4 ms·

All this is a bit surreal (Canadian here), but it prompts the question: why won't people sue in a class action to refund money they gave to the insurance in the

All this is a bit surreal (Canadian here), but it prompts the question: why won't people sue in a class action to refund money they gave to the insurance in the first place? I realize it's a complex subject, but at the end of the day, the insurance companies advertise and sell: insurance.

FactolSarin 8y ago
Hahahahahaha. No. The American legal system is so stacked in favor of insurance companies it's ridiculous.
- refurb 8y ago
  This isn’t true at all. Insurance is heavily regulated. If you can’t resolve an issue with your insurance, most states have arbitration committee that will smack down insurance companies pretty quickly.
  - acomar 8y ago
    Crucially, that's only true if you have the money and time to fight. For the people hurt worst by the system, they lack some or all of: knowledge that they can fight it, money with which to fight it (or again, knowledge that a lawyer will take it pro bono), and the time with which to fight it and not work one or more jobs. I know people on this forum are relatively well off, but everyone reading this should try to put themselves in the shoes of someone working multiple jobs, trying to take care of a sick family member, and facing predatory companies trying to bilk them for all they're worth. That the government will protect you, in theory, is not the same thing as in practice.
  - bobmarley1 8y ago
    Lolwat the entire purpose of Arbitration is to give a massive advantage to corporations.
    - refurb 8y ago
      This is a govt arbitration headed up by a state committee that regulates insurance in the state. It’s not forced arbitration at all. You can still sue them.
lotsofpulp 8y ago
Any insurance policy will have clearly stated the difference between out of network and in network benefits.
- chrisbennet 8y ago
  But you can't always pick your providers. Example: You go to emergency room that is in-network. A month later you get the bill for the doctors that treated you - who aren't in-network. "A new study that looked at more than 2 million emergency department visits found that more than 1 in 5 patients who went to ERs within their health-insurance networks ended up being treated by an "out-of-network" doctor — and thus exposed to additional charges not covered by their insurance plan." https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/many-get-hit-with-surprise-out-of-network-bill-after-emergency-rooms-study.html https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/many-get-hit-with-surprise-o...
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
InclinedPlane 8y ago
You think someone who is staring at bankruptcy is going to say to themselves "I know what I'll do, I'll spend thousands of dollars I don't have on a lawyer to solve this problem for other people in 5 years"?
- Scarblac 8y ago
  You're right, that's unrealistic. In fact this sort of thing is why government was invented.
  - arcticbull 8y ago
    But muh freedom
  - int_19h 8y ago
    You need a government that is responsible to its citizens. We don't have that - we have a government that is responsible to its biggest donors. The more some company or some industry can abuse the market to extract insane profits, the more they can lobby the legislatures to cover their ass and secure their business model. And it's not just health insurance. Case in point: we have companies writing tax accounting software lobbying against simplification of tax code. And it works! https://www.vox.com/2016/3/29/11320386/turbotax-boycott-lobbying-tax-filing-season-tax-day-april-15 https://www.vox.com/2016/3/29/11320386/turbotax-boycott-lobb...
    - Scarblac 8y ago
      I know, at least at federal level the US isn't a democracy anymore, it's been taken over by corruption entirely. Until that is changed the problems for normal people like the one described in the post will only get worse.
noelsusman 8y ago
Because that lawsuit would get thrown out.

FactolSarin 8y ago

Hahahahahaha. No. The American legal system is so stacked in favor of insurance companies it's ridiculous.

refurb 8y ago
This isn’t true at all. Insurance is heavily regulated. If you can’t resolve an issue with your insurance, most states have arbitration committee that will smack down insurance companies pretty quickly.
- acomar 8y ago
  Crucially, that's only true if you have the money and time to fight. For the people hurt worst by the system, they lack some or all of: knowledge that they can fight it, money with which to fight it (or again, knowledge that a lawyer will take it pro bono), and the time with which to fight it and not work one or more jobs. I know people on this forum are relatively well off, but everyone reading this should try to put themselves in the shoes of someone working multiple jobs, trying to take care of a sick family member, and facing predatory companies trying to bilk them for all they're worth. That the government will protect you, in theory, is not the same thing as in practice.
- bobmarley1 8y ago
  Lolwat the entire purpose of Arbitration is to give a massive advantage to corporations.
  - refurb 8y ago
    This is a govt arbitration headed up by a state committee that regulates insurance in the state. It’s not forced arbitration at all. You can still sue them.

lotsofpulp 8y ago

Any insurance policy will have clearly stated the difference between out of network and in network benefits.

chrisbennet 8y ago
But you can't always pick your providers. Example: You go to emergency room that is in-network. A month later you get the bill for the doctors that treated you - who aren't in-network. "A new study that looked at more than 2 million emergency department visits found that more than 1 in 5 patients who went to ERs within their health-insurance networks ended up being treated by an "out-of-network" doctor — and thus exposed to additional charges not covered by their insurance plan." https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/many-get-hit-with-surprise-out-of-network-bill-after-emergency-rooms-study.html https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/many-get-hit-with-surprise-o...

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

InclinedPlane 8y ago

You think someone who is staring at bankruptcy is going to say to themselves "I know what I'll do, I'll spend thousands of dollars I don't have on a lawyer to solve this problem for other people in 5 years"?

Scarblac 8y ago
You're right, that's unrealistic. In fact this sort of thing is why government was invented.
- arcticbull 8y ago
  But muh freedom
- int_19h 8y ago
  You need a government that is responsible to its citizens. We don't have that - we have a government that is responsible to its biggest donors. The more some company or some industry can abuse the market to extract insane profits, the more they can lobby the legislatures to cover their ass and secure their business model. And it's not just health insurance. Case in point: we have companies writing tax accounting software lobbying against simplification of tax code. And it works! https://www.vox.com/2016/3/29/11320386/turbotax-boycott-lobbying-tax-filing-season-tax-day-april-15 https://www.vox.com/2016/3/29/11320386/turbotax-boycott-lobb...
  - Scarblac 8y ago
    I know, at least at federal level the US isn't a democracy anymore, it's been taken over by corruption entirely. Until that is changed the problems for normal people like the one described in the post will only get worse.

noelsusman 8y ago

Because that lawsuit would get thrown out.