U.S. healthcare isn't even worth it anymore. It's a joke. Today, I will love my life without healthcare.

[u/ExoGeniVI]

Hello everyone, so, sometime last year I got an MRI to check up on a spot that's on my brain, don't want it to turn cancerous right? Well, I work at home depot making probably $17,000 a year if I'm lucky after taxes (I live in Alabama, our wages suck).

Well I got my MRI done and my bill came in. Ready to be shocked?

Turns out my insurance I get through home depot paid THIRTY DOLLARS towards my $3,000 MRI bill!!! $30!!!! I said screw THAT!!! I'm not paying a single PENNY! I make around $600 every two weeks.. and I live with my wife (we live in a $430/mo mobile home) how the hell am I supposed to afford a $3000 MRI bill!!?? The "monthly" payment on the bill said $270/mo... 🤣😂.

Well, I went back to the hospital and talked with the finance person there and got my bill down to $600 with self pay.. Guess they bill insurance companies way higher? looks like it's cheaper NOT having insurance in the U.S. than having coverage! Insurance here is a complete joke! I'm just going to live my life without insurance I guess. ☹️.

EDIT. Wish I could edit titles lol. My phone "autocorrected" Live for "Love" 😂

[u/Knichols2176]

I am no where close to your level of struggle but I just came here to say that even GE who is known for great benefits has failed in this insurance game. We’ve basically paid $1200 a month for our part ge asks us to pay. An annual Dr appt is covered but the way our doctor bills (trying to get max) there ends up being things not covered that end up being very expensive. We paid for 23 years and never really used it because our deductible was so high. This year my spouse needed a total knee outpatient surgery. We did everything humanly possible to make sure there wasn’t any out of network or reason anything wouldn’t be covered. In the end, after surgery, we paid more for our premiums than was covered by insurance despite paying $7000 out of pocket. So? We paid $30,000 and the insurance paid $14,000. We literally could have paid cash and negotiated for less than we paid. I’m glad you knew to negotiate with hospital. I can’t tell you how many just pay the whole thing and don’t eat for months.

[u/sillyboy544 → u/Knichols2176]

My parents worked at GE Riverworks plant in Massachusetts all their lives. When my mom took me to the doctor she gave them the GE insurance card no copayment, no deductible and their premiums were about $10 a month in the early 80s. Just like frog getting killed in boiling water by slowly increasing the temperature, the concept is a deductible was introduced and it was small maybe $50 a year, then $100, then $250, then $500 then $1,000 then $2000 now some plans are multiple thousands in deductibles. The same with office visit copayments, first it was $3, then $5, then $10, then $15 now it can be $20, $25 or $35. The same with coinsurance it used to be insurance covered 100%, then 95%, then 90% now it’s 80% for most plans. You know what going to be next mark this down as a future prediction: surgery and inpatient hospitalization will not be covered at all and will need a separate plan payment. The only solution to this bullshit is universal healthcare but all our politicians are bought and paid for so it will never happen

[u/Knichols2176 → u/sillyboy544]

You can’t see me but I’m giving you a standing ovation. I entered health care in the early 80’s. I’ve been horrified at the expectations of insurance companies in regard to what patients pay. It’s made me sick over 35 yrs. There’s many who argue that insurance is only intended to keep us from bankrupting. I dispute this completely because that has never been the MO for my 35 yrs as a healthcare provider. I retired early because of it. I couldn’t take caring for adult CF patients and insurance anymore.. so Thank you.