Health Insurance is EXPENSIVE!!

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Meanwhile in Canada, my husband was just diagnosed with stomach cancer and our only financial lost are a % of his wage (he had an insurance with his union), the day I miss work for an appointment and parking/gas fee. Everything is covered. No deductible. Same meds for the Chemo that they use in the US and his surgeon is an Harvard graduate, so I'm guessing similar procedures.

We do have "high" taxes. On a total family income of 110 000$ CAD, with two kids, we will pay around 25 000-30 000$ I'd guess? But we get 7$ a day daycare, a free good quality public schools system, low cost colleges, 1 year of parental leave for a new baby, child and family benefits for low to middle class family (we still receive some with our salaries), old age pensions, all services I can think off (road, garbage, parks, ...), + free medical care and procedures, and many other things...

Having grown up in Quebec and having had a mom with numerous health problems for many years and all the way up to her death from heart disease after an Alzheimer's diagnosis, I can say that this ignores a fair bit outside of costs. The incredibly long lines to see specialists, the prescriptions that are NOT covered by the benevolent government, the fact that those with $$$ can just get a next-day appointment if paying cash while others wait, the very variable and often poor "care' at local clinics, etc. It's not all rosy wrt quality of care or patient experience.

And the taxes paid are more than just income taxes -- they includes high taxes on goods and services as well -- a regressive tax that hits those on the lower end much harder. It's not as simple as it's often portrayed.

 

[minnie56]

Re above post:
I don't want to make this about Canada because it isn't the point of the thread , but it really depends where you live in Canada. I drop to my knees every day thankful I will never lose my home paying for health care or procedures and that I don't have to give a seconds thought when I wish to see a Dr. I just do. My experience is only positive ..no long waits for 2 knee repairs etc etc

 

[muffyn]

my husband lost his job because his employer didnt want to pay the $3500 a month medical plan anymore ( after 10 years). (would cost us over $4000 to keep it).Our physician forced into retirement when the new regulations was requiring his office to be tied into all the digital stuff they now have., for a small town doc practice, too expensive.
that said, so my hubby was then out of work & on unemployment pay, we found out that we could get FREE health care coverage through our local hospital in the cleveland clinic network. ( we made use of that, colonoscopys & sleep apnea tests & other things) they told us we could get discounted medical services even if you made over $60,000 a year. you would have to as a regular physicians appt at the hospital was billed for $600!!! they told me @ 60,000 a year income a sliding scale for a doc appt would be under $50. ( same went for other hospital services)
check into your hospitals financial support office. you never know what is available.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

Having grown up in Quebec and having had a mom with numerous health problems for many years and all the way up to her death from heart disease after an Alzheimer's diagnosis, I can say that this ignores a fair bit outside of costs. The incredibly long lines to see specialists, the prescriptions that are NOT covered by the benevolent government, the fact that those with $$$ can just get a next-day appointment if paying cash while others wait, the very variable and often poor "care' at local clinics, etc. It's not all rosy wrt quality of care or patient experience.

And the taxes paid are more than just income taxes -- they includes high taxes on goods and services as well -- a regressive tax that hits those on the lower end much harder. It's not as simple as it's often portrayed.

I have several friends in Canada that have cancer and I am shocked at the wait times to get treated. One lady was in crisis and needed surgery ASAP for her surgery so they put her on the fast track ..... it took 6 month for her to get her surgery date and another month for the surgery. YIKES!!! in the mean time her cancer grew and became stage 4 (she was stage 1B. Another lady had to wait 3 months just to get her chemo! For lung cancer, a lot of Canadians are going to Tampa to get their surgery because of the lack of resources.

Our VA system is single payer and it is horrible. People have to wait a year to two years to be actually treated. Now, the government did start a plan where they can be seen by a doctor in a month or two, but then they still have to wait for treatment in a year or two years. That doctor visit is a waste and was a way for the VA to look good.

I remember 17 years ago at a military hospital pregnant women were sent to family practice for care and delivery because OBGYN was too full. I had friends that paid out of pocket to have their baby out in town. Thank God they change that system.

