I was just hospitalized in January. I needed emergency surgery to save my life. I thought I would be treated well since I have rather good health insurance. The entire time I was in the hospital, I was being asked on a daily basis when I was leaving. It was daily fight to get what I needed either from the hospital, or through the staff because of "insurance guidelines." One day, in frustration, I asked my attending physician: "if this is how people with insurance get treated, what would the hospital do with me if I didn't have insurance?" His answer was a very candid and honest: "You don't want to know." I am now getting better after eight days of hospitalization, and two surgeries. However, even with insurance I am swamped with bills for things my insurance didn't pay. I cried when I had to be hospitalized. I told my husband that perhaps I should just go home and wait to die, as it would be cheaper to be cremated, than to have to exist dealing with the debt of surviving. My medical bills continued to mount after leaving the hospital due to the need for Home Health assistance, and multiple weekly doctors appointments, for over 4 months. Then of course there is medication, wound care, and assisting appliances such as walkers and wheelchairs. I had to fight with my insurance company to get help obtaining a wheel chair. They eventually decided to "reconsider" my situation and then they finally agreed to pay part of the cost of my chair rental. As usual, only after a fight.
Don't get me wrong, the insurance helped to a degree, but knowing that the same care would have been given to me in say, Great Britain, without the shadow and turmoil of the insurance industry, makes me profoundly sad. This is the United States, where we as a nation have always felt fortunate and blessed. That hasn't been true for some time.
Americans are drowning and dying from the greed of corporations, and the uncaring choices of her leaders. I am glad health care is being discussed and considered in a real way.