tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617742255773003066.post1549213217514298922..comments2023-05-11T02:11:00.162-07:00Comments on Brandy's Cancer Bash: I'm Brandy the Ex-PatCancerfuckingsucks.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00868065655971685338noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617742255773003066.post-51165868660959707082008-11-17T06:32:00.000-08:002008-11-17T06:32:00.000-08:00Hi Sandy,I'm reading what you're saying about peop...Hi Sandy,<BR/><BR/>I'm reading what you're saying about people who can't afford insurance, yet can "afford" their lifestyle. Well, can they really? I'm going to go out on a limb here and yes, judge them--doesn't seem like they make a good choice.<BR/><BR/>Now I've been to both land of choices (grew up there), and land of high taxes. So I suppose it is a matter of what you prefer--how you want to live your life, what kind of life you want to live. But even with "good" medical insurance--my husband and I were employed at UCLA, so we had plenty of options for "good" insurance--basic health care was a pain in the ass because of the insurance companies, plain and simple. I could give you boring examples of what I had do to get birth control, to more exciting examples of what my brother-in-law had to do when he was alive, to get what he needed to live with lung cancer (and yes, he also had "good" insurance). I've seen it ALL, Sandy, and I KNOW that even with without such a range of "choices" here in Canada, there's no comparison in the type of coverage I receive, and the peace of mind I have because of that.<BR/><BR/>So I wish you well, Sandy, and I appreciate your thoughts, but I do have pretty strong feelings against insurance companies in the U.S. because in my experience it's been about greed, greed, greed. (My sister works for Blue Cross, but anyway, that's another story.)Cancerfuckingsucks.blogspot.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00868065655971685338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617742255773003066.post-40300268493392743162008-11-17T04:33:00.000-08:002008-11-17T04:33:00.000-08:00I don't disagree with you. I do, however, see ano...I don't disagree with you. I do, however, see another side. I'm an insurance agent. I can't tell you how many times I go to people's houses. People who have no insurance for their children. No pre-existing conditions. Could easily get coverage for their entire family for about $400/month. <BR/><BR/>I walk up the driveway past their two brand new cars and beautifully landscaped house. I walk in their front door and see their big screen tv and brand new appliances and all the bells and whistles you can imagine. They greet me in their Abercrombie and Fitch attire with their very expensive glasses on and their $1000 dog yapping at my feet. Why can they buy all this? Because taxes are wayyy lower down here because there's no "universal health care". <BR/><BR/>I then present the health insurance plan and they tell me "I can't afford it".<BR/><BR/>Sometimes it's about choices. I moved from Canada to the States because the taxes were so much less. I liked having choices about my healthcare. <BR/><BR/>I really, really agree with you that something needs to be done and that there is a lot of need in the US but I also wanted you to be aware that some people are just making bad choices. Hopefully someone will come up with a good plan I just don't know what it will be.Sandy Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04978028115007846842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617742255773003066.post-79938575168321624572008-11-15T09:57:00.000-08:002008-11-15T09:57:00.000-08:00CAN'T THIS BE SENT TO BARACK? TO EVERY SENATOR AND...CAN'T THIS BE SENT TO BARACK? TO EVERY SENATOR AND CONGRESSMAN? AT LEAST TO HUFFINGTONPOST?<BR/><BR/>THINKING OF YOU ALWAYS,<BR/><BR/>Steve and AmyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12451720090671783345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617742255773003066.post-22719945479937025492008-11-13T04:55:00.000-08:002008-11-13T04:55:00.000-08:00could not have said it better myself! A basic hum...could not have said it better myself! A basic human right is exactly what it is. I pity workers like Tammy who get it and I'm sure most do. The guilt must be incredible. I know I wouldn't be able to do a job day after day, where I had to justify to myself that I wasn't able to extend benefits to everyone that needed them. How can you deny treatment to someone based on what kind of coverage they qualify for? The only qaulifying criteria should be need. We had a technician here (northern Alberta) who was found guilty of fudging results so that more people would qualify for a free treatment. It wasn't that people were being denied treatment - just that there had to be a starting point - in this case how severe was their breathing problem- before they would be considered to benefit from this particular treatment. When his case went to court most people saw him as a hero not as someone who did something bad. It seems as though the insurance companies in the US are operating on the oposite principle. Lets hope things change and soon.linanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10847143544733447439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617742255773003066.post-80598055168010930052008-11-12T12:31:00.000-08:002008-11-12T12:31:00.000-08:00well said!well said!Victoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14784930414446730459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617742255773003066.post-27437050355227430562008-11-10T09:08:00.000-08:002008-11-10T09:08:00.000-08:00gawd, I couldn't agree more. it's soooo broken, b...gawd, I couldn't agree more. it's soooo broken, but there just isn't an easy solution. the socialist part of US medicine (medicaid, medicare) is broken (government constantly under-reimbursing docs and hospitals) and the capitalist part of US medicine (private health insurance) is totally broken too (something like medicine shouldn't be for profit - the "right" thing to do just isn't cost-effective).<BR/><BR/>my last paying job btw (for 6 yrs) was working as a data analyst in the field of "health economics" - mostly researching the real costs of treatments to justify their coverage by medicaid/medicare/private health insurance. helped me understand how difficult a problem it is, and how tricky it will be to improve it, never mind fix it.<BR/><BR/>-Deirdre (can't get my login to work)Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11203202214127652768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617742255773003066.post-72778932320337560302008-11-10T07:25:00.000-08:002008-11-10T07:25:00.000-08:00hey b... i work for a death-gripping health insura...hey b... i work for a death-gripping health insurance company and i agree with you %100. i can't tell you how many hurdles and hoops i have to jump through to get my members/patients "benefit exceptions". and the ones that get the shittiest end are the marginal ones that have more than the destitute but don't have enough for commercial insurance. they're the ones that really get screwed and it really sucks... and heaven-forbid if they're legal immigrants that haven't been in the counrty for more than 5 years...that's a whole other giant ball of red tape to get them needed coverage. it blows... and even those of us that are in here, grinding away at the system, get that it blows.tammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15505483413321383699noreply@blogger.com