New Teaching Contract

[Irulan]

Don't forget that the "free" health care in Europe comes out of a tax base, or pools that everyone pays into. So it's not really free, but at least the systems and coverages are consistent within each nation.

[OakLeaf]

Don't forget that the "free" health care in Europe comes out of a tax base, or pools that everyone pays into. So it's not really free, but at least the systems and coverages are consistent within each nation.

I don't think anyone suggested it was "free." On the consumer side, it's consistent from individual to individual, which is the key point of this thread ... on the provider side, costs aren't inflated with huge marketing bills and duplicative administrative expenses.

[lph]

I don't think anyone suggested it was "free." On the consumer side, it's consistent from individual to individual, which is the key point of this thread ... on the provider side, costs aren't inflated with huge marketing bills and duplicative administrative expenses.

To me the real bonus is not that our health care is "free", because it's not, but that paying for it is not optional. And that good health care is not only for the well-to-do or for those who plan well. It has a cost, but these are still good things in my book. But I realize that these are hot political topics in the US and I won't pretend to know what it's like. It's a different world.

[malkin]

To me the real bonus is not that our health care is "free", because it's not, but that paying for it is not optional. And that good health care is not only for the well-to-do or for those who plan well. It has a cost, but these are still good things in my book. But I realize that these are hot political topics in the US and I won't pretend to know what it's like. It's a different world.

Of course, like everyone I am concerned about my own health care and coverage, but I also believe that there is enormous value in living in a community where EVERYONE is covered. I rarely hear this mentioned in US discussions about the issue.

[Irulan]

Of course, like everyone I am concerned about my own health care and coverage, but I also believe that there is enormous value in living in a community where EVERYONE is covered. I rarely hear this mentioned in US discussions about the issue.

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However, I've deliberately stayed away from the Universal needed in US sub topic as that tends to descend into the political fairly quickly. Unless everyone on TE is unanimous and there's no debate?

More crazy tidbits: My sis is a lawyer, fairly high up, for a major, national health insurer. She won't use their product, but uses her husband's. Some of her more famous sayings, while helping our mom w/Medicare...." I work in the industry and I don't understand the paperwork".

My SIL, who has worked her whole life until she has a debilitating stroke at 47, is fully disabled and on Medicaid. They recently sent her a letter stating that her income of $1079 a month ( yes, that's what she lives on) is $300 too high to qualify for full benefits, and she now has a $2000 copay she has to meet before she has any coverage. She can barely pay her rent and utilities, and they've done this. I've been trying to call in for MONTHS and the state systems doesn't allow you to talk to real people.

I will stop for the moment.

[girlontheroad]

Of course, like everyone I am concerned about my own health care and coverage, but I also believe that there is enormous value in living in a community where EVERYONE is covered. I rarely hear this mentioned in US discussions about the issue.

Ditto. I guess that is what concerns me most. I have similar issues to an earlier poster with pure existing conditions and realize how fortunate I am to be able to afford the premiums. I wouldn't expect that would be the case in most situations and if I couldn't it would mean having to return to a job I am glad to be rid of rather than working for myself. It just seems that those who can't afford it have a double whammy. Not only can they not count on insurance help with costs but they are saddled with no insured rates that are significantly higher than for the person in the next chair with the same treatment. My surgery just really brought this issue home to me recently. And this thread has made it clear that The options available vary greatly from state to state making the debates more complex.

[goldfinch]

Of course, like everyone I am concerned about my own health care and coverage, but I also believe that there is enormous value in living in a community where EVERYONE is covered. I rarely hear this mentioned in US discussions about the issue.

Absolutely. Health care for our country is about values. I lobbied for health care reform, favoring a plan such as medicare for all or a plan presented by Senator Wyden which was also simple and would cover everyone. I so burnt out on the lobbying effort that I had to retire.
I do know more than anyone should have to know about the varied complicated mess that is individual state options on health care coverage.

[Selkie]

To me the real bonus is not that our health care is "free", because it's not, but that paying for it is not optional. And that good health care is not only for the well-to-do or for those who plan well. It has a cost, but these are still good things in my book. But I realize that these are hot political topics in the US and I won't pretend to know what it's like. It's a different world.

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I like hearing about your country's system, actually. In the US, some view being required to hold health insurance as a violation of their constitutional rights (or---egads---the US descending into "socialism"). At the risk of being "flamed" or inviting a heated discusssion, I'm going to say it : there are those who use the constitution to justify selfishness (example: those who think that having to pay taxes violates their constitutional rights and see it as akin to having the government steal your hard earned income).

