Medicare commercials

[Allen]

Is everyone getting their daily minimum requirements of these lengthy unending Medicare commercials?

I mean enough is enough---there should be some gov't regulations on time and quantity of commercials of the same item.

Us old coots who are on Medicare know all the companies, what the plans are, and how much they cost. Perhaps one in one billion may benefit from these commercials. The rest, not so, especially those under 65 who have to put up with this crap.

If these companies can advertise 24/7 they either have $ to burn and could cut their rates or they're on the verge of bankruptcy and you wouldn't want to subscribe with them.

I see mostly Humana and Aetna, very few with United Health Care and none with BCBS so I guess the best ones don't have to advertise.

[Phloating Phlasher]

I'm with Humana (& the subsidiary, Centerwell), they're terrible to deal with.
Rather than catalog the series of mistakes, delays, failures to contact providers & other problems I'll just say the ONLY thing they do well is advertise.

[JB White]

I’m with Blue Cross & BS. New to me this year after my insurer flipped me into a Mediocre Advantage plan. I’m finally starting to take notice of the alternative plans out there. Those commercials are more than a TV intermission time now.

Are there more plans out there which do not cover until after at least two rejections?
And…They haven’t paid anything to my dentist at all. I just got notice they’re dropping dental coverage in 2025 unless I go to a doc-in-box facility almost two hours from home.

Time for a change.

[Former Cav]

the insurance companies all have them nice new skyscrapers for a reason, and it isn't "taking care of us" !!

[JB White]

I thought it was great when we were building those nice new skyscrapers.

[Allen]

the insurance companies all have them nice new skyscrapers for a reason, and it isn't "taking care of us" !!

Here it isn't so much the ins companies building the "Taj Mahal's" as it is the doctors and hospitals. You can hear the doctors quacking all the way to their banks.

[Major Tom]

Not only commercials, but endless phone calls too!

[Allen]

Not only commercials, but endless phone calls too!

I think the cut off date is December 7th so the calls and commercials should come to an end then. This is the worse year yet for all the abuse. We see who is making the money.

[Allen]

I'm with Humana (& the subsidiary, Centerwell), they're terrible to deal with.
Rather than catalog the series of mistakes, delays, failures to contact providers & other problems I'll just say the ONLY thing they do well is advertise.

Looks like someone was fed up with United Healthcare too.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/unitedhealthcare-ceo-reportedly-killed-in-new-york-city-shooting-144018116.html

[Allen]

BCBS decided to make some policy changes too rather than end up as worm chow.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14163485/anthem-blue-cross-blue-shield-unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson.html

"Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield have reversed a policy change that would have seen them tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia."

[Johnny P]

Saw a new theory on the killing of the United Healthcare CEO. This guy says that it was no hitman by his unreliable choice of weapon, and sloppy follow up actions. His theory is that it was a disgruntled United Healthcare policy holder. Of all the health care plans in the U.S., United HC has the highest claim denial record, and the CEO that was killed drew a $10,000,000 a year salary to oversee this denying claims.

[Allen]

A close friend of the family, a young nurse with two children, was diagnosed with cancer. The whole hospital staff where she worked had United Healthcare Ins. She was denied and died less than a year later. Her family had to host fund raisers to try to get her treatments, meds, and other care. They couldn't come close on their own to the cost the hospitals wanted.

[Allen]

Rollingstone magazine report:

"Social Media Has Little Sympathy for Murdered Health Insurance Exec"

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/health-insurance-murder-reactions-1235192490/

[Phloating Phlasher]

Google "suppressor booster".
This was absolutely not a Pro hit.

[Mark in Ottawa]

I am so glad that I live in Canada where the big issue is a shortage of doctors and not an ability to pay for health care. As a personal example, my wife has cancer and her medication costs $500 per pill (one per day) in the USA and half that in Canada. Having said that, the province's seniors drug coverage covers the cost except for a $100 per year co-pay and of course, there are no costs for her regular CT scans, MRIs or visits with the oncologist.

