Comments on: Healthcare Reform Now: the system is broken! http://www.dismountingourtiger.com/business-health/healthcare-reform-now-the-system-is-broken/ He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:42:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mary L. Deakin http://www.dismountingourtiger.com/business-health/healthcare-reform-now-the-system-is-broken/comment-page-1/#comment-346 Mary L. Deakin Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:31:05 +0000 http://www.dismountingourtiger.com/?p=336#comment-346 Please forgive my attempt at composition and spelling, I completed sixed grade. At 76 and 88 years old. we would like to be more objective however our in-dependence or self sufficency is not to be as medical cost has become our number one passion. This past Summer on top escalating cost, we landed in the donut hole - now paying hugh sums for medicene - were it not for food stamps and much charity, we would have to choose food, lights, water, taxes, goodwill clothes to costly. We, have always worked hard for low salaries as we were 'in likeness' but 'not like' those of successful kinship. My Husband has bone cancer, glaucoma and macaluar degeneration. My problems are heart and lungs, I am on 24 hour oxygen. A number of years ago, while filling forms for a big insurance company, we learned that, from our payment into Medicare, 1/3 went to Doctors/Hospitals, 1/3 to the Insurance company and 1/3 to Medicare, that most of the money was spent on paperwork. We, have not kept track of ammounts of money nor would we ever be able to acquire just how much money is borrowed/taken from Medicare, for goodness only know what. As time passed several aspects of 'cutting cost' by the Medical Pros became clear, such as, Limited hospitalization - admission and length of stay, Free samples handed out for years at a time, the Doctor refuseing to change the Rx, even on a trial basis with the patient showing resulted evidence, complete change of Doctors caused big changes to less than half the number of Rxs and a poor functoning small heart lobe. Since changing to a different medical team, I am doing so much better, my swollen, sore feet, is no more, my lung Doctor has me off oxygen two hours a day and a agreeable once a day puffer that doesn't cramp my body. The new team does not accept free samples, and does not pose in expensive new clothes, they mostly wear white coats. I felt really comfortable with them. Appreciate and like you comments. Thank You, You lit a fire Mary: Thanks so much for your comments and for sharing your medical experiences. Let's hope there are enough Senators who haven't sold out to the unregulated Health Care Industry that we get meaningful reform. Ed Lee Please forgive my attempt at composition and spelling, I completed sixed grade. At 76 and 88 years old. we would like to be more objective however our in-dependence or self sufficency is not to be as medical cost has become our number one passion. This past Summer on top escalating cost, we landed in the donut hole – now paying hugh sums for medicene – were it not for food stamps and much charity, we would have to choose food, lights, water, taxes, goodwill clothes to costly. We, have always worked hard for low salaries as we were ‘in likeness’ but ‘not like’ those of successful kinship. My Husband has bone cancer, glaucoma and macaluar degeneration. My problems are heart and lungs, I am on 24 hour oxygen.
A number of years ago, while filling forms for a big insurance company, we learned that, from our payment into Medicare, 1/3 went to Doctors/Hospitals, 1/3 to the Insurance company and 1/3 to Medicare, that most of the money was spent on paperwork. We, have not kept track of ammounts of money nor would we ever be able to acquire just how much money is borrowed/taken from Medicare, for goodness only know what. As time passed several aspects of ‘cutting cost’ by the Medical Pros became clear, such as, Limited hospitalization – admission and length of stay, Free samples handed out for years at a time, the Doctor refuseing to change the Rx, even on a trial basis with the patient showing resulted evidence, complete change of Doctors caused big changes to less than half the number of Rxs and a poor functoning small heart lobe. Since changing to a different medical team, I am doing so much better, my swollen, sore feet, is no more, my lung Doctor has me off oxygen two hours a day and a agreeable once a day puffer that doesn’t cramp my body. The new team does not accept free samples, and does not pose in expensive new clothes, they mostly wear white coats. I felt really comfortable with them.
Appreciate and like you comments. Thank You, You lit a fire

Mary:
Thanks so much for your comments and for sharing your medical experiences. Let’s hope there are enough Senators who haven’t sold out to the unregulated Health Care Industry that we get meaningful reform.

Ed Lee

]]> By: pfrogger http://www.dismountingourtiger.com/business-health/healthcare-reform-now-the-system-is-broken/comment-page-1/#comment-203 pfrogger Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:52:54 +0000 http://www.dismountingourtiger.com/?p=336#comment-203 I would recommend some other links. Health insurers refuse to limit rescission of coverage - http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rescind17-2009jun17,0,3508020,full.story "Executives of three of the nation's largest health insurers told federal lawmakers in Washington on Tuesday that they would continue canceling medical coverage for some sick policyholders, despite withering criticism from Republican and Democratic members of Congress who decried the practice as unfair and abusive. The hearing on the controversial action known as rescission, which has left thousands of Americans burdened with costly medical bills despite paying insurance premiums, began a day after President Obama outlined his proposals for revamping the nation's healthcare system. An investigation by the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations showed that health insurers WellPoint Inc., UnitedHealth Group and Assurant Inc. canceled the coverage of more than 20,000 people, allowing the companies to avoid paying more than $300 million in medical claims over a five-year period. It also found that policyholders with breast cancer, lymphoma and more than 1,000 other conditions were targeted for rescission and that employees were praised in performance reviews for terminating the policies of customers with expensive illnesses." Hi pfrogger: Thanks for the added link. I'd read the story, found myself getting steamed up at it, left it out of the handout but glad to add it back into the blog posting via your comments. Let me know if you have any other suggestions. Ed Lee I would recommend some other links.
Health insurers refuse to limit rescission of coverage – http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rescind17-2009jun17,0,3508020,full.story
“Executives of three of the nation’s largest health insurers told federal lawmakers in Washington on Tuesday that they would continue canceling medical coverage for some sick policyholders, despite withering criticism from Republican and Democratic members of Congress who decried the practice as unfair and abusive.
The hearing on the controversial action known as rescission, which has left thousands of Americans burdened with costly medical bills despite paying insurance premiums, began a day after President Obama outlined his proposals for revamping the nation’s healthcare system.
An investigation by the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations showed that health insurers WellPoint Inc., UnitedHealth Group and Assurant Inc. canceled the coverage of more than 20,000 people, allowing the companies to avoid paying more than $300 million in medical claims over a five-year period.
It also found that policyholders with breast cancer, lymphoma and more than 1,000 other conditions were targeted for rescission and that employees were praised in performance reviews for terminating the policies of customers with expensive illnesses.”

Hi pfrogger:
Thanks for the added link. I’d read the story, found myself getting steamed up at it, left it out of the handout but glad to add it back into the blog posting via your comments. Let me know if you have any other suggestions.

Ed Lee

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