"They said it was a pre-existing condition?"
That is what I recently exclaimed, in complete shock, to my wife of ten years. She had just told me that a friend of hers at work had recently been to the hospital with what turned out to be gallbladder problems. To the very same hospital that they work cleaning free of the unthinkable messes and disease that comes in on a daily basis. She later found out that their insurance company, Southern Indiana Health Organization (SIHO) refused to pay her hospital bill because her problem was "a pre-existing condition."
That was the day that this health care reform fight finally hit close to home, and I knew more than ever that I was right. Reform must pass, and it must pass now. When your gallbladder gives out, it should never be a pre-existing condition.
More depravity after the fold.
It gets even better. She later found out that since it wasn't being paid for by insurance...the hospital wanted to get paid. Her leftover bill was near a thousand dollars, if not more. They weren't even willing to listen to payment solutions starting at less than $100 a pop. To a woman who is lucky if she makes nine dollars an hour in this economy, you might as well be asking for the moon.
And then what followed made me sick, and came right back last night watching the replay of Keith Olbermanns impassioned plea for reform from last year. Another coworker had recently been forced to begin insulin shots for her Diabetes. With the same "coverage" that wasn't worth the paper it was printed on they wanted $80 a pop from her. Far more than she could afford. So instead, she relies on the local free health care clinic to help her fight death. Rest in peace Mr. Olbermann.
Just a small single instance of the inherit evil in the current system of health care reform. What we wind up with post reconciliation isn't going to be the best option. Not by a long shot. But it's going to be better than what we have now. And I bet you peoples lives won't be ruined by bad gallbladders and a need for insulin.
Thank you for reading. Sorry to not name victims but I'm trying to avoid any heat for the unlucky (or my wife) at work somehow. Being screwed by your health provider sucks. Being unemployed would suck more...