Yes, we need to do something about our system, but single payer will not solve the problem. Single payer is only good for colds, sore throats and small health issues.

Health insurance should not be a one size fits all kind of thing.

I forgot to add, people should see a social worker to see if they qualify for a grant for the health care so they don't lose their home.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I have several friends in Canada that have cancer and I am shocked at the wait times to get treated. One lady was in crisis and needed surgery ASAP for her surgery so they put her on the fast track ..... it took 6 month for her to get her surgery date and another month for the surgery. YIKES!!! in the mean time her cancer grew and became stage 4 (she was stage 1B. Another lady had to wait 3 months just to get her chemo! For lung cancer, a lot of Canadians are going to Tampa to get their surgery because of the lack of resources.

Our VA system is single payer and it is horrible. People have to wait a year to two years to be actually treated. Now, the government did start a plan where they can be seen by a doctor in a month or two, but then they still have to wait for treatment in a year or two years. That doctor visit is a waste and was a way for the VA to look good.

I remember 17 years ago at a military hospital pregnant women were sent to family practice for care and delivery because OBGYN was too full. I had friends that paid out of pocket to have their baby out in town. Thank God they change that system.

Yes, we need to do something about our system, but single payer will not solve the problem. Single payer is only good for colds, sore throats and small health issues.

Health insurance should not be a one size fits all kind of thing.

I forgot to add, people should see a social worker to see if they qualify for a grant for the health care so they don't lose their home.

Could not agree more with ALL of this. I wish people were better informed.

 

[sasywtch]

Right now my insurance is free. I pay 15 copay for a dr's appointment and 50 for ER if not admitted. Prescriptions are from 5-15. My bp pills are 11.00 for 100. I don't pay for labs, xrays, etc. I too am thanking my lucky stars after reading the stories above. Now dental insurance.....I'd love to know how Delta Dental has gotten away with their 2000 max for the last 30 years! I pay 12 a month for delta dental.

 

[minnie56]

Could to agree more with ALL of this. I wish people were better informed.

Okay , well as mentioned previously.
That is very much dependent on where one lives and seeks medical help in Canada.
I’m outside Toronto , approx 30 minutes and have never had one issue.
A friend of mine has osteoarthritis and needs a new hip, symptoms came on pretty intensely and suddenly this past couple of weeks, she’s scheduled for replacement on Thursday and of course , at no cost. I could recite many instances but again, don’t want to take over this thread with Canada health care VS insurance controlled health care but while no system is perfect , I’m pretty darn grateful for ours. Medical care or treatment is something I never think about and that brings peace of mind.

 

[ronandannette]

Having grown up in Quebec and having had a mom with numerous health problems for many years and all the way up to her death from heart disease after an Alzheimer's diagnosis, I can say that this ignores a fair bit outside of costs. The incredibly long lines to see specialists, the prescriptions that are NOT covered by the benevolent government, the fact that those with $$$ can just get a next-day appointment if paying cash while others wait, the very variable and often poor "care' at local clinics, etc. It's not all rosy wrt quality of care or patient experience.

And the taxes paid are more than just income taxes -- they includes high taxes on goods and services as well -- a regressive tax that hits those on the lower end much harder. It's not as simple as it's often portrayed.

Fee-for-service providers are only allowed by the Canada Health Act under a very narrow set of circumstances, and they must be completely opted-out of collecting any payments through the public system. Here in Alberta there are a few "botique" private practices that are usually an annual membership fee ($$$) for basic well-care examinations and small procedures. They cannot bill the provincial health authorities for any services and you would pay for things that would be covered elsewhere. That said, regular GP's can charge a fee for services that are not covered by the provincial plans (lists vary province-to-province) but they cannot charge a fee for services that are covered. One can't expedite an appointment (jump the queue as it were) for oncology, gynecology, cardiology, or whatever. There are private diagnostic centres where you can buy an MRI in a fraction of the time you'd wait for a public one and many other variations. Most provinces do not have publically funded pharma-care; drugs are either OOP or covered by private insurance. It's extremely complex and almost impossible to properly explain concisely.

