SiCKO - The Official Site - In Theaters June 29th

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1. Greg S. Williams Says:
   May 28th, 2007 at 11:30 am

   Mike,
   My wife’s dentist called Aetna (Who at the time managed our dental plan through Ford Motor Company), and got her pre-approved for a crown on one of her teeth.he told me that I would have to pay $100, or whatever my part was (it was fairly small).

   When he got in there, he found the tooth was in much worse shape that he had originally believed, and so he did a procedure called an inlay instead. The inlay still made a “permanent” repair to the tooth, and best of all, it cost the SAME money.

   Aetna, who at the time, managed Ford Motor’s Dental plan, balked. Their on-staff company quack said it was not medically necessary, and denied the claim outright.

   After months of wrangling, the dentist ate half the price and I ate the other. The fiasco cost me $300.

   It’s something I’ll ALWAYS remember.

   I can assure you, if I ever get half a chance to burn them, I most assuredly will.

2. Vasiliy Says:
   May 28th, 2007 at 3:34 pm

   I come and stay in New York frequently, and do have Health Insurance from HIP. Luckily most of my time I reside in Russia. Here in USA even with insurance people still get ripped with so called COPAY! What is COPAY? Why should I pay additional money for treatment if I already pay for insurance? I’m sorry to say, but USA if far from being richest, greatest and whatever people say about it. Honestly don’t believe it will ever get better here.

3. Dan Says:
   May 28th, 2007 at 5:40 pm

   One day, I had a kink in my back that really wasn’t a problem. But in the evening, the pain got worse on a dime it seemed. I was in so much pain that I couldn’t walk. I ended up having to drive myself to the emergency room and have someone come out to my car with a wheel chair while I tried to find a position that was comfortable. The room wasn’t busy and I was seen right away and they ran checks for kidney stones just as precaution. I was prescribed vicodin for 2 days and felt better. I later got a letter from my HMO stating that I was being given a warning that my visit was not “a emergency case” and that further visits for such would be charged full price. I could barely walk! The pain suddenly got worse! That’s not emergent? I wasn’t going to drive around looking for an urgent care center which aren’t very common nor are 24 hours. I went to the closest hospital center and it was even the one I most commonly go to as it happened to be close by (It usually is a 20 min. drive from where I live) Besides, how was I supposed to know it wasn’t something serious? Luckily, I haven’t paid for this . . . yet.

4. Bane Says:
   May 30th, 2007 at 7:08 pm

   I have BcBs via my employer (big corporate financial company).
   I have the plan that costs the most so that it would cover the most, yeeeahhhhh…
   Few years back I had a high ankle sprain, I went to the ER and paid a co-pay of $147.00, they casted my ankle and told me to make an appoitment to see the regular doc in a week, next 2 days my toes went black due to the circulation cut of on my foot, due to cast…
   I went to urgent care, payd a co-pay of $40.00 to have them cut/take the cast off and sell me a $60.00 legg brace, as the urgent care doc said ”cast was a mistake due to the large amount of swelling”.
   Few days later I went to see the regular doc (co-pay of $30.00) he does some X-rays and tells me ”good news you only riped one ligament and over stretched the rest of em and didnt break the bones, all you’ll need is some therapy, and if you have pains later on we could talk about surgery to patch up the one ligament”, orders me to go to therapy 2 times a week for the next 6 weeks and than switch to once a week until I feel good enough to run.
   I go to the therapy the first day and pay $30.00 co pay and I am informed it will cost the same each time I come there, I havent gone there again, I used up all my PTO and had to claim un-paid time off and went broke within a month.
   2 years later I still have the swelling and discoloration in my toes and circulation problems in my right leg, I dont play soccer any more due to the fear of going bankrupt
   I am going to get a much better medical plan soon, I am going to get a Canadian citizenship
   GOD BLESS CANADA

5. Michael Lucido Says:
   May 31st, 2007 at 7:49 pm

   I am looking forward to seeing the film in Bellaire, MI. I work at North Country Community Mental Health right in town. Majority of our “consumers” are medicaid recipients. The problem with physical health coverage is not as severe as the problem with mental heatlh coverage. Most insurances covered only 6 sessions for therapy. Luckily the Parity act will hopefully equalize insurance to cover both physical and mental health services. Who knows? They probably will find a way around it. Thank you Michael for another great film from a fellow Northern Michigander.

6. maureen perron Says:
   May 31st, 2007 at 8:46 pm

   I wanted to add to this conversation. I am a part time employee of a grass roots health advocacy non profit. My health care coverage has always been through my husband’s employer plan. When my husband retired in January at age 65, he became eligible for medicare. We opted to continue my coverage through his employer with COBRA until we could find a different plan. The cost of that coverage is $1675. each month!
   I have been turned down flat by two other plans because I have high blood pressure treated and controlled with medication. I am a very healthy 63 year old normal weight registered dietitian with no surgeries or other hospitalizations since 1983, no cancer no chronic disease. Something needs to be done to address this. Please.

7. Cory Says:
   June 1st, 2007 at 3:51 pm

   I consulted with an Human Resources friend before selecting my health care plan. I had Kaiser Permanente and I decided to switch. I wasn’t unhappy with Kaiser, they just don’t have the greatest reputation around here and I just wanted a better plan. The joke is that some doctors graduate at the top of their class and some at the bottom… the ones at the bottom end up at Kaiser. I have to hand it to them though with their ‘one-stop-shop’ - very convenient if you have to get x-rays or bloodwork. Everything you need is right there. Anyway, out of the dozen or so options I had she recommended the Aetna plan.

   I hurt my shoulder playing baseball. So I make an appointment with my primary care physician - $15 co-pay. He sends me a referral to an ‘in network’ orthopaedic surgeon. Another $25 co-pay, because he is a ’specialist’. He checks me out, xrays, etc and prescribes me 4 weeks of physical therapy, three times a week. Apparently the ‘in network’ physical therapists are specialist too… $25 per trip. The physical therapy place does not have evening hours, so I have to take time off from work to go. To top it off, the Physical Therapist ‘gives’ me some already used thera-bands to do exercises at home with - I get a bill in the mail about 4 weeks AFTER I finished physical therapy with a charge of $5 per band that I thought I was ‘given’. Silly me, nothing is for free.

   Another trip to the orthopaedist for the follow-up - another $25. His recommendation? Surgery… and then more physical therapy.

   Nearly $400 later, I am in the same boat I was in before I went to get help… and I’m still paying every 2-weeks for my great health care plan.

   I realize that I am complaining, but I couldn’t imagine what it would cost me if I didn’t have this great insurance. I’m lucky that I can afford to pay the endless co-pays.

8. Susan Whitfield, RN Says:
   June 1st, 2007 at 11:44 pm

   My son had an emergency cat scan of his abdomen after a fall. I paid my $100 copay, and thought everything was fine until about 3 months later I got a notice that I was in collections for 690 dollars for the cat scan (this was about 10 years ago). Turns out that there was a mixup in billing, which was not my fault, but the emergency room registrar’s fault. When I finally had a conference call between the collection agency and the insurance company, the insurance company paid $170.00 to fulfill the obligation. I would have had to pay $690.00, for an original bill of about $580.

   That’s outrageous, for them to pay less than 25 percent of the original bill, when I would have had to pay it ALL. Worse yet, I work as an RN in that VERY SAME ER!

9. Meghan Says:
   June 2nd, 2007 at 12:10 am

   I am an actress, and was fortunate to get a job right out of college. It was a national tour, and I was delighted to learn that I got health insurance because I am diabetic and the costs add up quickly since I have an insulin pump…the costs of those supplies is astronomical and that doesn’t even include the insulin and all the other supplies I need to live.

   So needless to say I was happy that I’d have insurance. Except it didn’t cover pre-existing conditions for a year. A YEAR, which was the duration of my contract. The pre existing conditions thing kills me. You are supposed to pay the insurance companies to give you NOTHING for a fixed amount of time before they will actually cover the expenses for conditions you had when you got the plan. So you’re throwing money down the drain pretty much. There’s always the chance that you’ll get hit by a car or something but there are much cheaper plans out there that will just cover you in case of an emergency. I need help on my prescriptions.

   So for a year, while I was working and supporting myself fully in all other respects, my parents had to pay extra money to keep me on their health plan. Then, after my contract was over, I had coverage for sixteen additional months. Good, well, at least now my prescriptions would be covered finally. WRONG. The company I had been working for switched insurance carriers to a company that would not cover ANY of my diabetic prescriptions-not my insulin, test strips, insulin pump supples, nothing. So I had to pay for those things out of my pocket. If you know anything about diabetic supplies you know they add up pretty quickly. I had to purchase the lowest quality testing meter on the market and still spend about $100 a month out of my pocket buying test strips that are compatible with it.

   I am now on the state health plan and it’s been great for me. A very decent price with complete coverage on my diabetic supplies with NO waiting period because it was a “pre existing” condition. To all who have had difficulties, I suggest looking into it in your area and see if you have the same luck. For a fraction of what insurance cost me before I am getting everything I need.

10. Rog Says:
    June 2nd, 2007 at 4:02 pm

    I am a physician and my wife is a mid level provider. We both have the highest tier insurances available through both of our jobs. We both went in for PREVENTIVE care appropriate for our age. Guess who got the bill….we did!! If that doesn’t sum up health care nowadays I don’t know what does!! After 6 phone calls and a few hours of fighting we worked a deal out but why the hell did we need the highest tier insurance on two HEALTHCARE jobs if neither would pick up PREVENTIVE care!!

11. Larry Says:
    June 4th, 2007 at 2:14 am

    This may seem small potatoes (comparatively-speaking), but here goes.
    My wife is an R.N. at a large, local hospital which–in order to combat rising healthcare insurance costs–created their own insurance company. Issues with out-of-network providers aside, our claims were continually being rejected (usually two or three months after they were filed). We often spent our leisure time placing phone calls, split between our insurance carrier and our dentist’s/family doctor’s/pediatrician’s office in order to coordinate payment. After a dozen or so of these calls, we were informed–finally–as to why we were being rejected; it turned out that we had failed to file a form which stated that our family did not have a secondary insurance carrier. My question is: What does it matter if I had carried insurance through my employer (I don’t)? Could my wife’s insurance reject claims for my children simply because I wasn’t “fair” and split the costs of medical visits between their company and my provider?

