<![CDATA[Latest posts for the thread "Medical Bills "]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/54.page JForum - http://www.jforum.net Medical Bills
Since i have about 18 months to pay my debt before i have to begin paying 26.99% interest on the loan i had to take out, i need to find a way to make sure i can pay most of it off in that time. I want to do something i enjoy and since i have a huge bitz box, and i enjoy sculpting and customizing figs i was thinking that if i can only make some money on my talents that modelling could help dig me out of the hole i am in. So heres the deal. Willl i make more money on custom sculpted figures on Ebay if they are just primered or will it be economically efficient for me to paint them too.

i.e. I have about 40 space marines unassembled and i could sculpt one or two a day into plauge marines and sell them on Ebay would it be worth it to sell them just primered or painted. Should i sell them in squads of 10 or of 7. would you pay alot more for a squad where the srg and the two heavy weapons all were magnetised with multiple weapons or is it not worth the time and effort.

Feedback is appreciated and anyone with other hobby ideas feel free to message them to me or suggest them here. Thanks.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167179.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167179.page GMT Medical Bills
You might also try looking at churches and charities in the vicinity, as they will occasionally pay people to do "volunteer" work if they are in a bad situation.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167223.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167223.page GMT Medical Bills ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167235.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167235.page GMT Medical Bills http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167308.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167308.page GMT Medical Bills http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167629.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167629.page GMT Medical Bills ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167640.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167640.page GMT Medical Bills
Fafnir wrote:Try moving to Canada.


Or the UK. Extremely bad luck. Hope you sort it out soon.

Out of curiosity, why did insurance only pay $8,000 and not the whole lot. Do you have an excess in your policy or something like with cars? Don't entirely understand how your health insurance system works.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167645.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3167645.page GMT Medical Bills
Flashman wrote:
Fafnir wrote:Try moving to Canada.


Or the UK. Extremely bad luck. Hope you sort it out soon.

Out of curiosity, why did insurance only pay $8,000 and not the whole lot. Do you have an excess in your policy or something like with cars? Don't entirely understand how your health insurance system works.


He might have a high deductible, that will save you some cash monthly, but it will really hurt when you need a surgery like this. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3168313.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3168313.page GMT Re:Medical Bills http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3168339.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3168339.page GMT Medical Bills
sennacherib wrote:would you pay alot more for a squad where the srg and the two heavy weapons all were magnetised with multiple weapons or is it not worth the time and effort.


IMO, not worth the time and effort. 7 PM sell for $35. Even if you get people to pay retail price for your sculpts, that's only $5 for each marine. If it takes you 2 hours to sculpt a marine, that's $2.50 per hour.

I would look into working more hours at your job or trying to find another one. Fast food and other crappy (minimum wage) jobs aren't usually too difficult to find, even in areas with high unemployment.

Best of luck.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169004.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169004.page GMT Medical Bills http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169500.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169500.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
Let's provide some more tax cuts for the millionaires instead, I'm sorry, I meant to say 'job creators'... ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169522.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169522.page GMT Medical Bills
biccat wrote:
I would look into working more hours at your job or trying to find another one. Fast food and other crappy (minimum wage) jobs aren't usually too difficult to find, even in areas with high unemployment.


Fundraising will net a much greater profit with much less effort, especially in California.

The average NPO fund office will pay you $15/hr for at least the 4-5 day training period, after which most people are fired. However, that 4-5 day training period works out to 32-40 hours at $15/hr, or between $480 and $600 before taxes. Spread this over the, on average, 6 fundraising groups in any major city, and you can net between $2880 and $3600 in roughly 6 weeks.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169560.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169560.page GMT Medical Bills

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Just whatever you do, don't break bad like Walter White ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169601.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169601.page GMT Re:Medical Bills


...into this...



In short...

]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169632.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169632.page GMT Re:Medical Bills In that case hopefully the OP is majoring in chemistry!]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169665.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169665.page GMT Medical Bills
dogma wrote:
biccat wrote:
I would look into working more hours at your job or trying to find another one. Fast food and other crappy (minimum wage) jobs aren't usually too difficult to find, even in areas with high unemployment.


