I need to rant about Health Care for a moment

[Drale]

Earlier this year my girlfriend went on disability from her job because of back problems, the manager at the store she worked at would call her at least once a month to see when she was coming back, until finally he asked whether or not she was coming back and she said no she was not. She was off for disability from April till July and the Union made getting any money hell, she only got one check a week before she was bullied into saying she was not coming back.

Now for the reason for the rant, when she stop working at the grocery store she lost her insurance. Her father was supposedly trying to put her on his insurance but his manager claimed he had to wait until open enrollment to do that. My girlfriend got a job at Target for the holidays and they decided to keep her on, and she hoped that she would be able to get insurance through them but apparently you have to work a certain amount of hours every week or work their for two years to get benefits. She had tonsillitis and had to pay 75 dollars to go to the emergency clinic, which granted isn't that much health care wise but its the principle of the thing.

Our health care system is still totally screwed up if you have to wait for a certain period to get your children insurance, and that you have to wait 2 years to get insurance through your job. We desperately need a public option but until then the government needs to step in and make it easier for people to get insurance.

[rustydog]

1. Legit rant

Single payer would solve so many problems. It would get rid of businesses having to provide insurance coverage. They would not have to pay into workman's comp to cover work-related injuries etc.

[aptal]

2. K&R

[reteachinwi]

3. Check out your state's health insurance exchange plans.

This is the one for MN, I think many states' hix will be similar.
http://www.mn.gov/hix/
The cost calculator is generic but you can see how the PPACA may be a good thing.

[Drale]

4. She lives in Indiana so I doubt they have an exchange

I live in Illinois and I don't think our exchange is up and running yet either but I could be wrong.

[denverbill]

5. It may be too late for this but if she lost her insurance it might be a qualifying event.

I think lots of companies waive the open enrollment requirement if someone loses their insurance.

My company wouldn't let me add a child mid-term just because I suddenly decided I wanted to insure her, but if she had insurance and lost it, I could add her any time.

Might be worth it to have her father check with HR, not just his manager.

[cbayer]

6. Did she look into the COBRA option?

She should have been able to keep her insurance, but would have to pay for it herself. The cost is often prohibitive, but it should have been available to her.

[SomethingFishy]

7. What we need is to change the entire mindset of the nation.

Until we as a nation stop thinking that Health Care should be part of a capitalist system and that profit should be derived from withholding care from the sick and infirm, nothing will change.

Schools, Hospitals. Prisons, none of these things should be run as "for profit" businesses.

[Laelth]

10. +1. Well said. n/t

-Laelth

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. We need a revolution when it comes to the provision of health care in this country.

Our system is digustingly profit-driven.

I've become quite radical: Nationalize Big Pharma, nationalize health care provision, eliminate the insurance parasites.

[Laelth]

9. We need single-payer.

A "public option" would be an improvement, I grant, but it's not what we need.

-Laelth

[Aristus]

11. At this stage, I'll accept anything if it means I can give my patients the care they need.

I find myself wishing for a national health insurance plan at least five times a day when working clinic. And I wish all health insurance authorization forms came with just one check box that read: "Because I Said So!"

I f*****G HATE it when insurance number-crunchers think they can perform medical care...