The Joys of Private Health Insurance

[chris_gerrib]

So, I read an article this morning about a woman, a free-lance journalist, who bought private health insurance. She specifically looked for a policy that covered maternity care, and, with difficulty, found one. After she had her baby, she found out that the policy had a maximum cap of $3,000 on maternity care! ETA A disclosure buried in one appendix of a multi-page booklet on maternity coverage. Frankly, in some states, that would be consumer fraud. end edit

As she asked, after being left with a $22,000 bill, "in what mythical US hospital can you have a baby for $3,000?" Then, six months later, after she called the insurance company's press office to announce she was writing an article about her experiences, they suddenly decided to cover 90% of the costs. Consider this reason number 6,539 why we need health insurance reform in America. Go read the whole thing.

ETA One of the many things included in this reform package are "health care exchanges." These exchanges force a standardized disclosure of benefits (AKA, "no more hiding shit in fine print"). Consumer disclosures matter. (If you tell me you've read every page of the contract your credit card company sends you, I'll buy you a beer.) Another valuable reform, also mentioned in the article, is the removal of the pre-existing condition exclusion.

Comments

[bdunbar.livejournal.com]

She fails to read the fine print on a contract ... and the cure is to trust the government? Which will magically reduce the amount of clauses, fine print and exceptions in health care?

[(Anonymous)]

I wonder how many of those who prefer corporate run health care to government run health care carry private insurance even though they are eligible for the VA (assuming they are), or will reject Medicare and buy private insurance when they are eligible for Medicare?

In other words, if you want to maintain the current system of corporate health care, then don't accept the government plans. They are all voluntary.

Jerry Critter
critterscrap.blogspot.com