Fundraising will net a much greater profit with much less effort, especially in California.

The average NPO fund office will pay you $15/hr for at least the 4-5 day training period, after which most people are fired. However, that 4-5 day training period works out to 32-40 hours at $15/hr, or between $480 and $600 before taxes. Spread this over the, on average, 6 fundraising groups in any major city, and you can net between $2880 and $3600 in roughly 6 weeks.


OK, then do this. Whatever. Get a job, work for a year or so, and pay off your debt before the 26% interest kicks in.

Have you tried talking to the hospital to see if you can get this amount reduced? Tell them you're a poor student, aren't sure if you'll be able to pay off all the bills, etc.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169889.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3169889.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170064.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170064.page GMT Medical Bills
sennacherib wrote:@ FLashman.... The way it works here is incomprehensible to anyone except the crooks who manage health care and the other crooks who are in government. I pay 212$ a month. And according to the Dr. i have really amazing insurance because it paid for 6000$ that most insurance policy do not cover. My deductible is actually pretty nice but because of the nature of the proceedure and the way the insurance works this is what i have to pay. Since i have had the insurance it has Not paid for the amount of money i have had to shell out to have it so i am going to drop all but the critical care part. Basically that means that i will save 100$ a month but it wont cover anything outside of me racking up 5000$ in medical bills. I hate our system. The Republican minority in congress is really screwing up our nation right now. You have to have certain programs for the people so that your people can live healthy happy productive lives. Taxes are how you pay for these things. Tax the wealthy more. Duh.




Sounds like what I have, but you STILL have to be careful of what they consider "Critical Care" I was walking in my yard a couple years ago, apparently some kids (this was just before I moved into my house) thought it would be hilarious to bury nails/gutter spikes in my little strip of land with the pointy ends up. Well I stepped on a gutter spike that then went strait through the bottom of my boot, through my foot and stopped when it was lodged against my bone. So pain/cuss words later I was at the ER. They pulled the boot fragments from inside my foot, made sure the bone wasnt broke, disinfected it and sent me on my way. Did my insurance cover it? NOPE! Best part was I got the bill about a month ago, just long enough for it to go into collections, you know so I couldnt dispute it. So I get to pay an $800 bill though should of other wise been covered.

So yea, make sure your careful when you do use your "critical care" benefits


Automatically Appended Next Post:
BearersOfSalvation wrote:That's a credit-card level interest rate. I highly recommend that if you find that you're not going to get it clear by the interest jump date, you join a credit union (there's probably one associated with your school, if not some category you're in will qualify you for one), and see what kind of loans they can give you - $3.5k is not pocket change, but it's less than a typical car loan, and you have some income, so you can probably get something with a less brutal interest rate and pay it out over time. Obviously if your current loan is 0% until the high rate kicks in, you'd stick with it for 18 months, then switch to the other loan. You can't just get rid of the debt, but it's quite possible to get rid of the specific loan.





This 1000x]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170073.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170073.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
BearersOfSalvation wrote:That's a credit-card level interest rate. I highly recommend that if you find that you're not going to get it clear by the interest jump date, you join a credit union (there's probably one associated with your school, if not some category you're in will qualify you for one), and see what kind of loans they can give you - $3.5k is not pocket change, but it's less than a typical car loan, and you have some income, so you can probably get something with a less brutal interest rate and pay it out over time. Obviously if your current loan is 0% until the high rate kicks in, you'd stick with it for 18 months, then switch to the other loan. You can't just get rid of the debt, but it's quite possible to get rid of the specific loan.


Also, look at student loans. You can use them for the purpose of reclassifying debt, especially in the case of private sources.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170085.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170085.page GMT Medical Bills OP and worth some bucks. total i should be able to net about 1000$. I wont miss my nids thanks to Robin Cruddycrap, and my orks were just no fun to play so i am down to only two armies for now. Fast food will be my last resort but i am gonna have to get a second job. In the next year i should be able to drag down the remainder so that the interest dosnt get me.

