We're working on a project on C&L and we need your help. I'd love for you guys to make short videos about any problems you've had with your health care providers and send them to us at C&L. We'd like to put together a montage for Congress so they can see first hand how totally screwed up it is trying to pay for care even if you have health care in America. How many stories have you seen on TV that show us the problems Americans have with health care even when they have insurance and what they do to keep it. You won't find many at all. They think it's better for their ratings to show the infighting of the policy debate rather than show what this fight is actually about.
You can use Flip cam videos, laptops, computer web cams, cell phones or any other device you have available. We keep hearing from the conservative party of no that we have the best health care in the world and if we change anything it'll put the government between you and your doctor. It's just stupid right wing talking points to muddy up the waters to average American families, but the media doesn't investigate; they regurgitate.
The truth is that even if you and your family have health care, it's the insurance companies who stand between you and your doctor and they make it as difficult as possible if you have to deal with any other medical problem outside of a runny nose. We need health care reform badly in this country, but we need your help to expose what's really going on. How many specials have you seen on the networks that actually do in depth reporting on the relationship between you, your doctors and the health insurance companies? Only Michael Moore spent the time to put them under the magnifying glass and it terrified the Health Industrial Complex because they wanted their corruption to be kept in the dark.
Please send all videos to this email address:
crooksandliarsvideos@gmail.com
If we get enough of them we'll be able to shed some light on the problems of actually being covered, but not getting the service you paid for or the service that has quadrupled in price the last few years...
In addition to nightmare stories, how about a positive one? I work for the federal government and my coverage is really good. When I had cancer I was able to go to the Mayo Clinic, and my care there was unbelievable. This is the noble vision of Obama that he alluded to in his press conference -- government health care of the sort I have is what everyone should have if they want it...
Isn't this something publicly funded by all tax payers? And is this something that all government employees receive?
Yes and Yes, as far as I know...
and coverage that EVERY person in the U.S. should have? No problems with pre-existing conditions, or being refused what's needed to cure your disease??
I think this is what needs to be delivered... a positive healthcare package and it needs to be there for every single child, woman, and man.
Yes, I can safely state that I would wish my level of coverage on everyone...
I teach in a public school and have full family coverage. The only thing I pay is $40/month towards premiums and we have $5 co-pays on prescriptions and doctor visits. All tests, physicals, ER and hospitalization is covered 100%. This literally saved our financial lives and my sight when I had two detached retinas several years ago. The insurance paid almost $100k for 3 surgeries with no problem and I have my sight.
The downside? We've taken pay freezes for the past 8 years to keep our coverage and I don't see this changing in the future. Utilities and food costs have almost doubled in our neck of the woods, but my paycheck is the same it was 8 years ago. I also see families and children who are going without proper care every day and the guilt I feel is overwhelming. They deserve the same - every single one. I went without insurance for close to 10 years until I began teaching so I know how it feels on the other side. I would gladly give up half of what I have if I would never have to see another sick child whose parents can't afford the doctor visit ever again. We should all have the same, regardless!
The mind set in this country is exemplified by this post: For the priveledge of a $5 co-pay for doctor's visits, ER visits, prescriptions, the poster is willing to forgo raises at work.
If your employer paid $1000/mo for your family over 8 years they paid $96,000 to insurance. Your pay stayed flat. You spend $40/mo for that 'priveledge' at a total cost of $3840. If you paid $400/mo for a 'catastrophic' health plan, with a $10,000 deductable, your employer may have been able to pay you the extra $1000/mo for pay raises. You would have made $12,000/year more.
In the end, with your surgery, and your $10,000 deductable you would have: made $96,000 more over 8 years.
paid $38,000 in health insurance (instead of $3840)
____________________________________________________
had a gross income difference of
$57,600
-$10,000 deductable
____________________________________________________
$47,000 ahead of the game over the past 8 years
But because we've become brainwashed in this country that it's somehow better to have this huge coverage, even if young and without a lot of risk factors for illness. It's irrational, and it's taken on the same fervor of religion, with all it's misconstrued half truths and hear say ideology.
In the end the above poster believes to have avoided financial ruin when it would have been better to just pay for the insurance on their own, even with a huge deductable.
This will be quite enlightening!
C+L will get all these hundreds of nightmare stories and then Mitch McConnell will trot out somebody who will say their 90 year old grandma was not given a hip replacement a week before she died of lung cancer in Canada.
in from Canada and shed some light on this topic. I have a Mom who's had two hip replacements, a revision done on one hip, and a knee replacement... She's now 87 and they'd like her to have another revision done because she can still get around under her own steam. No cancer for her, thank goodness!
