Be A Guest Blogger
Do you have opinions about health insurance issues? Would you would like to make them public for other people to read and discuss in an open forum? If you write a blog post of reasonable length and email it to info@healthinsurancecolorado.net or submit it using the form below, we will publish it as a post on the Colorado Health Insurance Insider in the “Open Mic” category. Including your name is optional, but your opinions will be more valid if readers know who you are.
The author of our first “Open Mic” entry had this to say:
Thanks very much for posting my letter. Your blog is a great way to promote discussion and evaluation of otherwise invisible issues.
Thanks again,
Tim
Obviously, use good sense when you write your blog post. All letters will be posted at our discretion. If we find your post to be blatantly disrespectful or slanderous, it will not be published.
I am paying COBRA, health and dental at $640. per month.
I am a nurse, recently diagnosed with CF at age 50, this year.
Cobra is 18 months with 11 month extension. I was informed I have to exhaust COBRA timeline before being eligible for Cover Colorado, the High Risk Pool.
CF is a respiratory illness that uses the same meds as any other respiratory disease. Nat’l Jewish sees patients a minimum of 4x per year, more if other symptoms occur as in diabetes.
Asthma patients use nebulizers just as CF pt’s do.
Tobramycin for pseudomonas is inhaled for CF pt, It’s an available medication. Therefore, if you have a non CF patient that has pseudomonas in their lungs, the treatment is the same. I don’t understand why CF has to be in the high risk pool. All other symptoms related would need to be treated at any other hospital. Additionally, CoverColorado is still more expensive for women/non smokers at age 50 than it is for men. We still make less in the workforce and have to pay more for health insurance. after age 50, women are nonchild bearing. So, why is there unequal costs. Also, CF at age 50 is definitely a shorter life span and I would probably need health insurance as long as 5-8 years. I’m paying for COBRA mostly because I need health insurance to “qualify” for future policies and exclusion waiting periods and in case I need it for non CF injuries/illness. I get my medications via the VA at no cost. Currently, I use Denver Health pharmacy or VA which lowers my out of pocket expenses. I think my insurance costs should be lower because of VA benefits. Would someone please address these concerns. Thank you so much. J.A., RN
This article was posted in the “Open Mic” category HERE.
Individuals who are chronically ill already have to deal with many challenges in their lives. Chronic illnesses include Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A new study conducted by the Commonwealth Fund in eight industrialized nations has found that chronically ill patients have a relatively greater struggle in the United States. About 138 million people in the United States have chronic conditions. 23% of Medicare recipients suffer from five or more chronic illnesses and result in over half of total Medicare expenditures.
Americans pay more for health care than individuals in other countries. Often, that health care is poorly coordinated, driving up costs for both insured and uninsured patients. In the drive to increase revenues, patient care often suffers. The Americans in the study were most likely to report errors in prescriptions and diagnostic tests, which could lead to serious negative outcomes for patients. In many cases chronically ill patients can’t even get insured at all, because insurance companies can choose not to cover individuals with preexisting conditions. Uninsured patients fare even worse in the United States.
Over half of all Americans have gone without needed health care (such as doctor visits, medications, and other treatments) due to cost. In most cases, it’s preventative care that suffers. That neglect leads to far higher costs for patients and society in the long run. In light of this study, many are calling for health care reform in the United States.