Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Blog Every Day in May - Health Insurance

Day 22, Wednesday: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)

I am so sick of health insurance companies.  They keep taking more money and increasing the rules that you must follow.  I got a letter from my health insurance provider telling me that since I am taking the same prescription on an ongoing basis they will no longer pay for it to be refilled at my local pharmacy.  Now I have to have it filled by their mail order company.  


I am paying the same amount of money that I have been paying, but they can chose to give me less service for the money.  They have complete control and I have none.  I can't decide to leave this insurance company, because who knows when something major will come up and I would have no insurance.  They can do anything they want and we have no choice.

Insurance companies have made record profits since the new health care reform has been passed.  It is reported that even though they are making record profits they are getting ready to increase premiums 116% in the next year.  

I guess if they can choose to not pay for my prescriptions to be refilled they can make more money.  They won't even pay the same amount they would be paying the mail order company.  They just will not pay for the prescription at all.

That means I will have to switch my prescriptions to mail order or pay big bucks for them.  I received the letter and hadn't gotten it taken care of and my prescription was due.  I couldn't wait for the mail order so I had to get them from my pharmacy.  That prescription cost me 3 times what it had cost the previous month. 


I am paying higher premiums, have a higher deductible than last year, and I can't get my prescriptions without dealing with a pharmacy that I know nothing about.  

Luckily, my cholesterol medicine is available for free though the local supermarket pharmacy.  How much money have the insurance companies saved because the Walmarts, Meijers, and other are offering prescriptions for a very low price or free?  

Maybe they should just take our money and then not pay for anything!  Oh, I guess they are already doing that!  

Do you have a pet peeve or something to rant about?  



9 comments:

  1. I worked for a hospital 1978-1982 and during that time the administrative wing of the hospital became the insurance wing, driving many other offices to off campus sites.

    The model is to profit upon the misfortune of others. They may be non-profit, but management income has risen for many regardless to efficiency, or complaints of service.

    I'm sorry you've problems to companies and practices that frequently are demeaning to individuals. Counterintuitive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Charles. I know I'm not the only one, but it is really bothersome.

      Delete
  2. Car insurance and cable companies are the same way, in terms of raising the cost but offering less, knowing there is little to nothing customers can do about it (at least in small towns like mine where this is no competition).

    I used to work for a health insurance company, and I felt like we were trained to deny claims. It was the most unpleasant place I have ever worked.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I live in a small town, our cable company still doesn't offer HD. We have no other options! They get rights to an area. We could get a Dish, and we did at one time, but every time it rained the dish would go out. If we had storm warnings we couldn't even hear them. With cable, at least we can watch when the weather is bad. Sorry, I started another rant!

      Delete
  3. Similar thing, but I saved money and prefer the mail order. We had it for awhile, then it went by the way side and now it's back again. I prefer it, because I can 3 months worth at a time, which not only saves money for me (and them), but saves time for me, vs the once a month at the local more expensive pharmacy. But, I agree they have the power and there's really nothing you can do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't tried the mail order and I may decide I like it. My prescriptions have been changed alot though and I figure I will get a 90 day supply and then the doctor will change my prescription again and I will be stuck with my 90 day supply.

      Delete
  4. I would agree with your ranting! I am so sorry, $8000 is a lot to come up with when it is not planned for. I know lots of people who have never worked and they seem to get all those perks that you are working to get. The problem is some of us enjoy our self-esteem, and they count on people like us to take care of the others.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is so rough!! My parents pretty much get all of their meds mail order now. Makes it affordable that way.

    We don't have insurance right now. Because my husband is self employed, we couldn't afford it anymore. Insurance is such a mess in our country right now. What a deal!

    Take care,

    Frances
    Notions from Nonny
    Healthier Lifestyle with Nonny

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I ordered my meds through mail order today, and then I got a letter from my company saying that since there had been multiple problems that in July it will no longer be mandatory. It is cheaper through them, but I may have to pay full price again because they may not be able to get them to me in time. I will just have to see how it all goes.

      Insurance is awful, but it is still better than not having it. I understand when you are self employed it is horribly expensive. They need stop allowing the insurance companies to quit making such huge profits. Maybe that's the insurance reform we need to fight for.

      Delete

Please take a moment and let me know what you think about this post. I love reading your comments. I try to answer every comment, maybe not immediately, but as quickly as I can.

Thanks!!! Betty