12. Mark Says:
    June 4th, 2007 at 10:39 am

    My wife and I just had a baby. We have Oxford insurance. The bills for the doctor came out to about 20K. The doctor doesn’t take her primary insurance so we fixed naturally her secondary insurnce (Oxford) would pay since the doctor participates. We to my surprise, Oxford did not pay. They denied the claims. Said we need deinal EOBs from the primmary insurance company stating the doctor doesn’t take that insurance. So I got those and sent them to Oxford. Oxford said wait 20-30 days and they should be processed. Well after about 30 days, the claims were DENIED AGAIN!!! When I called to find out why they said the never received the denial EOBs so there was nothing to process. It took them 30 days to tell us that and I have copies of the EOB that I sent them. This has been going on now for 6 months and I don’t now when it will end……..

13. steven Says:
    June 4th, 2007 at 10:51 am

    I’am hardworking man with a family that is stuck in middle class. my wife and I work hard to make ends meet , but with a child on the way I’am alreday paying $650 a month for health care. with my wife pregnant I dont know if we can afford this baby..

14. Deb N. Says:
    June 4th, 2007 at 10:53 am

    Between health insurance and car insurance in this country, I don’t know which is worse when it comes to costs.

    I have Harvard Pilgrim now and to me it’s useless. High co-pay amounts and the vision coverage shouldn’t even be called “coverage” because it doesn’t cover anything. It covers an eye exam and that’s it - no glasses and no contacts.

    I’ve had two knee surgeries over the past 4 years and each visit to physical therapy is $20. I had to go 3 times a week for at least two months, and then 1 or 2 times a week for the next three months.

    Last week I went to the dentist and needed a crown. That cost me $597. My previous crown cost me $500.

    No wonder I can’t get out of debt.

15. Cesar Says:
    June 4th, 2007 at 11:48 am

    I was in a car accident several years back and sustained permenant injury to my back. After years of treatment with a chiropracter and feeling great, State Farm cut off my medical for the injury. There reason was I was getting to dependent on it. Years later I still see a chiropracter for treatment and pay out of my own pocket. My current insurance won’t cover previous injuries, what a crock of s—. I would not be surprise if the real CEO of State Farm is Darth Vader.

16. Tom Says:
    June 4th, 2007 at 2:43 pm

    Got some work done on my eye and an adenoidectomy. Insurance covered both.

    I know you only put up bad stories, so this will never be on the site. But you know, just to say.. sometimes insurance really does work.

17. Jane Says:
    June 4th, 2007 at 8:42 pm

    I was deathly ill - high fever - could barely function due to what I believed to be a brown recluse bite. I live in a very rural area and had to drive 25 miles to the nearest ER. My insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP) refused to cover any of the charges because it was not an accident. An accident is defined as not intentionally caused…. I did not intentionally become ill…… enough said and the 1,000.00 charge was all on me.

18. Jason Humphries Says:
    June 4th, 2007 at 11:02 pm

    I’m from the UK (although live in California now). Was on the receiving end of America’s “health care” system last year when I discovered a small lump in my back. Went to get it checked out and it was a tumor (benign thank god) but was advised to have a small outpatient’s procedure to remove it anyway.

    I have *full* health & dental insurance (a PPO provided through my employer). As it was an outpatient’s procedure I was at the hospital less than two hours in total. I had a local anaesthetic, to whip the little lump out was around 20 minutes, I spent an hour “coming to” and then my wife drove me home.

    The hospital sent my insurance company a bill for over $27,000 (TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND dollars). The itemized bill showed $837 for the shot, $950 for the procedure and $25,500 dollars for “supplies”.

    It’s an 80/20 split so I had to pay over three and a half thousand dollars - which I have only just finished paying off after a year of repayments. A plane ticket to England is $700 so would have been cheaper to have flown home and got it done there for free - which is what I will be doing next time unless I’m too sick to travel in which case I’ll be spending my time worrying myself even sicker about what this is all going to cost me.

19. Clif Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 3:48 am

    I’m active duty military and while on leave back from Iraq last fall, I took my wife to a hospital in the middle of the nite literally for urgent care/emergency center and the military screwed me over and is making me pay over 500 dollars because I didn’t call ahead and let them know about it… how about that sh%t!

20. Cindy Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 11:48 am

    I am a single mother and in live in the state of Missouri. Becuase of Matt Blunt I lost insurance for my son. I know have to pay 1/4 of my income pre tax to keep my son insured. With all the copays it was cheaper for me to take him and pay cash at a minute clinic than to go to the urgent care. When I asked my employer if I can cancel my insurance I was told not until it is time to renew. What is that? I don’t know much about all the big insurance words they use. I just know that these politicans suck. Bush and Blunt and all the others dont know and dont care about the American People. Why is this called the land of Freedon? Shouldn’t it be called the land of the haves and have nots?

21. neverd6h Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 1:54 pm

    I used to live in the US some time ago and I`m gonna say something that most won`t like, all this troubles with insurance and health care IS ALL YOUR FAULT, if people would stand against abuse like this things would be very different. I have had 2 job offers to return to the US and never in my life I would return, you people live the worst quality of life possible.

22. Helen Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 2:09 pm

    I have UniCare through my husband’s job. Every year the price goes up as well as the co-pays. My benefits have not gotten any better so why do I have to pay a higher amount?

    When I gave birth to my son’s I had to go to a hospital that was not the greatest in the area. Quit frankly it was ghetto, including a good percent of the staff. If I wanted the insurance to pay I had to go to that hospital to give birth and I had no choice. When we took the tour I almost started crying. I know a girl who is on public aide and got to have all 3 of her children at the nice hospital in one of the richest communities in the country.

23. Evan Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 3:09 pm

    I’d leave my story about my insurance company…but even though I’m in my twenties, I’m healthy, and I don’t smoke, I can’t get approved for insurance. My health insurance plan: don’t get sick.

24. Angela Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 3:31 pm

    I have actually not had health insurance since 1997 and have given birth to 4 healthly children outside of the medical system - no drugs, no stitches, no “surprise” C-sections. Guess what? I haven’t needed the insurance. I do plan to look into getting some, but maybe I’d be better off investing the money I would pay and using it if some emergency ever did happen! Also, in a worse-case-scenario bankruptcy is probably easier to get than some insurance payouts! I am NOT saying I would ever want to exercise the bankruptcy option. I am just choosing different financial risks for now.

25. Vanessa Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 4:58 pm

    36.

    The healthcare insurance premium for my husband, myself, and our 2 year old son runs $568 a month. That comes out to $6,816 a year. We only have a yearly income of $36,088. I can only make an educated guess that even if we did go universal healthcare, any taxes that may be charged would be significantly less than almost $7,000 a year. That’s not including the deductibles, co-pays, and the 20% of the bill that we pay on top of the insurance premiums. I know that we’re one of those families that really cannot afford this amount of premium for healthcare insurance, but with our having a small child, my husband being an asthmatic, and my being treated for clinical depression, the costs of the premiums versus paying for our treatment and prescriptions directly is really a crapshoot, not to mention (God forbid) if something catastrophic should happen to one of us. I’m not blaming any industry in particular for the high premiums or the high medical charges. The litigious, insurance, and medical industries all have a hand in the complete and utterly broken United States healthcare system. I think that the Kucinich / Conyers bill on Universal / Single-Payer healthcare plan deserves a good look by the American people. This is a very convoluted situation and I can only hope that something can and will be done soon as soon as possible to fix this crisis.

26. Natasha Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 7:31 pm

    Wow I watched the Oprah show and saw what your movie was actually about. (I will have to watch it now) Any way when you showed the american soldier mention that her health care was not great I totally understood. I think that the military gets screwed as for health care. The military doctors aren’t trained for as long as civilian doctors. I have my own stories but the worst is that my mom died of cancer because they(army doctors back in the 80’s and 90’s) never checked her for anything even after years of being sick. She had flu like systoms and thats what they told her she had. By the time a civilian doctor found it is was too late, it had spread.

27. April Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 7:47 pm

    It’s so sad that insurance cost so much & so does healthcare. If you don’t get a job that provides insurance you better not get sick or pregnant. When I found out I was pregnant I had a good job but they didn’t provide health insurance, they were a small business. Well I applied for medicaid and was told I made too much money. I called several doctors to see what I could do. They said they could work out a payment plan, $600 a month until I had the baby. Then I would have the hospital bill, and all the lab bills. And that’s about what all the doctors told me. So here I was pregnant with no healthcare and couldn’t go see a doctor cause they all wanted money. I got mad an emailed the governor of my state to see what he could do. Well then someone called me and got me on medicaid, imagine that. I paid a portion of my doctors visits and the labs but the rest was taken care of by medicaid. It’s a shame you have to go through all that just to look out for yourself and your unborn child. All I wanted was to make sure my baby was healthy when he came into this world. We really need to do something in this country. How many more are out there in my situation or worse.

28. Edith Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 7:49 pm

    If you look up ED (Erectile Dysfunction) on the AMA website, they will tell you it is important for the patient to be screened for heart disease, tumors, high blood pressure as for the cause of this symptom. But upon presenting to the doctor for this problem, my insurance company will not pay for anything that has to do with ED. Even a simple blood test, or heart function testing etc. Of which they would pay for if you came in for shortness of breath (another symptom). They say that they do not pay for the diagnosis and treatment of ED. But presenting with the problem is NOT a diagnosis nor a treatment.
    Still paying for my own testing to discover the cause of the problem!

29. Valerie Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 7:54 pm

    I have on many occasions gone to the doctor and been told that this test, or that test, is too expensive etc. On other occasions, I have been told that the doctors do not know your insurance company and that every person gets the same care. Why then, upon entering the clinic or hospital, the first questions are “do you have health insurance?” Why do the doctors choose your treatments based on what they think you can afford? By looks? By some code on the chart that lets them know your insurance status?
    Just wondering.

