California launches investigation following stunning admission by Aetna medical

[AnneK]

This is something that might affect some of the members here.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/11/health/aetna-california-investigation/index.html 🔗

CNN/by Wayne Drash    02/11/2018

[Cassi]

Wow

[natalie.ashlyne]

Unbelievable and people pay good money for insurance to cover there lives

[Cassi]

Unbelievable and people pay good money for insurance to cover there lives

People pay outrageous prices for medical insurance.  For years I had Blue Cross/Blue Shield and when Obamacare came into play the co-pays and premiums went up to the point that I couldn't afford the co-pays. 

I ended up dropping them in favor of a plan that didn't cost as much but still.

Ironically, I had worked for Aetna in college as a transcriber (type or use to type 80 wpm back in the day with a typewriter).

And again, ironically, Aetna appeared to be one of the best insurances for GID and surgeries - go figure.

[Joelene9]

  I had Aetna with my insurance at work in the 1980's and 1990's. My company dropped Aetna when the contract lapsed and went into a PPO company in late 1990's with the same kind of payment schedule with co-pay. I was laid off in 2001 and went with the $ COBRA $ for 18 months. Then I independently went with Aetna thinking I would get the same. No, all that were available for the 56+ yr old was a whole slew of plans with various deductibles. I picked an Aetna plan and I didn't reach the deductible after a year plus a refused $1.600 urgent care visit. I dropped that after paying nearly &10,000 in premiums with no return. This was before Obamacare.

Joelene

[Janes Groove]

I've heard that before Obamacare insurance companies could take your money for years and then if you got sick they would either jack up your premiums so you couldn't afford them anymore or just cancel your policy.  I also heard that you couldn't get a policy after you got canceled because you now had a pre-existing condition. 

[Cassi]

A lot of the negative things insurance companies had pulled were stopped before ObamaCare.  Personally, having had to pay for my insurance all my life and then have my premiums and co-pays go up to support ObamaCare did not make me a supporter.

[AnneK]

A lot of the negative things insurance companies had pulled were stopped before ObamaCare.  Personally, having had to pay for my insurance all my life and then have my premiums and co-pays go up to support ObamaCare did not make me a supporter.

The more I read about the nonsense that Americans put up with the more I'm glad I live in Canada.  This sort of issue simply doesn't exist here.

[BrianaJ]

My wife told me about this the other day.  Not unbelievable - you'd be surprised what goes  in the healthcare industry.

[Deborah]

Both healthcare and health insurance are for profit industries.  So it's logical that their first priority is to maximize their profits.  If somebody gets healed in the process then that's only a bonus.


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[AnneK]

Both healthcare and health insurance are for profit industries

Perhaps in the States, but in Canada, hospitals are non-profit.  Individual doctors and clinics are for profit, but, for residents, they get paid according to what the provincial health care specifies.

[ainsley]

Ironically, I had worked for Aetna in college as a transcriber (type or use to type 80 wpm back in the day with a typewriter).

Hey, I worked for Aetna back in 1988, too, first in the mail room, then in personal claims.  LOL  My first job when I got out of the Navy.

I will also add, I will take the US healthcare system over a Canada or UK type system.  I have a good friend that lives in Quebec and when he tells of the wait times and other difficulties he has getting care, I cannot believe it.  I have heard way too many times about several month waiting periods for care in the UK and Canada from other people, too.  I don't think any of the 3 systems is perfect or Utopian, but I think the US is the better of the options.  YMMV. 🙂

[Laurie]

Perhaps in the States, but in Canada, hospitals are non-profit.  Individual doctors and clinics are for profit, but, for residents, they get paid according to what the provincial health care specifies.

Ahhh Yes but we cannot have a national health care system here in the USA because that would be seen as socialism aka communism in the eyes of many here. It goes against free enterprise, profiteering and could benefit everyone.

[Janes Groove]

A lot of the negative things insurance companies had pulled were stopped before ObamaCare. 

I saw no evidence of that. If anything insurance companies were getting worse.

(I submit the above referenced article as evidence of the brazen disregard for people and profit at all cost mentality that informs the actions of large insurance corporations.)

