There's a lot more wrong with the HC ins. business than

people are talking about. I posted a gripe the other day about how much I had to pay for an MRI. It turns out there's more to the story. The ins. co tells me most HC providers will make sure the place they send you is "in your netweork". Since I was told they will probably want another MRI, I called the orthopedist to see if they could refer me to a center in the network. They told me the one they referred me to the first time WAS in the network! Thank god, they are working things out for me. It's insane for the insured, the practcioners, and everybody else that we have to deal with in network/out of network, co pays, deductibles, and all the BS people who don't have computer access or knowledge of how to use one have3 to deal with.

I support the gov't plan in this new legislation, but what in the hell are they doing to equalize the whole system? All this negotiation shit is driving me NUTS! Get roid of the damn networks! The entire industry needs to work out a price for everything, make a reasonable profit, and lay our the costs to everybody in clear terms. Here is yout premium, here's what you will have to pay as a copay for XXXX, etc.

It's no surprise that people are confused!

And it's not new. In 1998, I had surgery at a hospital. The hospital was in network. When the EOB's started coming in, I noticed they were paying the out of network rate. I called the insurance company and explained it. With no expression of surprise whatsoever the rep said, "We'll reprocess the claims." They do this knowing it is wrong. They count on a certain percentage of people not noticing.

That's part of what the gateways are supposed to do. If people can go to one central source and compare what other people are getting in their plan, they will have the info they need to go back to their employer with the actual plan that is better than what they have and demand improvement.

I don't understand why Republicans want to keep this system. I think it's stupid and costing them big bucks in taxes. But as long as they're that stupid, I'm not going to deny people health care even if it's with subsidized insurance.