Showing posts with label CheneyCare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CheneyCare. Show all posts

January 4, 2008

Healthcare in the U.S.


(Graph from naked capitalism.)

So, if our money isn't lengthening our lives, where's it going?

I recently had bunion surgery and my doctor prescribed a knee-walker to help me get around during the recovery. The manufacturer told me they could ship one for ca. $250 and get it to me in 3 days.

My insurer told me it would be covered only if I got it through an "in-network provider."

Now, you might think the point of dealing with "in-network providers" would be that the insurer could negotiate cheaper prices; but apparently, no.

Out of a list of at least a dozen supposed in-network providers, it turned out only one could actually provide the item -- and it would take at least two weeks, partly because special authorization was required from the insurer, because this in-network provider's price to procure the item was over $1,000.

I called the appeals people at the insurer and said hey, we can get it quicker from the manufacturer and you'll save over $700.

The insurer could not have been less interested.

When the knee-walker finally arrived, it was an inferior model from a different manufacturer.

I have to at least ask whether the insurer and its in-network provider weren't splitting the mark-up at my employer's and ultimately all of our expense (not to mention the delay and other inconvenience).

The California Nurses Association (CNA)/National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC) is collecting healthcare horror stories as part of their campaign in support of publicly-funded healthcare, which they call "CheneyCare," for all of us. You can tell your own story and sign their petition here.


UPDATE: Eliz. Edwards on TDS tonite (May 20, '09) said, out of every $700 paid for to United Healthcare, $1 was paid to the CEO.