[JB White]

I was prescribed a drug for prostate annoyances. Followed by the introduction of Obama Care, my US prescription policy forced me to pay $318 for a one month supply.
My doctor steered me towards a Canadian pharmacy. $93 for 90 day supply. Same drug.

Based on what I was told, Canada does not allow for things to be incorporated into the consumer price.

Huge increases aimed at consumers to recover R&D.
The cost of advertising.
Rapid dividend returns to investors/shareholders.

I cannot recall everything at the moment, but those three things alone reflect the difference in price.

[Allen]

I am so glad that I live in Canada where the big issue is a shortage of doctors and not an ability to pay for health care. As a personal example, my wife has cancer and her medication costs $500 per pill (one per day) in the USA and half that in Canada. Having said that, the province's seniors drug coverage covers the cost except for a $100 per year co-pay and of course, there are no costs for her regular CT scans, MRIs or visits with the oncologist.

Aren't you in a near 50% tax bracket though? You SHOULD get free or low cost health care. What I hear is a lot Canadians come to the U.S. (for healthcare) because of the lack of services due to the lack of doctors. If this is the case Canadians are simply paying a lot for something that just isn't there. From what I read doc appointments have to be scheduled months ahead of time too.

Not criticizing though cause our system here simply sucks. Those that can pay too much. Those that can't pay or won't pay and have the bulk of the offspring furthering the load on society pay nothing.

It's all a form of socialism and is getting worse. Socialism doesn't work.

[Major Tom]

Our local hospital some call it 'the place to go to die' cost is $400 per day just to get admitted then at least at least $600 per day if any hospital equipment is used! Persons who are admitted are called 'clients' not patients!
I use VA care for every thing and am not charged a penny! Even the 200 mile round trip is covered!

[Former Cav]

I could write a book on the V A healthcare as a combat disabled vet. I stay the hell away from them!!
I've been blessed with tricare and medicare, but it wasn't always that way. !!

[lyman]

I could write a book on the V A healthcare as a combat disabled vet. I stay the hell away from them!!
I've been blessed with tricare and medicare, but it wasn't always that way. !!

my Father was that way, he would not take a step inside a VA center, other than to visit someone there,

he was Army Reserve + a full time Civilian employee, so he had Tricare for life, and used it,

my Mother was also a Civilian Employee, and now has Tricare as well, (she does not have VA benefits, and would not use them if she did)_


conversely, I have a friend that was in VN as a Dust Off pilot, and has always used the VA

[Allen]

Something we all know but nothing is being done.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/deny-delay-practices-fueling-anger-132522522.html

[Allen]

Other things we know.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/seven-reasons-why-americans-pay-100720536.html?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

[Allen]

They denied med claims long before this but socialized healthcare sure didn't help anything.

[JB White]

When the Unaffordable Care Act was passed I had what they called a Cadillac plan. It was shot full of holes and my premiums doubled. Making for a Cadillac priced plan with Pinto-like coverage.
I knew who to blame.
The Congress critters whose taxpayer funded plans were exempted. I think the kid chose the wrong target?

[Allen]

When the Unaffordable Care Act was passed I had what they called a Cadillac plan. It was shot full of holes and my premiums doubled. Making for a Cadillac priced plan with Pinto-like coverage.
I knew who to blame.
The Congress critters whose taxpayer funded plans were exempted. I think the kid chose the wrong target?

I was covered under the "reduced price" of a group plan while employed by a major corporation. My rates went from $500 a month to $1400 a month over the course of 2 years once obamacare was implemented. Coverage by the ins company was reduced as well. I had to pay this rate after retirement too till I was Medicare age eligible. I searched for private insurance on my own but it wasn't offered---everything was tied in with the "affordable health care act" so at least at the time the g'ment was trying to force everyone into socialism or pay a stiff price.