Random
THIS HEALTH INSURANCE SHIT
can't go to emergency room, too expensive
After I lost/left my old job last summer, I went on COBRA for health insurance, which costs me a burdensome $200 a month. When my COBRA stuff expires later this year, it’ll go to a blistering $600 a month, at which point I’ll have to drop it and get something else. Or maybe circumstances have changed now that THIS HAPPENED. (Did you think it would? I didn’t.) Here’s a rundown of changes that go into effect immediately.
As a writer who had a day job for a long time and will have one again and hates the idea of it, I’ve been waiting for “universal health care” for a long time, and fervently, and I fucking hate insurance companies. This is how I would like to see the folks who run insurance companies end up:
Ceridian, Cigna
This bill could have been a lot better (single fucking payer!!) but it’s better than nothing. A lot better. And it’s good for writers. As a writer who’d like to scrape by for a while without going back to work in an office or whatever, I’m excited. Fuck you, insurance industry. Die in hell. (Yes, yes, I know that this reform is not punitive. And that if it were punitive, that wouldn’t be good for anybody, because the more lobbies that are on board for it, or at least not strategizing against it, the better. Anyway, it’s irrelevant, because it turns out this thing could actually help them.)
Tags: health insurance
Industry always fights and fights against change, and then they accept the change and figure out new ways to make money from the change. It actually keeps them from stagnating, the changes they fight against, and if they were allowed continue they would eventually self-immolate and crumble.
Industry always fights and fights against change, and then they accept the change and figure out new ways to make money from the change. It actually keeps them from stagnating, the changes they fight against, and if they were allowed continue they would eventually self-immolate and crumble.
Dead on. A red apple for you, sir.
Dead on. A red apple for you, sir.
This bill is definitely a case of “better than nothing.” You’re right about needing to get greedy insurance companies out of the mix altogether. We have the most expensive health system in the world, but despite that cost our health measures like infant mortality and life expectancy are worse than every other developed nation and many “Third World” countries. The “administrative costs” of private insurance run around 25% of cost, while medicare/medicaid’s administrative costs are around 5%. Just look at private prisons vs. public prisons (both should be abolished) if you still think that the private sector does a better job than government.
Writers are especially screwed by the current system. Unless you are a journalist, as a writer you are basically a permanent freelancer. Best-selling novelists are freelancers. The current system actually discourages writers and artists from working in their fields, because even if you can pick up enough work to live on, the insurance issue may force you to take a day job. Especially if you have a chronic illness like asthma, diabetes or arthritis. This bill is a start, but we need more. Writers like Dreiser contributed to the struggle for the eight hour day, the abolition of child labor, social security and the right to form labor unions. Writers need to commit themselves to work for REAL universal health care now.
I wonder why more freelancers etc don’t buy insurance privately (through ehealthinsurance.com for example I pay $110/mo for coverage that allows me to not be in debt forever if I fall out a window but is generally an expensive bitch to get basic care). Maybe preexisting conditions and age are factors. I agree that universal health care is ultimately good for art.
This bill is definitely a case of “better than nothing.” You’re right about needing to get greedy insurance companies out of the mix altogether. We have the most expensive health system in the world, but despite that cost our health measures like infant mortality and life expectancy are worse than every other developed nation and many “Third World” countries. The “administrative costs” of private insurance run around 25% of cost, while medicare/medicaid’s administrative costs are around 5%. Just look at private prisons vs. public prisons (both should be abolished) if you still think that the private sector does a better job than government.
Writers are especially screwed by the current system. Unless you are a journalist, as a writer you are basically a permanent freelancer. Best-selling novelists are freelancers. The current system actually discourages writers and artists from working in their fields, because even if you can pick up enough work to live on, the insurance issue may force you to take a day job. Especially if you have a chronic illness like asthma, diabetes or arthritis. This bill is a start, but we need more. Writers like Dreiser contributed to the struggle for the eight hour day, the abolition of child labor, social security and the right to form labor unions. Writers need to commit themselves to work for REAL universal health care now.
I wonder why more freelancers etc don’t buy insurance privately (through ehealthinsurance.com for example I pay $110/mo for coverage that allows me to not be in debt forever if I fall out a window but is generally an expensive bitch to get basic care). Maybe preexisting conditions and age are factors. I agree that universal health care is ultimately good for art.
Supposedly, the average age at which a writer publishes his or her first novel is 38. Believe me, by thirty-eight you’re already starting to fall apart. Most “private” insurerers will find a reason not to touch you (especially after the stint in the insane asylum).
