PBS Now Takes On Junk Health Insurance Tonight (Not hookergate but good)

[caligirl]

10pm Pacific time tonight.

This is a story about why you don't want the ENZI bill passed next week.

It's "Cover the Uninsured Week," a series of events across the country put forth by a bi-partisan coalition in Washington D.C. pushing for health insurance reform. Some 45 million Americans do not have health insurance coverage despite the fact that many of them have jobs.

In the coming days the Senate will debate legislation that, if passed, would radically overhaul insurance regulations across the country.

Proponents say the legislation could help close to a million people gain access to health insurance. Those against it say it could hurt consumers in many ways, leaving some stuck with bare bones policies that offer virtually no coverage at all.

One of the cases NOW profiles is that of Dana Christensen, who purchased a health insurance policy with her husband Doug thinking they had bought into an excellent plan. "I thought it was an outstanding policy. But it wasn't until we went to use it that we found out it didn't cover what we were promised it covered," Christensen told NOW.

After Doug became ill with bone cancer, the medical bills quickly piled up and the couple found themselves overwhelmed as their insurance policy paid only a fraction of the costs.

She says Doug was turned away from a hospital in excruciating pain because their insurance had maxed out. The couple found themselves personally owing almost a half a million dollars in medical bills. A year and a half after his diagnosis, Doug lost his battle with cancer.

Dana sued Mega Life & Health Insurance Company for fraud and eventually settled for 1.7 million dollars. Mega offered more if she would sign a confidentiality agreement. She refused, and talked to NOW.

[FloridaPat]

1. I had a friend about 5 years ago had to have part of her stomach

removed. She had been sick a long time and after the operation she couldn't even stand up. But that didn't matter - they tossed her out of the hospital after a week because that was the end of her employer sponsored covered. She was out of work for 2 months. A friend of hers let her stay with her. She couldn't stand for about a month.

There are probably millions of stories like these. I guess that's what happens when you have the best medical care money can provide.

:sarcasm:

[caligirl]

3. I hope she sent her story in to her senator.

[rodeodance]

2. Frist was talking on Senate floor today about it. Wants it passed.

[caligirl]

4. Watch him withdraw it for lack of votes, he can't take another defeat the

moron.

[blondeatlast]

6. Caligirl, I wish I thought you were right, but i see this bill as the Rs

chance to campaign on "health care."

[caligirl]

8. It is, and it is iffy about the vote count. Lots of senators seem to be

looking for amendments to keep the mandatory benefits in place, like Snowe has some amendment to keep 2/3'rds of state mandateed benefits. Senator Byrd will likely have an amendment. His state officials just sent him a list of their worries about the bill. Too many moderate republicans have concerns about the bill as is. So I think there will be lots of amendment talk.

[blondeatlast]

5. It's a bright shiny gift for Big Insurance and the Rethugs want

it to show they are offering health insurance as a campaign issue.

[matt819]

7. Whew!

I was insured by MEGA for a year through the National Assocation for the Self Employed. Never had any claims, so never had any problems or issues. But I have to tell you, I always had the sense that something like this would have happened. Can't say why, really, just a gut feel (which Colbert tells me is okay to have).

[caligirl]

9. Look for ads in the papers Sunday, USA Today, the Wa Po, the Wa Times

and look for editorials in major papers NY Times and Capitol news publications too. Big campaign this weekend by ADA,AARP,ANAA,ACS in opposition. They did it last weekend to.

[Supersedeas]

12. thanks for the heads up cali

[caligirl]

10. Hubby's LTTE to the San Francisco Chronicle tonight, but will they use it?

Re: Workers declining insurance, Chronicle May 5, 2006

We have every right to be concerned about rising health insurance costs. Your article described the problem but did not mention the huge profits made by health insurance companies, or that insurance companies need 31% overhead while the Veterans Administration and Medicare accomplish the same task with 1.5 % administrative costs. Rising health insurance costs outpace the increase of actual health care (doctors, hospital fees and drugs) by a factor of 2.5 to 1.

The Bush administration solution, the Enzi bill, due on the Senate floor next week, promotes those inadequate health care plans mentioned. Sure consumers pay reduced premiums, but they will receive skimpy coverage, high deductibles that will not help with routine care and low maximum payouts that will not cover the expense of serious illness or injury. Even worse the cost of allowing these plans is a complete deregulation of the health insurance industry, eliminating consumer protections that have taken years to enact. This industry deregulation will render worthless the quality health care that most companies currently offer. We will end up with a whole nation that has inadequate coverage.

Article here>http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/05/BUG82IKRS41.DTL

[CBHagman]

11. BUMP.

This is the sort of issue we have to bring to the attention of more people.