30. Stephanie Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 12:04 am

    My husband has worked for the same employer for approx. 17 years but even his employer can’t get us good coverage. When he started working for this company our deductible was only $200. Since then they were talked into a high deductible healthcare plan with a $4,000 deductible plus we have a health savings plan. We aren’t poor people by any means but who can afford to spend an extra $300 a month just on prescriptions. That doesn’t include the actual doctor’s visits. I ended up just stopping mine and my son’s meds. We have satisified our deductible once by the middle of December. We have never been sick people and when I think of the money we have paid in health insurance over the years and what they have actually paid on our bills, it makes me sick.

    My parent’s are self employed almost 61 and 60. They barely make ends meet and haven’t had insurance for years. Mom had a heart attack. Mind you she is all of 100 pounds but has high cholesterol. My mom’s bills were well over $100,000 dollars when all was said and done. Nobody wanted to help and they risked loosing all they have which isn’t going to even take care of them when they retire anyway. Who on earth is going to insure either of my parents with their ages. They will be paying so much for nothing.

    Our government must do something!!!!

31. Susie Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 12:54 am

    Insurance companies are horrible.
    If you have a pre-existing condition you are pretty much out of luck unless you are wealthy. My mother had breast cancer 17 years ago and has been fine since and STILL cannot get health coverage for less than $9,000 a year. She doesn’t make too much more than this for a yearly income. The system is scandalous and ridiculous. Profit, not health, is all the system cares about.

32. Brian D Solberg, MD Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 1:05 am

    I am director of orthopaedic trauma surgery at a level one trauma center in LA. I had a patient transfered to our institution for higher level of care for severe fractures of the leg. We did multiple surgeries, stabilized him and finally were able to discharge him. His insurance company denied our claims for payment because I am “out of network”.Since we didnt have an agreement in place before we took care of him, we ended up doing all the work for free. But thats not the worst part.
    I asked for him to be seen by a plastic surgeon and physical therapist in network, both of which were denied for lack of documentation. Now the guy is starting to get the bills delivered to him for the uncovered portion. He’s not allowed to return to see me for medical any further…… I dont think there is one part of this whole story that the insurer has actually agreed to pay for…

33. tc Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 2:20 am

    I banged my head hard snowboarding.
    A few days later, I began to have very bad headaches. These continued to increase over the next few days and were not lessened with over the counter aspirin.
    I went to my HMO doctor, at a respected teaching hospital. He simply gave me high dose Ibuprofen. That actually can lead to bleeding increasing. The pain went away for about 1 day with the Ibuprofen, then came back the following day like gang busters.
    I went to the ER, and had a head CT immediately, which should have been requested by the doc at the prior visit. They find that I a a large subdural hematoma, a slow bleed in the brain, that the blood has pooled so much that the brain has been pushed to the side, and is beginning to push down on the brain stem. If it had pushed more, I wouldn’t be here to write this note, I would have been dead. Emergency neurosurgery was performed. The problem, I nearly died, because the HMO doc did not want to have the cost of the head CT at the start, that would have told him exactly what was happening. This was supposedly a good HMO. Help!

34. Chris Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 8:42 am

    A couple of years ago i broke my scapula in a soccer accident. Getting it fixed was not a problem, I had a steel bar implanted to support the bone as it grew back together. At the time i was covered by my college health care. When i graduated and looked for an individual plan, there were only two companies to choose from, Aetna and Anthem and they immediately labeled me a level 3 risk.

    I recovered fully from my surgery and the only issue was the bar still in my body( not causing any discomfort or issues). To lower my risk level i would have had to have another surgery to remove the bar. Only then would they even consider lowering my status to a somewhat normal level. With the bar, i am paying triple what a normal healthy individual would be. But the risk of another surgery would seem to only raise my costs and put me in an unecessarily risky situation, just to make it financially affordable. Is this a conundrum???

35. Megan Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 12:14 pm

    Bank of New York/United Healthcare
    Almost 2 years later we can not resolve a 74,000 bill.
    The Bank of NY states it has talked to United Healthcare the administrator for the banks self insured plan. United Healthcare states they have heard nothing from my husband’s former employer.
    It is a shell game. My husband is on permanent disability the Bank of New York self insures with Metropolitan Life and is supposed to get an increase every year. They have told us we are mistaken that is only if he goes back to work. We had a long term care plan sold to us by Johnson & Johnson the woman and children company the plan will not pay out and J&J says too bad.

36. mattheis Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 3:50 pm

    We need to stop the large corporation self insurance discrimination …… many families are being discriminated against and companies fire the well spouses causing a catch twenty two. Families with illness and disability should be poor. The American Government must stop this discrimination.

37. Jared Hendler Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 6:13 pm

    Healthy New York State Sponsored HMO.

    I have good and bad to report here. First off, I have nothing but good things to say about New York State’s Healthy New York plan. An HMO sponsored by the state which is a very affordable option for many. Their employees are attentative and they have always worked hard to make sure that I am covered. My issue has more been with the low payment the my Dr receive from the HMO’s, forcing them to see more patients than they possibly can. My visits are always rushed and details are constantly missed. My Dr’s staff never call back with information on critical test results and you end up being just another number in the system.

38. Gina Marie Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 6:24 pm

    When my 9 year old was born, my maternity stay was pre-certified. Unfortunately, there were complications, and my baby required a 4 day stay in NICU and another 5 days in the hospital. After we were discharged from the hospital, we were informed that the insurance was not going to pay for the NICU expenses or any of my baby’s hospital stay because the stay was not pre-authorized.
    Somehow, the possibility of two patients at the end of a maternity hospitalization did not occur to the insurance company.
    We went round and around with the insurance company about this literally until my son started kindergarten!

39. Gina Marie Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 6:33 pm

    Also, I work as a social worker at a state psychiatric hospital. We are the option of last resort for mentally ill people with no health insurance. We have a huge problem with patients/clients/consumers stabilizing at the hospital, getting discharged, and coming back within a matter of weeks because they cannot afford their medications. It infuriates me that a month’s supply of atypical antipsychotics costs as much as a car payment or a month’s rent. Atypicals like Risperdal have fewer side effects than the older drugs like Haldol, they work better, and people are more likely to take them. People don’t take antipsychotics for fun, and they can make the difference between being able to work and function as an adult in society, and being completely disabled and unable to care for the most basic activities of daily living.
    It doesn’t make any sense that we make things so hard for people who have already been dealt a hard hand by life.

40. Todd Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 11:09 pm

    When I was a kid, I was told that I had a bicuspid heart valve. During my latest physical, I requested an EKG to check on the bicuspid heart valve. Since I requested the EKG, I’ve been denied health insurance from Humana. Once you are denied from one vendor, no other insurance carriers will cover you. The only way that I have been able to get health insurance is to lie on the forms. My heart is fine, I’m 45 and race mountain bikes. I am self-employed, so I have to obtain my own health insurance. The system is broke when a healthy person can be so easily denied access to basic health insurance.

41. Dan Says:
    June 7th, 2007 at 2:01 pm

    When my wife and I had our first child there were some complications with the delivery. Everything is fine now, but it was pretty traumatic at the time and it kept both my wife and newborn her in the hospital for much longer than expected. At the end of the whole experience the medical costs came to over $15,000. Thank goodness we had insurance through my employer that basically took care of all of these unexpected costs. I ended up paying about $1,250 in out of pocket and deductible expenses and that was it. We would have been in big trouble without our Blue Cross insurance plan.

42. Sicko Corporations Says:
    June 7th, 2007 at 2:40 pm

    Don’t forget to take a look at self insured corporations that fire family members because
    someone in their family is ill. That’s right the whole family should be treated like lepers.
    After all the United States Government does nothing to stop it.

43. Carol Heiderman Says:
    June 7th, 2007 at 3:25 pm

    I think I’m about to sum it up for many thousands in the USA. I have insurance, it covers about 70% of my medical costs, I’m responsible for the other 30%—can’t afford to buy secondary policy so……a big hospital stay would bankrupt me.

44. Gary Gray Says:
    June 7th, 2007 at 7:11 pm

    I’m one of 20,000 pharmacists that manage medication for 36 million folks in California. Unfortunately there are 300,000 insurance clerks processing claims, copays and tracking annual deductibles. Fortunately The California Universal Health Care Act of 2007, the Senator Sheila Kuehl bills SB’s 840 and 1014 eliminate the need of these private insurance clerks - one of the most rapidly costly segment of health costs. One simplified paper processing system is much more convenient and less costly. Society chose machines over bank tellers in the seventies, chose touch tone telephones over rotary systems and operators to make long distance calls in the sixties. It’s time now to simplify and choose direct deposit over private insurance company paper pushing clerks.

45. Bryan H Says:
    June 8th, 2007 at 6:27 am

    I had to have surgery to break up and remove kidney stones 4 times all without any insurance coverage. The surgery was necessary in every case because they were too large to pass and could not be zapped because they were fiberous. I applied for Minnesota Medical assistance and was denied every time. Working full time making minimum wage was enough for the state to deny me coverage. The large debt I was left with between hospital and clinical bills meant that at 24 y/o I had to file bankruptcy.
    I don’t understand how someone making minimum wage no matter if they work full or part time can be denied state medical coverage. It clearly is not enough money to pay medical bills, yet is too much to have the state help you pay them.

46. Dr. Richard Bend Says:
    June 8th, 2007 at 12:26 pm

    Bankruptcy has been an all to frequent option lately, due to lack of insurance payment. Policies are so fouled up that many of my patiets come to me thinking they have great coverage having bought the policy specifically for chiropractic care only to find out later that the coverage was denied after services were provided for reasons of medical necessity. I might be able to wrap my mind around this better if the patient didn’t benefit at all from the care recieved. However, the patients get better and feel great after each adjustment. Hell, many of my patients have come off a great many of their medications with long term care. This is the problem with the health care industry in the USA, it is driven by drugs, drugs and more drugs. They’ve got medication for everything from headaches, hemoroids and hard-ons. If your kid is hyper active prescribe a chemical equivalent to heroine to calm them down.

