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I changed jobs last Spring. My last day of work was on the 25th, and my plan covered me through the end of the month. The plan at my new job didn't kick in un
by trts 5y ago
I changed jobs last Spring. My last day of work was on the 25th, and my plan covered me through the end of the month. The plan at my new job didn't kick in until the next calendar month, so being healthy in general, I risked going without coverage. Extending my previous plan via Cobra would have cost about $800.
When the month rolled over, I crashed my bike, and was obviously in need of stitches. Not knowing what this would cost me (thinking about all of those stories where someone got a five-figure bill for a standard outpatient visit to the ER), I called two local urgent cares, who said their billing office was not open on weekends, so they couldn't tell me. Not even an upper-bound estimate on closing a wound with centuries old technology.
Faced with the uncertainty about whether the bill would be in the hundreds or the thousands, I opted for bandages and superglue.
Even as someone who left a good job with a good health plan for another one, I was briefly exposed to the choices many Americans face when they need basic care. I can't imagine how many people choose to avoid the financial over the personal risk and end up in the red on that equation. In my case somewhat literally.
It's a crime what our lawmakers have done to preserve the costliest system in the world per capita, ensuring that administrators are guaranteed profits without any meaningful accountability to improving public outcomes over time. All they guaranteed was that more people had no choice to opt out of a terrible system and that the people who like it this way will keep getting paid.
- s1artibartfast 5y agoYou can often retroactively activate Cobra for 60 days. https://www.insure.com/health-insurance/cobra-tips.html#:~:text=COBRA%20beneficiaries%20have%2060%20days,you%20pay%20the%20retroactive%20premiums https://www.insure.com/health-insurance/cobra-tips.html#:~:t....
- kcplate 5y agoYet…9 years ago, a similar situation and due to a layoff I decided to forgo cobra for the final two months before my wife’s insurance was available (she had a new job). In that time I fell on slick steps and broke a shoulder, bruised a hip, and sprained my ankle. But I was able to negotiate my ER bill. Basically I told them that I would likely default on the bill anyway if it was extremely expensive. I told them what I could provide them, and they just billed me that amount. Ultimately it was cheaper than two months of cobra. Granted I would have bought cobra for the whole family and that is really expensive. Point is, if you don’t have insurance, you should always ask your provider for their “cash price”. If they know there is no insurance and a likely default there are sometimes options. It’s also worth inquiring about a cash price if your insurance wants a test that might be quite expensive for your out of pocket co-pay.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y agoYou can blame the politicians all you like, but they are merely a reflection of the people who vote for them. As much as we'd like to believe everyone can see how horrible this system is, it would seem that a lot of people are much more afraid of... something. Could be spending tax money on people they don't know and probably don't like, could be just letting the government run anything at all.
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- AndrewThrowaway 5y agoAs an European I lost you at "I called two local urgent cares". Just how? How it is not "the urgent care"? You had a crash and had to call around to see the prices. It is just mindboggling....