Supposedly, the average age at which a writer publishes his or her first novel is 38. Believe me, by thirty-eight you’re already starting to fall apart. Most “private” insurerers will find a reason not to touch you (especially after the stint in the insane asylum).
Amelia’s totally right.
I had HumanaOne for awhile when I was single and freelancing and it only cost me about $100 a month. The deductible is a bit higher, but it protects you from everything above the most minor of injuries (I had two kness surgeries, minors scopes, that would have been about $15,000 if I didn’t have insurance, overall I shelled out my deductible, $2,000 and got both knees fixed).
Whatever you do, DON’T TELL THEM YOU SMOKE. Or drink. Screw it, what are they going to do?
Amelia’s totally right.
I had HumanaOne for awhile when I was single and freelancing and it only cost me about $100 a month. The deductible is a bit higher, but it protects you from everything above the most minor of injuries (I had two kness surgeries, minors scopes, that would have been about $15,000 if I didn’t have insurance, overall I shelled out my deductible, $2,000 and got both knees fixed).
Whatever you do, DON’T TELL THEM YOU SMOKE. Or drink. Screw it, what are they going to do?
I’m with you Nick. Health is not a profit-center. It’s a right. The denial of that right is a crime, period, and when it is systemic like it is in this country, it becomes a war crime. For-profit health care is class war fought from the top down.
My government taxes me at nearly 30% (as a freelancer, irrespective of the fact that I’m low-income, occasionally dancing near the poverty line) to fund two wars halfway around the world, but they can’t figure out a way for me to afford to go to the doctor I live on top of, to find out why my right knee has been hurting for like a month, causing the muscles in that leg to tense up. This bill is a huge step forward, but it’s a huge step forward from ZILCH. In my America, health insurance executives and lobbyists are prosecuted alongside Dick Cheney et al. For war crimes.
I’m with you Nick. Health is not a profit-center. It’s a right. The denial of that right is a crime, period, and when it is systemic like it is in this country, it becomes a war crime. For-profit health care is class war fought from the top down.
My government taxes me at nearly 30% (as a freelancer, irrespective of the fact that I’m low-income, occasionally dancing near the poverty line) to fund two wars halfway around the world, but they can’t figure out a way for me to afford to go to the doctor I live on top of, to find out why my right knee has been hurting for like a month, causing the muscles in that leg to tense up. This bill is a huge step forward, but it’s a huge step forward from ZILCH. In my America, health insurance executives and lobbyists are prosecuted alongside Dick Cheney et al. For war crimes.
Yeah, its been amazing to see how ugly this got. Not that I had a particularly high opinion of the Republican party before this, but fuck me they really outdid themselves on utter shitty-ness this time. So even though this falls way below what the US really needs, it’s still kinda nice to see them getting a poke in the eye. Did you see that old bastard McCain shouting and yelling on the news? Looks like he’s about to shit himself, or have a heart attack any moment now. Here’s hoping.
Yeah, its been amazing to see how ugly this got. Not that I had a particularly high opinion of the Republican party before this, but fuck me they really outdid themselves on utter shitty-ness this time. So even though this falls way below what the US really needs, it’s still kinda nice to see them getting a poke in the eye. Did you see that old bastard McCain shouting and yelling on the news? Looks like he’s about to shit himself, or have a heart attack any moment now. Here’s hoping.
Yeah I’m with you, was looking into getting a job at Lowes or Barnes and Nobles or “anything corporate” (as someone in a political science class I took years ago said was their career plan), just so I could get covered. Prefer not to state any p&^*Xi$ting conditions online till I actually get insurance. God knows I’m sure a million lawyers, Republican governors and Chief justice Roberts are trying figure out how to fuck the whole plan up. But as it is, this frees people who want to work for themselves to do so. Like writers, artists, or any freelance or small business owners. You don’t even want to know how much money my family was spent ourselves on my sister over the years (she lived 30 years after a drowning accident), after her insurance was late one month, and therefore swiftly cancelled. But it was in the millions. Anyway the struggle to keep her going caused so many rifts in my family that it’s safely in tatters now.
I’ve heard many silly Republican responses this morning, like Senator Judd Gregg from New Hampshire, argue that this would end America’s entrepreneurial spirit. Well what’s been happening the last few years is that talented, entrepreneurial people have had to suck it up and work for big corporations, just to have health care (if they are lucky to land one of those jobs that is after Hank Paulson helped short the economy into Hades, then emerge as the only one who knew how to save it. Goldman guys are good at that). And what’s the difference between being forced into working for huge corporations, and socialism? Or fascism I should say? If America wants innovation, it needs its people healthy enough to be able stew a bit, think, and build independent business, make new products, and yes even produce ART that is done from the vantage of the individual.