    Enough!!!

47. Dawn Sperry-Allen Says:
    June 9th, 2007 at 5:47 am

    In 1967 I made 1.65 per hour and could afford medical care. Things have changed.

    The stories I hear in rural America are about how many folks lose everything they have when they are uninsured or inadequately insured when hospitalized. The state, the hospital or a law enforcing agency steps in and sells patients homes, possessions so that health costs can be recouped.

    A neighbor told me about several incidents of this nature, one involving a relative. When everything was auctioned off, they bought some of the furniture so the patient would have something left once released from the hospital.

    A friend’s boy friend was hospitalized resulting in an obvious negative outcome. To recup costs the hospital attempted to sell the patient’s home only to find out that the house wasn’t in his name.

    As a self-pay patient, I have inquired about the costs of office visits but the cost of the visit is unknown necessitating a return phone call with that information.

    ….and so on.
    Can’t wait to see your movie.

48. Andrea D. Says:
    June 10th, 2007 at 6:45 am

    Back in the ’90s, I worked for an attorney recruiting firm in Manhattan. One of our clients was Aetna. Aetna’s corporate offices were located in Connecticut. When they wanted to hire an attorney, they contacted us. Out of all the companies that we worked with, Aetna PAID THE HIGHEST FEE TO US ($50,000.00 per attorney hired). Almost double what other companies paid - and they were the ones to come up with that figure. My boss was over the moon. In addition, all attorneys that they wanted to interview were FLOWN VIA PRIVATE AETNA HELICOPTER from Manhattan to Connecticut and back. The costs must’ve been staggering - costs paid for by denying claims.

49. The Adcock Family Says:
    June 10th, 2007 at 9:40 am

    Last May, my husband was diagnosed with an unusual form of cancer. Fortunately, his type of cancer, while unusual, can be cured through a very radical (but not experimental) surgery. I found the surgeon that developed the technique, we traveled to see him and my husband was accepted as a patient. Great news but then we hit a wall with the insurance company. This specialist, after many years of working with and trying to recoup expenses from insurance companies had stopped participating in any provider networks.
    So, the insurance company absolutely refused to pay anything for the surgery even though it is the only documented procedure that can treat this type of cancer. I spent countless hours on the phone begging and pleading for my husband’s life. I was sent from dept to dept and we finally got a notice that they would cover the dr “in network”.
    We had to pay for the 10 hour surgery up front ($25,000.00) and thanks to family, we were able to raise the money and my husband had the surgery. After more fighting with the ins co. they finally sent our reimbursement check for $4,000.00. Not nearly enough to help us cover the travel expenses and remainder of his treatment. And not anywhere near “in network” coverage (80%)
    My husband is doing well and finishing up his treatment. Everything is being paid for by credit cards and personal loans. We are just crossing our fingers that we don’t have any more big financial issues after his treatments are over. We’ll be in debt for the rest of our lives but at least I have hope of life with my husband and our daughter has her dad.

50. Florsie G Says:
    June 10th, 2007 at 7:37 pm

    I know you are supposed to comment only on American Health Insurance. I’m Mexican but I have health insurance from New York Life, which is an American Company. It’s the worse mistake my father could have ever made. Well, not him, his company.

    See, on January I had to have this emergency procedure. On a friday night, I had to go to the hospital because I wasn’t feeling so well. On the hospital (the one closest to my house and the one that is not in the middle of a dodgy neighborhood. Mexican guys will understand, one of the best hospitals, the ABC, is in the middle of one dodgy neighborhood), they told me I had a Giant Ovarian Cyst and that I had to be operated or I risked infection. So, they operated me and things were fine. Or so were they until my mom gave the hospital my dad’s Insurance Card.

    First of all, they told us they wouldn’t pay because the hospital I went to was not on the list of the hospitals we were intitled to use. After explaining to the asswipes of the insurance company that its the closest hospital to our house and they didn’t have the time to check “the list” while their daughter was in pain and yelling, they finally understood and gave us a break. This might sound as if it was solved quickly, but on the contrary, it was slow and it took a while. It got to the point where some stupid woman from the insurance company came to my hospital room and started discussing with me issues about the coverage from which I had no idea and insisted on me solving the money issue right away. I was all by myself on the room, my parents were away for the moment. I was bagdered with many questions about our coverage and this woman kept blaming us for picking the wrong hospital. Even more, she told me up to how much was the bill ascending up to that moment. That caused me a lot of emotional distress. She told be that it was around 12,000 dlls. For me, my parents would have to pay it with a pound of flesh.

    It turns out this bitch was lying. The bill was lower, but still, the inssurance didn’t want to pay it. It wasn’t until the legal department of my father’s company and the company’s doctor contacted the inssurance company that they agreed to pay us. And of course, they didn’t pay 100% of the bill. The bill was about 8,000 dlls and the insurance just gave us about 5,000. Also, they neglected to include the surgeon’s fees and we had to pay that too. To make matters worse, it took New York Life ONE MONTH to send us the check and ANOTHER MONTH so the check appeared on my mother’s account.

    To be honest, we had no problem paying the rest of the money. But what’s the point of having insurance if they are not going to help you out? Even more, when they delay the help after you spent hours begging them for help. Nobody deserves that treatment, not the family and not the pacient.

51. NICOLE Says:
    June 10th, 2007 at 11:00 pm

    I WORK AT A PHYSICAL THEARPY CLINIC AND THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY BLEW ME AWAY. I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS SUCH A CUT THROAT BUSINESS. FROM DOCTORS GETTING PAID OFF BY THE COMPETITION TO A PATIENT GETTING A RX FOR 12 VST AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY ONLY GIVIN THEM LIKE 9 VISTS CAUSE THEY DONT WANNA PAY FOR 12. ITS JUST CRAZY AND IT BLOWS MY MIND EVERYDAY I GO TO WORK IS A NEW EXPIERENCE FOR ME.

52. Cal Jennings Says:
    June 11th, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    Health insurance is bad, but even paid prescription coverage is WORSE. I get $1500 a month Social Security and WITH my ExpressScripts “coverage” my total prescription bills for my wife and I are $1200. It doesn’t leave much for rent, utilities, and groceries, and I’m rated as making too much to qualify for assistance. You should do a film on that too!

    Love, Hope, Peace, & Christ Be With You,

    Cal-el & Swissy

53. Debi Says:
    June 11th, 2007 at 5:01 pm

    My HMO is Aetna. I’m lucky, because I work for the state of PA, and the coverage is excellent. But only if you don’t have to use it.

    I volunteered with the Red Cross in New Orleans in October 2005. I worked on the Emergency Rsponse Vehicles that carried hot food, snacks, and clean water to those still hanging on in their neighborhoods, and my kitchen, in Kenner, was the first to go into NOLA. In fact, my crew went in on the 2nd day that the city allowed the Red Cross to enter. I got sick immediately, the same day, and grew more and more ill over the next week, until I had to go to the only emergency clinic available, where I was told I had strep throat. I gave them my insurance info, got better, and went on.

    A month or so later, I got a notice from Aetna that they would not pay the bill because: a) I hadn’t gone to my primary physician (who was 100 miles away!), b) I hadn’t shown it was an emergency, and c) even if it was an emergency, I hadn’t gone to a hospital ER. I wrote to Aetna telling them I a thousand miles away from my primary, was so ill I couldn’t stand up at the time, and that because it was the NOLA area, there WAS no hospital ER. The clinic was IT. A few weeks later I got a bill from the clinic, telling me Aetna had refused payment. This time I called Aetna, and gave them hell. The woman who took my call was nice enough, explained that I still hadn’t shown a dire need for service, and even if I had, I had failed to abide by the out-of-network requirements. She said she would see what she could do. I never heard from either Aetna or the clinic again. I still don’t know if the bill was paid.

54. R.N. Thorn Says:
    June 11th, 2007 at 6:21 pm

    now I know I have no right to complain cause I live in Canada and pay almost nothin for heath care but here in small town newfoundland where there are only a few doctors to see , they treat you like your just a means to an end for a pay check anyway . Take my last vist to the doctor , I told him my troubles and as I was tellin him , He was writing the proscrption , then he proceeded to chew me out , tellin me he was gonna drop me as a painet cause I missed my last appointment , which was during a record snow strom and I was stuck at work for 21 hours , so you know I couldn’t get there , and people have to put up with this cause there are no other doctors to see , conver belt script men , its sad really , so I may not know about the money aspect of the american health care system but alot of us here in small town newfoundland can relate to the dehumanizing aspect of it . It just makes me mad

    have a good day if you can
    R.N. Thorn , Carbonear , Newfoundland , Canada

55. Phillip Rogers Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 10:31 am

    My family has to pay about $21,000 a year for health insurance and it is not even the best out there. Now to many this would not seem a large price to many people, but my family owns their own business and this is very large sume to be paid by my dad. $21,000 for health insurance this would pay for about two years of college, but sadly it does not. Health insurance in this country is out of control. 50 million Americans have no health insurance and isn’t this suppose to be the best country in the world? So GOD BLESS AMERCIA!

56. Lindsay Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 11:43 am

    I studied abroad in Southern Mexico the summer before my senior year in college. There I contracted Dinque fever (a form of Malaria contracted from a mosquito), which left me with a fever of a 103 degrees for a week and jaundice. Prescription asprin would not come close to healing me. Blue Cross/Blue Sheild would not cover the medical bills because they said I did not seek care from my primary physician in North Carolina. Thank goodness I was in Mexico where the cost was managable.

57. Julie Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 2:22 pm

    My Insurance provider CENTRAL RESERVE LIFE has $146,000 in premiums that my employers has paid over the past 7 years of my employments with them. I have never had a claim until I was injured in an accident and after 6 months they have paid 3 bills. Those bills had to be faxed 8 times, mailed twice (they returned them once since I paid for a proof of signature on delivery card) and eventually sent to a supervisor. I spend 45 minutes a day on the phone with their “customer service” reps trying to get them to pay bills that they claim they do not have. My doctor has sent them the bill so many times that now my doctor is refusing to bill them and is turning me over to collections. I am a person that has worked my whole life and has always had insurance. I eventually have turned them over to the State Insurance Commissioner here in Missouri….we will see if those people are interested in doing their job as well. In a million years I would have never thought that this would happen but it is. I could get better coverage in India! canot wait for the movie to come our my insurance company would be a great exapmle they are KING of the run around!! But quick to cash my premium check!!!

