May 2009 Weddings
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Topic of the day: political
Please, please, please...be respectful and no flaming. 
I think we can all agree that healthcare is ridiculous in the US. According to the WHO (World Health Organization) the US ranks 37th in the world for quality of healthcare, sandwiched between Costa Rica (36) and Slovenia (38). (reference) I know that not everyone agrees with a national healthcare system, but something HAS to be done. So...what's your solution?
Re: Topic of the day: political
I was one of those kids who went without healthcare because my parent's employers found a technicality and didn't offer it and they couldn't afford a private plan. I was also one of those kids who got incredibly sick and almost died (intestinal infection + unrecognized massive allergic reaction to a medication) because the doctors at the sliding scale clinic were crap. And even on a sliding scale my parents were paying those bills for a long time afterwords.
I also have two younger brothers who are technically permanent placement foster children. They are both disabled and are on medicaid (all foster children are on medicaid). The youngest one has a serious bone disorder that has required several major surgeries and one year he actually maxed out his medicaid benefits. My mom has been in touch with a handful of other parents who required the same surgery my brother had that year. A lot of parents couldn't afford to get the surgery for their kids. Even with insurance that covers 80% it's still tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket (the hardware alone was over $100k, it was a titanium halo that they attached to his skull), on top of travel costs because it's only done in a few places in the US. We happen to be lucky enough to live in one of those places, but in the hospital he was next door to a kid who had come pretty far to have it done.
I am a proponent of a nationalized healthcare program. I don't think that private insurance should be done away with, but I think that there should be a basic insurance program that is just enough to get your kid immunized, to visit the doctor when you're sick, etc. Private insurance plans are insanely expensive, even more so if you have any major medical history. I know that the argument to this is always "I don't want to pay for someone else!" Well...I already pay for a lot of people to have healthcare (medicaid and medicare). I don't mind helping out my neighbor when they're struggling, lord knows I might need that help one day and I hope that someone is as kind to me.I definately agree that the health care system needs a major overhaul. I too believe there should be some sort of public system as well as additional private insurance. I am very cautious of having a government controlled health care though. The government by definition is inefficient and I'm not sure they would be able to handle more responsibillity.
All the stupid and harmful rules in current insurance, such as pre-existing conditions, should be abolished. These do nothing but hurt people who may not have been able to afford coverage or accidentally let their coverage slip and gives insurance companies the opportunity to deny claims.
I do think that any changes need to be made gradually. A sudden overhaul will shock the system and throw things into a bit of chaos. And last I think all of the extremely vocal minority in this debate need to shush and help the government work towards a solution instead of just standing in the way.
I agree there need to be changes made, but the govt. can't have total control.
There should be programs in place to help children and people who can't get reasonable healthcare due to age or a pre-existing conditions.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done for this to be the best for the country. I also agree that it can't all happen at once or there is going to be mass confusion which could make things worse.
It almost seems to me it needs to happen more at the state level since different state would require more funding. Which I am sure some states already have way better govt funded health care than others.
I believe health care is a right, not a privilege. Because of this, I think that the public option is necessary to this reform because it is the only way that all individuals will be able to afford coverage and that the private companies will be forced to decrease their prices.
As far as I know, there is no plan where the gov't has total control and I agree that they shouldn't. The public option is only a part of the reform bill.
The other parts of this healthcare reform bill, that no one seems to be paying attention to in the media, is that they are truly trying to reform healthcare...not just provide a public option. They definitely should change the rules to require private companies to accept individuals with pre-existing conditions without raising prices and other things in this realm.
I understand that there are individuals who don't want to pay for someone else's health care, but, as members of the middle class who makes less than $250,000 per year, our taxes will not be raised to cover the public option. So, most of the people in this country don't have to worry about that.
I don't know the right answer to the public option debate, but as of now I am more interested in the other parts of health care reform, mainly the issue with pre-existing conditions. It is so sad to think that people die because they cannot afford to get something fixed and the insurance companies use loop holes to not pay for things. I have a "syndrome" I have had for 5 years. I take four medications twice a day for it. When I turned 24 I was kicked off my parents insurance so my mom and I started shopping around to get private insurance for me before I got a "real" job. I ended up going 6 months without insurance in which I had to pay for all my prescriptions out of pocket and scared to death that something would happen to me with my illness or any other accident. I actually had dreams about getting in a car accident and begging the police officers not to take me to the hospital. Ridiculous I know but the fear was legitimate.