The Republican governors are going to argue it’s unconstitutional to make people pay for health care. What’s the difference in that and making people pay taxes? They say it’s unconstitutional to make someone “buy” something. Well yeah, like Justin said I def didn’t care to see tax money going to fund something like the Iraq invasion, or the bungled almost 10 year job now going after Osama bin Laden.
Anyway… fingers crossed this all works out. And the first person who gets insured who couldn’t get it before, I’ll buy them an apple pie to hear the story.
Yeah I’m with you, was looking into getting a job at Lowes or Barnes and Nobles or “anything corporate” (as someone in a political science class I took years ago said was their career plan), just so I could get covered. Prefer not to state any p&^*Xi$ting conditions online till I actually get insurance. God knows I’m sure a million lawyers, Republican governors and Chief justice Roberts are trying figure out how to fuck the whole plan up. But as it is, this frees people who want to work for themselves to do so. Like writers, artists, or any freelance or small business owners. You don’t even want to know how much money my family was spent ourselves on my sister over the years (she lived 30 years after a drowning accident), after her insurance was late one month, and therefore swiftly cancelled. But it was in the millions. Anyway the struggle to keep her going caused so many rifts in my family that it’s safely in tatters now.
I’ve heard many silly Republican responses this morning, like Senator Judd Gregg from New Hampshire, argue that this would end America’s entrepreneurial spirit. Well what’s been happening the last few years is that talented, entrepreneurial people have had to suck it up and work for big corporations, just to have health care (if they are lucky to land one of those jobs that is after Hank Paulson helped short the economy into Hades, then emerge as the only one who knew how to save it. Goldman guys are good at that). And what’s the difference between being forced into working for huge corporations, and socialism? Or fascism I should say? If America wants innovation, it needs its people healthy enough to be able stew a bit, think, and build independent business, make new products, and yes even produce ART that is done from the vantage of the individual.
The Republican governors are going to argue it’s unconstitutional to make people pay for health care. What’s the difference in that and making people pay taxes? They say it’s unconstitutional to make someone “buy” something. Well yeah, like Justin said I def didn’t care to see tax money going to fund something like the Iraq invasion, or the bungled almost 10 year job now going after Osama bin Laden.
Anyway… fingers crossed this all works out. And the first person who gets insured who couldn’t get it before, I’ll buy them an apple pie to hear the story.
Uh, try 23.
Uh, try 23.
thank goodness for this. hope “public option” is passed into law sometime in the near future after people settle down with their fears. hopefully they realize that it was a gigantic smear campaign aimed at squashing this bill and nothing based in truth. “socialism” is a red herring that mutated/evolved from the anti-obama campaign circa 2008 and became a prime reason for opposing health-care reform to many of the brains i had the pleasure of amiably speaking with.
most people, armed with logic, details, and an unbiased opinion would agree that health care reform is necessary and in need. i have a libertarian friend running for office who would disagree, but at least it is upon intellectual grounds rather than a learned response via puppetmasters controlling their minions and the opinions they have.
fearmongering is soo 2002.
thank goodness for this. hope “public option” is passed into law sometime in the near future after people settle down with their fears. hopefully they realize that it was a gigantic smear campaign aimed at squashing this bill and nothing based in truth. “socialism” is a red herring that mutated/evolved from the anti-obama campaign circa 2008 and became a prime reason for opposing health-care reform to many of the brains i had the pleasure of amiably speaking with.
most people, armed with logic, details, and an unbiased opinion would agree that health care reform is necessary and in need. i have a libertarian friend running for office who would disagree, but at least it is upon intellectual grounds rather than a learned response via puppetmasters controlling their minions and the opinions they have.
fearmongering is soo 2002.
On the other side, my sister had knee surgery at 24 and now would never be able to get insurance on her own without a public option. Care shouldn’t be limited to the lucky, obvs.
On the other side, my sister had knee surgery at 24 and now would never be able to get insurance on her own without a public option. Care shouldn’t be limited to the lucky, obvs.
You touch on one of my biggest pet peeves about our political system, Justin: why is it that people can scream and yell about their “moral right” not to fund abortion with one dollar of taxpayer money, but I don’t get dick to say about funding wars that I think are morally wrong?
Also, have you looked into the Freelancers’ Union? I know some folks who used to work over there and I feel like they might have had some discounts on health care or something like that. Other cool benefits, too. Might be worth checking out.
You touch on one of my biggest pet peeves about our political system, Justin: why is it that people can scream and yell about their “moral right” not to fund abortion with one dollar of taxpayer money, but I don’t get dick to say about funding wars that I think are morally wrong?