58. Rebecca Hincks Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 2:54 pm

    hey there 9 years ago i was in a serious accident and i have to were 2 braces that assist me in walking i cant get insurance because of the preexsisting and my braces cost 1000 dollars each i dont go to the doctor because i cant afford it i dont qualify for medicaid because the government says i make to much money wich isnt over 20,000 a year why is it that if canada can give there citizens free health care cant the US do the same…there are naural cures for almost everything..diabetes..being one of them yet the drug compaines and doctors keep saying your sick you need this…it is all a scam …a scam for money for the government the doctors and the drug compaines it is very sad to see so many americans without health insurance or so many of them stuggling with there bills to pay for medicine that is covering up the problem NOT FIXING IT…i say we all move to Canada…A!!!

59. GI JOE Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 3:24 pm

    I’m in the military and have free medical.

60. mazza Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 4:01 pm

    we use to live in indiana and we had to move back to florida while we were using the governement heath care.my daughter got sick we had to take her to emergency room , got there instead of letting my daughter see a doctor they insisted in the medical coverage . we had to wait for 3 hours till they verify that and another 4 hours waiting for a doctor who end up seeing my daughter for 2 minutes after 7 hours of wait in the mergency room and giving her a tylenol and the funny part i got a bill of 2000 dollars wich i m never going to pay a 7 hours wait and 2 minutes spent by a doctor and a tylenol that costed me 2000 dollars.
    by the way my daughter was 2 years old and it feels like it s rather coolect money to pay the rich doctors than save a 2 years old life.

61. Pam Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 5:29 pm

    Several years ago my young son needed surgery. I had previously (2 months before) changed jobs and COBRA’d my insurance so at the time of my son’s surgery I actually had 2 plans, my old one and the new one. My husband, son and I were in the pre-op waiting area and someone from the hospital came in to tell us that they could go ahead with the surgery but it would not be covered as neither insurance company was willing to cover the cost - they each pointed fingers at the other company insisting they pay. My husband got on the phone and fortunately he can be quite persuasive - we were able to get one of the company’s to take responsiblity. However the fight went on long after the surgery was over. The cost I payed to COBRA my family health plan was over a $1,000/month.

62. Jim Fisher Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 5:49 pm

    I go to college, and had a healthcare plan through the college becasue it was required to attend. It is fairly inexpensive, and is not worth much but i need to have it in order to attend, Catch - 22. I broke my toe on campus at 7pm on a friday night, it was a compound break and the bone was shattered through the skin. The health center on campus was closed (it closes at noon on fridays, and remains closed until Tuesday at 12 noon). I go the local emergency room, have the thing set, and stiches to close the wound from the bone poking out. All seems well, next i have to go to the pharmacy to fill the Antibiotics and Pain medicine my foot was killing me. I call the healthcare company/insurer to ask if the will cover the antibiotics and pain meds or any part thereof.. they say they will not pay for this becasue a broken “toe” can be dealt with at the health center (which is closed for 3 1/2 days out of the week) and that is not deemed an emergency, even though i explained the bone was sticking out, and I couldnt stop the bleeding until the emergency room doctor took care of it? The prescriptions cost nearly 200 dollars mostly for the antibiotics that is need to aviod a bone infection which can become deadly if not treated. I go to the only pharmacy open, its in a “Price Chopper” supermarket that is open all night. I told them my insurance didnt cover the medications, and the pharamacist told me they give a discount to people not insured, and so he gave me that discount, the total with the pain meds was 30 dollars, if i had covereage it would of cost over 200. What sense does that make? I was grateful and they get all my buisness now. TO MAKE IT WORSE, the insurance denies my claim, flat out, They didnt send me the bill, they billed the college itself, which in turn billed me…I was forced to pay it in 14 days or i was threatened with removal from the semester if i didnt pay. No arguments, no appeals, no nothing, 850 dollars later I paid. I got rid of the “college plan” and now pay for a state plan that is inexpensive. I think all insurance does is it INSURES you get billed, run around, bullied and riped off in the end,,,, thats all……..Im sure in Canada, the prescriptions would of been 10 dollars for the same thing, and that would of been the FULL price,

63. Harold B Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 6:32 pm

    Larry, June 4,07
    COB or coordination of benefits is a very important item in that a person or persons having more than one insurance can “coordinate” to pay a service in full. COB guidelines are mandated by federal and state goverment and most plans will want to know which parents birthday is first in the calendar year. ie: if your wife has the birthday of Feb 1 and yours is Mar 1. Your wives plan will be prime for any shared children you have. Your plan as secondary would cover and remaining copays or co-insurance amount left over. Get it!!

64. Andy H. Says:
    June 12th, 2007 at 8:16 pm

    I was working full time for Walgreens and had their insurance through BCBS of Illinois. After the Pharmacy decided to cut my hours and give them to cheaper labor, they terminated my insurance because I wasn’t working full-time anymore. With that, I lost my coverage for my bipolar medication and the money to pay for my psychologist and psychiatrist. Soon after that, I was let go and spent almost six months out of work with no medication for my condition.

65. Nicole in Silicon Valley Says:
    June 13th, 2007 at 9:19 pm

    RE: U.S. citizen’s experience with ER visit in Sydney, Australia.

    For work reasons, my family and I spent two months in Sydney, AU (March-April 2007). During that time, our 18 month old son went to the ER for a very high fever (104.9F). The hospital did not accept our insurance carrier.

    We were required to pay 100% out of pocket.

    The bill was $90.00.

    The high quality of the hospital, physicians and staff were no less than the quality here in the Silicon Valley. I do not know the tax or insurance structures in Australia; my familiarity with its healthcare system makes me think Australia is doing something right. Maybe we should investigate this further?

66. Jessica Says:
    June 13th, 2007 at 10:26 pm

    I had a conversation with my doctor yesterday about health insurance. She said that her husband wanted to let go of their four person policy as it was just to high costing for four young, healthy people. This is coming from an MD! I told her that I will pay out of pocket for any alternative therapy (accupuncture, chiro…) to keep healthy rather than test my luck in a hospital! Did you know that Magnesium is used as a pain remedy (DHONES BACK PILLS) and is good for you (in small doses)? I’d rather use something nautral and needed than a liver eating pill that would not be cover in my plan anyhow. Germany, Russia, China are all looking like fine places to retire and receive better healthcare!

67. Gregg Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 1:46 am

    Everybody seems to have complaints about the system but the doctors, nurses and technicians that are responsible for delivering healthcare here in the U.S. are among the best in the world. The main problem with the U.S. healthcare system is the involvement of the insurance companies. Moore’s film will address this in greater detail but 30% of our healthcare dollar goes to insurance administration, executive salaries and insurance company profits. The U.S. spends twice as much per capita as the average per capita amount spent by other industrialized nations. Eliminating the insurance stranglehold and replacing it with the system used by these other nations (either single-payer or non-profit insurance cooperatives) will reduce the substantial amount of waste in the current system. Approximately 95% of the heathcare dollar goes to actual healthcare delivery in these countries and only 5% goes to administration. The same is true for Medicare here in the U.S. which is our version of nationalized healthcare for those who can survive until age 65. Moore’s film will hopefully inform Americans about the scam that exists now and will galvanize the public to demand significant reform including a Medicare for all system. Only 16 days and counting until Sicko opens. Can’t wait.

68. Jenny Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 11:59 am

    I am one of the lucky ones — I am still clinging to the health insurance offered through my former employer. My premium is $858.00 per month for my husband and me, including a prescription service. We are doing everything possible to hang onto this policy. Thank goodness we own our trailer, and my husband is handy. He has fixed our refrigerator with parts from a leaf blower (and the leaf blower still works, too!), and he keeps our truck running. We have sold virtually everything in the trailer except a sofa and recliner (purchased at yard sales). My job search is going slowly, but I am optimistic. As I wrote, I know that I am one of the lucky ones. I am still hanging in there … as long as the refrigerator holds out. Bless you, Michael Moore.

69. Mike Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pm

    Dan’s got nothing on me. When we had our first child, my wife got very ill and the baby had to be delivered on an emergency basis six weeks premature. Our daughter spent her first 24 days in the hospital’s neonatal unit. My wife was in the hospital for eight days. We received incredible care. Our total bill was in excess of $100,000. Thanks to our insurance we paid about $400 out-of-pocket. We are forever grateful for the wonderful care we received and the coverage that paid for it.

70. Anna Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 12:10 pm

    The only good health insurance is through my University which is, by the way, run like like a public utility. While in school my health care was included. I could see my doctor whenenver I wanted to. Birth control was part of the package. Needless to say, once I graduated, I was REJECTED from coverage complete from BC of CA because I was sick once several years ago. My job doesn’t offer health insurance. Luckily, I live in the fabulous state of California that beleives in offering reproductive healthcare (”Family Pact”) to uninsured people for little or no cost…just because it is a human right (CRAZY, I know). On the right track but NOT ENOUGH.

71. Ashley Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 2:13 pm

    My mother is morbidly obese and unable to exercise due to severe ankle and feet problems. She has tried numerous diet programs with little success. All of her doctors agree that she needs the lap-band surgery to help her loose weight, which would eliminate at least half of her medical problems. But insurance will not cover it, saying it’s an “elective” surgery. Numerous letters and pleas to the insurance companies by both my mom and her doctors have gone unheeded and my parents simply cannot afford a $20,000 procedure out of pocket. At this rate, my mother will be dead far earlier than she should be, and it can all be fixed with this one procedure. If she could loose just some of the weight, it would not be so difficult for her to exercise. Why do insurance companies have no problem dishing out money for monthly medications that could be eliminated entirely by a one time procedure they WON’T cover?

72. Linda Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 3:52 pm

    The President of the United States suggests that Americans purchase their own health insurance if they do not qualify for government assistance or are not afforded insurance by their employers.