The kicker in all of this is that EVERY insurance company we called denied me coverage for two reasons (we called tons). One being the pre-existing condition, the other that I was too skinny! I was completely appalled, but with private insurance for individuals instead of company employees they have a height/weight ratio you had to fit under. For my height 5'8" I had to weigh between 120-180. If I weighed slightly over that or under (115) I could get insurance but at a higher premium. I had no idea that this was the case. I was extremely upset and outraged because I had no medical history of something that would cause me to be underweight or an eating disorder or anything. I was a college athlete, my whole family is skinny! Did they want me to sit around and eat all day and become less healthy in order to get insurance? The logic is completely backwards. Needless to say, I was so happy when I got a job that gave me health benefits and I didn't have to worry about that anymore.
Ok I'm done ranting!
One more part to that: anyone who pays for health insurance already covers the uninsured by raised premiums as well. Uninsured folks notice a problem but try to self-treat and/or ignore it as long as possible until they absolutely need help, at which time they go to the ER, possibly can't pay, and the unpaid cost gets passed along to the rest of us by way of higher premiums. So any argument of "why should I have to pay for other people?" is crap because, guess what, you already do.
Here's what I find thoroughly and completely wrong: universal health care exists in all industrialized countries, except for ours. AND it's provided in many developing countries too. Way to go, USA.
TTC #1 since January 2013
I don't have a solution either. Just from personal experience, I know it is tough to get insurance if you have a pre-existing condition. I went to college, so I was covered under my mother's insurance until I was 24. When I turned 23, I started looking for insurance. I wasn't employed and even though I was working on my thesis, I wasn't technically taking any college courses (I had taken my thesis hours the semester before) and so I couldn't get insurance through the school.
I applied for insurance through several companies and I was denied because of pre-existing conditions. My only option (I thought) was to stay on my mother's cobra and pay $800 a month for my health insurance (more than my total income.)
Having government control of health insurance does make me nervous. I think that we could better the system by strengthening and making the state funded health insurance pools more accessible. I finally found help for my situation (after seeking help through my university) by using the Nebraska CHIP (Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool) and later when I moved to NM before my employer offered me benefits using the New Mexico MIP (Medical Insurance Pool.) They require that you have a pre-existing condition and denial letters from other health insurance companies. They do check the price if cobra is an option. Basically, it is health insurance of last resort. I do know that not all states have this and they have differing programs. If these programs were standardized and better promoted (most people don't even know they exist) they could help a lot of people with the pre-existing condition problem.
Argh. Hate Congress. Hate them hate them hate them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/health/policy/30health.html
TTC #1 since January 2013
the first thing they need to do is get rid of the out of control lawsuits. i've seen women sue because they were told they were having a boy and had a girl. that's worth winning money.
i also feel that those who are able to work and decide not to should not be given free healthcare. my mother was a divorced single mother and so she had to work 3 jobs. when she tried to get insurance for me with social services she was told that she made 100 a month too much. and yet i have people here just off the planes from other countries and not here legally and yet they get insurance.
i do feel we should help those who are unable to do so, but i think we have to stop helping those who refuse to help themselves. those who are unemployed due to layoffs, closings etc are not the same as someone who does not bother. if i was out of work, i would take anything.. sweeping floors was not beneath my great grandfather and it's not beneath me.
*applauds* Beautifully written Jennifer.
Trials & Adventures in Baby Making
Stuck in counting limbo.
SAIF always welcome!!
Fortune from UnderwaterRhymes: A new outlook brightens your image and brings new friends.
Except Jennifer mis-stated the entire point: it's not "free" health care. It does get paid for, just not by way of co-pays and hospital bills. To reference Canada's health care, the system is covered by regular taxes. Their sales tax, for example, is about double what ours is, but they don't complain because the trade-off is that every citizen is medically covered, employed or not.
Also, you missed something relevant to a lot of Nesties - stay at home parents. They are "able to work and decide not to", because they are fortunate enough to be able to afford it. You think they shouldn't be covered by a hypothetical universal health care system?
But yes, the frivolous malpractice actions need to stop.