As for breaking bad. I DO have 5 symesters of chem under my belt and its scary what i could do if i wanted to. However i dont have cancer and i think pulling a breaking bad would be a super stupid move. Also reprehensible beyond belief.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170609.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170609.page GMT Medical Bills
sennacherib wrote:@ FLashman.... The way it works here is incomprehensible to anyone except the crooks who manage health care and the other crooks who are in government. I pay 212$ a month. And according to the Dr. i have really amazing insurance because it paid for 6000$ that most insurance policy do not cover. My deductible is actually pretty nice but because of the nature of the proceedure and the way the insurance works this is what i have to pay. Since i have had the insurance it has Not paid for the amount of money i have had to shell out to have it so i am going to drop all but the critical care part. Basically that means that i will save 100$ a month but it wont cover anything outside of me racking up 5000$ in medical bills. I hate our system. The Republican minority in congress is really screwing up our nation right now. You have to have certain programs for the people so that your people can live healthy happy productive lives. Taxes are how you pay for these things. Tax the wealthy more. Duh.


Where do you live? A lot of state are pretty prohibitive about intrastate competition with in-state Health Insurance Companies (a lot of this being due to lobbying). The premiums would go down if different insurance companies could sell across other state lines.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
MeanGreenStompa wrote:Of course, building a nationalised healthcare system in the US would remove these worries from the lives of average working americans, but for some reason they treat the idea like it was sent straight from satan's anus.

Let's provide some more tax cuts for the millionaires instead, I'm sorry, I meant to say 'job creators'...


Yes, that will work with a population of 308 million people with wildly fluctuating demographics and a shrinking tax base...

You collectivist ideal disturbs me as it will never work here. It puts far too much power in the hands of a malfeasant and an unaccountable bureaucracy in DC instead of the American people. The Government does such a smashing job of creating jobs, let's let them take over healthcare too. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170989.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3170989.page GMT Medical Bills
I feel bad for you.. that sucks.

Come over here and get it done for free as a health tourist. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172459.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172459.page GMT Re:Medical Bills http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172764.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172764.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
KingCracker wrote:Ive heard the wait for you Brits is like 8 hours or something? I saw it on a news show but damned if I can remember what it was


Depends on a lot of factors. On a basic level though, if you tip up to the Accident & Emergency department of the local hospital with a severed hand and blood pumping out your wrist, then no, you won't have to wait too long

Of course, if you are one of these idiots that go to A & E because you have stubbed your toe, then you can expect to be given a low priority.

Obviously, it all depends on the hospital in question, where it is located and what day of the week it is (UK hospitals get inordinately busy at the weekend patching up stupid drunk and lairy people)]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172810.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172810.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
KingCracker wrote:Ive heard the wait for you Brits is like 8 hours or something? I saw it on a news show but damned if I can remember what it was


The interesting thing to me is that I've heard a lot of horror stories from people opposed to UHC in the US, but every time I've talked to someone from the UK or Canada it's always either positive or less negative than what I'd expect in the US (like 'you have to wait 3 months' instead of 'you have to wait 2 months and come up with $50,000).]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172823.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172823.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
KingCracker wrote:Ive heard the wait for you Brits is like 8 hours or something? I saw it on a news show but damned if I can remember what it was


I fell in the ice during Jan 2010 and broke the radial head of my arm. I went to Bristol A&E, it was packed to capacity as it was full of people, old and young, who had fallen in the sudden and unusual ice. I was initially seen for assessment within 20mins of arrival by a junior doctor, more serious falls and those of the elderly were seen instantly.

I then waited for 1hour 30mins to go for an X-ray, then a further 1hour before being seen by a senior doctor and the assessment and treatment given.

The hospital was totally packed with people and they still did an excellent job.

And it didn't cost me a penny.


My mother in law over here in the US is dying of terminal cancer, my grandmother in the UK is suffering ongoing massive angina attacks which could verywell prove fatal. The difference between the levels of treatment and care is marked. The inability of the various private medical bodies here to share information is terrible. The cost is crippling.

