Health insurance

[jtrpma]

after living in multiple European countries and recently moving to the states I have such mixed experiences with health insurance and wanted to kick off some discussion.

Do you have coverage, what do you think of the services and are you ever worried about your health (and financial future) because of skateboarding?

To be honest it fucks my mind living in the u.s. and thinking that I might have to declare bankruptcy for rolling my ankle...

[os89]

I somehow just recently qualified for medicaid and it has been a huge fucking relief. I do not make a lot at my job and the last time I went to the ER they just had me fill it out and I somehow met the requirements. Never had before so they must have changed it up. Pretty sure they don't give a shit about my health and just want to get paid.

I was on my moms insurance until 26 but for the 4-5 years I had none and it sucked. Not sure about any other countries but it is way too expensive here in the US. Its all a fucking scam. The drug manufactures, hospitals and some doctors are all just about $$$. Its a fucking joke. When you look at how much shit is over prescribed and people who have died of opioids alone it is just disgusting. I thought that universal healthcare obama came up with was going to be affordable but it was the complete opposite for me. Could not afford it at all. Not his fault because I think they had better things in mind but couldn't get it done for obvious reasons. 

So yea, end rant. Health insurance is a scam.

[arrbee]

I do have coverage. I’ve carried it for the last 15 years or so. Only ever used it a few times. I don’t go to the dr for regular check ups. Paid through the ass for it to make sure my kids were covered. This past few months we switched over to my wife’s employers provider cause they cover the whole family at no cost to us (which is new for me) I couldn’t tell you if it were any good, cause I don’t use it. In the past 15 years I have drove myself to the ER to have my appendix removed. A vasectomy. An infection in one of my balls from holding piss too long. And stitches in my finger from a dog. My daughter has always hit our deductible with testing and shit since she’s deaf so I never have to pay anything out of pocket.

I know it sucks but honestly. Having it and lying the premium and whatever the bill is after they cover what they cover is still better than paying the whole thing.

And from what I remember as long as you pay something towards the debt it remains active and in good standing.

[iKobrakai]

Fuck the healthcare, we need more of them Stealth planes.

[arrbee]

Fuck the healthcare, we need more of them Stealth planes.

45 stole that money too, build the wall. Americans sure are stupid. Fighting against those radical ideals like healthcare for all, cheap college and better environment.

[shucknjive]

Fuck the healthcare, we need more of them Stealth planes.

i never got the $

[landedprimo]

Messing myself up definitely weighs on my mind.

[HyenaChaser]

[iKobrakai]

Yeah, how #1 country in world will put you in life long debt over a broken wrist is beyond me.

[offkilter]

I won’t take a job unless they offer decent medical and dental. It sucks that it has to be like that, but I’d rather take a dollar or two less an hour and have them pay for the coverage.

[j....soy.....]

I live in Canada, so I'm taxed for the basic, work gives me more, plus both me and my chick pay extra, I never use it.....perfect....

[pizzafliptofakie]

I'm covered pretty generously through my work, but before that I paid for my own. It was about the same price I'm paying now but it basically only covered catastrophic incidents so anything else I was screwed.

[The Mighty Pink Hole]

I got Cigna through work, I had hmo but I upped it to ppo a couple years ago when I had my son. Although my company pays the majority of the cost, it still cost me like 600 a month. And with ppo I got a credit card (flexible savings account) that I can use for any co-payments, medications or upfront costs. It has 2000$ a year on it and rolls over whatever I don't use to the next year. So I basically never have to spend money out of pocket, at least until I have some serious medical bills.
 
I was thinking about  saving some money and going with Kaiser Permanente but I will have to give up the wide network of doctors I can choose from and have to go to they're specialists/doctors for everything.  Which I hear isn't that bad. The guys I work with that have Kaiser love it for the  convenience of going to one building for everything.  Any pals out there with Kaiser?

[Chavo]

I got Cigna through work, I had hmo but I upped it to ppo a couple years ago when I had my son. Although my company pays the majority of the cost, it still cost me like 600 a month. And with ppo I got a credit card (flexible savings account) that I can use for any co-payments, medications or upfront costs. It has 2000$ a year on it and rolls over whatever I don't use to the next year. So I basically never have to spend money out of pocket, at least until I have some serious medical bills.
 
I was thinking about  saving some money and going with Kaiser Permanente but I will have to give up the wide network of doctors I can choose from and have to go to they're specialists/doctors for everything.  Which I hear isn't that bad. The guys I work with that have Kaiser love it for the  convenience of going to one building for everything.  Any pals out there with Kaiser?

I have Kaiser through my employer. While you'll never be far from a Kaiser in California, and my doctors seem to have gone to upper tier medical schools, I would avoid it if you can. You can easily wait 3 hours to see an urgent care doctor, while a PPO will allow you to see almost any boutique private practice (which seem to be ubiquitous in Los Angeles). I tried to switch to a PPO, but with my group plan, costs almost $1800 a month. My employer will pay for about $1000 of that, but that number still seems comically high. On the other hand, I get to pocket up to $300+ of the insurance premiums I don't use if I remain with an HMO.

[Cthulhu!]

