Health insurance companies are insanely greedy.

[Aristus]

They're demanding prior authorization for medications so inexpensive, $4 will purchase a month's supply. OTOH, with my patient population, $4 might be a huge out-of-pocket hardship.

The way we bleed it out of the poor...

[Marthe48]

1. Years ago

My father-in-law got bp meds, had a long-term prescription, didn't have see the doctor to get a new prescription. After many years of that, he called and the dr. office said he'd have to come in for an examination. F-i-l was really irate, did not see why he had to see a dr.

I was getting Ambien, prescription and refills for a year, but Ohio changed the law, and I have to call for a refill every 3 months. I can get my pb prescription and refill for a year, but Ambien is considered a controlled substance. At the beginning of the year, I was told I'd have to check in with my dr., at least have a phone appt. each time I got it refilled, but thakfully they dropped that nonsense. I really don't like jumping through hoops. I might be accepting if I were new to using a med, but I had been taking Ambien for years (restless legs) My dr. recently cut the Ambien dosage and added Pramipexole, which has helped.

[Akoto]

2. I can definitely relate.

I'm physically disabled and on pain management, so I'm a walking pharmacy. I take a lot of meds and the rules are ever changing. Since FL didn't take the ACA, we have the managed health care plans, which are crap but which I'm nevertheless grateful for. I wouldn't be able to afford any meds on the tiny disability stipend I get otherwise.

My GI recently prescribed a med for an issue I'm having, and the insurance denied it because they wanted me to try X and Y first (had already tried one of them a million times). The GI says it seriously frustrates him when the insurance company does that; if he thought what they wanted me to try was the appropriate medication, that's what he would have prescribed! They're effectively getting in the way of my real doctors and acting as my physician without ever seeing me.

[multigraincracker]

3. In Michigan, Medicare covers it all

for low income people. Have a couple of friends I pick up their meds for them and zero copay. My buddy says he has the best insurance money can’t buy.

[sarge43]

4. My moment

During an eye exam doc took a half second to flick an eyelash off my eyeball. Charge: $42.00

I know, certainly not as ridiculous or outrageous as most, but really

[IcyPeas]

5. how many other countries have insurance companies that come between doctors and patients

explain it to me like I'm 5 years old.

[area51]

6. Insurance cos. practice medicine w/o a license.

[Ron Obvious]

7. Tell me about it.

Our insurance pre-approved my wife's wrist surgery, but then denied it afterwards as "out of network" so the provider called "so sorry, we'll have to put you on a payment plan". I've refused and told them to resubmit the claim, but we just got the bill the other day.

What the hell do we pay those enormous premiums for anyway if I still have to fight them all the time for everything?