Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Dear Health Insurance Companies

Dear Insurance Companies:

How do you sleep at night?

I’m being serious-How do you sleep at night knowing that your literally and figuratively screwing your clients out of good health and peace of mind?

You continually raise your premiums and change your coverage and deductibles at whim because you know the American public (your clients) won’t (can’t) leave.

And if a small percentage of your clients do leave- you don’t give a shit- because you know that you can raise your premiums and NOBODY will stop you.

And shame on investment companies like Goldman -Sachs who use that fact to sell your stock and sing your praises.

The mental stress of your astronomical price and spotty coverage causes is enough to put me into therapy- except therapy costs extra and you’d most likely use it against me in the future- so I'm S-O-L.

As a type 1 PWD (person with diabetes) I work hard to maintain my health. I’m required to see my Endo 4 times a year and do so religiously. That fact that I need to see a specialist in order to live a great life, you’ve decided to increase my specialist fee from $15 dollars a co-pay to $50.

I test my blood sugar between 10 and 15 times a day and have the A1C’s to prove it- but you nickel and dime me for every single test strip.

I work out, count carbs religiously, I don’t smoke, and I’m not a big drinker. I am a woman who takes her health very seriously.

But in your eyes, I am woman with the scarlet letter D emblazoned on my chest –and you continually hold it against me.

I pay the price because my pancreas decided to stop producing insulin when I was all of 8 years old.

I am penalized because insulin, the drug I take to literally save my life, (not to grow stronger and thicker eyelashes- though that would be nice-except for the whole changing eye color thing) is not made in a generic form, so you will only cover 50%.

And you make me pay out of pocket and reimburse me the 50% four to six weeks later. Not convenient when one has bills to pay.

While I should be grateful for the fact that my new policy covers 50% of generic drugs verses the 40% my old insurance covered, that fact brings me little comfort -just read the next paragraph and you'll see (or maybe not) why

Because of a 1 in a million occurrence that had nothing to do with my diabetes (and most likely will never happen again,) you threatened to drop me if I didn’t switch to a sister carrier. A carrier with a monthly premium that’s 60 percent higher than what I used to pay and whose specialist co-pays are now 45% higher.

Instead of saving money on a down payment for a house- I have to save my money for a monthly insurance premium that is higher then most peoples car and car insurance payments combined.

I say no to vacations and outings with friends because I have to pay for my health insurance.

I find it ironic, sad, and extremely telling that Sarah Palin (a woman I have no time or respect for,) actually admitted to crossing the boarder to Canada to get her family healthcare rein a speech she gave in Calgary on March 7th, 2010. Palin said: “We used to hustle over the border for health care we received in Canada, And I think now, isn't that ironic?”

This from a woman who thinks U.S Healthcare reform would result in death panels. I Guess she thought the Canadian death panel doctors would be kinder- maybe just give her a good old fashion talking too. I wonder if she winked at them and said "You Betcha!" ;)

Healthcare Death Panels in the U.S. already exist, and their weapons of choice and are in the form of insurance companies continually raising their premiums and dropping clients for no reason except for the fact that they can.

Insurance companies, what’s wrong with insurance reform and having both a public and private option? So you’d have to actually hustle to get clients like the rest of us, SO WHAT? This country was built on competition - it's the American way.

With real competion you'd be required to have great customer service- which would increase customer loyalty five-fold.

Listen insurance companies, most businesses have to answer to the government on some level, why shouldn’t you?

Something has to be done to even the playing field - because our lives literally depend on it!

And while we may be tired - we won't stop fighting, because when it comes right down to it, we can't afford not to ~

Sincerely,

Kelly Kunik

16 comments:

Scott K. Johnson said...

Very well said K2. Insurance companies. Can't live with 'em, can't live... with 'em.

Katie from SF said...

AMEN, sister! It's funny... they insist they are there to provide "preventative medicine" and yet they won't give us CGM's. WTHeck!?!??! They are killing us a little faster instead.

Rachel said...

