What can regular Americans who are fed up with their health insurance do about it?

[u/pandapower63]

I’ve written my elected officials in government. What else can we do? It’s depressing and it’s wrong. That people can’t get healthcare easily and affordably. People are dying early because they don’t get the care they need.

[u/Effective_Cat3572]

Until a cancer diagnosis hits or you get into an accident and need a million dollars in care.

You know they don't have to treat non-immediate life threatening cancer without payments, right? Like they can literally can say $50k/week for this chemo or no chemo for you.

Going without insurance is a loser's bet. Big time.

[u/AccomplishedTune3297 → u/Effective_Cat3572]

Bankruptcy.

[u/Effective_Cat3572 → u/AccomplishedTune3297]

No, you're missing the point. You don't get the chemo and then get to declare bankruptcy.

You just don't get the chemo.

They don't give it to people who can't pay for it. If it isn't preauthorized by insurance or you aren't cash paying before administration, you're not getting the med.

Same with lots of other medical treatments for all kinds of things. Unless you are actively dying, you aren't entitled to treatment/surgery/meds/visits without a way to pay for it. And even if you're actively dying, you get stabilized and nothing else.

Going without insurance is one of the poorest financial choices one could ever make. Let alone poorest life choices

[u/Psychdoctx → u/Effective_Cat3572]

Cancer patient here chiming in. I have what’s called “great insurance” that costs me 1250$ a month. My yearly deductible is 12k plus 80 $ specialty visits ect. I easily pay 20k a year on extras. I say I have great insurance because it pays for a major cancer hospital. The others exclude them and you die. My sister had no insurance and she could not afford treatment and died. My insurance was obtained via an employer. Now I’m on cobra. This is what they call a Cadillac plan meaning you get access to the best care. But the cost is insane. Cancer states are currently 1:3 people will get it. It’s rapidly changing to 1:2. And younger ages every year. My 29 year old son in law just diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer. Check the stats on age groups and any type of GI cancer. It’s starting in late teens and twenties. Our environment is so polluted. Please I beg you get some kind of insurance. Even if it’s a high deductible plan. I have cashed out all my 401k. Stocks. Everything is gone. Cancer wrecks you financially.

[u/Effective_Cat3572 → u/Psychdoctx]

100% agree, but make sure to reply to the other poster so they see this. You replied to me.

I hope your treatments are going okay, and wish you all the best. Sorry about the rough news with your family :( My heart goes out to you.

[u/supern8ural → u/Effective_Cat3572]

Which is why we need socialized health care, because when your choices are insurance you can't afford or no health care, there are no good choices.

I have a "good" job. I hate my insurance. It's expensive and it sucks and they always try to weasel out of paying for shit.

[u/Adventurous-Flan2716 → u/supern8ural]

Agreed - and all of the people who say "socialized health care rations treatment!" - what exactly do they think is happening when people can't afford treatment and go without? It is rationed as well. 

[u/AccomplishedTune3297 → u/Effective_Cat3572]

I get it. It’s a difficult choice. I literally could not afford to use our ACA policy because of the deductible. Now I can afford to take my daughter to the doctor when she’s sick? Idk what else to say. Life is about trade offs. Choices often aren’t simple or easy.

Our system is screwed up. The way to break it is to stop participating.

[u/Psychdoctx → u/AccomplishedTune3297]

I wish it worked that way and as a medical provider I love cash pay patients. It works great for a simple office visit. Let’s say you only need to see me every three months for refills. 130$. With a med change 200. New patient 350$ Now suppose you are really sick and need to see me twice a week for a few months that’s easily 1600k a month. Plus meds.
You can get shots free at the county centers for kids. As long as no one get really sick or has an accident or needs hospitalization you are probably ok. In Arkansas now they make you sign a paper that if you don’t pay they can seize assets like your house.

[u/AccomplishedTune3297 → u/Psychdoctx]

Yah, I get it. The issue is the big things.

[u/Effective_Cat3572 → u/AccomplishedTune3297]

I'd cut down every other budget category, live in a studio or do van life, get a second job, before ever going without insurance.

Also finding a job that has insurance should be an immediate priority.

[u/AccomplishedTune3297 → u/Effective_Cat3572]

Are you kidding me? You only live once, like I’m going to move to a shit hole and then give all my money to United Healthcare to juice their corporate profits.

[u/Effective_Cat3572 → u/AccomplishedTune3297]

No, it's called making financial sacrifices to protect your health and financial future. Like a responsible adult /parent.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

Except don't actually do that - your rehab/PT/medical devices/post surgery visits won't be covered.

[u/AccomplishedTune3297 → u/Effective_Cat3572]

Lucky I’m in a Medicaid expansion state so if I really go off the deep end I’ll qualify for Medicaid.

[u/Effective_Cat3572 → u/AccomplishedTune3297]

Best of luck with that.

[u/gym_and_boba → u/AccomplishedTune3297]

Yeah, i agree that’s fucking crazy. I’m not dedicating my entire life to health insurance. I actually want to enjoy it. I’m already more frugal than I want to be because of cost of living increase. Yes I understand the risk. But if I get really sick I don’t want to look back at my life with regret that I didnt experience anything. I’ve already had enough of that feeling. I have employer health insurance, thankfully, even though it’s way too expensive for how sucky it is. If I had to go through the market place I’d be completely fucked.

Though it is different if you have kids. I think they should at least be covered.

[u/Michael_0007 → u/AccomplishedTune3297]

A doctor note for my kid cost $120 a $30 co-pay and then another $90 that gets billed later once insurance looks at it, and the school wants a note every time he's sick.. they don't get it but they ask..and they wonder why kids get sent to school sick all the time!

[u/AccomplishedTune3297 → u/Michael_0007]

Yah, it’s ridiculous

[u/Effective_Cat3572 → u/[deleted]]

You know, I had a whole long post.

But let me just say every thing you wrote is completely incorrect, and honestly a joke to anyone who has had cancer or serious health problems before.

You're passing off complete and total misinformation.

[u/Effective_Cat3572 → u/[deleted]]

Yes babe. Unpaid medical bills do affect your credit. Again, blatant misinformation. And no, they aren't taking $100/month to pay off a $50k bill 😆

And they can get judgements and garnish wages.

And they don't withhold stabilizing treatment. They do sure as fuck withhold everything else post-stabilization. No rehab. No follow up visits. No meds.

Meaning you die or lose the ability to walk and talk. Stabilizing an MI or stroke is less than 5% of the battle.

And if your dad did not actually physically move in and permanently live with your sister, he committed insurance fraud

[u/HealthInsurance-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Irrelevant and unhelpful to OP.