    I have a PhD and have been working as a college professor since I graduated school. I have never been offered health insurance by the universities that have employed me. I have tried to purchase health insurance and have been denied twenty-three times because I broke my leg six years ago. I do not qualify for government assistance.

    Thanks, America.

73. marilyn michalak Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 4:06 pm

    I was unfortunate enoughh to have gotten injured at work. Workers’ Compensation Insurance (The Hartford) has treated me like a criminal. They harrassed me by phone, had me followed and filmed (I have the films), and probably ruined my engine when I tried to show up in court with evidence that they had tampered (big time) with the filmed evidence. They sent me to fake doctors for fake reports that said I was fine when I wasn’t.
    I fight for everything. They cut off everything, my pills, my physical therapy, my treatments. It’s miserable because I cannot use my other insurance for treatment. It is against the law. Although I have three to four insurances at all times, often I pay out of pocket, which I can ill afford.
    Please bring to light how bad workers compensation patients are treated. Please help us.
    Marilyn Michalak

74. Cheryl Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 8:10 pm

    This website tells the story of a friend who is in a precarious situation with his family’s health and walking from CA to Colorado to raise money. So sad that in the world’s richest country a man with a brain tumor is worried about his medical bills.

75. D. Wright Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 8:15 pm

    I was wondering if you can find me a answer. I was on the drug Viagra for quite some time and my insurance was paying for them. Until then without warning my insurance stopped paying for it. And till this very day. I don’t have one vaild reason why they stop paying for my pills.And i am very upset about it. Please help me find my answer. By the way, Loved your last movie….Keep doing what your doing and that’s TELLING THE TRUTH AND LET THE WORLD KNOW HOW MESSED UP THE WORLD IS…….LATER!!!

76. Todd Harvey Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 10:16 pm

    My company has United Healthcare as our healthcare provider. We changed from a different provider on January 1st, 2007. The insurance company didn’t process our paperwork correctly, so none of our employees were enrolled in the system until late January. My doctor of 10 years would not take my appointment without a valid insurance card. I had to go elsewhere and pay out of pocket. When I finally was enrolled at the end of January, I wrote a letter to United Healthcare asking for my January premium back (a total of $92.50). They said that that wasn’t possible. For some reason, my company did not take them to court. I have filed in small claims court and have a court date in Arizona set for August 16th, 2007. I have a trail of email from the healthcare company that is clearly shows that we didn’t have coverage. I am only seeking my premium for January and I am 100% confident that I will win. I am far more interested in winning the case than getting the money back. If anyone from your organization would care to join me on my court date, I would welcome the company.

77. David S Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 10:21 pm

    Why should I have to visit my doctor and pay him to renew prescriptions that I will be taking for the rest of my life. Why can’t I have a prescription written for a five year limit instead of one year. Obviously it’s all about the Co-Pay!!!!!!!!!

78. DENIED Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 11:41 pm

    I am an asthmatic and the only way I can get health insurance is through a major employer. The american dream is squashed for so many. This is McWorld and the go to college and get a good job with good benefits is a myth. I have worked in health insurance and we are in crisis- people in the industy say way have less than 5 years until total collapse. Small business premiums went up at least 30% in one year. People are denied for needing a band aid. There is no safety net. We need to get serious - look at your family and look at your friends — someone is hurting and is not because they are overweight and don’t exercize. It is because the system is not working. It is a different world, my great grandfather in the depression took care of his community and people paid him with turnips because that’s all they had. We have all this great technology that can save you but then ruin your life because you can’t afford anything else — this is not right. The thing that gets me is how long Congress is going take to overhaul this and in that time there will be no accountability for the insurance company and the medical community. We need to band together and speak up and march.

79. Kate Says:
    June 15th, 2007 at 9:02 am

    To bring everyone up to speed…

    Last February, I fell in my own driveway taking out the garbage. As a result of some black ice, when I slid, my leg twisted in such a way that it broke from my ankle halfway to my knee.

    I took an ambulance to the ER, where I sat in excrutiating pain for 5 hours before I was sent to the back of the ER. There I saw a PHYSICIAN’S ASSISTANT. Two weeks later, I got a bill from the ER for seeing a doctor WHO I NEVER SAW–and my insurance wouldn’t cover it because he wasn’t part of their plan.

    Ok, so then I start visiting specialists. Everywhere you go now, you have to sign a form that you will be responsible for paying whatever your insurance doesn’t cover. You don’t have any choice in the matter. However, these doctors also sign contracts with the insurance companies to accept their payments.

    So, I start back recovering after my surgery and the bills start rolling in, as do statements from my insurance company (Blue Cross Blue Shield) stating that “this doctor is a preferred provider, you are not responsible for the remainder of this bill.” Meanwhile, I’m getting letters from the doctor and the hospital demanding that I pay up.

    I send them the notice from the insurance company stating I’m not responsible as they overcharged for services they had previously agreed upon payment for.

    Ok, so finally I agree to pay the one bill my insurance company didn’t approve, which was the ER doctor I never saw. $157 to the hospital, which has also sent me a bill for $489. I send them my credit card information on the stub for $157.

    Three days later I get a receipt back for $489. Stupid me, I should have expected them to do this.

    Unfortunately, they really have me by the throat, because I had to have a second surgery on my leg 8 weeks after the first, and knew that was coming, and here I am trying to sort all this out.

    Mind you, I’m out of work on disability and my pay has been cut to 80% and then 60% on disability and finally my disability even ran out and I was stuck without pay!!

    So, I tell them I’m not paying the other $157, as that was what I had agreed to pay them, and they are welcome to take it out of the payment they made without my permission at the same time my mortgage is due. I also tell them I let my bank know not to accept any more charges from the hospital without calling me first. Of course, they don’t want to hear this.

    Then the orthopedist’s office gets involved and starts sending me bills for money they said the insurance company hasn’t paid, and their story is the same, “You agreed to pay all charges that your insurance company didn’t cover.”

    “My insurance company has a contract with you–you are supposed to charge what is agreed upon”

    “Take that up with your insurance company–we have your signed statement here.”

    Yes, my foot was dangling by a thread, I would have signed anything!

    Fortunately, I got through the next surgery and had that completed successfully.

    Unfortunately, within 2 weeks, everything was sent to collections!

    My husband and I wound up paying nearly $2K out of pocket to clear the whole mess up. This winter, if it snowed or iced up the least little bit, I refused to leave the house. Is that sad, or what?

80. Robyn Says:
    June 15th, 2007 at 12:19 pm

    I’ve been in graduate school for 3 years and haven’t been able to afford dental insurance. As a result I’ve got 2 teeth that have needed root canals for years. I finally graduated and got a job (which doesn’t provide insurance) and got myself some dental insurance that I can’t really afford but feel is necessary. Well, about two weeks later one of my teeth got an abcess and I was in agony. I went to the dentist who referred me to an endodontist.

    The endodontist they referred me to no longer took my Blue Shield insurance, so I found another and got the soonest appointment I could. When I got there, in tears from the pain, they told me that if I wasn’t referred directly to them they couldn’t see me because my insurance wouldn’t cover it. After a LOT of tears on my part and thanks to a sympathetic person at the reception desk, they agreed to see me. After verifying my insurance they told me that there was a 3 month waiting period on all major procedures and that I would not be able to have my root canal for THREE MONTHS! They apologized and sent me on my way!

    How can any medical professional send away someone who is crying because their pain is so bad? The woman at the desk felt awful for sending me away and encouraged me to call my health insurance provider and see if they’d remove the 3 month hold. I did, they wouldn’t. After being transferred to 3 or 4 different people (all while my tooth hurt so badly I could barely speak), I was finally told “it was in the paperwork you signed, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

    So only 2 more months until I can get my root canal. I have had Blue Shield insurance for 2 years now and until this point I’d had no problems. But to turn someone away and tell them there’s nothing they can do, despite the fact that it’s an emergency and “you signed the paperwork” makes me SICK.

81. shawn Says:
    June 15th, 2007 at 7:32 pm

    I have the bluecross tonik plan. after being on the plan for several months i was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. bluecross wanted to look further into the case…after 3 months, THEIR doctor had determined that i had a preexisting condition and that no claims would be paid. I had never seen a doctor before diagnosis…and had no record of having the disorder. They will not speak with my doctors and their “doctor” has never contacted me. they said i’ve had it for years and should have known because sometimes i admitted to getting “sad”. To date i have spent over 12,000 dollars and they are yet to pay for a single claim.

82. BRUCE Says:
    June 15th, 2007 at 8:01 pm

    My Insurance cancelled by default- not ! BlueCross, Thank You!
    A few years ago I was hospitalized with pulmonary embolism. Little did I realize how many people die of blood clots each year. I survived, as may do not and often have re-occurrences. BC/BS apparently know the facts better then I. Prior to the 2 week stay in the hospital, I never had a claim. I missed one monthly BC/BS payment of $120.00, when I called about catching up the late payment I was informed my premium jumped to $400 plus. I’m sad to say the only insurance I can afford at this time is catastrophic insurance, meaning I will be on the hook for the first 10k of expense should I need coverage.

    I’m sick over the excessive profiteering by the insurance companies, drug companies, petroleum companies and the government wasting our tax dollars.

    The middle class is falling hard!

    Thanks for taking on the SOB’S

83. Spaulding Says:
    June 15th, 2007 at 10:18 pm

    I once went to a dermatologist, waited a month for the appointment, waited two hours in the waiting room. The doctor “examined” me for less than 5 seconds. I complained that seemed like it wasn’t enough time to do a proper diagnosis. He said it was. I made a formal complaint with Blue Cross and Cedars Sinai HMO in Los Angeles… I sent a reply back that I was considering sueing in small claims, cause I didn’t feel I was getting what I paid for, a REAL exam, NOT a 5 second “look”… then I got a phone call, left on my answering machine from the HEAD of the HMO, swearing at me, saying, “if you sue us, we’ll sue you back, and take every cent from you… youll have nothing left”. Ouch!

