MORE BAD MEDICINE

I am getting to that age where everything starts falling apart.

Last night I watched the Frontline report about being sick in America. Towards the end there was a story about a 21 year old girl whose insurance was supposedly cancelled in 2005. She had Lupus, and appeals were denied and her health failed for the next 2 years until she died. A week after her death, her parents received notification that the Policy had been reinstated, that the cancellation had been a big mistake.

Brutal stuff.

I am sure many of you have your own stories about medical care you or a loved one received. I had managed to avoid Doctors and Health care issues all my life. I had been blessed with very good health.

But then last December my good luck ended.

I spent 3 days in the hospital for Diabetes. I have a feeling the rest of my life will be spent with health care being a big part of it.

My Hospital stay was actually quite pleasant, but my first trip to the pharmacy was brutal.

You can read my story about it here.

Bad Medicine.

Brutal.

Then last month i received the bill from the Hospital. it showed that I had rung up 14,000 Dollars in my 3 days there.

This was not really a surprise.

My insurance paid 8,000 dollars of it, leaving me with a 6,000 bill.

I called to make arrangements to pay this. The lady said I did not have to pay it, that the hospital would take the 8,000 from the Insurance as Payment in Full!

Now don't get me wrong, I was quite happy and releived that this happened.

But I had to ask "How much would I owe if I had not had Insurance?"

Her reply was instant and matter-of fact:

"You would owe the entire 14,000 dollars."
Brutal.

I couldn't believe what i was hearing! There is no way I can justify this in my mind.

I can't squint my brain enough to have this make any kind of sense.

Some poor bastard without Insurance... the same one who would have had to pay 850 dollars at the pharmacy for his Medicine this month...he may be walikng around but he's financially deader than a beaver hat....and it won't be long till he's dead...but not before he gets really sick first.

Can someone explain this to me?

Am I wrong to think that this makes no sense?

Brutal stuff.