Health Insurance & Reform SCAM

(First I'll say I'm always afraid to complain about my health insurance--because they could cancel me. I don't get much from it now, but if something major happened I'd need it--so I keep paying and paying--and they could cancel me at any time for any reason. Even so, it's important to speak out about what a criminal racket this really is.)

The more I deal with my insurance company, the more I realize it's a scam. I spent two hours today trying to get my insurance company to pay for a doctors visit. One pleasant rep told me one thing, I called the doctor's office, they called the insurance company who told them this wasn't true (and pretended they didn't know who I talked to). I called and spoke to another pleasant rep who knew who I'd talked to earlier (of course, it's all in my permanent record!) and said the first rep was right and the one who talked to the doctor's office was wrong and filed a grievance for me--which will take 45 days to resolve.

At issue--I get two doctors visits--a year. The insurance company counted one earlier this year for which they paid ZERO. They paid nothing, yet they counted it as one of my two visits. Then when I have a ear-nose-throat visit that needs payment, they refuse it. WTF? On one planet is this fair? No, it's a f-ing scam.

And the Senate's so-called health-reform bill is another scam which basically gives a half a BILLION dollars in tax breaks to health insurance companies. Huh? If Republicans can afford to give HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS to Health Insurance companies, why can they not afford to give Americans something, like a $1,500 per person tax credit for health care--or, better yet, a real public option like every other civilized democratic country has?

I guess money talks, and health insurance companies can afford to spend tens of millions in lobbyists and campaign contributions, and what a great deal for them--they'll get 100x return on their money!

Meanwhile, American citizens get what we always seem to get from the Senate--screwed.

It's time for us to get up in arms about this, to contact our representatives and DEMAND REAL CHANGE, not yet another givaway to big business.

Here's the email I sent to my senators:

I am mortified and disgusted that the Senate's so-called health reform bill is really yet another giveaway to big insurance companies.

We need REAL SECURITY in this country, we need a PUBLIC OPTION or at least strong laws that allow everyone, including the self-employed with pre-existing conditions, to buy AFFORDABLE health insurance.

I pay $600 a month. For that I get two doctor visits a year. Just two. this year, my insurance company has paid $40 for one visit, and NOTHING for the other. Meanwhile, they won't pay for the $400 specialist bill I have, because they counted the $0 visit as one of my two visits.

That's right, I pay $7,200 a year and they have saved me $40. This is criminal.

I simply cannot believe that the Senate is so beholden to the Insurance Industry lobbyists and campaign contributions that you cannot create a REAL HEALTH INSURANCE ACT FOR AMERICANS--NOT INSURANCE COMPANIES.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP US. Insurance companies don't need help. CITIZENS NEED HELP.