Also, have you looked into the Freelancers’ Union? I know some folks who used to work over there and I feel like they might have had some discounts on health care or something like that. Other cool benefits, too. Might be worth checking out.
i’m in the freelancer’s union. i joined for the health insurance, but it’s still too expensive for me. (of course anything’s too expensive for me since i only make 9.25/hr and live in new york.)
ironically, i’ve never done any freelancing, nor would i know how to go about doing so.
i’m in the freelancer’s union. i joined for the health insurance, but it’s still too expensive for me. (of course anything’s too expensive for me since i only make 9.25/hr and live in new york.)
ironically, i’ve never done any freelancing, nor would i know how to go about doing so.
Yeah, I knew it was cheaper but probably still somewhat unaffordable for a lot of people. (Esp. in NYC.) That’s too bad.
Yeah, I knew it was cheaper but probably still somewhat unaffordable for a lot of people. (Esp. in NYC.) That’s too bad.
Sadly the fearmongering worked and continues to work. The bill passed, but not the bill we were supposed to have. All that postpartisan compromise, and the bill didn’t get a single republican vote, despite a debt reduction rating from the CBO, a no-abortion funds clause, and no public option. What’s the point of compromising with yourself? Dems made changes because they didn’t want to lose elections (this is why having career politicians is a mistake) because Fox News, the Tea Party People, and Sarah Palin have no problem lying about death panels and other nonsense as a 9-5 day job.
Sadly the fearmongering worked and continues to work. The bill passed, but not the bill we were supposed to have. All that postpartisan compromise, and the bill didn’t get a single republican vote, despite a debt reduction rating from the CBO, a no-abortion funds clause, and no public option. What’s the point of compromising with yourself? Dems made changes because they didn’t want to lose elections (this is why having career politicians is a mistake) because Fox News, the Tea Party People, and Sarah Palin have no problem lying about death panels and other nonsense as a 9-5 day job.
That is one fucking disturbing picture. It freaks me out, like how some people are afraid of clowns.
More on topic: Fuck the GOP.
Even more on topic: It’s been fun listening to NPR. Evidently, there’s something about the 10th amendment that says the gov’t can’t force people to buy health insurance, and somehow the car insurance analogy fails (according to the experts). So all these civil suits are going to be filed. Of course, precedents have been set. I mean, no one’s complaining about Medicare. You don’t see the GOP suing the federal gov’t over that service that we’re all already paying for. Republicans are nasty, ugly, narrow-minded and stupid. And they’re hypocrites. They shout things like baby killer and you lie. They’re racists and bigots. Anyone see that recent news article quoting some research that concluded liberals are smarter than conservatives?
Is Limbaugh in Costa Rica yet? Get gone already. Hopefully Beck put on a diaper before he shat himself.
I’m proud to be the bloodiest bleeding liberal there ever was. Has anyone noticed how Obama is 10 moves ahead of every member of the GOP? All the time?
He’s starting to live up to his Nobel. Looking forward to the next 7 years.
Go-bama.
That is one fucking disturbing picture. It freaks me out, like how some people are afraid of clowns.
More on topic: Fuck the GOP.
Even more on topic: It’s been fun listening to NPR. Evidently, there’s something about the 10th amendment that says the gov’t can’t force people to buy health insurance, and somehow the car insurance analogy fails (according to the experts). So all these civil suits are going to be filed. Of course, precedents have been set. I mean, no one’s complaining about Medicare. You don’t see the GOP suing the federal gov’t over that service that we’re all already paying for. Republicans are nasty, ugly, narrow-minded and stupid. And they’re hypocrites. They shout things like baby killer and you lie. They’re racists and bigots. Anyone see that recent news article quoting some research that concluded liberals are smarter than conservatives?
Is Limbaugh in Costa Rica yet? Get gone already. Hopefully Beck put on a diaper before he shat himself.
I’m proud to be the bloodiest bleeding liberal there ever was. Has anyone noticed how Obama is 10 moves ahead of every member of the GOP? All the time?
He’s starting to live up to his Nobel. Looking forward to the next 7 years.
Go-bama.
Yeah, I’m with you. I am a writer but one of my three jobs is with corporate America. Thought I re-enrolled for insurance, but the company claims I waived everything. With the surgeries I had in 2009 ($56K worth) I think some higher up person clicked a few times on his mouse and changed my choices. Trying to see if I have a case or if this happened to anyone else. Like a fool I didn’t print out my confirmation. Hopefully I can get insurance through one of my other jobs, but I’m pissed right now and I’m looking for other work. Glad to be employed…but…