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Post subject: Venting...............
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:51 am
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I just need to vent a little.

I am absolutely disgusted. I just had to put my Gibson CS-336 up for sale to pay medical bills that my insurance would not cover.

Why even have insurance if it won't pay the entire bill?

I sure hope that the U.S. does something about the lousy Medical Coverage for it's citizens.
The U.S. spends millions/billions of dollars helping other countries and can not even take care of it's own.

Time to wake up U.S.!

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:38 am
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Sorry to hear that, Chet. Even here,with our "socialized" medical, we end up having to pay for a lot of stuff. You can get a ct scan in 6 months, or you can pay and get one next week. Our government complains about how expensive the medical plan is, but I say that, and education, are exactly what we want them to spend our taxes on.( Not their own stinking retirement plans.)

The two important things:

You lost your guitar.....BUMMER!
You gained your good health......YAY!

Venting is good. Take care.

Gridlok 8)


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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:41 am
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I agree completely. I've been in the US for 15 years, came from Europe. And although I could get coverage for relatively cheap from my job I dont because it either doesnt cover anything or the deductible is so high that I mind as well pay for doctor visits myself. I'd have to have some kind of chronic disease for it to pay for itself.


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Post subject: Re: Venting...............
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:49 am
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CAFeathers wrote:
I just need to vent a little.

I am absolutely disgusted. I just had to put my Gibson CS-336 up for sale to pay medical bills that my insurance would not cover.

Why even have insurance if it won't pay the entire bill?

I sure hope that the U.S. does something about the lousy Medical Coverage for it's citizens.
The U.S. spends millions/billions of dollars helping other countries and can not even take care of it's own.

Time to wake up U.S.!


I must totally agree with you. Years ago, the outfit I work for had the best of everything for medical benefits. Deliberately, they have spiraled them down to where they are tantamount to a freakin' coupon. Oh, yea, and over the last few years, we had to start paying a hefty weekly charge to have them and this charge for less and less goes up more and more (apprx. 30%) each year. Further, not many places will even take this fecal plan. To add insult to injury, and get a load of this, the plan does not cover any anesthesia at all as they claim it is an unnecessary luxury! Isn't life grand?

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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:54 am
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Seems no one cares about us middle class people... We're too expandable, if we get too sick someone healthy will replace us.


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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:09 am
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atolleter wrote:
Seems no one cares about us middle class people... We're too expandable, if we get too sick someone healthy will replace us.


There is no more more "Middle Class". Rather, we are now, "The Those Desperately Struggling to Stay Above the Poverty Level Class".

I never talk politics but I will say this, if the new regime doesn't do something fast, "The Those Desperately Struggling to Stay Above the Poverty Level Class" will slip into extinction and be largely on the dole too. Then, the government will have to take care of the majority of us rather than us breaking our backs to subsidize their lifestyles.

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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:12 am
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It's like zzdoc told me, we have a health plan rather than health insurance these days and it's all what your provider negotiates with the caregivers, etc.


Between my hospital, presciptions and chemo bills for this year :

My Deductable & CoPays - $4,580. (no max out-of-pocket).

Health Plan - $67,389.


I'm glad that I've got some kind of health plan. You never know what is going to happen in this game of life!

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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:17 am
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Sorry to hear theat Chet. I have to concider myself lucky the Wife and we pay about 280.00 a month and the University she's with pays the rest. Doc visits are only 15. and scripts between 10 to 30 for 90day. We do pay 10% of hospital cost for the first 2g's and nothing after that and 50. on Emer. visits so its still not bad. I recently talked with a Friend and got my Son interviewed where he was able to get a job in the Fed. Banking System and his Ins. is as good as ours but he pays zero. He was just told his copays are going up to 20 and that will be the only change for them for the year. :shock:

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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:35 am
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Sorry to hear that Chet. I understand your anger. I just finished a 20+ page paper on the problems of our current modern health care system. If theirs anything I or we can do let us know. Your among friends.