Brits, if anyone tries to take away the NHS you should burn them at the stake. It is disgusting how they conduct health care as a business over here, the notion you'd rather trust a profit driven insurance firm over the state to provide your medical care is boggling.

I worked for insurance for 6 years, they are designed to not pay, that's how they make a profit. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172914.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172914.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
MeanGreenStompa wrote:

I worked for insurance for 6 years, they are designed to not pay, that's how they make a profit.


Anyone who has ever quibbled over a car insurance claim will know just how much these companies like to wriggle out of paying

I find it baffling (and this isn't an attack on the US by the way, merely an observation on the health system) that with something like a car, my policy with n insurance company is almost a gamble; effectively, I am betting that it wont get damaged or stolen. If I am careful and a considerate driver then the odds are quite good and I can get away with not having to claim. This is good for the insurers as they know I will pay my premium for umpteen years but they might not have to pay out a single penny.

When it comes to health though, surely we are all guaranteed to get sick at one point or another? Then it becomes less of a gamble with the insurance company and more of a certainty that something will happen at some point in your life. I guess at that stage, the last thing you want is the insurance company to wriggle out of paying. Problem is, in order to make money the insurance company have to come up with so many terms, conditions and clauses that you know they will try and find some loophole to not to pay out or to pay less; its the only way they can make a profit on a policy.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172960.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3172960.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
MeanGreenStompa wrote:I fell in the ice during Jan 2010 and broke the radial head of my arm. I went to Bristol A&E, it was packed to capacity as it was full of people, old and young, who had fallen in the sudden and unusual ice. I was initially seen for assessment within 20mins of arrival by a junior doctor, more serious falls and those of the elderly were seen instantly.

I then waited for 1hour 30mins to go for an X-ray, then a further 1hour before being seen by a senior doctor and the assessment and treatment given.

The hospital was totally packed with people and they still did an excellent job.


Huh. When I broke my arm after a drunken argument over the coolness of Batman, the private hospital I went to here in America got me through and out in far less than the nearly three hours you sat there.

The inability of the various private medical bodies here to share information is terrible. The cost is crippling.


I concur. Our medical system is flawed, and the blame is pretty squarely at the feet of the doctors. But of course the inability of anyone in this country to share medical information is crippling. Have you read the Hippa Act? The level of secrecy medical personnel are subject to, and the potential penalties for breaking it are obscene. And the Hippa Act isn't some political ploy, but rather a privacy act the people demanded be put into place.

It is disgusting how they conduct health care as a business over here, the notion you'd rather trust a profit driven insurance firm over the state to provide your medical care is boggling.


Wait, so the state 'provided your health care?' So, a government employee came into your hospital room and diagnosed you? Some federal paper pusher comes in to take care of your loved ones? Or was it a doctor who you saw? I don't go into Blue Cross whenever I have a medical problem. You know why? They are an insurance company, not a hospital! They don't provide medical care, they provide a service which can offset the financial costs of medical or dental expenses.

You can't blame the insurance companies for every problem in the system. One of my loved ones was charged eight hundred dollars for an exam which could not yield a diagnosis. 800 bucks, just to learn nothing. If my mechanic couldn't find out what was wrong with my car, I wouldn't be expected to pay him, but the doctor still wants his money. Now, do I blame the insurance company for that? Heck no. The doctor is the one who set the charge, and it's his fault that the charge is ridiculous.

I worked for insurance for 6 years, they are designed to not pay, that's how they make a profit.


This just isn't true. Well, okay, you might have worked there for six years, but the part about them being designed to screw us isn't. It's false. I don't know if you're just saying what everyone else says, or if you've got an axe to grind against your former employer, but it's just not true.

Insurance companies aren't 'designed not to pay,' that's just the sour-grapes cry of the lazy schlub who didn't bother to read his policy. If you get into business, you better damn well understand what you're getting into. The same applies to any kind of contract, be it a lease agreement, a mortgage, or getting insurance.

