Payment for clinical trials

foxhd said:

Thanks Paula.
I do understand the concept of "routine care" that me and my insurance co. are responsible for. I think that is a major part of their argument. I understand. But they send bills to my insurance. They collect a partial payment or a denial, then bill me for the remainder. Including my "Chemo" which insurance wouldn't pay as it is a non approved FDA drug.
My contract only has that one quote I mentioned re:my responsibility for copayments and all else is it no charge. I guess they left alot out.

Additional costs are my responsibility. I know. For example, it seems that when I was recieving radiation, they didn't properly get my ins. auth. so it was denied and I have recieved a $30,000 bill for that too!....Radiation was not done at Yale. So that is not their responsibility.

Here is another pisser. My insurance company changed some time this spring. This has meant that I had a deductible from my last insurance for 2012. Then another deductible to meet with my new insurance. That was a quick $5G down the drain. Oh well. At least my Harley is paid for. And I know how to camp with it. So by summer you can reach me at Pine Hollow campground after I sell my house.

And I like your new picture. I will work on getting a new one up also. Gotta figure it out. Don't even know how I put mine up the first time.

garym said:

Don't know...
if you meant to be funny, but I am LMAO!!

foxhd said:

Something needs to be done
I have neighbors who were given a golden handshake when a local division of General Motors moved. They put in 20 years of employment and have not had to work since the early 80's. Full benefits. Both have 3 vehicles, including corvette, $50k pickup, and 2 cadillacs. They have cost of living adjustments that keep them ahead of us in income. AND full medical for them and families.
In our case my wife is paying a $1,000/month for our health insurance on top of our current medical bills. That's insane. And we work in health care. But those on welfare not only get housing, food, cellphones, cable tv, and all health care services for free,they get free taxi service to appts. How does anything in health care make sense?
My brother in law retired from the state after 20 years service at 47 years old. Full benefits and health care at no cost. He is now 75 years old. They paid for my sisters dialysis for years. So every working person is already being unfairly taxed so that others can get a free ride. Somehow there needs to be a balance.

And how does one justify CEO's making 100x the hourly wage of front line workers? Especially Insurance CEO's bringing down millions a year yet deneying basic coverage for it's members?

Texas_wedge said:

Health care
Thanks for the responses guys. It seems clear that the ideals of equal access are being thwarted by disastrous implementation of welfare policy and the "something needs to be done" rings out from all but the freeloaders.

I don't have the temerity to offer opinion on American politics - I just hope matters move in the right direction. I guess the lament about public sector employees being feather-bedded is common to many different societies.

garym said:

Another great quote...
"Anyone who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the Government
take care of them; better take a closer look at the American Indian."

Henry Ford I

Wolflvr said:

With/Without Health Care
I agree that people who don't have health care are treated differently/poorly compared to people with. I also believe that much of the time people with Medicaid are treated VERY badly. It seems that if you get medical assistance you are looked at as someone who is getting a "free ride". While I do completely understand that this is very often true (and am just as frustrated by it as the next person) it makes me crazy when I or my family are treated that way. Here's why....

My husband works like 3 whipped dogs and always has. The man never sits down and has busted his behind for the same company for the last 12 years. They do not offer insurance. Up until 2007 (when I was diagnosed with epilepsy) I worked at least 2 and sometimes 3 jobs. I provided our health insurance through my main job as I was the main breadwinner at the time. He works construction, I have management experience and also veterinary technician training and dog training so was able to get higher paying jobs that offered insurance. When I got sick that went down the drain. I lost my jobs, my insurance, everything. We had to sign up for medicaid and for a short time welfare. We were desperate and drowning. BEFORE I got my disability we had reined in our bills and learned to manage on his income so we dropped the food stamps and other benefits and kept only the insurance - despite the social workers constantly telling us we qualified for more. He looked for other jobs, but the market is hard and at least he has a job. I got disability and Medicare, but my kids still needed insurance and so did he (though he constantly tells me he doesn't - that's what duct tape and super glue are for!).

We are still well below poverty level, quite frankly, despite owning a home I adore and having food on the table. We still qualify for all of those extra services but we don't take them because we take only what we really need. I AM looked at differently quite often right after I hand them the second insurance card. The one that pics up what medicare misses. The one that labels me as lazy. The one that says that person is paying for not only my healthcare, but also my food, my clothes, my rent, my electric, my cellphone. No they're not. We pay taxes. He works damned hard and so did I. I'd bet I worked harder between the ages of 13 and 27 than a lot of people did during their whole careers.

Anyway, yes, there needs to be reform, there needs to be change, there needs to be many many things. But a little less judgement sometimes would be a good start IMO.