP]

3. They won't be happy until we're all penniless.

It's unbelievable, and it really has all gone crazy in the short span of 10 years.

:shrug:

[hedgehog]

4. So, I've gotten the college kids to finally get their teeth cleaned

and the dentist found a couple cavities, plus I have a medication the insurance company won't approve, so my out of pocket has been around $1000 the last few weeks, and I have good insurance!

[SHRED]

5. I hear ya...

...my dental coverage sucks.

[truedelphi]

6. What's Obama got to do with change - real true Corporate ass kicking change.

Do you think that THEY would have let him near the Oval Office if he wasn't making a deal with them thar Powers that Be?

[Coyote_Bandit]

8. They

sold out and were bought off.

Corporate citizens are more important than flesh and blood citizens. So is the desire for position and the personal power and prosperity it brings. That should be apparent by now.

Healthcare is my personal line in the sand. It would appear that there are a whole hell of a lot of office holders I will not be voting to retain in office when they come up for re-election. If they do not serve to advance or protect my needs and interests then I will not vote for them - regardless of party affiliation. Time for the asshats to put up or go the fuck away.

[annabanana]

9. kickers. . n/t