These companies have lost their fucking minds. I pay over $200 a month for insurance through my job. Recently I had to go in and get blood work done for a condition I have, and was charged over $200 for the office visit and lab work. When I called to figure out why it wasn't just a $30 copay like my card states, I was told that due to my high-deductible plan, I'm responsible for all costs until the deductible is reached, and only then will my copays start.
When the fuck did this change? Now I'm responsible for the full cost of an office visit with a regular doctor at the rate of $200+ ON TOP of premiums, costs of service, Rx costs, etc. This isn't even for a serious condition, I can't even imagine what it would cost if regular visits were needed. I won't be paying these bills as medical debt under $500 isn't reported in my state.
What can we do? How do we push back against them killing us like this? All these insurance companies have been reporting record profits since the pandemic, and before, while we're paying $1000s month for even the most basic of healthcare services. Meanwhile the liberals continue to dangle the idea of universal health care like a carrot every few years to sway votes.
We should all be far more pissed off at them squeezing profits from us at for sake of our health, but where do we even start to push back in any effective way?
In general, the healthcare system in the US is just nuts. Most of you never lived in a socialist/communist country where the government really did take care of your health. Everything was free back then (regarding healthcare). I remember I had to have my tonsils removed when I was young, my mother's health care paid for 90% of the costs. The other 10% were covered by her being a blood donor, so basically, we paid nothing. 4 days at the hospital, plus the operation, all paid for by the state.
Which country?
Macedonia, one of the Ex Yugoslavian republics.
I try and explain this to most westerners, they don't believe me, say I'm lying 🤷.
If you were a blood donor back then, everything regarding health care was free. Weelchairs, orthopedics, operations, drugs, everything. You just went in a pharmacy, show your blood donor badge and just hand over your perscriptions, they give you the drugs, no charge.
I know, it's hard to believe, but it really was like that.
I 100% believe you, and it's no wonder you don't hear those kinds of stories more often. Don't need us common serfs getting any crazy notions.