Death over 2 cents; luckily, government insurance steps in

#1
lawgator1

lawgator1

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#1
Guy has insurance policy, has blood cancer. Is preparing for bone biopsy to set up transplant procedure.

Problem: His wife in paying policy online paid $328.67 instead of $328.69. So they cancelled his policy.

Luckily for him, there is a state blood cancer program and also some VA insurance he can qualify for.

Government health insurance option.
 
#3
#3
under a single payer system, Flanagan would have been subjected to a life analysis and had it been determined that his quality of life plus potential years left to live do not meet with certain criteria, he wouldn't have received any treatment whatsoever.

when an insurance company rations, there is an appeal process and public outcry as in this case. When the government rations, who do you complain to?
 
#4
#4
MG1968 said:
under a single payer system, Flanagan would have been subjected to a life analysis and had it been determined that his quality of life plus potential years left to live do not meet with certain criteria, he wouldn't have received any treatment whatsoever.

when an insurance company rations, there is an appeal process and public outcry as in this case. When the government rations, who do you complain to?
Click to expand...

Ah, so insurance companies DO ration! :pepper: This is the seat of the real death councils. After all, insurers don't like covering you - for the very illnesses you have!

Amazing, since you are also paying a lot more with the insurers. In the government case - you appeal at the ballot box or you could walk like the Egyptians and throw the bum out.

However, I know I've seen BBC news on several appeal processes on the NHS - usually regarding experimental cancer treatments. I don't have the appeal numbers though, however. At least in the UK, there is an appeal process and public outcry much like you describe as happens with the insurance policy.

And you're still paying less for better care!
 
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#5
#5
the government denies more claims than all the insurance companies combine. I see it everyday. UTgibbs, you are clueless.
 
#7
#7
Sounds like he got help, wouldn't be the case if he had government run healthcare. High risk means sorry bud..... next!
 
#8
#8
Cartervol said:
Sounds like he got help, wouldn't be the case if he had government run healthcare. High risk means sorry bud..... next!
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Proof you didn't read the article. Time to get grounded in the real world outside the back door.

In a government run health system he would have gotten his treatment without his wife having to yell "Stop!" while he was on the operating table.

Where is this notion of "high risk" coming from?
 
#9
#9
billing is probably automated so it's hard to blame the company for a mistake the person made. Could have been handled better by the people they contacted but it worked out. Not sure what the uproar is all about
 
#12
#12
My point was that people who think that there is a true marriage between profitability in administration and the delivery of health care -- when you are the person that needs the care -- need to wake up and smell the coffee.

The system is built to exact a profit from policy holders. It originally existed to spread risk, so that each could contribute a tiny amount (relative to the cost of care) and then draw down on it when needed. But you now have to ask yourself whether the greed of the administrators is both a) worth the cost to us and b) interfering with the drawing down part.

You know. The most important part.
 
#13
#13
another gibbs level post. ya think if healthcare could be provided cheaper and still be making a profit that maybe some competitors would come in and do that? have you seen the margins of the healthcare companies? let's jsut say they aren't at apple levels.
 
#14
#14
Mistakes happen. If you think this is bad wait until the process is regulated and managed by the government.

And funnt how folks are quoting a cheaper cost under the gov't system when the system "experts" themselves don't have the whole picture.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#16
#16
hohenfelsvol said:
Mistakes happen. If you think this is bad wait until the process is regulated and managed by the government.

And funnt how folks are quoting a cheaper cost under the gov't system when the system "experts" themselves don't have the whole picture.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Do you really want to go here, hohen? We've had the whole picture for a long time along with the data from the real world.

We also have plenty of expert testimony.
 
#17
#17
utgibbs said:
High praise indeed! :hi:
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only you would be happy being likened to a gator fan, then again, college football is socialist, so everybody is equal, so being a fan is a construct of the bourgeoisie and, thus, not something that should be encouraged in the real world.
 
#18
#18
lawgator1 said:
My point was that people who think that there is a true marriage between profitability in administration and the delivery of health care -- when you are the person that needs the care -- need to wake up and smell the coffee.

The system is built to exact a profit from policy holders. It originally existed to spread risk, so that each could contribute a tiny amount (relative to the cost of care) and then draw down on it when needed. But you now have to ask yourself whether the greed of the administrators is both a) worth the cost to us and b) interfering with the drawing down part.

You know. The most important part.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Health care is not "widgets." There is no incentive for efficiency in a private system (and no incentive to cover "pre-existing conditions" either).
Bottom line is: public health care delivers better care for less money. The US health system is a classic "market failure." It's a no brainer.
 
#19
#19
droski said:
another gibbs level post. ya think if healthcare could be provided cheaper and still be making a profit that maybe some competitors would come in and do that? have you seen the margins of the healthcare companies? let's jsut say they aren't at apple levels.
Click to expand...


Wut?

Health Insurers Post Record Profits - ABC News



hohenfelsvol said:
Mistakes happen. If you think this is bad wait until the process is regulated and managed by the government.

And funnt how folks are quoting a cheaper cost under the gov't system when the system "experts" themselves don't have the whole picture.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...


It wasn't a mistake by the insurer. It was a typing mistake by the wife. She of course tried to correct her 2 cent error but the insurance company, aware of the cost that was coming, used it to cancel his coverage.

I'm not saying that all insurers would. But it does remind us that there is a tension between the ACTUAL goal of an insurance administrator (to make money) and the reason we pay into it (to have them spend money when we need it).
 
#20
#20
MG1968 said:
only you would be happy being likened to a gator fan, then again, college football is socialist, so everybody is equal, so being a fan is a construct of the bourgeoisie and, thus, not something that should be encouraged in the real world.
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1. It was high praise for LG, MG!

2. College football is socialist, but love it anyway.

3. "A construct of the bourgeoisie"? Are you kidding or were you just showing off you could spell bourgeoisie correctly? Are you a secret francophile?
 
#21
#21
right.

when you and LG get a room, please make sure there aren't any cameras present.
 
#23
#23
lawgator1 said:
It wasn't a mistake by the insurer. It was a typing mistake by the wife. She of course tried to correct her 2 cent error but the insurance company, aware of the cost that was coming, used it to cancel his coverage.
Click to expand...

from the article

Ceridian chief executive Stuart Harvey reiterated in a statement Friday that his company only follows the rules set by others and does not have any financial incentive to avoid steep bills like Flanagan's
Click to expand...

could you tell us where you get your info?
 
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