I have worked in the health care industry since 1996. Yup - TWELVE years! I don't get to help relieve pain like the nurses do. I don't get to help find answers to illnesses like the doctors do.
I have worked on the financial side in one way or another for most of that time. I have worked as a registrar, biller, customer servic rep, and insurance authorization rep and I currently work in training other billers, registrars, financial counseling and insurance authorization personnel. In all positions, I have met people in the most dire circumstance who are unable to find the help they need to receive proper health care.
At the University Hospital, we have options for patients in such circumstances but it's not always easy for the patient who might be asked to pick up a portion of the bill or doesn't even know what resource they might have.
When I saw the two different health plans offered by the two major candidates for president, I was sold on Obama's plan to help provide people with the resources they need to meet their health care needs.
Nobody begins their day thinking, "today is the day I'll be diagnosed with cancer." or "today I'll have an injury that will prevent me from walking for the rest of my life." We all get up depending on the fact that today will be like all other days and I will make it home safe and sound with only a few things to bitch about from work or school.
I recently ran across this video which shows how so many people struggle with the financial burden of health care.
Stolen Dreams Competition
Winner: The Cure by Anthony Onah
3 comments:
I am so glad you are such a political person. When I have a political question I seem to be going to your blogs for the answer because I know you will only place the facts and not some bullshit.
I also just saw your comment on my blog and now I am able to take a minute to write in my own since I cannot have him here at work. :(
Thanks for posting that video. This is a very important issue. From personal experience, I can say that the system is in big trouble. When my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, the social worker at the hospital asked us what our income was and said that she wouldn't qualify for medicaid, it wasn't until several months later when we couldn't pay the bills that we found out that she actually could qualify because of her diagnosis. What was frustrating is that there was not one person who could answer all our questions and point us in the right direction, it took a lot of digging and hassle, which is the last thing a family who is dealing with a life-threatening illness needs. It is also frustrating that in a country with some of the best medical care available there are people who do not receive adequate health care.
This was really interesting, thank you for sharing your perspective. Coming as I do from a country where health insurance doesn't even exist, the American system sounds bizarre. Heather, that is so sad about your daughter. Awful that you had to go through all that.
I'm not saying the Scandinavian system is perfect either, but it sure beats the American one. A lot of people who want to defend the latter bring up the fact that the US has the best hospitals in the world. Sure, that's true. But what good does that do if the majority of the population has no access to them? :-(
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