And I'm sitting here in Calgary trying not to freak out over the mention of $7 daycare in Quebec, but I digress...

 

[kimblebee]

Fee-for-service providers are only allowed by the Canada Health Act under a very narrow set of circumstances, and they must be completely opted-out of collecting any payments through the public system. Here in Alberta there are a few "botique" private practices that are usually an annual membership fee ($$$) for basic well-care examinations and small procedures. They cannot bill the provincial health authorities for any services and you would pay for things that would be covered elsewhere. That said, regular GP's can charge a fee for services that are not covered by the provincial plans (lists vary province-to-province) but they cannot charge a fee for services that are covered. One can't expedite an appointment (jump the queue as it were) for oncology, gynecology, cardiology, or whatever. There are private diagnostic centres where you can buy an MRI in a fraction of the time you'd wait for a public one and many other variations. Most provinces do not have publically funded pharma-care; drugs are either OOP or covered by private insurance. It's extremely complex and almost impossible to properly explain concisely.

And I'm sitting here in Calgary trying not to freak out over the mention of $7 daycare in Quebec, but I digress...

It’s very hard to really, truly explain our system for outsiders because there are things that vary by province. I think that we can pay for MRIs in a city close (about an hour away) to us, but I’m not 100% sure. I have them every six months so it’s not hard to schedule, but twice I’ve had to have them ASAP and I’ve been in within hours, or a day.

I read something a while ago and it’s realy stuck with me...

Canada does have wait times, but that’s because we have the whole population of Canada that we’re waiting with. The US doesn’t have wait times because they’re only dealing with people who can afford the visit/procedure/consultation so it’s a much smaller pool. So, wait times aren’t really apples to apples.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

It’s very hard to really, truly explain our system for outsiders because there are things that vary by province. I think that we can pay for MRIs in a city close (about an hour away) to us, but I’m not 100% sure. I have them every six months so it’s not hard to schedule, but twice I’ve had to have them ASAP and I’ve been in within hours, or a day.

I read something a while ago and it’s realy stuck with me...

Canada does have wait times, but that’s because we have the whole population of Canada that we’re waiting with. The US doesn’t have wait times because they’re only dealing with people who can afford the visit/procedure/consultation so it’s a much smaller pool. So, wait times aren’t really apples to apples.

The bolded sentence is very interesting and I don't fully agree with it coming from my old job. I worked with low income families and low middle income families and that didn't have insurance and majority of them went to more doctors and had more procedures than people that had insurance.

People here are advocating for single payer for equality, and it sounds like you don't have equality health care in Canada. Also, if we decide to have open boarders and single payer health care ...... that would destroy anyone getting real care.

 

[tvguy]

The bolded sentence is very interesting and I don't fully agree with it coming from my old job. I worked with low income families and low middle income families and that didn't have insurance and majority of them went to more doctors and had more procedures than people that had insurance.

People here are advocating for single payer for equality, and it sounds like you don't have equality health care in Canada. Also, if we decide to have open boarders and single payer health care ...... that would destroy anyone getting real care.

Every heatlh care system has advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately the world has not found the perfect health care system yet. Anywhere. My mom was an RN who moved to the U.S. She got many of her prescriptions from Canadian pharmacies because of a much lower cost. Her siblings, still in Canada, in Ontario and Saskatchewan, all at some point traveled to the U.S. because some sort of medical care they needed wasn't readily available in Canada.

 

[kimblebee]

Every heatlh care system has advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately the world has not found the perfect health care system yet. Anywhere. My mom was an RN who moved to the U.S. She got many of her prescriptions from Canadian pharmacies because of a much lower cost. Her siblings, still in Canada, in Ontario and Saskatchewan, all at some point traveled to the U.S. because some sort of medical care they needed wasn't readily available in Canada.

I’m not getting into yet another healthcare debate. Not just you, with anyone.

All I will say is that I am 100% grateful for our health care system. If we had to get our own coverage I would be denied by everyone due to pre existing conditions, and so would my husband. If asthma counts, so would my daughter. I’ll take waiting a few weeks for a checkup over not being able to afford one any day.