TTC #1 since January 2013
There is another large group that was missed. People who do work, but don't receive any kind of healthcare from their employer or people who work for themselves. My mom is a subcontractor for the state of Utah and has pre-existing conditions, it is almost impossible for her to get insurance at any sort of reasonable cost. Dennis is in a similar position, he is technically contracted to his employer, so they don't have to provide insurance for him. We pay a lot of money to have health insurance.
I am also curious for more details about what Jennifer is talking about regarding "people just off the boat and illegal" getting health insurance. A lot of people talk about illegal immigrants getting all sorts of benefit without paying a cent. That is untrue, it is extremely difficult for an illegal immigrant to get government assistance. And most illegal immigrants DO pay taxes and even file with the IRS every year. It is highly recommended that they do so that when they are financially able to file for legal status, they can prove that they have contributed. Most people have no idea of the immense cost of the immigrations process and how long it takes to get that kind of money in a developing country. It's obviously an issue close to my heart and I am passionately against illegal immigration, but I also have sympathy for people who have few other options. I blame the system for illegal immigration, because people are practically punished for trying to immigrate legally. Immigration reform is a conversation for another day because I have a lot to say about it.
I take a large view with the idea many take on gun control - before adding take the 1st steps to fix the issues with what's on the books and go from there (baby steps approach).
1: Kill Pre-existing conditions. I think everyone despite political affiliation can concede that this is a horrendous practice that has caused incredible suffering for honest people just looking for help.
2. Review/Reform Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). At the current time there really is no provision for the vast majority of Americans who work for America's small businesses. Such as, my law firm of less than 8 FT employees has NO PROVISION for paid emergency leave - let alone maternity leave (a huge issue mentioned by many on thebump.com). I think there should be provisions for employees that have been with a company for a reasonable amount of time (such as 1 year+ prior to becoming pregnant) to be afforded some sort of paid maternity leave. Even if it is 1/2 pay it helps and is certainly better than nothing especially when many of your sick/vacation days get sucked up in appointments and general sick days (let alone lord forbid Dr. ordered pelvic rest).
3. I think there should be a review/standard of business profits. If a company is making tens of thousands in profits annually and they do not offer health benefits I think there should be a mandate saying that they should (as they can afford it). This would help alleviate a massive movement by companies of dropping their health care plans and kicking employees to a "public option" as well as keep a vast majority of Americans in a privatized system, which in turn will alleviate the pressures and debt on the American tax payer.
4. Yes, a "public option". I feel super strong for this in terms of children as they cannot control the actions of their parents (honestly working hard for the money or sitting on their rumps and wanting to collect checks). However I think that there should be varying levels of health care insurances in the "public option" so that each family can determine what works for them and how much "risk" they wish to take (much like in a private system). Maybe a family has health care through their company, but not dental or mental. They should be able to elect those without the other loaded plans.
I concede that this process will not and cannot happen over night, but I think the above stated 1-3 points would pave a good foundation to help better formulate the 4th. So am I pro-public option? YES, but along with other serious reform on insurance companies as well as business policy.
sorry, did not mean to imply stay at home moms.. that is a job in and of itself with no time off, no sick days etc.. i'm referring to the people who would rather sit at home and collect welfare than get a job. if my husband could afford for me to stay home that would be great, but i see able bodied people day in and day out, no husband, no boyfriend, just them.. i ask about their employer and i get.. nope not employed..
as for illegals, there are government programs which give them free healthcare if they end up in the er or in the hospital. and most hospitals offer free services if you qualify.. illegals basically get 100% coverage. no ss#, no income, no greencard.. no problem. i think those who are trying to do the right thing should be rewarded but stop rewarding those who do it wrong.
I try to stay out of the political stuff, but this one really gets to me. I'm also happy to see so many people agree that, while it has a long way to go, we definitely need to do something about our healthcare system. I recently got into this debate with a friend who doesn't believe we should change a thing (fun fact: her H is also in medical school, and the whole "doctors-might-make-less-money" thing freaks her out just a little), and this is what I told her.
My husbands parents both passed away when he was 17 years old, leaving him with nothing and no health care. He had no other family to take care of him, and so he went to college purely by grants and student loans. His freshman year, he got really sick and had to go to the emergency room and have surgery. He put it off forever because he knew he didn't have insurance. Because of that, he had hospital bills in the tens of thousands that were dumped on his head. A college kid with a part time job and no parents. Do you think that's fair?