[Catrin]

When I start complaining to myself about how much my employer covered insurance has changed over the past 11 years, I will remember this thread. It may not be as good as it was at one time (then again, how many of us can say that), but my premiums are only around $80 a month as a single individual (we have a wellness program that decreases our premiums a bit). We didn't used to have co-insurance and deductible requirements at all until 4 years ago - but I know what it is like to not have access to insurance. I am thankful to have what I have - and it is an incentive to continue with healthy behaviors. It gets frustrating when I know I should go in to get something checked out, but I have to be very careful about that. I am now responsible for 20% of all scans (outside of a simple x-ray) and many other treatments. No more flat co-pay that we used to have on everything. Thankfully mammograms are still fully covered...

[OakLeaf]

Thankfully mammograms are still fully covered...

Only because the law says they have to be.

Cripes, who got me started?

[Irulan]

Only because the law says they have to be.

Cripes, who got me started?

Probably me. I think you and I are on the same page about this.

[Selkie]

Probably me. I think you and I are on the same page about this.

I'm with the both of you. As I've gotten older, I've become more and more progressive in my views.

[tulip]

Well I do have two pre-existing conditions. They put me at Level 2 ( of 4 levels). The lowest premium level is Level 1. So I do not pay the same premium as every other 45 year old woman; the insurance company considers more than just age and sex. I had to ask about my options because my premiums on my old plan (same company) went from $185 to $329 over 6 years and I've hardly used the services. I could not afford the $329 so I called them up and found out what my options were. It took perseverance but I now have a plan that I can afford. If my premiums were $1000+, it would not be possible to pay them on my income--the premiums would be more than my mortgage! I do not see how anyone on a normal income could afford that; it's like having 3car loans or an extra mortgage !

I just want people to know that there are options. They might be hidden and take a while to uncover, but I was surprised to find out that affordable options do exist.

[emily_in_nc]

Just read this entire thread with interest as we (my DH and I, both retired) are in the process of looking at individual health insurance plans prior to our move back to the US in the spring. We have had a catastrophic Latin American plan provided by a UK company for the past year an a half that we've been living in Belize and have not used it once. But it's not something I'd take the risk of going without.

I've been comparing plans using ehealthinsurance.com, and it looks like we'll be applying for the very least expensive plan that UnitedHealthcare offers, the Saver 80, with the highest deductible ($10K each for my DH and myself). It covers preventive care (because that is mandated by law), which is in many years all we ever get or need. And other than that, it covers just inpatient care if we should ever meet the deductible (no outpatient coverage). They also have an interesting new benefit where if you don't meet your deductible in a given year, it is reduced by 20% the next year, and so on until it is reduced by 50% max.

The base cost of the plan is $358/mo for the two of us. To get a plan that covers more (Rx, outpatient care, etc.) the costs just go up up up. Since we retired early, we knew we'd have to pay for most of our medical care other than really huge catastrophic problems, which we hopefully won't have for a long, long time.

We just feel very fortunate that we can afford to self-insure up to the limits of our deductible and pay for our own dental and vision care. So many people could not do this, and could not manage a $10K deductible, so have to pay for much more expensive policies. We also have no children to cover.

I do realize how lucky we are, and how very fortunate we were for decades to have "Cadillac" plans sponsored by our large corporate employer. We are very healthy and use very little health care, even in our 50s, but it may not always be that way. And an accident can happen to even the healthiest person.

I just hope we get approved!

[OakLeaf]

The one through Blue Cross Blue Shield is the most expensive and actually covers less, yet is the one my husband was told is the one most people opt to use.

I'd hazard a guess that's because most doctors, hospitals and labs are in-network with BCBS. Knowing whether your provider is covered is just as important as knowing whether the service is covered.

I do not pay the same premium as every other 45 year old woman; the insurance company considers more than just age and sex.

Your state allows that. Mine doesn't. When my insurance company raises my premium, I get a form letter with a grid on the back. It's got three columns, "Male," "Female w/o Maternity," and "Female w/Maternity," and ten or twelve columns with (mostly) five-year age ranges. Those are the only criteria they're allowed to use in setting premiums for individual policies.

I do not see how anyone on a normal income could afford that; it's like having 3car loans or an extra mortgage!

They can't. That's why over 18% of all adults in the USA are uninsured, and over 70% of adults under 25..

I just want people to know that there are options. They might be hidden and take a while to uncover, but I was surprised to find out that affordable options do exist.

Again - in your state there are options, and I'm glad that there are. In a few states there are even more options. In most states, there are not, at least not unless and until the ACA goes fully into effect (and we have yet to see what may happen with that, in terms of either implementation or affordability).

My first husband has several family members in the insurance industry, so if anyone is familiar with the options in my state, they are. He is older than I, but his health history at the time was similar. After our divorce and after his COBRA ran out, he couldn't afford premiums. He went bare for a couple of years, longer than the six months it took for him to be eligible for open enrollment. He found a fly-by-night policy that claimed to cover catastrophic conditions, after that company went out of business he went bare for another couple of years, until he was able to get eligibility for VA. If it weren't for the VA he'd still be uninsured.