I'm a living example of why we need healthcare reform

[nightscanner59]

As a medical professional, 20 year experienced Xray/CT technologist at the time of my catastrophy, I'd like to share my story.
December 17th, 2009 is a day I wish I could erase. I was riding my bicycle for exercise near my home in Arizona. I was hit by a truck door, obviously, knocked to the ground and knocked barely concious. I became aware that my attackers were kicking me repeatedly in the head and face, did my best to protect my face with my arms to little avail. My backpack, I-pod, bicycle disappeared with my muggers. I stumbled to my house, where I fumbled for my old TracFone and dialed 911. (My new phone was in the backpack)
So, I ended up on the CT scanner that I worked on, scanned by the tech I'd trained to do her job. I had several facial and cranial fractures, partial blowout fracture of the right orbit, three blown disks in my neck.
After taking care of emergency needs at the time, began to follow up... here's where it gets stinky!!
Shortly after having the MRI that diagnosed several surgeries I would need to correct my problems I lost my job to very suspicious circumstances and my work-provided insurance sent a COBRA letter stating continuance of my plan would cost me a little over 3500 a month. Xray jobs in very short demand. I applied for state crime victim assistance--- DENIED. My inability to identify my attackers leaves the state of Arizona no way to recover the funds. I later found out the conglomerate healthcare organization and my previous employer at the time enjoy a very cozy relationship... when letters from both come from the same building adress?...
I've traveled for work since. I applied to every health insurance company I could find online, all turned me down c/o preexisting conditions. I only could qualify for a "catastrophic care" coverage plan I still carry that won't pay for "preexisting conditions".
Nearly three years later I've paid off the debts this cost me. I still walk around and work with a partially numb arm, chronic dizzyness, horrible repeat nightmares I've been through treatment trials for (and did help with that considerably), a partially detached retina, chronic ear infections, cognitive difficulties, sciatica, headaches... I won't even begin to discuss the PTSD.
What kind of "Best healthcare system in the world" can healthcare professionals NOT afford?

[Scuba]

1. Sorry for your difficulties. Yours is one story of millions. Medicare for All would be a vast...

... improvement over the fourth-rate system we have today.

Hope you get better.

[Raster]

3. Yes, but if we had Medicare for all, or at least a reasonable facsimile, what...

...about the medical insurance companies? How would they post record profits? These corporations deserve the right to bank outrageous fees.

[Scuba]

4. Fuck them. Profiting on the misery of Americans elicits little sympathy from this quarter.

[Raster]

5. I think it is pretty obvious that my post was rhetorical and sarcastic. I agree. The private...

....medical insurance serve no common good or need. They are nothing but corporate parasites on American citizens. Yeah, I said it: corporate-fucking-parasites.

[nichomachus]

2. Last year

Sorry to hear of your situation. That's horrible. To see how it works in other countries:

The brother of a friend in Spain was on his way to work on his motorcycle when he was hit by a drunk driver. Smashed his whole right side -- arm and leg. They took him immediately to a very fine hospital, where he was stabilized in the ER, put in a private room, and underwent 17 surgeries, many of them to rebuild his shattered arm, over the next two months. Then, to rehab, and then finally, back to work.

Cost to him for ambulance, ER, surgeries, docs, hospital stay, and rehab = $0.


And he received his full salary the whole time.

Yeah, we're number one.

[murphyj87]

6. In Canada:

If that had happened to me, I would still have my job, ambulance, ER, surgeries, docs, hospital stay, and rehab would = $0, If my workplace wage loss insurance ran out (after 6 months), the government would pay me 55% of my wages for another 6 months.

[nightscanner59]

7. exactly why canada is looking better and better and better...

especially if Rmoney wins and repeals all reforms for watered down versions the repub's would replace with. I looked into it, but fewer jobs in my field than here, at the time. (aside from my low tolerance to cold weather)
I'd actually have well grounded justifications for a lawsuit if such weren't up against CHS's entire corporate team of lawyers...
I've put off all but the most urgently needed care from this, live with the pain and work against debility otherwise.

[dmcrane1]

8. Try Pre-Existing Condition Insurance through ACA/ObamaCare

My 40 year old son and I live in AZ also. He is on ACA PCIP for his pancreatitis and HBP. He lost his insurance when he lost his job and of course he could not get insurance privately with pre-existing conditions. After being uninsured for 6 months, he got on ACA Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (www.pcip.gov) in July 2010. It's been fantastic. He pays $188 a month (35-44yrs), has $25 co-pays and it includes an RX Plan so he can get his medications that keep him out of the hospital. He kept his same primary care doctor, has seen 2 specialists, had CT scan for pancreatic cyst, and blood tests for tumor markers. We have had no problem with doctors not accepting it. I can't remember how much his CT scans were, but I think they were about $50. He pays $2.50 for generics and something like $9 for his one non-generic prescription. PCIP has no income requirement. It doesn't matter if you make a little or a lot...only that you have a pre-existing condition and have been denied reasonable insurance coverage. He is working now, not making anywhere near what he made before, but is able to afford his monthly payment, co-pays, and RXs. It works just exactly like my Medicare...I don't care if you call it single payer or public option or whatever, but it works and works great. The prices do vary by state and age, and some states have a state plan instead of using the Federal Gov to run it. AZ is using the Federal Government to run theirs and the states using Fed seem to be a little cheaper than the others with their own state run plan.
Hope this is something that can work for you. I'm in love with the part of ObamaCare we've dealt with so far.
I posted the AZ chart from their page here.

Age Monthly Premium Cost

00-18 $104
19-34 $157
35-44 $188
45-54 $240
55+ $334