I just spent hours wrangling with Premera and my doctor's office to get pre approval for a test I need done. Hours. Learning about CPT codes and other bullshit to persuade the insurer to listen to my doctor. Finally got it approved. What bullshit. I'm relatively healthy trying to deal with a particular condition that ended up requiring an expensive test. But what if I were sick? Can't imagine a sick person would have the energy to do battle with the insurance company like this. I guess I just wouldn't get the test or treatment and die? I come from a country with public healthcare. Never experienced such unrelenting bullshit before in my life. Why does some non medical person at the insurance company feel they know better than my doctor about what tests I need done? This is with Premera be Blue Cross, supposedly the best insurer. What happens to people with crap insurance? The doctors are good. They are hamstrung by insurance company bureaucracy. If you have never needed a procedure that required pre-approval please don't comment that you think care here is good. You've had colds and flu's and maybe a sprained ankle. Wait until you need a test that costs $4000 and see that fuckery happens.
I used to have Premera (when I was with Amazon) and had some trouble similar to yours. They claimed never to have received paperwork from the provider, the provider claimed they sent it, wouldn't get resolved until I collected everything myself in person, it was ridiculous. All sorts of clerical incompetence from both sides. Had much more happy experiences with Anthem PPO after I left Amazon. Now I'm in Switzerland and sorta miss my previous US health plan, believe it or not. But then again in Switzerland medical insurance is also semi privatized. I guess it depends largely on your employer and insurance company.
Why do you miss US health care? Isn't Switzerland healthcare superior compared to the US?
I think for the average person it's better here. But for a Google employee, it's definitely better in the US. Medical insurance in CH is semi private. There are some regulations in Switzerland that prevent employers from providing medical insurance directly for employees. Instead we shop on the open market for medical plans, just like everyone else. Insurance premiums are tax deductible, which helps. There are laws governing what the insurance companies are allowed to charge for basic health plans, so basic coverage is essentially the same across all insurance companies in terms of costs/benefits. Basic plans are not cheap, but decent if you consider it as an average. I pay about $350/month as a healthy young single person for my coverage with SWICA for an above average plan but it's still not *that* great. I have a fairly high deductible (over $2000) before any benefits kick in. I have to call an advice line before scheduling any non emergency appointments. It includes no coverage whatsoever for dental or vision so I go to the dentist less now and pay out of pocket when I do. I haven't gone for any vision stuff because there's no coverage. I don't find it worthwhile to purchase dental or vision insurance, and from what I can tell most Swiss don't either. I haven't found the quality of care itself to be significantly different between the two countries. Similar appointment wait times, similar hit or miss with the quality of the providers. In the US, Googlers on the PPO plan get $20/$30 copay for GPs/specialist office visits, and you can schedule an appointment without a referral or calling your insurance company. There's also a 10% copay on procedures/tests. Very cheap prescription medication. The company also provides outstanding dental (two routine cleanings, check ups per year at zero cost) and vision coverage (3 prescription glasses prescription year)
Do you know a survivor ?
Vote Bernie Sanders. We need Medicare for all.
Because the government will give anyone whatever test they want, immediately whenever they want it 🤦🏿♂️.
Actually yes that is generally how universal health coverage works. See how it works in Japan and you will probably think its rediculous. You basically order tests off a menu.
Never had this issue with the Microsoft Premera plan. Is amazon underwriting it’s own plan? If so, they may have simply instructed Premera to be frugal.
Its better than it was when i was a kid. At least most ppl have insurance even if its shit. Growing up my family couldn't afford it. My dad splinted my broken finger himself (its still bent). Ive had to self-diagnosis for most of my life and hope for the best. Its been one of the reasons i worked hard to put myself through college. I dont want my kids to be living that kinda life.
Best wishes! Glad to see you successful
Actually, a greater share of people had coverage in the 70s than they do now
The good thing about Kaiser Permanente is that there is no need in dealing with insurer. But the downside you can only work with in-network doctors who may not even consider the tests you want.
The ignorance spewing on this thread is amazing. The US healthcare system is light years ahead of all others because it’s NOT single-payer/gov’t run. You want long waits for care? You want lack of medical innovation that comes from the free market system? Then vote for Bolshevik Bernie the dumbass! Btw, I have UnitedHealthcare and have been very pleased. I agree that some insurers can suck (like Premera?), but the free market should squeeze them out or cause them to improve. Under gov’t run systems there is no incentive to improve. For God’s sake, just look at our VA system for a microcosm for failure that would occur on a grander scale.
This is a bunch of regurgitated bullshit from somebody who has never really experienced what I'm talking about
What the Oracle guy said has nothing at all to do with your experience. He's talking at higher level concepts while you're complaining about lower level more close to customer experience sort of issue.
Just Half hour back, I Paid 5700 dollar medical bill even after paying expensive premiums. It sucks.
They just go to the ER and never pay, they have to treat you. I did it all the time when I was young and poor.
It still sticks on your credit record. Idk if thats changed between wen u were young and poor and i was. But i got stuck with a 10k bill that just sat on collections for years until i got some good college grants
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Agreed. The US has to get their shit together