Unfortunately I do not have proper video equipment outside of a digital camera that takes video so I'll throw in my two cents here. Perhaps video of the Wendell Potter interview should be included since he's an ex-executive of Cigna now become whistle blower. He does make great commentary giving great validity to Michael Moore's Sicko. We need to shake congress to the core!
http://www.truthout.org/072609R
Here is a link.....
My wife had to have a physical for her green card (a process that I have already invested 7 months and $2K in). USCIS physicals are required by the govt. (the USCIS) but since they are an "unnecessary" from a medical standpoint, my insurance won't pay for the physical.
Oh yeah, and since USCIS physicals are "special" (as in, they go to the USCIS), and are required, the physicals cost more than a standard physical.
That's nice.
If terrorists blow up USCIS HQ, I don't know if I'll be angry or throw a party.
Sorry John, it's not really health care, but it has been a nightmare. So, there's that.
Just the usual: Lost EKG records, misdiagnosed with the flu then a day later my appendix erupted, misdiagnosed with heart irritations when it was actually an ulcer. I try to avoid hospitals now and just drink tequila to numb the pain.
What about this amazing one though:
Hopefully humanity will one day learn to be humane.
"Just the usual: Lost EKG records, misdiagnosed with the flu then a day later my appendix erupted, misdiagnosed with heart irritations when it was actually an ulcer. I try to avoid hospitals now and just drink tequila to numb the pain."
I'm an emergency physician, and contrary to the public's basic belief, this type of thing happens normally in the ER. Part of the problem with our health care system is a misconception by the public at large that we have to be 100% right all the time or we've "misdiagnosed" someone. If a patient comes to the ER with a complaint of abdominal pain there are literally hundreds of reasons for it. There are only several that I'm interested in as an ER doc: Appendicitis, Chelecystits (Gallbladder infection), Diverticulitis, Torsed Ovary (if female), incarcerated hernia, ruptured aorta, and several others. All of these can be either life threatening or cause severe illness or chronic problems if not treated appropriately.
The trouble arises when people enter the ER and want to know "exactly what's wrong with me" and are not satisfied with an "I don't know exactly", and actually often angered by this. The fact is we take a thorough history and do a physical exam. Most of the time the story and the exam will lead to the diagnosis, helped by laboratory results if needed.
But, in this country, there's somehow a pervasive idea that this is all so easily accomplished. Maybe it's TV shows that have done it, I don't know. But if you don't have classic signs of appendicitis, or lab values that support this diagnosis, then I'm not CT scanning you, period. I've been wrong many times, and the patient came back with appendicitis. This is acceptable and rational, and is not "misdiagnosis". I always tell people that we could just scan everyone who comes into the ER with a complaint of belly pain. That way we'd never miss an appendicitis that would show up on a CT scan. But, we'd also be delivering high doses of radiation to hundreds of people who did not have appendicitis to catch the relatively few we might have missed. And, a CT does not always show an appendicitis, even when severe.
But we do them anyway in this country, because we're not allowed to be wrong. It's unacceptable to people. and the problem is that people equate being wrong with malpractice. It's not even close. But people sue because they can't stand it that something bad befell them. And the insurance company pays $50,000 to the patient because it would take $60,000 to defend, and WIN, the case. This just adds to the general idea that the doctor has committed malpractice (he did not even come close), perpetuating the scorn and dismay among the populace, perpetuating the anger. And then every doctor that hears about this startd doing unnecessary CT scans. You're culpable Americans
I pay my own way for health care. How is that for a nightmare.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
health insurance; however, not only was I surprised to learn that all the $227.00 premium (for an individual) covered was six doctor visits and $500 per day for hospital. No prescription drugs, no diagnostic tests, no payment of doctors, etc., once in the hospital. It also had many other ridiculous terms so I canceled it, but then I was told after believing I had health insurance for three months I was told that they never actually took the money out of my account. I checked with my bank and they were correct. So, I've been without coverage for three months, regardless of how worthless it was. I wonder if they were going to tell me? It's a total effin' joke. I have been paying my own premiums for almost 15 years, and I hardly ever used it. It was there in case of an emergency, and, yet, if it was ever used, the insurance companies would still deny coverage, or, more likely, not pay the bills willy-nilly. Illegalize for-profit health insurance. It would be a great first step to restoring liberty and order to this nation.