84. Dominic Rice Says:
    June 16th, 2007 at 10:37 am

    FIrst of all I consider myself to be republican and generally don’t endorse Moore’s messages but health insurance in America has me fed up and it’s abou time someone made a documentary about it. My wife’s employers company went out of business while she was 6-7 months pregnant leaving us with no coverage. No insurance company would accept her or (get this) me for that matter while she was pregnant becuase it was too big of a risk for them. They wouldn’t take me anywhere because they said that it was too big of a risk that they would then be forced to take on a potentially unhealthy baby seeing as how the law would force them to once they insured me. As a result, we were forced to go on the state plan. Did our deductibles transfer that we had met for the year? Of course not. Once my daughter was born on March 24th I called to get private coverage again since she was healthy and the state premiums were so expensive. I was told we had to wait until April 1st because they don’t issue effective dates for other than the 1st of the month. what???? Of course all the medical expenses of the labor/birth were incurred between the 24th and 1st. Left with no other choice I accepted a personal plan starting on April 1st and then had to put my daughter on her own expensive state plan to bridge the gap between the 24th and the 1st. But get this: When I called to cancel the state plan seeing as how I had private April 1st coverage for my family I was told tha I was required to keep the state plan on a new born for a minimum of 60 days despite the fact I had secured other coverage for my family. What??? Here’s the best part: The same company that administers the state plan in Wisconsin (WPS) also was the company I bought the private plan with. I questioned how it could even be legal for the same company to take premium from the same person for the same time period. I was told those are the rules and the state plan is ran by a differnt divison of their company. Even better? Deductibles, of course, don’t transfer again. And the state plan is supossed to help people? I stand to meet 3 deductibles in oh about a year for nothng we did wrong. Victim of the system I’ve been told… Great… I consider myself to be educated in insurance and waded through all the b.s. and expense to make sure my family didn’t go without coverage. It’s no wonder the poor and less educated give up and go without!

    An Irate republican

85. Heather Says:
    June 16th, 2007 at 11:59 am

    In 1997 I had an ectopic pregnancy (the fetus “stuck” in the fallopian tube). I was in unbelievable pain and my husband took me to a local urgent care/ER. The ER couldn’t perform the surgery, so they took me by ambulance to where my OB/GYN could operatre. Later, the insurance company told me that they wouldn’t cover the ambulance ride because it wasn’t pre-approved. Luckily I had a WONDERFUL ER Dr. He called the insurance company and chewed them out. He said he ordered the ambulance because the fetus was close to rupturing and if my husband had taken me to the other hospital it could have ruptured and I would have died. The insurance company finally agreed to pay the $500 bill thanks to my wonderful (and morally sound) Dr. I can’t wait to see the movie!!! My neighbor and I have plans to go see it. I’m now a teacher in NC with so-so coverage, but I teach in a low socio-economic area where many of my students and their families don’t have insurance. One of my students had what sounded like bronchitis this past year and his mom couldn’t even take him to the Dr.!!! Sometimes I wish I lived in Canada…

86. Trevour Says:
    June 16th, 2007 at 4:05 pm

    I just found out about copay the hardway. My wife went to the doctor. When we got there we paid 57 dollas for the check up. 1 month later I got a bill for 30 dollars from the doctory. I callled them they said I never paid them. I talked to my insurance they told me about a copay. By that time it was already 2 months since the visit. I tried to pay the doctor. I couldn’t because they sent me to a 3rd party who more than doubled the 30 dollars I owed them for late fees. I pay 120 a month for insurance. We had insurance for 4 years never went to the doctor and I have to pay extra money. That really sucks.

87. Bryan Says:
    June 16th, 2007 at 8:42 pm

    I am a doctor. I have been working with this system toooooo long. I am tired of the Faceless denials from insurance companies who make decisions about a persons health with no fear of backlsh because the laws have been put in place where they have zero responsibility. You can not sue an insurance company for the medical decisions they make about your health. Scary situation to be sure. Until they can be held responsible this system is shot. Of course if they could be held responsible they would be out of business overnight. All of them. I am moving towards a prectice that will be cash for service. Office visit prices can be kept low when you don’t have an insurance department. And co-pays are getting to the point where they are only a few dollars less than an office visit in most cases. I am not sure if government delivered health care is the answer, but something has to be done. Thank you for bringing this problem to the public’s attention.

88. Dr. Tim Says:
    June 16th, 2007 at 10:38 pm

    Mike,
    I am currently in my 17th year of Chiropractic practice, Many tales can be told, but as of late the profession is fighting a battle with Blue cross blue shield, they are selling a policy claiming a patient can receive up to 24 adjustments per year; yet in a meeting that all Michigan chiropractors were required to attend or reimbursements would be suspended; Blue cross threatened doctors with expulsion from the group if we recommended more than 8 treatments for any given case. Their rational is that if the patient needs more care you must be a poor quality doctor. Leaving us with a few solutions dismiss the patient with out concern for the condition or have them pay cash for remaining unnecessary care! By the way… your premiums, co-pays, and deductibles are going up again!!! Sorry we only have 3 billion in reserves and we just put a 5 million dollar live roof on and we are feeling the pinch!!!!

    Dr. Tim

89. Hilton Says:
    June 17th, 2007 at 5:33 am

    SOCIAL SECURITY IS IN CRISIS BECAUSE …
    In the 70’s and 80’s people promoted abortion on demand which “killed off” our future workforce, potential genius’, future community leaders, and our self-respect. It was a practice started by Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned parenthood (and adopted by certain politicians today) in order to exterminate minorities within inner cities. Now these same self-centered, self-serving people who killed off many in my generation want to prevent us from investing a portion of our hardworking dollars into our own retirement accounts which WOULD NOT CHANGE THE CURRENT RETIREES PAYOUT.

    AARP KEEPS THEIR SUBSCRIBERS UNEDUCATED AND FEARFUL JUST AS WELL AS COMMUNISTS DO IN SOCIALIST COUNTRIES SO THAT THE DWINDLING LIBERAL ECONOMIC OLIGARGY CAN STAY IN POWER BY FLEECING THE SHEEP IN THE MOST VULNERABLE DAYS OF THEIR LIFE.

90. tom Says:
    June 17th, 2007 at 5:53 am

    Once while i was living in Virginia, Both of my feet became infected, …they were bleeding, ….several hospitals would not provide treatment because i did not have medical insurance to pay for the antibiotics, etc. At this time i was between jobs. In the end, someone else had to take a risk, … and lie, so that i could be covered under their health insurance policy in order to even be seen by a genuine doctor that actually cared,and get the antibiotics necessary to defeat the worsening infection. The infection was extremely painful and I thought i was going to die from it spreading into my bloodstream.
    It is obvious to all, that americans pay enough in taxes that everyone ought to have access to any medical treatment they need, when they need it! There ought to be no discussion about it. Americans are sick of being cheated.

91. Ivan Mitchell Says:
    June 17th, 2007 at 9:27 am

    I used to have Aetna as my insurance provider while working for UPS. I married my wife while working there and called up to add her on my insurance as a dependent. I called and provided the proper documentation and asked if there was anything else that was needed. They told me no, and about ten months later, I received a letter saying they were going to kick my wife off of my insurance unless more documentation was provided. The proper documentation was sent, (according to the letter) and I received another notice a month later that my wife would be kicked off of my insurance retroactively. I called the people who were going to kick my wife off of my insurance and had an interesting conversation. They told me that the documenation they requested in the first letter, was not the documentation they needed because we had been married less then a year. I had to send some other documents (which were never mentioned in the letter) and eventually they decided to cover her.

    I had a very similar experience when we had our first child. (still with Aetna) After we had our child I called the insurance company to add my daughter to my coverage. I specifically mad sure that I followed all of the proper procedures and specifically asked each person with Aetna if there was anything else that needed to be done. Each employee said that everything looked good. of course Aetna took their time paying my claims (as all insurers do) and I received a notice saying that my daughter was kicked off of my insurance retroactively. They said that they will cover nothing because a notice was sent to me requesting more documentation. I never received this notice, (we moved shortly after having our baby) and no other method of contacting me was tried. So we had over 8K denied. I was able to get my daughter back on my insurance but it took considerable time and effort.

    Just think of all the money that was wasted by this company trying to kick my off of their insurance. Think of how much it costs for the paper work with regards to billing, insurance, verification of coverage, etc. What a joke our system is.

92. Lynn Says:
    June 17th, 2007 at 12:35 pm

    I have 3 children, 2 of which are college graduates and none can find jobs that provide health care. Currently they all purchase their own, but my 22 yo son who has asthma has no coverage due to this pre existing condition. He must purchase his own meds 180.00/month and any Dr or hospital visits that pertain to his asthma. Did I mention he is a college graduate making 11.00/hr and no benefits. My daughter is 25, is a school teacher who can’t find a job, so much for no child left behind, she substitute teaches and made a whopping 8000.00 last year. 20,000.00 in student loans, 85.00/mo for catistrophic health insurance, how about that american dream, isn’t it great.

93. Melissa Says:
    June 17th, 2007 at 2:42 pm

    far health insurance goes its hard for me get any my husband oon ssdi and bee nahving declining health for last few years I could not find affordable health insurance and far as medical from state its hard to get I have pac program now but just primary care doctor i going try work on getting actual medical assistance need more then bare minuim for health care .

