LIVID update 11/16/09

[Anonymous]

OP:

I listened to you on the NPR link, and noticed you mentioned that you were able to negotiate the bill down to $5000. I'm curious, was it a reduction by the hospital or did the insurance company finally relent and pay a portion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a dem and I visit fox news each day for the same reason I read Anne Coulter - for my daily gasp and a head shaking, "unbelievable". It's a guilty pleasure, they are sooooo bad....

My husband watches Fox and says it is because he likes to know what the "enemy" is thinking. We give good laughs too.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The non-insured rate was almost 9000. I asked my doctor and the hospital if they would accept the amount that my insurance carrier would have paid them had I been covered. The 5000 was the negotiated rate. We paid in full the negotiated rate.

[Anonymous]

OP, what can those of us who live in DC, without a vote in Congress, do to help you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why the weird dig on Fox News?

Are you unaware that Fox is a highly politicized propaganda machine for conservative/republican issues? Anti-dem, anti-Obama, etc.?

how silly. it has by far the highest ratings of any cable news outlet.

And the grocery store tabloids have a higher circulation than legitimate newspapers, and more Americans believe in angels than evolution, and the View is more popular than Meet the Press, and more people eat at McDonalds than purchase locally grown vegetables and cook them for their families, and Lady Gaga sells records. Popularity does not equal legitimacy or quality.

Nicely said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"As a matter of fact, I'm not interested in my tax dollars paying for any type of healthcare, period. Government has no business being involved with our healthcare at all."

I take it you will not be accessing Medicare when you are older?

Or taking advantage of the H1N1 vaccine, (paid for by the federal government?)

No, and no.

I think Gov involvement with healthcare has caused and stands to cause massive, massive problems. Just like govt involvement with a whole host of other "amenities."

You are amazing! How did you have the time and resources to hire your own police force and firefighters, arrange private trash pick-up, set up your own school system, regulate your own airline industry, create your own food safety board, and develop and test your own vaccines?

Oh, wait; maybe your kids go to private school. Still--wow!

Yeah, I agree! To the person who doesn't like government involved in any "amenities"-- would you mind starting a thread where we can discuss this further? I'm fascinated by your independent minded nature and want to know what other government funded "amenities" you don't take advantage of.

[Anonymous]

I just got an email that there's a lobbying day in DC on Dec. 2 against the Stupak Amendment, if other PPs are interested: http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/healthreform/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The non-insured rate was almost 9000. I asked my doctor and the hospital if they would accept the amount that my insurance carrier would have paid them had I been covered. The 5000 was the negotiated rate. We paid in full the negotiated rate.

OMG, $5000? Had I been in your position OP, and had I known the cost prior to the procedure, I simply couldn't have come up with that kind of cash. And to pay off a "bill" like that from the doctor, had he been kind enough to let me pay over time, would have taken me years. I can't imagine what I would have done?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"As a matter of fact, I'm not interested in my tax dollars paying for any type of healthcare, period. Government has no business being involved with our healthcare at all."

I take it you will not be accessing Medicare when you are older?

Or taking advantage of the H1N1 vaccine, (paid for by the federal government?)

No, and no.

I think Gov involvement with healthcare has caused and stands to cause massive, massive problems. Just like govt involvement with a whole host of other "amenities."

Sorry to hijack, OP, but this needs to be seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QDv4sYwjO0

[Anonymous]

OP here. To 10:26. Part of the point I have been trying to make is that I had no idea that I wasn't covered. It never occurred to me that I would not be covered for a medical procedure. No one goes into a pregnancy thinking about the worst case scenario. In addition, I've never had any claim refused the entire time I've been on the Feds health insurance. Everything is covered, or seemed to be. I am coming forward because I recognize how fortunate I am to have been able to pay for the procedure. There are so many people for whom the cost would be prohibitive and maybe forced to carry a non-viable pregnancy. (had they known about the cost beforehand) More than likely, many women would be in my position of finding out after the fact.

Also, for those of you who are implying that all of this is my fault because I didn't look at my coverage, please explain to me what a woman insured under the federal plan, who discovers a neural tube defect or a chromosomal abnormality at an amnio is to do? She can't go to Planned Parenthood because they will only do abortions through the first trimester. I actually could have gone to PP because I was still in my first trimester. Pay out of pocket for the abortion? Carry the non-viable pregnancy to term or fetal demise in utero? This scenario will become more common if Stupak stands as is and healthcare legislation passes.

[Anonymous]

how's this for irony? The RNC employee health plan covered elective abortion. Until last week, when Politico pointed it out... http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29475.html

OP, I wish you the best - thanks for speaking up, it takes guts!

[Anonymous]

I heard about that. The sad part is now that it has been revealed, women under the plan may not receive heathcare they potentially need.