I get it through my job. It costs far too much and I hardly use it. A couple of years ago I did go to the doctor for some minor things and they didn't want to cover it, ignoring the fact that my plan supposedly does. Had to battle for them to pay up.

I work with a lot of guys that don't even care so they just live without health insurance. They fly out to South America and come back.

[KoRnholio8]

The universal healthcare monthly fee that we pay in Slovenia as adults is about $55. And if you are unemployed you don't need to pay (if your hosehold income does not reach a certain threshold) it or you can get it covered through you SO if they are employed. You are covered through your parent's employment til you're 26 years old.

The wait lines can be long for specialist treatment, but I strongly believe that healthcare accessibility should be equal for all. After all, it is bad genetics/health that can severely disadvantage anyone in the employment market and we as a society cannot let these people down.

[iKobrakai]

Funded by taxes here in Gay Sweden, plus I got one private through work.

Even my folks back in Russia have access to free healthcare. I cannot understand how America does not have some kind of basic healthcare.

[HyenaChaser]

Funded by taxes here in Gay Sweden, plus I got one private through work.

Even my folks back in Russia have access to free healthcare. I cannot understand how America does not have some kind of basic healthcare.

What makes Sweden so gay? Socialized infrastructure?

[iKobrakai]

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Funded by taxes here in Gay Sweden, plus I got one private through work.

Even my folks back in Russia have access to free healthcare. I cannot understand how America does not have some kind of basic healthcare.

[close]

What makes Sweden so gay? Socialized infrastructure?

No, I refer to the continent as "Gay Europe", so it's Gay Sweden.

On the other hand, I spend a lot of time with sweaty males, talking about the male body, while building my own male body...

[HyenaChaser]

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Expand Quote

Funded by taxes here in Gay Sweden, plus I got one private through work.

Even my folks back in Russia have access to free healthcare. I cannot understand how America does not have some kind of basic healthcare.

[close]

What makes Sweden so gay? Socialized infrastructure?

[close]

No, I refer to the continent as "Gay Europe", so it's Gay Sweden.

On the other hand, I spend a lot of time with sweaty males, talking about the male body, while building my own male body...

Yea bastun will do that to ya

[JB77]

Bernie 2020

[L33Tg33k]

Kaiser sucks a fat one. Trying to make an appointment in the psychiatry department will get you an appointment 3 - 4 months out. Podiatry too.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

I just went to the podiatrist at kaiser last week. I just messaged my doctor that I needed a referral, next day appointment.

I have Kaiser through work for the family, AND VA coverage. I mainly go to Kaiser for maintenance and normal stuff, but whatever is going to be major and cost, I go through the VA. Took care of my deviated septum last year, didn't pay a dime.

[formula420]

I have very good coverage through work. I know not everyone is in the same boat. It was really eye opening to see how much they charge just to fill a fucking cavity.

I think there needs to be some fundamental restructuring of the USA insurance system but I don't think a government takeover will solve it. Healthcare is pretty much the most regulated industry in the country so I don't think its really a 'capitalism' or 'free market'. Obamacare did nothing to cut costs. It's only the past few decades where the costs have gone out of control.

[Mesteezo]

I have Kaiser because I had it up until age 26 through my parents. Now I have Kaiser still, but through Medi-Cal because I'm under the poverty line  . They pay for everything, so far I haven't paid a single penny.

[slippy]

I took a job not realizing that the health benefits don't kick in for 60 days (because I'm a dumbass).  Totally my fault not reading the fine print.  Now I'm going to pay out my fucking ass to enroll in COBRA for the next two months.  Sux

[L33Tg33k]

I have Kaiser because I had it up until age 26 through my parents. Now I have Kaiser still, but through Medi-Cal because I'm under the poverty line  . They pay for everything, so far I haven't paid a single penny.

I had that until I got jobbed up. Now paying about $170 a month and then $15 copays for visits and $10 for medication. I go so often I'm hoping I hit my deductible. I really gotta check what mine is.

I just went to the podiatrist at kaiser last week. I just messaged my doctor that I needed a referral, next day appointment.

I have Kaiser through work for the family, AND VA coverage. I mainly go to Kaiser for maintenance and normal stuff, but whatever is going to be major and cost, I go through the VA. Took care of my deviated septum last year, didn't pay a dime.

I already have a podiatrist assigned to me, but getting an appointment with her is literally 2 months out. I need to get my deviated septum fixed too. What a wonder it would be to be able to breathe effortlessly. Also wanna get the membrane that attaches the tongue to the bottom jaw snipped. Mine is too big which makes my tongue short. How am I supposed to please my imaginary ladies if I can't row the man in the boat?

[straight]

To be honest it fucks my mind living in the u.s. and thinking that I might have to declare bankruptcy for rolling my ankle...

is that really a possibility for you

[DanTheDoucher]

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To be honest it fucks my mind living in the u.s. and thinking that I might have to declare bankruptcy for rolling my ankle...

[close]

is that really a possibility for you

Considering a bag of saline solution costs you (or your insurance company) something like $800 at a U.S. hospital when it costs $2 to produce, I would say that just about any injury has the possibility of bankrupting someone.