 

[Marchand63]

I’m not getting into yet another healthcare debate. Not just you, with anyone.

All I will say is that I am 100% grateful for our health care system. If we had to get our own coverage I would be denied by everyone due to pre existing conditions, and so would my husband. If asthma counts, so would my daughter. I’ll take waiting a few weeks for a checkup over not being able to afford one any day.

Not all in the US have to deal with restrictions such as preexisting conditions. Mine does not, just added DH to mine since His company is closing in the next six months. No pre-existing problems and I can get an appointment next week so I’ll take my healthcare over that

With adding him to my insurance it bumped my premium up so we pay about $4700 a year That would be for a family plan

 

[Nohal]

I guess we will now find out just how good our insurance is. DH is retired and has health care through his previous employer he pays for both of us to be covered. We both are on Medicare and also pay monthly for that.

DH was in 3 different hospitals within 6 hours. He had a heart attack I took him to one hospital who sent him by ambulance to their sister hospital for heart catherization. That hospital then sent him again by another ambulance to the "heart" hospital. He was there on the heart pump for 4 days before surgery. He had triple bypass surgery. One complication after another he was finally released after 13 days in the hospital of which 10 were in CCU. Due to afib he is now on coumadin to thin his blood and has to continually have his blood checked.

So the bottom line is you really don't know how good your insurance is until you need to use it.

 

[kimblebee]

Not all in the US have to deal with restrictions such as preexisting conditions. Mine does not, just added DH to mine since His company is closing in the next six months. No pre-existing problems and I can get an appointment next week so I’ll take my healthcare over that

With adding him to my insurance it bumped my premium up so we pay about $4700 a year That would be for a family plan

See, we save $4700 a year. For a few weeks wait, it's worth it. We both are happy with what we have

 

[tvguy]

I’m not getting into yet another healthcare debate. Not just you, with anyone.

All I will say is that I am 100% grateful for our health care system. If we had to get our own coverage I would be denied by everyone due to pre existing conditions, and so would my husband. If asthma counts, so would my daughter. I’ll take waiting a few weeks for a checkup over not being able to afford one any day.

No debate here. I was very careful to choose my words in the most diplomatic manner possible. Each system AROUND THE WORLD has it's advantages and disadvantages. And I truly mean that.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I saw a patient in the hospital this month come in with no health insurance. Diagnosed with a major health issue. Within a few days, a social worker had gotten him all set up with Medicaid and other services. This has always been the case as long as I've worked in acute care hospitals. (30+ years.)

 

[Veronique]

My husband has Stomach cancer. I'm on multiple support group with lots of americans. We have exactly the same standard of care. Once he was diagnosed, he saw a surgeon the following week, an onco doctor the next, a treatment plan was in place and he started treatment (chemo was the same has americans, and our doctors do not get $$ for prescribing it) etc.

Our surgeon was trained at Harvard, my son surgeon was sought after by americans... very high quality doctors.

I'm sure there are very unlucky example of bad care and delay we can dig up. And yeah, there is long delay for surgeries from pain vs life threatning and that should definetly be adress. But in the end, studies shows Canadian pay less in taxes for health care then american. And it's free after that. Health care is a human right and I couldn't sleep at night knowing people around me would be dying of preventable cause because of money.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

But in the end, studies shows Canadian pay less in taxes for health care then american. And it's free after that. Health care is a human right and I couldn't sleep at night knowing people around me would be dying of preventable cause because of money.

Americans don't care if other Americans suffer; they have been brainwashed by institutions since infancy that if someone is poor then they deserve to suffer, because they are lazy/bad/don't try hard enough (bootstraps!). Because after all, if they were good people they wouldn't suffer, right?

 

[lifesavacation]

So the bottom line is you really don't know how good your insurance is until you need to use it.

Very true.

I just read a story this morning about a person that had a heart attack and was left with a huge medical bill. He had insurance.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...heart-attack-leaves-teacher-with-108-951-bill