Is the system here in America flawed? Yes. Hell yes. But you can't blame the insurance companies for that. It's silly. Blame the doctors, the hospitals, and the pharmaceutical companies first. Then we can look at the insurance companies.

Also, OP: You lose money doing the models on eBay thing. I mean, do it in your spare time if you can, but you should seek out some other kind of employment in the meantime. Also, while I've never done it, and it is always a last ditch move, many people declare bankruptcy to get out of debt. You'd have a few years of hardship afterwards, but some folks manage to get through it with a fresh start.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173080.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173080.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
filbert wrote:Problem is, in order to make money the insurance company have to come up with so many terms, conditions and clauses that you know they will try and find some loophole to not to pay out or to pay less; its the only way they can make a profit on a policy.

That's not true. They make a profit by charging more than you are likely to need in medical services.

If in a given year you're 1% likely to get sick and cost them $1 million, they will charge you $10,000 for insurance + whatever their profit margin. If you get sick, well crap, they're out of pocket $990,000. But they'll make it up on the 99 other people who didn't get sick.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:the notion you'd rather trust a profit driven insurance firm over the state to provide your medical care is boggling.

I feel exactly the opposite. The idea of trusing a 'free' medical system is completely boggling to me. Maybe it's a cultural thing.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173097.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173097.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
biccat wrote:
MeanGreenStompa wrote:the notion you'd rather trust a profit driven insurance firm over the state to provide your medical care is boggling.

I feel exactly the opposite. The idea of trusing a 'free' medical system is completely boggling to me. Maybe it's a cultural thing.


I agree. I would rather trust an insurance company that manages to pay their workers, run a professional business, and turn a profit rather than a government which can't reach simple decisions in any expedient fashion.

I don't want people to get the wrong idea though. I'm not out to bash anyone personally. This is a contentious issue though. People have some strong opinions on it. I would personally like to see my government reach some kind of ethical, balanced decision through reasoned discourse and compromise.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173123.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173123.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
biccat wrote:

MeanGreenStompa wrote:the notion you'd rather trust a profit driven insurance firm over the state to provide your medical care is boggling.

I feel exactly the opposite. The idea of trusing a 'free' medical system is completely boggling to me. Maybe it's a cultural thing.


Its not a cultural thing Bic, cos Im British and I agree with you. MGS is a screaming socialist and this is obviously playing havock with his common sense, I mean, isnt it pretty much a given fact that in the UK if you rock up to the doctors and he says "Oh that mole might be nasty, best get it lopped off" you will have to wait for 6 weeks, but if you are willing to pay an go private it can happen tomorrow? How then (MGS) do you reconcile that with "people trust the NHS more" if people regularly pay to go private?

I only don't pay for BUPA because im a stubborn bastard, and I figure if im forced to pay for the NHS, then Im using the fether if I get sick.

If I could get a 10% tax break, or pay 20% less national insurance if I paid for private, then I absolutely would take out private health insurance, BUPA has an excellent reputation.

If I go to the NHS waiting room, I'm behind illegal immigrants and hypochondriac health anxiety mother fethers and whatever other dregs of society are in the line in front of me. I find it offensive.

If I have paid into the system for 30 years, why the feth don't I get precedence over some fething Iraqi that's here illegally? Or some Somalian that lives in a nicer house than me but hasn't paid any taxes before? Or some white trash fething chav that's in with liver problems because he spends all his lovely dole money on special brew every week?

I have all sorts of issues with the NHS, Im just aware that its marginally better than the US system.

It doesnt mean I cant agree with what alot of guys like biccat say. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173360.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173360.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
Jimsolo wrote:
Wait, so the state 'provided your health care?' So, a government employee came into your hospital room and diagnosed you? Some federal paper pusher comes in to take care of your loved ones? Or was it a doctor who you saw?


I was unaware that doctors could not be government employees. Perhaps I should inform the many esteemed physicians at the VA that they are breaking the rules.

