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Stick it to the HMO's
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 496708" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>I finally saw it too. Love it! We've learned from reading all your posts, about the sort of problems you have.</p><p></p><p>Our health system here used to be private companies. Perhaps we had fewer problems, medication was generally dealt with by government subsidy and not by insurance companies. Then in the mid-70s we got out first national government-based health insurance. Some doctors went hog-wild and started billing everyone who walked in the door, and their families and friends. Now we have it much better monitored (another government agency which acts a bit like the HMOs, but because it's government it's answerable to the people). Doctors who abuse the system get their licence pulled. </p><p></p><p>Our private insurance companies no longer had to cover basic doctor visits or tests. They now only cover hospital-related expenses. Some of them cover wellness programs (such as paying for exercise classes or running shoes). We don't have a public dental or optical system (although you can get an optometrist to check your eyes under the government health system) so private health insurance helps there. But there's always extra to pay, with the private insurance.</p><p></p><p>With private insurance, we also used to have the "pre-existing condition" escape clause that they would try to use. But we also have had health industry ombudsmen whose job it is to "keep the bast**ds honest" (a common Aussie political phrase; one party had it as their permanent campaign slogan). So even before we had our current government-based health insurance, we never had the HMO problems you guys have. I just can't understand how they can get away with it. I really can't. But clearly, they do.</p><p></p><p>The US is supposed to be perhaps the most affluent country in the world with the highest living standard. But in reality - I think you've got politicians who claim this, kidding themselves (and you). If you crunch the numbers, US is not as healthy as it seems.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 496708, member: 1991"] I finally saw it too. Love it! We've learned from reading all your posts, about the sort of problems you have. Our health system here used to be private companies. Perhaps we had fewer problems, medication was generally dealt with by government subsidy and not by insurance companies. Then in the mid-70s we got out first national government-based health insurance. Some doctors went hog-wild and started billing everyone who walked in the door, and their families and friends. Now we have it much better monitored (another government agency which acts a bit like the HMOs, but because it's government it's answerable to the people). Doctors who abuse the system get their licence pulled. Our private insurance companies no longer had to cover basic doctor visits or tests. They now only cover hospital-related expenses. Some of them cover wellness programs (such as paying for exercise classes or running shoes). We don't have a public dental or optical system (although you can get an optometrist to check your eyes under the government health system) so private health insurance helps there. But there's always extra to pay, with the private insurance. With private insurance, we also used to have the "pre-existing condition" escape clause that they would try to use. But we also have had health industry ombudsmen whose job it is to "keep the bast**ds honest" (a common Aussie political phrase; one party had it as their permanent campaign slogan). So even before we had our current government-based health insurance, we never had the HMO problems you guys have. I just can't understand how they can get away with it. I really can't. But clearly, they do. The US is supposed to be perhaps the most affluent country in the world with the highest living standard. But in reality - I think you've got politicians who claim this, kidding themselves (and you). If you crunch the numbers, US is not as healthy as it seems. Marg [/QUOTE]
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