Why do you have 2 insurances and a co-pay???
Or in some cases, a deductible on the second insurance? One of the biggest scams in the medical insurance industry, is that some people have 2 insurances, and co pays, and deductibles. Does that make any sense at all? The reason we thought we needed a “supplement” was because it would take care of that. We are constantly nickeled and dimed by the industry. I think most of us just take it for granted, “that’s just the way it is.” I’m stuck in the same situation.
Medicare covers 80%. The 20% they don’t cover can be quite a bill. So I understand why sometimes we need to buy a supplement. However, the co pay on a supplement is a ridiculous notion. Of course, If congress were to outlaw that, they would just get it back somewhere else. The insurance industry is not going to take a loss laying down.
That’s mostly a Medicare issue. The next issue is mostly in reference to younger people with insurance.
One of the original arguments for the “Affordable” Care Act was that we are stuck at certain jobs, and can’t leave due to health insurance. That situation has not improved, if anything, it has become worse. Since my health premiums tripled since the ACA, leaving a job is much harder. Naive me. Maybe that was the point.
Certain private health insurance companies are worth between $50-450 billion (Look it up). The entire health expenditure of the US is $4 trillion per year. Those astronomical profits are made by nickel and diming policy holders. With those profits, we could at least insist they honor their obligations.
Ironically, we are also dependent on those profits. What percentage of the retirement funds are thriving due to these stocks? The companies that are screwing us over the hardest, are a very large percentage that drives the stock market.
My father does have a good point, when he says that technology and medicine costs much more that it used to. That might be one reason. But that doesn't explain their astronomical profits.
So how do we “fix” this problem? Seems insurmountable. Politicians on both sides receive donations from this industry. For all their posturing, they are unlikely to succumb to “Force The Vote” (sorry again, Jimmy Dore).
There was a fascinating documentary of alcohol prohibition by Ken Burns. At one point in US history, alcohol sales made up 60% of the federal tax budget. That amount of influence on policy was impossible to change. The teetotalers figured this out, and changed federal law to deny those funds into the tax base, thus changing influence. (Not saying they were right about prohibition).
Is that influence likely to change? I’m being naive again.
What if the people who could afford it, bought less insurance? I don’t buy a “Gold” plan, partially because I can’t afford it. But if there was a collective thought to buy less insurance, there would be less power exerted on our lives and wallet.
Ideally we would stop investing in these stocks. When I owned a therapy clinic, I actually invested in one of the companies that was screwing me over. I figured I was hedging my losses. They’re not paying me, but I know their stock is increasing, so I am at least making something back.
I know I am too idealistic, and naive. But that hypocrisy grated away at my conscience. I sold after a month. Why am I supporting this corruption?
When a private health insurance is in charge of your Medicare account, that is surely to be nefarious. Ironically it’s called “Advantage Plans." I guarantee they are not to your advantage. The private insurers will screw you for profit, public will screw you out of incompetence. However, in my experience, Medicare has been honoring patient’s care. My dealings with them as a provider were less than stellar.
It’s a difficult choice.
Try this rant also,
