idiots at insurance companies • VideoSift: Online Video *Quality Control

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posted by jwray

3 months 3 weeks ago • 203 views

Some insurance forms are really stupid. For example:

Q: Provide the complete names and addresses of all physicians that have treated you for this condition from x/x/xxxx to y/y/yyyy.

(one little line provided for answer)

Comment: Why the fuck is the answer blank that small?

Q: Please list all medications which you have taken since 1/1/2007-2/21/2008...

Comment: Applying "since" to an interval is redundant, because "since" would only consider the last day of the interval as its argument! Which do you mean: during the interval, or anytime after it?

.Q: ...and the conditions for which they have been prescribed.

Comment: The form of the question presupposes that every medication requires a prescription.

And what bothers me the most is that they only sent this form to fish for a reason to deny me coverage of a 15-minute operation that cost over $1000, because they don't cover pre-existing conditions. This is why private health insurance should die and be replaced by nationalized control of hospitals. Privatizing healthcare is as stupid as privatizing the fire department. Lots of people do not have time to shop around for an emergency room, or time to travel to a cheaper one. Hospitals are local monopolies, and must be either wholly public or price-regulated like utility monopolies.

These insurance companies like to play a game of hot potatoes with each other, trying to get rid of or deny coverage to anyone who really needs it. Public health systems don't do that.

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I don't understand how that is a valid argument for nationalizing health care. Public agencies would also be required to constrain costs in ways that did not involve physician decisions. They already do - MediCare approved costs.

written by jonny

| 3 months 3 weeks ago | CH

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The trouble with letting the free market regulate itself in healthcare, is that there is no free market, just a bunch of local monopolies, local oligopolies, and drug-monopolies. Furthermore, almost all healthcare providers do their best to obscure prices until after you become obligated to pay whatever the price was. Have you ever walked into a doctor's office and seen a menu with prices? I don't think so. Free market does not work in the absence of informed consumers who can easily shop around for the best price/quality.

written by jwray

| 3 months 3 weeks ago | CH

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Health Care and Health Insurance are in paradoxical relationship to me.

The insurance business seeks to cut costs no matter what, thus its in their best interest to deny you coverage even if you are eligible. Its the nature of insurance companies.

The Health care sector seeks to care for all it's patients, thus its in its best interest to provide the best care regardless of the cost.

CBA shows that its better to have a healthier population then not. The current costs created through administration and creating of a whole new sub sector in the health care system is determental to the provision of health care in general.

written by Farhad2000