Sea Sothebys

I was talking to a good friend of mine today: we both feel like canceling our health insurance. I wonder, is everyone this unsatisfied with their health insurance? I spent one night at Sacred Heart due to an irregular heartbeat (every other beat irregular). That one night: $18,000: then the insurance company sends me the remaining balance of 15,000. I didn't have surgery, just tests...
It is obviously not only the insurance company in the wrong, but also the cost of medical attention. Does anyone see a light switch, as I am in the dark? I have no hope that this system is working, so why keep my policy?

TreeFrog

Absolutely, totally unsatisfied.

I've got a high-deductible policy for my HSA. It's so expensive I can't even imagine what a "normal" deductible would cost. But I can't remotely imagine self-insuring, with $100K plus on the line for a good car wreck or a heart attack or long-term cancer treatment.

rapunzel

You have an excellent point...I felt the same way about homeowners' insurance after Katrina.

It sounds like your insurance company only allowed $3000(plus a deductible, perhaps?) for the ICD9 code the hospital billed. Were you in for <23 hours?

There should be a remarks code on your Explanation of Benefits. I'm assuming it's an EOB your received, since you say the insurance comany sent you the remaining balance. It could be that the $3000-4000 is the contracted rate. $3000 is actually the normal rate for the sort of observation admission you describe. Please understand that the charges and the costs for a hospital visit are very different things because of laws regarding how Medicare is billed that are extremely outdated.

If you want to share the code (out of network hospital? admission not authorized?), I'll be glad to help you resolve the issue.

SWGB

My company rolled out our new insurance policy with a $2000.00 deductible. They acted as if this was some sort of amazing deal. My cost went up, my coverage went down, should I just live in bad debt with the hospital?

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Bob

CIGNA is a four letter word in my house, but I've got high miles and need coverage. If I were young, unattached, with few assets, I would gamble. It's ironic that convicts get basic healthcare for free, but regular folks are ruined by one touch of the system sometimes.

SWGB

Yep and Hillary's a nut job what are you gonna do?

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raven

we know what you mean. we keep it "just in case" we have a huge medical issue. but in recent years realize that with most things, we end up paying most of it ourselves anyway and could be using our premiums to cover those bills. it's tough to tell. but having lived in a socialized medical system. i wouldn't go back to that either. i have no desire to be put on a 3 year waiting list for a basic procedure ever again!

seacrestkristi

Health insurance companies dicriminate against people with most any condition other than excellent health. Then they will gladly take your money. I know from first hand experience nurses are tired of working with skeketon staffs because hopitals aren't being reimbursed by health insurance companies to hire enough nurses full-time and retain the ones with experience. I also know the American Nurse's Association officially endorses Hillary Clinton for President. Most nurses are really ambitious, smart and caring people people.