Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

bostondeb — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:18:25 GMT

In Massachusetts it has just become law that you MUST have health insurance. That makes me a criminal right now. After leaving my corp job last fall & realizing it would cost me over $400/month to continue my insurance plan, I opted to drop it.

I'm an exceedingly healthy person: eat clean, organic whole foods only; run, lift weights, bike, snowboard and do yoga. I'm 5'7", 130 lbs, a fit & trim 38, and take no meds. I'm one of the "profitable" clients of the insurance companies. They need my money to fund all the overweight, mal-nourished, sick Americans.

I've heard that some Christian groups are creating a sort of "insurance plan" (I forget what it's called) where families send in a monthly amount, and make a claim if they need to. They pay their doctor bill and then get reimbursed by the plan.

I think we, the healthy people, need to start some sort of plan like this. I don't need to go see an MD for my annual "tests," but I'd sure like to be covered if I break my neck snowboarding!

A healthy people uprising!!!

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

carthridge7 — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:48:51 GMT

The REAL problem in the U.S. society is the lack of personal responsability. Too many people want the government to take care of them.
We that visit this web site are commited to personal responsability by taking control of our own health. If something is not right with us, we seek the root of the problem and don't try to just cover up the issue.

An insurance company is not your freind, they are a business. They will always look out for their best intrests first, no matter how many people get hosed by them. For every one of us that wake up, there will be another to take our place. Unless we hold all individuals accountable, this will never cease to be the case.

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

aliendragon23 — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 23:58:39 GMT

This is just another example that shows me that any form of insurance (health, home, automobile...etc.) is just a big money grabbing scam. The insured individual pays and pays but it's a terrible battle to collect on any claim.
I am a hard working, "blue collar" average joe who is almost glad to be part of the millions of uninsured individuals in this country. I'll pass on national health care too. I feel that the same interests that own this country would run the national health care system (same interests=big Pharma and a host of others).
I'm glad I'm a healthy individual and I'm also glad for sites like this one.

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

4Hand Healthy — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:29:06 GMT

Health insurers are planning on refusing to pay -- or let their patients be billed -- for hospital errors. Does this mean that insurers are going to stop paying for MOST hospital services?

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

ToMyHealth — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 02:39:02 GMT

This is exactly why I'm happy I don't have health ins.
I'm not sure those companies insure our health. with those prices, and restrictions, it looks like the only thing they are insuring is their own pockets

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

New to Natural — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:23:31 GMT

Next thing you know, malpractice insurers won't cover mistakes either!

Like you guys have posted, isn't the purpose of insurance to cover accidents and illness?

Sometimes, it's tempting to forgo health insurance, stick the money in an investment account and say "screw it." My luck, the next day I'd be hit by a bus.................................

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

Patty D — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:35:18 GMT

There's one major problem with this. Insurance won't cover medical errors, who get's stuck? The hospital or the doctor, heck no, the poor person who was hurt by the error. I hate the idea of more regulation, but maybe, if insurances are allowed to follow through with this, then there needs to be a law stating the consumer cannot be forced to pay. A few years ago, I contracted MRSA sepsis after the insertion of a central IV line. Insurance covered the 5 weeks in the hospital on IV antibiotics, all the specialists, the tests to see if it infected my heart etc etc, but, the hospital tried to stick me with the co-pays and deductibles. This was the hospital I worked at. I raised @#$ and eventually they paid most of it, but I still ended up paying a few hundred dollars for something that the Infection Control doctor determined to be "gross contamination at time of insertion" rather than destroy my credit. So, let's drive even more sick folks into bankruptcy while the insurance companies get richer. Hospitals and doctors need to be held 1000% accountable for their actions or lack thereof.

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

Bridestein — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:45:14 GMT

I'm about (-) this close to canceling my insurance altogether. My premiums have doubled in the last five years despite the fact that I've never filed a claim and am as healthy as can be. Now the circumstances under which they will pay are fewer than those they won't.
Why does my health insurance cost three times as much as any other policy I carry?
What happened with the consumer report that just came out about what a big fleecing the insurance companies are giving everyone?
(sound of head exploding)
You know, I'm starting to sympathize with those whaddyacallums? Those people with compounds who shoot at all the govmint officials.
I'm gonna go buy me some camo now.

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

mmc88121 — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:59:02 GMT

If this would actually make hospitals change their practices I would be all for it. But this seems like more PR spin.

Mary

re: Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors

nanciesweb — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:27:50 GMT

Greeeaaat, the more reason people will demand for National Healthcare.

I thought that was the reason why we buy insurance in the first place. If my kids breaks a bone and if it isn't set right, we have to pay for it? It's hard enough as it is to get the insurance company to pay for what they DO cover.

I'm still trying to spread the word on this site so that people can take charge of their own health. Maybe if enough them do, a broken arm won't cost so much - even if there is a mistake. Then we can pay out-of-pocket.