How often do health insurers say no to patients? (2023)

(www.propublica.org)

94 points lentoutcry | 3 comments | 06 Sep 25 20:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.606s | source

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kstrauser ◴[06 Sep 25 22:24 UTC] No.45153451[source]▶

All the time. I have a UnitedHealthcare “platinum” plan, and it may as well not include pharmacy benefits because it never covers anything. Generic thyroid meds went from $2/month with Aetna to $70 with UHC. ADHD meds went from $10 to $300.

The threatened “death panels” we heard about when ACA was being debated are actually employees of insurers who decide what they’re not going to pay for.

I was raised a die-hard capitalist and in many ways still am. When it comes to healthcare these days, I’m somewhere to the left of Marx. What we have now is a failed system. It simply does not work. The turnip has been squeezed and there’s no blood left to wring from it.

replies(6): >>45153691 #>>45153712 #>>45153740 #>>45153742 #>>45153840 #>>45154025 #

1. azemetre ◴[06 Sep 25 22:59 UTC] No.45153691[source]▶

>>45153451 #

These are completely human systems that can be changed any time for any reasons. The current system is achieving exactly what it was designed for: wealth extraction.

There’s no reason why this system has to exist. We can make it better any time we want.

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2. kstrauser ◴[07 Sep 25 00:03 UTC] No.45154013[source]▶

>>45153691 (TP) #

There’s a huge reason it continues to exist: exorbitant lobbying from the people profiting from the death panels. Almost everyone supports Medicare, but too many have been convinced that Medicare for all is some kind of nefarious communist plot.

3. mrcommentwriter ◴[07 Sep 25 06:54 UTC] No.45155987[source]▶

>>45153691 (TP) #

First they sell you the problem, then they sell you the solution.

There is no emphasis on long term planning or prevention.

Everyone is grabbing with both hands.

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