Are you insured?

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

You couldn't be in this country and miss all the arguing over health care reform. Health insurance for me is one of my biggest expenses each month. My experience with health insurance companies has mostly been good, although I think they charge too much for what I receive. I did have an experience way back when an insurance company refused to cover a surgical and hospital stay for me because they said it was based on a pre-existing condition. It wasn't according to the definition in their policy, but still, it cost me $10,000.



















Also, I don't like that you can pay in regularly to your insurance company and do everything right and they can walk away and refuse to cover a legitimate medical expense. All those receipts you sign with your doctors specifically state that they will seek reimbursement from your insurance company first, but if they don't pay, you are unltimately responsible. That doesn't seem fair. Your only option is to sue your insurance company to make them honor your contract with them. That will take years and thousands of dollars making it a cost prohibitive option. I do think we need healthcare reform and we need to even the playing field between insurance companies and the insured through laws or regulations. Where do you stand on this debate? I saw an article today that said 45,000 Americans die each year because they don't have health insurance. CNN Story I wonder how many die each year because insurance companies deny their claims or coverage and so they don't get the needed treatment before it's too late. Also, because insurance costs and co-pays can be so high, there are people who avoid going to the doctor because they can't afford the co-pays. The system is broken and desperately needs to be fixed.

After putting this post together and continuing on to other news sources I discovered an interesting map at the NPR website that showed where most uninsured people live: Uninsured Map. Look at the options on the right of the map, you can break the uninsured down by Democrat, Republican, Swing State and Blue Dog Democrat. It's interesting to note where the most uninsured people are, in the Deep South and West. The Northeast and Midwest have the highest rates of insured people. Why do you think that is?

OMG!! I was just looking at Swerve Left's blog and he also has a post up about health care. Did you know the Iraqi people have universal healthcare? WTF! As SL says, "I guess we'll have to wait to be conquered by the U.S. Army to get our own universal healthcare."