Insurance

Working in the health care industry, you see all types of things. But there isn't anything more difficult than to hear that services are denied because your insurance company won't pay. Is that what this world has come too? Not, we'll do whatever we can to make you better, and figure out expenses later...How did insurance companies get so much power that THEY determine what kind of treatment your doctor provides for you. In most cases the doctors and hospitals follow along because they too want to get paid. Not all insurance companies are like this, some are really wonderful. Then there are the bad apples that cause me to write things like this:

You work your entire life all the time paying for health insurance, not because you NEED it, but just in case there's an emergency.

Now imagine yourself in one of the following situations:

#1~
your doing a self breast exam, you find a lump, you go to your doctor, have all the necessary tests. The results show you have breast cancer. You sit down with your doctor to discuss the best treatment plan. Together you decide a mastectomy is the best treatment, a overnight stay (possibly two)in the hospital for observation/pain management is recommended. NOW imagine being told by the hospital financial advisor that your insurance company WILL NOT approve the overnight hospital stay(s)!! THEY feel that a mastectomy should be a same day come and go procedure....

#2~
your a typically healthy person, one day the unthinkable happens. You fall terribly ill which requires hospitalization, surgery, and several follow up exams and visits. NOW imagine being told while your in the hospital that your insurance company has cancelled your policy. Apparently they didn't expect you to ever get sick and actually need the insurance. So you are now left paying all of your medical expenses yourself (although most hospitals/doctors offices offer some form of a self pay discount).......

#3~
your like millions of other families have an hmo insurance(its usually more cost effective). Unlike some insurance policies, HMO's assign you and doctor and hospital and most tests and visits to a specialist must be authorized or referred by your assigned primary care physician. NOW imagine your baby develops a rare form of leukemia. The hospital assigned to you by your HMO doesn't have the treatment your child needs. But the hospital across town does, you need an authorization from your insurance company to go there, BUT the insurance company denies the authorization.....

#4~
you've worked hard your whole life, now your retired. Relaxing, enjoying life. One day during your annual checkups it is discovered that you have colon cancer. Immediately a surgery is scheduled, followed by chemotherapy. You feel good, look good, you think things are going well. Until the doctor informs you that the cancer has spread, there isn't anything they can do, surgery would be too risky. And the chemotherapy must be stopped because the insurance company will no longer pay for it. By the way you have two months to live......

AS IF being sick isn't stressful enough. How dare you terminate my policy once I become ill, or tell me that having my breast chopped off isn't worthy of a night in the hospital, or tell me that I can no longer have chemo since I'm dying anyway, regardless of what I think or feel. What do you do? Who are these people (insurance companies)?
Did you know that in Europe and Canada health care is free? I'm sure one can make arguments and point out several alternatives, but the point is those alternatives weren't available to these people.