Jimsolo wrote:
If my mechanic couldn't find out what was wrong with my car, I wouldn't be expected to pay him, but the doctor still wants his money.


What mechanic do you go to that doesn't charge for labor?

Jimsolo wrote:
Insurance companies aren't 'designed not to pay,' that's just the sour-grapes cry of the lazy schlub who didn't bother to read his policy. If you get into business, you better damn well understand what you're getting into. The same applies to any kind of contract, be it a lease agreement, a mortgage, or getting insurance.


It is administratively cheaper for policies to be comprehensive. It is much easier, from a bureaucratic perspective, to simply say "If something bad happens, we will cover you financially." and not "If something bad happens, we will cover you financially, unless it is a flood, or you are determined to be at fault." Exclusions such as these exist either because the insurance company does not want to pay for those particular events, or because it wants exclusions to exist so that it has legal recourse to escape a certain number of payments. It seems unlikely that these exclusions exist in order to do anything other than prevent payment, as they are themselves costly.

Now, does that mean people should not be required to read the insurance agreement? No, of course not. But it does mean that there is a clear incentive for insurance companies to resist payment, and that the contracts involved are designed to do so.

Jimsolo wrote:
Is the system here in America flawed? Yes. Hell yes. But you can't blame the insurance companies for that. It's silly. Blame the doctors, the hospitals, and the pharmaceutical companies first. Then we can look at the insurance companies.


Spoken like a true lobbyist.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Jimsolo wrote:
I agree. I would rather trust an insurance company that manages to pay their workers, run a professional business, and turn a profit rather than a government which can't reach simple decisions in any expedient fashion.


Well there's your problem, you're looking at the government like a monolith.

I blame the terrible state of American civics education.

Jimsolo wrote:
I don't want people to get the wrong idea though. I'm not out to bash anyone personally. This is a contentious issue though. People have some strong opinions on it. I would personally like to see my government reach some kind of ethical, balanced decision through reasoned discourse and compromise.


I would like them to refrain from protecting the rights of all people who disagree with me, but it isn't going to happen. In fact, my desire is more likely to be fulfilled than yours, given the history of government. Though I suppose I could also contend that government debate, behind closed doors, is far more civilized than the one which exists outside them; though I'm not sure that it is anymore.

It is strange to me that so many people expect from the government what is never accomplished by individuals in matters that are important to them.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173690.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173690.page GMT Medical Bills
Of course, that means:
1) no barriers to competition
2) the end the AMA's monopoly on accrediting doctors
3) no more pharmaceutical patents
4) the complete end of medicare, medicaid, and VA benefits

In other words, it's not really likely. What's left is the discussion on where to draw the line between public and private control.

It's not like government run endeavors are universally white elephants. A lot of people seem to trust public education. Or public road infrastructure. And public military and law enforcment. And EMS/Fire.

But public health care would suddenly be a catastrophe?

If it's simply "I'd rather have the indigent die and the working/middle class go bankrupt when ill than pay more taxes," that's not something I agree with but I guess I can see where it comes from. But this idea that somehow our health care system would become a kafka-esque nightmare if nationalized seems... unlikely.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173784.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173784.page GMT Medical Bills OP, why did you have to take out a loan to pay the balance as opposed to setting up a payment plan with the hospital? It dont know if its too late to cancel that loan or if you are still waiting on the check but generally in my experience that huge bill you get from your the hospital after the insurance pays its amount can be repaid directly to the hospital in installments without interest. This is what we did with what was left of the out of pocket for both our children.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173804.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173804.page GMT Medical Bills
sennacherib wrote:
Feedback is appreciated and anyone with other hobby ideas feel free to message them to me or suggest them here. Thanks.


I'm sorry for your troubles.

Selling them unassembled was probably the best return on investment for you, in the long run. Sucks that you had to do it.

That's 1000 of the 4500 you owe, leaving you $3500, correct?

Over the next 18 months, you'll need to pay off $200 per month to fill the $3500. If you got a Sat/Sun job at $5.00 for 8 hours each day, you'd have about $200 after taxes, in addition to your current part-time job. Or, adding 16 hours per week to your current job would do it. That would require a significant lifestyle change for you (I'm assuming), but would help get you through this.

