Oh, you aren’t interrupting. Feel free to ask questions or give your opinion at any time. Polite posters are always valued.
Since the ACA took effect here, my health insurance premium has tripled, yet it pays for less. Prior to the ACA if my doctor would have felt an MRI necessary, I could have had one paid for by insurance, which is why I pay my premiums. Since the ACA, I was hit by a truck. My insurance company refused to pay for an MRI ordered by a specialist because I hadn’t had X-rays ordered by said specialist. Yet I had had X-rays ordered by another doctor only a week or so before and which the specialist had in his possession. So, to get the MRI, I had to go have another set of X-rays, which was $800, and which were identical to the ones the specialist already had. It really makes no sense.
Then I was sent to physical therapy. At the physical therapy center, they told me that my insurance “would cover everything.” But, there was a $40 co-pay at every visit, and my doctor ordered 4 visits per week. I make a good salary, but still, $160/week for several months? I just wasn’t going to pay it when my health insurance has tripled. So I learned the therapy exercises and did them at home. Some more unfortunate people might not be able to do exercises at home, though.
Then, recently, I was sent to another specialist to see if my knee required surgery. Here, doctors require payment before their services, at least most do. When I got there, they said, “Oh, we don’t accept Aetna insurance any longer.” Aetna is one of the biggest insurers. They told me I could pay privately. I asked how much that was. They told me a consultation would be $725. I told them, “No, thank you.”
Health care in the US is just a mess. A broken mess. If one isn’t very wealthy, the only way to get affordable health care here is to be flat broke and on welfare. Shameful.
