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Originally Posted by BirdDancer
Hi fern. I feel for your brother. I understand the financial toll that hospitalizations and other medical treatments can bring. I've experienced them, too. I'm glad that Wild Coyote offered some ideas for the present. As for the future, it is up to us in our country (assuming you're from the US) to demand changes to this kind of hardship. We don't have to accept such a reality. Most people in Europe don't suffer such a situation because of their medical healthcare system. As a person with family in Germany and Czech Republic, if you were to ask them if they'd rather have the US system or theirs, they wouldn't hesitate for a second to say they much prefer theirs. They don't go broke when they get sick. They just don't. They have access to excellent doctors/hospitals, too. As you know, change will come if everyone asks for improvement. What are our top priorities? Who really plans to make things better, in terms of healthcare? Who will really protect people with pre-existing conditions? For those who think this is a very high priority, the right vote can help make positive changes happen.
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Thank you BirdDancer. Yes, we live in the states. You're right that we need changes and that can only happen if we take action. I may just write a few letters. I wanted to call the insurance company myself, but they won't speak to me. All of this and his company is considered to be 'good insurance'. Ugh.
The doctors screw the insurance companies over as well. I had this happen with my IP and IOP recently. Both times I was kept longer than medically necessary simply because my insurance would pay for it. I watched people who were much worse off leaving way too early and I was kept. I didn't say anything while I was IP, but I pushed back when I was in IOP. I had been stable for weeks and they wanted me to stay longer. I threatened to speak with my insurance company and they quickly backed down and discharged me. What a mess!!
I have also heard from many in Europe that their system is much better. I am a system designer and it frustrates me to watch so many suffer when there are many systems to follow that have better results. There is always a way to do what is financially responsible while keeping the best interests of the people at heart. We have lost sight of that here and healthcare is simply a business. It is sad really. We claim to thrive on innovation and yet we are fine to squander away the health of those who generate the ideas and keep the lights on.