The other ideas of student loans (generally a pretty low intererst rate) or borrowing some from the folks (if possible), can also get you through it. You can always call the Hospitial collections and tell them you're a full time student and see if they will extend the interest fee to 24 or 30 months. All they can do is say no.

Best of luck, man.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173831.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3173831.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
dogma wrote:
Jimsolo wrote:
Is the system here in America flawed? Yes. Hell yes. But you can't blame the insurance companies for that. It's silly. Blame the doctors, the hospitals, and the pharmaceutical companies first. Then we can look at the insurance companies.


Spoken like a true lobbyist.


Most doctors don't even make that much money. The average income for a family doctor is something like $170,000. Good money, but there are almost certainly pharma sales reps coming into their offices making that much or more. And have you seen the cost of malpractice insurance? Cripes. And God forbid that you're a OB/GYN and have to pay THOSE rates.

Our system is indeed terminally fethed up, but I dunno how you point to the doctors first and foremost. Like with the housing bubble, everyone shares the blame.

Jimsolo wrote:
I agree. I would rather trust an insurance company that manages to pay their workers, run a professional business, and turn a profit rather than a government which can't reach simple decisions in any expedient fashion.


Well there's your problem, you're looking at the government like a monolith.

I blame the terrible state of American civics education.


That may be part of the problem. The US citizenry has also always had its antigovernment streak (of sorts), and that's obviously seen an upswell in recent years.

But IMO, just plain old fear of change is a big factor. The current system is very much the devil you know for most citizens. That's why the public endlessly carps about the system, but then does a 180 once faced with real change to said system (followed by carping again after change fails to occur). It's like shooting fish in a barrel for the lobbying groups that fight against national health insurance.
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174040.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174040.page GMT Re:Medical Bills
gorgon wrote:
Most doctors don't even make that much money. The average income for a family doctor is something like $170,000. Good money, but there are almost certainly pharma sales reps coming into their offices making that much or more. And have you seen the cost of malpractice insurance? Cripes. And God forbid that you're a OB/GYN and have to pay THOSE rates.

Our system is indeed terminally fethed up, but I dunno how you point to the doctors first and foremost. Like with the housing bubble, everyone shares the blame.


Quite honestly, doctors get screwed pretty hard. They make good money, but not considering their expenses; unless they're specialists. The return on professional degrees is starting to go the way of BAs and BSs, which says bad things about our education system, and medical system.

gorgon wrote:
That may be part of the problem. The US citizenry has also always had its antigovernment streak (of sorts), and that's obviously seen an upswell in recent years.

But IMO, just plain old fear of change is a big factor. The current system is very much the devil you know for most citizens. That's why the public endlessly carps about the system, but then does a 180 once faced with real change to said system (followed by carping again after change fails to occur). It's like shooting fish in a barrel for the lobbying groups that fight against national health insurance.


That's certainly true. It also helps that the people most significant to politics, the relatively well-off, do not suffer under the current system. My uncle, for example, harps on the medical system all the time (he works in insurance as well, so there is bonus damage) but doesn't even have a co-pay for office visits.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174103.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174103.page GMT Medical Bills http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174211.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174211.page GMT Medical Bills OP here.. I am enjoying the debate so please carry on.

as for the suggestions. I cannot put off my interest beyond 18 months. however i do not accrue any interest during this time period. So as long as i pay off most or all of it in the next year and a half then i wont have to pay the exhorbitant rate. I did check up on WHO i am getting the loan from Get this. Its GE the general electric company that has now apparently stepped out into the medical loan part of buisness. When i told my family this they asked me to make sure so i did. When i go to pay off y loan it shows a picture of a light bulb, the GE logo and a whole bunch of leaves alll shaded pasel green. Yeah its GE after all. Weird huh.
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174335.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174335.page GMT Medical Bills http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174537.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/388402/3174537.page GMT