[AnneK]

I will also add, I will take the US healthcare system over a Canada or UK type system.  I have a good friend that lives in Quebec and when he tells of the wait times and other difficulties he has getting care, I cannot believe it.  I have heard way too many times about several month waiting periods for care in the UK and Canada from other people, too.  I don't think any of the 3 systems is perfect or Utopian, but I think the US is the better of the options.  YMMV.

Why do I keep hearing this from Americans, but not Canadians?  It's certainly at odds with my experiences and those of others I know.  Also, how is the U.S. system better, when many people can't afford health care at all, especially with Trump cutting millions more off Medicaid?  Also, according to reports, the U.S. has the most expensive health care in the developed world.

[Deborah]

The healthcare system in the USA is horrible.  It is the most expensive in the world while ranking behind most other first world nations in patient health outcomes.  We have good doctors and nurses working in a bad system.
—————————————————
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, 2014 Update: How the U.S. Health Care System Compares Internationally

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2014/jun/mirror-mirror 🔗

"The United States health care system is the most expensive in the world, but this report and prior editions consistently show the U.S. underperforms relative to other countries on most dimensions of performance."

"Among the 11 nations studied in this report—Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States—the U.S. ranks last, as it did in the 2010, 2007, 2006, and 2004 . . ."

"The U.S. ranks last overall with poor scores on all three indicators of healthy lives—mortality amenable to medical care, infant mortality, and healthy life expectancy at age 60. "



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[Cassi]

I saw no evidence of that. If anything insurance companies were getting worse.

(I submit the above referenced article as evidence of the brazen disregard for people and profit at all cost mentality that informs the actions of large insurance corporations.)

http://calpatientguide.org/v.html 🔗 reflects legislation that was made law almost 20 years ago.

And I agree, insurance companies have become worse since I believe ObamaCare went into effect.

[Devlyn]

Why do I keep hearing this from Americans, but not Canadians?  It's certainly at odds with my experiences and those of others I know.  Also, how is the U.S. system better, when many people can't afford health care at all, especially with Trump cutting millions more off Medicaid?  Also, according to reports, the U.S. has the most expensive health care in the developed world.

"Waiting for treatment has become a defining characteristic of Canadian health care."

https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/waiting-your-turn-wait-times-for-health-care-in-canada-2017 🔗

[ainsley]

So, apparently your mileage DOES vary. 

Hey, fair enough.  I find most of your arguments specious and littered with one-liners that are cherry picked stats to support your view.  My personal experience with the US healthcare system, and that includes stage iv cancer treatment, has been exceptional.  I speak from my experience and refuse to argue points from articles.  We can all search the internet to find supporting views.  But, YMMV, or your internet reading list may vary, too.

[AnneK]

"Waiting for treatment has become a defining characteristic of Canadian health care."

Having been referred to a couple of specialists, I can say I haven't had to wait anywhere near the times listed.  I also had an ultrasound recently and just walked in to the clinic, took a seat and shortly after had the ultrasound.  No appointment needed.  I have done the same for X-rays.  I have also had an endoscope to examine my bladder, again without much of a wait, but I did have an appointment.  Also, the system can move very quickly in emergency situations, as expected.  New Brunswick is one area of the country that has a problem getting/keeping doctors, so that may be part of the problem there.  However, that may just be part of a general problem where many doctors don't want to practice in smaller, rural or remote areas.

BTW, that Fraser Institute is a hard right wing organization that has long had an agenda against any sort of social programs.  It's almost as bad a relying on Breibart News for social policy.  So, take what they say with a huge chunk of salt.

Regardless, there may be long booking times.  For example I schedule my physicals well in advance, because I'm currently in the doctors office for one.  I just book the next one while I'm there.  I recently arranged for my annual optometrist visit.  My date was determined by being a year from my last one, not by when they could squeeze me in.  Also, while my physician books appointments, she also has walk in clinics twice a week and I have even walked in and been seen during the booked appointment time.  So, you have to understand why I have difficulty believing those claims of long waits before being seen.  It's simply not been my experience.  On the other hand, I've never faced bankruptcy to pay medical expenses.

BTW, GCS is covered here under our health care.