Expertise

[texaslawchick]

My first job was filing charts in my dad's office when I was twelve or thirteen. I'd go to work with him a few days a week and help his secretary with lite office work. When I was sixteen, I worked a summer for an oncologist doing more or less the same thing. I also worked for a rhumatologist answering phones and helping out the rest of the very

Comments

[jasheffe]

OK...since you brought it up...
How will government sponsored health care affect people like me who already have really good insurance through an employer? Will I lose benefits? Will I lose my ability to go wherever I want (I have very good PPO insurance) for a specialist without a referral from another doctor? Will it cost me more?

I have been following the debate and issue casually but I tend to tune it out. To many talking heads and no one really listening so that people can make real sense of what is on the table.

[texaslawchick]

As it currently stands, it really wouldn't impact you at all. To qualify for the public plan you have to be in the exchange, to be in the exchange, you'd have to be unemployed or otherwise uninsured. Your employer would continue to provide you with insurance. There's a slight possibility that you'd be either taxed on the insurance benefit you already receive tax free (you freeloader, you), but that's not really on the table. The PPO wouldn't change at all, though it's possible that they'd offer MORE services to adequately compete with the insurance market.

[jasheffe]

I don't see how people who are insured have a problem with this then. OK, maybe the being taxed part, I'm taxed enough already but as long as it's not outrageous, it's a win/win for the public.

I can see why Big Business has an issue, but I really do believe that we need some kind of National Health Care program in place for people who need it. I'd actually be more for full government regulation of health care to stop the gouging on procedures that seems to happen. The difference in cost between having the same MRI at USC, UCLA and the radiology place down the street from my house is obscene.

[texaslawchick]

Well, people who are insured are happy with what they have and worry that they're either going to a) pay more to maintain the status quo, or b) going to lose something.

And, under the current system, you are royally fucked if you don't have a job that provides insurance for you. Given your medical history, there is no insurance company in the world that would write you an individual policy that would provide the sort of coverage that you need that wouldn't cost an absolute fortune. Your monthly premiums would probably be well over a couple thousand dollars a month in the individual market.

[jasheffe]

Oh, I know this well. I took a paycut to keep my job last year and avoid being laid off so I could keep my insurance. I have AFLAC on top of everything which I took over premiums from a prior employer who had offered it. When they found out my prior medical history, they wigged.

The current system is broken in more ways than anyone can imagine. We need something in place. I agree with your frustration and anger over the intimidation through misinformation and fear that's being used.

[samtosha]

I pay out of pocket for my health insurance and with my medical history, it is an insane amount of money. But I have to have it, no way around it.