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And not all that long ago, it wasn't that way. It's like there's no one left alive that remembers health insurance prices, 15 years ago.

GORDON wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2023 9:19 am And not all that long ago, it wasn't that way. It's like there's no one left alive that remembers health insurance prices, 15 years ago.

Yeah 2009 was the first time we got into this HDHP crap, with high deductible + high copays, and paying a portion of the premiums at work.

I remember being in an HMO in the late 90s, and copays were like $10, most medicines were $5 or $10.

I remember paying $110 for a family plan in 2003 with $10 copays, and no deductible.

But it's better now because it's called the Affordable Care Act, with no hint of irony whatsoever.

(Insurance Companies - "Cha ching!")

GORDON wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2023 6:21 pm I remember paying $110 for a family plan in 2003 with $10 copays, and no deductible.

But it's better now because it's called the Affordable Care Act, with no hint of irony whatsoever.

Sadly, the ACA didn't change anything. These terrible plans existed beforehand, they're just more commonplace now. Employers decided to pay less of things.

There is no way that being forced to ensure hundreds of thousands of new people for free, and "insuring" pre-existing conditions, didn't have that cost passed down to the people paying for the plans.

TheCatt wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:00 pm

GORDON wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2023 6:21 pm I remember paying $110 for a family plan in 2003 with $10 copays, and no deductible.

But it's better now because it's called the Affordable Care Act, with no hint of irony whatsoever.

Sadly, the ACA didn't change anything. These terrible plans existed beforehand, they're just more commonplace now. Employers decided to pay less of things.

It gave employers financial incentive to stop paying for healthcare.

A half assed plan to socialize healthcare wasn't the solution to replacing something that was making a lot of people rich.

If they really just wanted to get coverage for those without, all they had to do was get them to register, then bid that list out to insurance companies. No need to fuck with employers and employees.

GORDON wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:40 pm There is no way that being forced to ensure hundreds of thousands of new people for free, and "insuring" pre-existing conditions, didn't have that cost passed down to the people paying for the plans.

It really perplexes me that no matter how many times we see it, companies passing down new costs to consumers is never anticipated.

TheCatt wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:00 pm Sadly, the ACA didn't change anything.

This might be the most wrong thing you've ever said. Second only to you saying Bush didn't give us tax refunds. . .

Self employed insurance was expensive prior to ACA, but was still affordable and was pretty good coverage. Three years after it started, we were paying 3 times more, and our coverage was complete ass. We were contemplating dropping it all together because it didn't make financial sense. But doing that meant we paid some 'you aren't covering all the freeloaders' penalty. So, we decided to keep paying for shitty unusable insurance, instead of just paying money for nothing. It's shifted back to usable again a couple of years ago. But only because things just don't make sense. We have a very high deductible and high 'max out of pocket' potential. However, we rarely have to pay anything, and if we do, it's extremely discounted. We might have a $1000 dollars of work done. The insurance either pays it, or, they tell the provider "We aren't going to pay this, and neither are they. You can have $27." And that's what we pay. I crashed on my dirt bike last year, compression fracture and three broken ribs. Night in the Hospital. X-Rays and specialist after. We've yet to pay over $1000 total. There is one lingering bill for just over $1000. Insurance is REALLY giving them the run around claiming they would pay it, but they keep billing it wrong. . . So, really shitty coverage, but we still somehow don't have to pay for anything?

Cakedaddy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 24, 2023 2:55 am Second only to you saying Bush didn't give us tax refunds. . .

I said we didn't have a surplus, and that the tax refunds WERE NOT a product of a budget surplus.

I decided to try out the Amazon Pharmacy / online clinic thing for a med I take.

Amazon: You can get a $33 clinic visit, and then the meds are $12.

Me: Fine. Much better than going to a doctor in person, and paying MORE than $12 with my health insurance, so let's just do a cash pay.

Amazon: OK... (process happens). We ran your stuff through your insurance, and they won't cover this prescription, but will give you 1/5th the pills for $20.

Me: OK, but literally, I said "no insurance"

Amazon: Oh... RIGHT. OK, we can give you 2/3rds of the pills you wanted for $15.

Me: But you literally just said $12 for the full thing when we started?

Amazon: Weird.

Me: Ummm?

Amazon: $12 take it or leave it.

People on Reddit are wondering if Amazon has changed their back office algorithms , because every aspect of their business seems to have become sucky overnight.

I just accepted a meeting with AWS for next month. Want me to ask WTF?

Leisher wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 2:04 pm I just accepted a meeting with AWS for next month. Want me to ask WTF?

AWS: Uh, yeah, we're not Amazon. Amazon's Amazon. We're AWS.

This guy is a doctor and has a ton of vids, and they're all good.

And it looks like he made 30 videos in 30 days, highlighting the evil of insurance companies, and private equity firms running hospitals. Kinda surprised he doesn't get disappeared.

Here's one. These are all short and sweet.

I wonder if he knows that cameras can be horizontal.

He went to medical school, not camera school.