BRAVO!!!! You have hit the nail on the head. We are literally prisoners of insurance companies. And it's horrible.

Crystal said...

Amen darlin'!!!

Uh, wv: insurro

I'd be hard pressed to insurro you for anything just because I can. - Wish they would just own up to the fact that they DO do this!!

Something HAS got to change!

Scott S said...

Insurance companies suck, and they don't need death panels, instead they pursue death by a 1,000 cuts with deductibles, co-pays, denials, appeals, etc. And CEOs like Angela F. Braly who earned a base salary of $1.1 million and stock compensation valued at $8.5 million last year -- all while claiming that 39% rate hikes are necessary in the individual market stating "we believe this was the most prudent choice, given the rising cost of care and the problems caused by many younger and healthier policyholders dropping or reducing their coverage during tough economic times."

As Scott Johnson already noted, you can't live with 'em, can't live ... with 'em!

Kellys Blogs said...

Love this blog. You're my hero. Insurance companies are not.

The Piquant Storyteller said...

Very well said. My mom is an RN and she says she hates that diabetics can't afford to take care of themselves. Why the conspiracy against people who actually need health insurance?

Rachel said...

Amen!

We would be screwed without insurance. Between my "one in a million" and the diabetes situation, we would just be screwed. We are married to our jobs, in other words.

And Sarah Palin? And that ad for the lengthening eyelashes drug? Ridiculous.

Kerri. said...

I can't say it any better than Scott already did. Insurance companies are The Suck. :( But we need them. Which is also The Suck.

saraMY said...

Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em (wish we could) - the damn terrorists! We've been highjacked and we are prisoners of their tyranny. Hope the government can overturn these corporate water boarders (isn't that how it feels dealing with them sometimes?) and finally set things right so we can have a more fairly and equitable health care system that actually works.

Melissa Hoffmann said...

You are RIGHT ON.

There's nothing more I can add that others already haven't said -- but if we all understand this, why don't the politicians in D.C.? OH, that's right, they don't have to deal with this day and and day out. They don't know what it's like to be without health insurance -- or with expensive insurance -- and have to choose between your car payment or a mortgage and your life-saving medicine.

Hmmm, guess I did have something to say!

:-)

meanderings said...

Standing ovation!!

Well done!!!

Khürt Williams said...

I don't mean to be the voice of dissent but ... I've never had a problem getting quality and timely care from my health insurer. I don't know the "real" cost of my diabetes supplies because they are all covered. I get a 3 month supply of insulin, or 3 months of test strips or 3 months of needles or lancets for $30 - shipping cost included.

I guess I'm saying that my experience differs from your and others.

I'm fortunate to be fortunate.

Jasmine said...

Newish reader and a recently diagnosed Type 1. I've been lucky so far with my insurance, but I fear when I'll have to switch due to a change in job.

George said...

Now why don't you send that to the presidents and CEOs of every insurance company in the country? If I lived in a country that has the medical and insurance coverage similar to that in the US, I would be dead.

Let's see ... my routine.
Endo, 4 times a year
Diabetes nurses and dietitians, at least 2 times a year
Shrink (for the depression brought about, in part, from 40+ years of insulin injections), 4 times a year
Respirologist, 2 times a year
Cardiologist, at least 3 times a year for the complications brought about by diabetes.

Except for the nurses and dietitians every bloody one of them wants me on medications

Medications and medical coverage should be a part of Obama's health plan ... that a lot of Americans don't want because it will destroy their lives as they know them

I think that most of the people against health care reform are those who listen to the drivel spouted by the politicians who have money tied up in the medical field and are afraid of what health care reform would do to their bottom line.

Doesn't matter if people are dying because they can't afford the high premiums for insurance, the high cost of drugs and supplies ... as long as my shares in company xyz don't drop.

Put people first

Jamie said...

I just linked to this post on my facebook page... Your quote about the Health care death panels so amazingly resonated with me! Thank you! And I'm sorry you have to go through this with the jerk-butt companies :(