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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:46 am
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Okay, but let's finger the REAL problem here ... TRIAL ATTORNEYS

Your healthcare is ridiculously high -- for the most part -- because of the malpractice insurance that doctors must have in order to practice. This is why this country desperately needs torte reform. Every time this comes up, we get sold that "it is just the fat cats who don't wanna back their responsibilities". However, it always turns out that these "fat cat" messages are paid by trial-attorney lobbies, which are very powerful.

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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:55 am
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cu_jarrett wrote:
Sorry to hear that Chet. I understand your anger. I just finished a 20+ page paper on the problems of our current modern health care system. If theirs anything I or we can do let us know. Your among friends.


Thanks I appreciate the offer for help. That is not why I posted. I just wanted to vent on the state of the American Health Care System.

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:04 pm
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Miami Mike wrote:
It's like zzdoc told me, we have a health plan rather than health insurance these days and it's all what your provider negotiates with the caregivers, etc.


Between my hospital, presciptions and chemo bills for this year :

My Deductable & CoPays - $4,580. (no max out-of-pocket).

Health Plan - $67,389.


I'm glad that I've got some kind of health plan. You never know what is going to happen in this game of life!


Granted, but when a company one works for (like mine) is thriving (rare but true), it's just not right. See, the way I figure it, when I was hired, I was enticed to sign on with a given a package of benefits or a verbal contract, so to speak. For those like my goodly self who have invested many years with them and little by little, have been victimized by what they've stripped away, it really doesn't seem fair that we have to uphold our standards and work ethics where they do not have to.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:13 pm
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I am a healthcare provider. There are many reasons why the cost of healthcare is so high. Malpractice does not help. Every years my rates for liability insurance go up. But my reimbursment rates from insurance companies (Blue Cross, etc) have gone down. The price of my own health care, rent, and overhead have all gone up significantly. Make no bones about it, insurance companies exist to make a profit. They are mostly public traded companies that answer to shareholders. I have to work harder and harder to make less money these days.

On the other hand, universal or socialized medicine will not work well. Just trying to get money from medicare is a nightmare. I often lose money in administrative fees (paying someone to get payment costs more than the payment is worth). Socialized medicine will furthure decrease my income and you would have to really get rid of legal suits. That would be a big fight and you would have to change some major laws.

Truth be told, soon I am not going to take insurance. It is sad, but neccessary fo me to do what I was trained to do in a way that provides the best care. I dont want to give "ok" care to a ton of people. I would rather give great care to a smaller amount of folks. If that does not work, I am a smart enough guy to be successful in something else. A lot of health care folks feel that way. At that point you would have a huge demand for services and less people to provide.

There is no good answer.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:18 pm
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01GT eibach wrote:
Okay, but let's finger the REAL problem here ... TRIAL ATTORNEYS

Your healthcare is ridiculously high -- for the most part -- because of the malpractice insurance that doctors must have in order to practice. This is why this country desperately needs torte reform. Every time this comes up, we get sold that "it is just the fat cats who don't wanna back their responsibilities". However, it always turns out that these "fat cat" messages are paid by trial-attorney lobbies, which are very powerful.

You got that right just like car ins. is so high because of lawsuits. And who no's how much of the cost of presciptions would be if companies did'nt have to worry about class action agaist them 10 years down the road. I guess thats what you get when you keep electing lawyers to represent us. Or so they say. Come on what did they do before elected and what will they do after they leave office. You think they reaily represent the average guy and gal in between. Put a lawyer in office he's still a lawyer who can speak to the people in the box and sway them to beleive what he wants.

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Last edited by cvilleira on Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:22 pm
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Those of you who bash the company you work for about adequate benefits, consider this.

1. The company does NOT exist to give you a job.
2. The company is in business to make a profit.
3. The company doesn't have to give you any health benefits at all.


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