I think we need national healthcare here in the USA, but I also agree that if it's set up like the current medicaid system (not sure about medicare) it would be both a blessing and a curse to the people using it.
About 3 years ago, everyone in the company that my husband works for got laid off. When they finally started up again, my husband was (and still is) the only employee that got called back full time, other than the owners son and daughters. They couldn't get into a group health insurance plan so we've been going all this time without insurance, paying cash for our daughter's doctor visits and not going to the doctor ourselves. My employer only offered insurance to full-time managers.
At the end of May I found myself in a situation where I had to go to the doctor. After paying hundreds of dollars that we don't have for Dr. visits and tests I was directed to the emergency room of a local hospital because everything indicated that I had ovarian cancer and by going that route a social worker there would help us hook up with medicaid.
I was diagnosed that day and had major surgery 4 days later. As it turned out, thankfully, we were approved for a limited medicaid (our daughter gets more benefits) that will cover the doctors and surgeons, tests and chemotherapy. We still have to pay for my prescriptions and about $16,000 in hospital bills, but I'm glad that we were able to get help.
Last week, however, the blessing started turning into a curse.
To make a long story longer, we had to pick an HMO to be covered by medicaid. I picked on that the cancer center and the hospital where I had my surgery both take. I was scheduled to start chemo last Tuesday and was told by both the Drs. office and the insurance that I could get it at the Cancer Center. I went in, got stuck with a needle twice, got told that my veins couldn't be used and I have to get a port, got told that I shouldn't even be there for chemo anyway. The center is listed as a "provider" but not a "facility". Too bad the people who deal with the patients (on both ends) don't have that information and weren't able to inform me of that fact before I went there.
Unfortunately, the hospital where I had surgery doesn't do chemo and the hospital that my Drs. use for off site chemo doesn't take my HMO without a big hassle that will probably end up with me having to change specialists. It's bad enough when people have to deal with an unexpected illness without having to worry whether or not the people they are dealing with have their shit together and if they'll be able to get the treatment they need in a timely manner with the Dr. of their preference. I don't feel like dealing with it at all and having to deal with extra stuff is....well....burdensome to say the least.
My point is (besides the need to rant) is that if this country ever does get socialised medicine on a national basis and it's operated the way the current medicaid system is, we're screwed.
Lea