I mean WTF?
and the response will be overwhelming, but does anyone really think the majority of Congresspeople actually CARE about the bankruptcies, suffering, and deaths of so many Americans? Or isn't already aware of how awful the for-profit health insurance industry is? If they did care about the people and not the health insurance businesses, they would have enacted single payer years ago.
Since the media won't...Please do what you can. They can be short videos...
Are you looking for people talking into their cameras about their experiences - or taking a hidden camera into hospitals - or dramatic recreations of their horrific experiences (Rescue 9-11 style)?
Thanks.
Hopefully humanity will one day learn to be humane.
hidden camera dealing with insurers or your true stories...if we get a big enough response, it can go in many different directions
http://www.truthout.org/072609R
10% (official) unemployment (which doesn't count you if your benefits have run out, if you are self-employed, etc.), a radically shrinking social safety net, no public health care, and the corporate crooks accelerate their fleecing of citizens aided and abetted by the U$ government.
It is only a matter of time before the whole house of cards collapses. If the Mayan calendar is right, sometime around the end of 2012 ...
My father is a Neurologist.
A couple years a go he told me (about a patient of his whom) he had to spend a couple of hours arguing on the phone and then writing letters to the his patients insurance company.
His patient was an employed male in his 60's who had been denied his claims for services and treatment for a Cervical Spine injury: The insurance company Denied Payment of this claim (both reimbursement to the patient and the neurologist) due to the fact that "Men don't have Cervix's..."
No shit.
& This took about 4 months to resolve...
I actually had written Michael Moore about this, and one of his assistants wrote to me about a week before the (Sicko) Cannes preview and requested if we could fax her the copies of the denial of payment paperwork received from the insurance company -which we gladly sent.
Unfortunately (she said) it was too late to add to the movie...
should get off their cushy butts & make an 'investigative mission' to different places in Canada (it's close) and talk & listen to the many people who have 'lived our system' for many years.
You know, to actually try to inform themselves of what our well-proven Canadian healthcare system could offer in the way of ideas.
No system can ever be perfect, not when there are humans involved, but nothing says defeat faster than allowing oneself to be ignorant, especially when there are so many 'working options' out there to learn from.
I do think that C&L's idea of presenting a montage of healthcare horror stories is a good one...I do hope it pans out that they are able to present the final product to the government. I have no doubt that they will receive more than enough material from the general public.
cost you $50,000 in this corrupt system. After they've ruled everything out.
Do you want a story of the horrors of the Canadian wait list?
At one point I went in for an extremely low-priority surgery. As a result of it being both low-priority and relatively involved, I was placed on the dreaded Canadian Waiting List, where I languished for a full three weeks or so before I got in. This while I was in no pain whatsoever, and including getting bumped once because someone who actually needed surgery in a more pressing fashion got my slot.
Seriously, though... I've had a number of friends and relatives who've needed real, time-sensitive surgeries, and none of them have had to wait more than two days. My father injured his knee and needed surgery on it, and got it the same day he went into the hospital. People who say the Canadian system is broken either have some really crazy expectations, or are clueless.
I had to wait ten days for an MRI for a sports injury and three weeks for a colonoscopy and I had to pay fifteen bucks for the cab fare to the hospital myself. The horror. The horror.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
the horror of the Canadian healthcare system...
Diagnosed with lymphoma two years ago...consultations, blood & bone marrow tests, radiation treatments, all at one of the most sophisticated trauma & cancer hospitals in Canada, & (so fortunately) declared cancer-free all within the span of two months…oh, and not a penny left my wallet.
DAMNIT DAMNIT
I don't have health insurance so I can't contribute more to this.
First, my college-age daughter has insurance through my work HMO as long as she is a full-time student. However, the college cannot offer all the classes she needs to BE a FT student. The option of taking Cobra was quoted at $500/mo as if that was a bargain. I can't afford that so either it's all out of my pocket or she goes without dental, eye care, and health. Needless to say, my tax write-off does not cover her medical expenses for those things she cannot do without, but falls just under the amount needed for medical deduction. I barely make ends meet.
My experience was with Cigna for dental. The network of less than stellar dentists. But twice, due to some technicality or misunderstanding with them, they denied my dental coverage. The rep not only hung up on me several times and lied about the state law and other details, but also hung up on my dental office rep as well. We ended up splitting the cost. Again, a thousand dollars I had to find in my budget.
