SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!!! Omigod protect the childrenz!
Yesterday, I went with my mother to a health insurance seminar. Evidently, her employer is thinking of switching health insurance providers. Which, is odd, considering she essentially works for Indian Health Services.
Anyway. I went along for the free lunch and to provide whatever advice I could. Really, I've relied on the universalized medical services collectively known as Indian Health Services all my life, so I know exactly nothing about privatized health insurance. IHS is good for certain types of care, so long as you're not old, chronically infirm, in need of urgent care or dying, it's a pretty good system. I use it for dental concerns and mental health mostly, so I have no complaints.
But as I started reviewing all the information from the insurance company, alarms of all kinds started going off in my head. It's mostly a supplement program, defined (loosely) as a PFFT or PFFS, which is basically a pay-as-you-go insurance. Depending on which tier she chose, no premium and a co-pay of like, 10 percent. Which, isn't great, but it'll do for maintenance concerns. For non-IHS health care, my mother has an HMO (I know) so the really attractive part of this plan is that they've made impressive in-roads in Washoe County. According to their Web site, about 95 percent of all hospitals, private doctors and clinics use this company, so that was tempting.
So after my concerns were discussed about her IHS benefits being counter-acted by this company, she enrolled for the tier without a premium.
Basically, the entire concept of health care in non-reservation America scares the shit out of me. Because, well, it's fucking expensive. And even if you have insurance, there are so many clauses and sub-clauses that can disqualify you for needed treatment. People end up destitute in America for life-threatening conditions. On the flip-side, IHS (and, anecdotally, the VA) is so horribly run and the budgets are continually slashed, so socialized medicine in America is a joke. How the hell do Canada and the U.K. do it?
So back to the story.
As the agent was enrolling my mother, he asked both of us how IHS works. Do we have a card? Do we need proof of membership upon every visit? Do we only go to certain administrative districts? Et cetera, et cetera.
We both took a breath as we answered his questions: No, Yes (but only on the first visit) and No. He looked at us incredulously and I pulled my Commie act, smiled, put my thumbs up and said, "That's socialized medicine for you!"
He frowned at me then the rage burned in his eyes for a split-second before he went back to filling out the paper work.
That's right sir, that's socialized medicine ... putting you out of a job on a good day.
I still have large concerns where my mother's maintenance care is concerned and I still distrust private insurance companies with all my heart and soul. So we'll have to see what they come up with when she files her first claim.
After that, I spent the rest of the day with my family and listened to Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible" which, has led me to believe it's probably the best album produced this entire decade.
Anyway. I went along for the free lunch and to provide whatever advice I could. Really, I've relied on the universalized medical services collectively known as Indian Health Services all my life, so I know exactly nothing about privatized health insurance. IHS is good for certain types of care, so long as you're not old, chronically infirm, in need of urgent care or dying, it's a pretty good system. I use it for dental concerns and mental health mostly, so I have no complaints.
But as I started reviewing all the information from the insurance company, alarms of all kinds started going off in my head. It's mostly a supplement program, defined (loosely) as a PFFT or PFFS, which is basically a pay-as-you-go insurance. Depending on which tier she chose, no premium and a co-pay of like, 10 percent. Which, isn't great, but it'll do for maintenance concerns. For non-IHS health care, my mother has an HMO (I know) so the really attractive part of this plan is that they've made impressive in-roads in Washoe County. According to their Web site, about 95 percent of all hospitals, private doctors and clinics use this company, so that was tempting.
So after my concerns were discussed about her IHS benefits being counter-acted by this company, she enrolled for the tier without a premium.
Basically, the entire concept of health care in non-reservation America scares the shit out of me. Because, well, it's fucking expensive. And even if you have insurance, there are so many clauses and sub-clauses that can disqualify you for needed treatment. People end up destitute in America for life-threatening conditions. On the flip-side, IHS (and, anecdotally, the VA) is so horribly run and the budgets are continually slashed, so socialized medicine in America is a joke. How the hell do Canada and the U.K. do it?
So back to the story.
As the agent was enrolling my mother, he asked both of us how IHS works. Do we have a card? Do we need proof of membership upon every visit? Do we only go to certain administrative districts? Et cetera, et cetera.
We both took a breath as we answered his questions: No, Yes (but only on the first visit) and No. He looked at us incredulously and I pulled my Commie act, smiled, put my thumbs up and said, "That's socialized medicine for you!"
He frowned at me then the rage burned in his eyes for a split-second before he went back to filling out the paper work.
That's right sir, that's socialized medicine ... putting you out of a job on a good day.
I still have large concerns where my mother's maintenance care is concerned and I still distrust private insurance companies with all my heart and soul. So we'll have to see what they come up with when she files her first claim.
After that, I spent the rest of the day with my family and listened to Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible" which, has led me to believe it's probably the best album produced this entire decade.