These may not be huge compared to some, but it means cutting back on clothes, any recreation, or things that other people take for granted to recover my losses on medical.
Otherwise, I get bare minimal service from my doctor.
How about my wife's patient who had a severe head injury, lost all her memory including short term and was DROPPED from her insurance company's coverage for further treatment because she failed to (remember) to pay her premium after the accident.
That's health care in america folks!
The only people who DON'T want to change this 'train wreck' of a system are:
1) the very healthy* who do not have a clue how crappy health insurance is and has become in the last 10 years.
2) the insurance companies
3) the whores in government who only care about money and getting re-elected
E
*Excluding the healthy Nurses, Doctors, Therapists, ETC ETC who know how bad it really is!!!!!
3) con't.... and here are some of those whores...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/28/reca...
4.) conservative old folks already on Medicare, who don't see what everyone else's problem is.
That is a really good point that I have not yet heard during this debate.
that is just shocking...how do those people who deny or cancel coverage sleep at night??
They fall asleep dreaming how they are going to spend their bonuses.
AND... it is sad that the argument against any government health care, to scare everyone, is that there will be people in government deciding your treatment. Well, now we have corporate employees, many of whom are not even in trained or experienced in the health professions, sitting in cubicles that are trained to DENY, REDUCE and DELAY your treatment.
In New Jersey, if you have a new insurance policy and were not insured for more than 3 months;
- The insurance company can look at the prior 6 months for pre-existing conditions.
- The insurance can refuse payment for one year from the start of you coverage for a pre-existing condition.
- Every claim can (AND WILL BE) submitted for review to see if it is a pre-existing condition and they can (AND WILL) request that your doctor submit documentation stating that you were not treated for a pre-existing condition.
- A decision does not have to be rendered (AND WILL NOT) until the full year has expired.
“If pigs could vote,
the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time,
no matter how much slaughtering he did on the side.”
- Orson Scott Card
I used to have a heart problem that was helped with medication but frequently the insurance company would deny the drugs needed for my care because of their expense. After numerous hospital visits they agreed to the expensive medications. Also, when I was unemployed and could not afford COBRA I had to go to different hospitals to get the medications and could never see a cardiologist. Probably because there were none to be had w/o insurance. This was in Houston, Texas--with mega hospital systems.
Thanks for this John will try to follow up with a video.
Well my problem is I have severe Adult ADD. It's a problem that affects my job, my marriage, and my social life. I suspected it a few years ago but hid it until '07 when I separated from the Air Force. I was lucky enough to find a job and an employer with good coverage and was put on Strattera to treat my ADD. It's an expensive medication but I had no problem making the $50 monthly copay to get it.
Flash forward to Jan 09 and my employer switches insurers. The new insurer not wanting to pay the cost of my medication denies it as me being "too old" (I'm 27) for the medication. Afterwards I had letters drafted from two doctors and Lilly (Strattera's manufacturer) stating that the medication was not for a certain age group. I still was denied and told to get on another medication. Only problem is all other ADD meds are amphetamines that I cannot take because of stress and blood pressure problems I have. Thankfully I have a great doctor who keeps me in samples but that cannot last forever.
The Nopublicans look at it as just using tax money to give insurance to the "welfare queens and illegals" while ignoring those of us who have insurance and are getting screwed. But they refuse to regulate them in exchange for fat lobbyist kickbacks and their rabid need to protect the wealthy.
Also I pay $250 a month to cover my spouse on my plan and now they deny her for anything more than a general checkup. I won;t get into her story but mine and hers is just a tiny example of how bad we need President Obama's reform in this country.
After being accepted to graduate school I needed to have my teeth fixed. Though I had dental insurance through the school, it did not cover enough and I ended up paying over $1,600 for dental by credit card (I waited four years since I had no dental insurance and ended up having my wisdom teeth removed as well....leading to permanent nerve damage to my mouth because I didn't get it done sooner). I later paid this dental credit card off by student loans.
The worst was when I really need a breast reduction for my health. I couldn't breathe without a pain in my chest, I couldn't exercise, and I was having serious depression. I ended up paying out of pocket (though I had insurance through the school) $5,000. So now I have graduated and though I can't find work, I can't find help for my "luxury items" of a credit card. Though I paid $5,000 of that to have a better life quality.
It takes a lot to annoy a Canadian politician but they are finally legally defending themselves against the lies of that fake brain tumour lady… Shona the Nervous Nellie who really had a benign cyst.
“Ontario fires back against woman in ad”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/...
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