94. SCOTT MACLACHLAN Says:
    June 17th, 2007 at 3:10 pm

    Hello Michael,
    Though I am certain you have been overwhelmed by responses to respond w/ stories.
    My story stands very much on its own!
    Just received vindication from May 2007 CT scan (after two years of MISDIAGNOSIS from a CA state appointed Qualified Medical Evaluator, who, with the blessings of the State, is allowed to provide the service of “Expert Medical Witness” on behalf of insurance carriers in personal injury jury trials!
    This physician (by law) was responsible for recommending a “Treatment Recommendation”, though failed to even order a CT Scan.
    The May 16, 2007 CT Scan conclusively found my 2005 injury to be “work-related.
    I’ve lost significant use of my legs, have paralyzed right foot & toes, due to this extremely well documented travesty, where this physician (a) ignores WCAB Court orders to rebut a contradictory 2nd court ordered opinion, (b) fabricated surgeries which had never occurred,
    (c) Made the report statements of…
    1. “Pt accomplished navigating exam room with ease”.
    2. “Pt appears to be in no distress during the assessment”.
    3.”Pt changes positions within the exam room with ease”.
    4. “Pt requires no upper body extremity support”.
    I HAD STOPPED ALL PAIN & ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATIONS 18 HRS. PRIOR TO EXAM AS TO NOT MASK ANY SYMPTOMS.
    Within this physician’s report, he includes no fewer than 25 records of other orthopedic surgeons indicating the immediate treatment of “severe plantar ankle injury in need of fusion”, bilateral rotator cuff injuries (both in need of treatment), but miraculously, this “Evil” physician reports all Shoulder, Ankle, and Spine exams both “Negative & Normal”.
    He even erroneously diagnosed me with “Diabetes” & “Cancer.
    I am absolutely dying to see this moron on the witness-stand, as between all incompetent parties involved, I see a min. $30,000,000. to $75,000,000. settlement, though I’d love to see this get to a jury!
    I am confident insurance carriers encourage their “winning” “expert medical witnesses to apply to the state for “Qualified Medical Evaluator” status, as this would be a conspiratorial effort to improve the carriers bottom line.
    The statistics are likely public, regarding an “impartial” Q.M.E., and those financially involved with ins. carriers. (Check their ratios!).
    This is the “Big Bottom Line” regarding a possible as far as a conspiracy to “Stack the deck” in favor of the carriers BOTTOM LINE.
    The filth I see from my prospective is disheartening, but if we all pounce in synchronicity, there will be change, as I hpoe to change the obvious “Conflict Of Interest” which exists as we speak!

    Thank you Michael, Best Wishes!

    Scott MacLachlan (661)644-4330
    Santa Clarita (Magic Mountain) , CA

95. S. M. Medical Student Says:
    June 17th, 2007 at 7:18 pm

    The only thing I am going to add is that because of insurance companies (including the government) and their so called ‘regulations’ which serve as euphemisms for profit guarantees, doctors are forced to compromise on patient care and us medical students are forced to learn the art of manipulating care to stay viable in the future. Unfortunate but true. The medical profession is now in the hands of undereducated, low IQ’ed, telephone operators (probably outsourced and following a scripted protocol) who decide and often deny decisions made with a minimum of 11 years of education behind every physician (at least the competent ones who are trained in the US). Lets not even go to the ambulance chasers who profit out of people’s misery, in other words the lawyers.

96. Tom (Seattle) Says:
    June 18th, 2007 at 4:08 am

    Last year, my family (of 3) was paying over $300/month for a company-sponsored healthcare plan through “Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota.”

    This was stretching my budget relative to my salary in the Seattle, WA area. I would have thought
    this plan would cover the basics. Yet, Blue Cross wouldn’t cover a Pap smear that my wife’s doctor ordered and wouldn’t cover a basic annual physical for me. To be fair, they did offer to cover these procedures–but only after I met my $750 deductible, and my wife met her $750 deductible. Hardly affordable.

    Because we value our health and know the consequences of not getting preventive care, we
    both paid for our treatments and racked up another $1,000 on my credit card that was already run up by past medical expenses.

    Thanks for providing this forum.
    Tom

97. justin purchin Says:
    June 18th, 2007 at 11:28 am

    Seniors beware Bankers Life Insurance for Long Term Care and Consego Life.
    Ten years of paying premiums for my wife and I, over $20,000.00. After back surgery my wife required at least six months of home care. I tried to put my claim in according to our policy with Bankers Life and was frustrated after two months of calling and getting no attention. Finally I received the correct claim forms but Bankers said her surgeon did not complete the form according to their requirements. I have refused to pay over $200. monthly premium. I have reported Bankers Life situation to the Insurance Dept of California and to the Calif. Department of Justice with no results in solving the Home Care lack of care from the insurance company. I want my $20,000 back and Bankers made not eligible to sell Long Term Care Insurance in this state.

98. Iraan Says:
    June 18th, 2007 at 12:30 pm

    Another scary fact… I swear that it is true. At a state employment office in Los Angeles, there was a flyer offering “Good opporunities in the medical field. Medical Claim Examiners needed. High school diploma required. Must read at the 8TH GRADE Level”

    And these experts are to second guess and undercut those with a medical education???????

99. Denise DiFalco Says:
    June 18th, 2007 at 12:36 pm

    Please read my article - Disability Insurance-What are we paying for? at the above named website. I found your movie site after I wrote about this. Thank you…can’t wait to see the movie. Like a
    Godsend. http://www.xanga.com/dmdifalco

100. Missy Bradley Says:
     June 18th, 2007 at 12:53 pm

     My husband is a 58 year old man, healthy PSA, healthy cholestrol, healthy weight and he is on no medication, never has been. He has no health problems except he had sleep apnea surgery years ago (fixed) and he cannot get health insurance unless covered under a group policy at work.

101. Ginny Whitfield Says:
     June 18th, 2007 at 12:54 pm

     How about going without health care of any kind? I haven’t worked anywhere that offered health care for over 2 years and I’m going to be 62 in a couple of months. I have Type 2 diabetes. I can’t afford insurance out of my pocket as I don’t get paid much and don’t qualify for Social Security yet or Medicare. I’m in the twilight zone of health care until then.

102. Margaret Says:
     June 18th, 2007 at 2:38 pm

     I had to have a CT scan in January after my doctor was worried about my week-long headache. So, I went and got it. I cost $1200. After getting a few bills, I called my insurance company only to find out that it had to be pre-approved. They did finally approve it after about four more weeks of waiting. They contract the approval out to another company, which is stupid. Then, I continued to wait for the payment to come through. I finally called and they said that my approval was in the process of being approved by the actual insurance company! Come on! Is it really necessary to contract with another company for an approval only to have to approve that approval? Basically, they are extending the time I have to wait before my deductible is reached, so that I have less time to go to the doctor co-pay free. What’s worse, my husband is a physician! You’d think doctors would at least have good health care.

103. William Coleman Says:
     June 18th, 2007 at 3:57 pm

     My wife and I are self-employed, which makes it very difficult to afford health insurance. However, we are young (34 & 39) and don’t have many health related problems. In fact, 5 years ago, I noticed we were paying nearly $8,400/yr in health insurance, and were visiting the Dr. only one or two times per year. One of the reasons for this is our lifestyle. We don’t eat crap (fast-food) and we try to maintain a moderate exercise routine. Subsequently, we are healthy and have few problems that need treatment.

     Our decision was to cancel our coverage and put $8,400/yr into a fund that we would use for medical purposes. At this point (5 years later), we have about $41,000 in the fund, including the money we have had to spend on normal doctor visits and emergencies (broken finger). This money is earning us interest, as well.

     Another interesting item is paying for services at your hospital or Dr’s office. If you tell them you are self-insured and willing to pay up-front, most will reduce the cost of treatment up to 50%. In fact, even if you have insurance, most offices will still reduce your portion on large bills if you agree to pay the day services are rendered.

     Of course, none of this would be possible without our healthy lifestyle. A person who is obese could never afford to do what we do, simply because of the number of health related issues caused by obesity.

104. CMH Says:
     June 18th, 2007 at 4:07 pm

     A friend of mine worked for a very large third party administrator. everytime they could “deny” payment they/their department got a bonus. If a company feels that their TPA isn’t “conservative” enough with medical care they go elsewhere. Third Party Administrators are in business to MAKE A PROFIT / NO MATTER WHO IS HURT OR DIES THE ALMIGHTY BUCK COMES FIRST………

     We the people by our ignorant voting and blind belief in the American New Media have handed over all our rights and freedom to the large corporations….they and their ceo’s are kings.

105. Stuart Says:
     June 18th, 2007 at 7:20 pm

     I wonder how many of the unsatisfied insureds posting complaints are covered by a self funded health plan through their employer. Most employers with 300+ eligible employees utilize this type of funding arangement in which the “insurance company” is merely a claims administrator. These “third party administrators” simply pay claims according to a plan document that is developed by the employer. So, is it the “insurance company” that you are dissatisfied with, or your employer?

106. Jane Doe Says:
     June 18th, 2007 at 8:05 pm

     I had uteran cancer in July 1997. I have a clean bill of health. I also have group insurance with Humana. I am trying to start my own business but I am not able to purchase health insurance. Humana denied the coverage saying that I am a high risk customer, eventhough under group insurance they took my money for ten years and that was fine. Insurance companies are controlling my future and my dream. I think that they have too much power in this country. The USA is the only developed country in the world that doesn’t take care of their citizens. I am surprised to see how nieve people in the US are when it comes to their own well being.

107. Stanley Wang Says:
     June 19th, 2007 at 1:54 am

     American insurance companies, not only medical insurance companies, are all criminals. They scam their customers and rip off them whenever you have chances! They should be brought to justice!!!!

     STOP INSURANCE SCAM! STOP INSURANCE CRIME!!!

108. Heather Says:
     June 19th, 2007 at 8:23 am

     A few years ago I was diagnosed with Bilateral Congenital Hip Dysplasia. This is a progressive condition which, without surgery, results is Osteoarthritis and ultimately, being wheelchair bound. I was 26 and self-employed. No health insurance company would offer me coverage because of this condition. They said because it was “congenital” and just undetected it was pre-existing and therefore not covered. I spent 3 years fighting for coverage. In those three years I went from walking 10 miles a day to needing a cane to walk to my mailbox.

     The only way I was able to finally get health insurance was to start a business partnership with a boyfriend, seek out a “2 man group policy” from BCBS and pay premiums of 800$/month (out of pocket) for 6 months before I could even see a doctor for the condition.

     I was lucky. I figured out the system and did it relatively quickly (3 years). My doctor said if I had waited another 6 months, I would’ve missed my window for surgery and I would’ve had to wait 20 years for a hip replacement. In 10 years, without surgery, I would’ve been in a wheelchair.

     I know a lot of women with this condition that are stuck uninsured or with insurance that won’t pay.

     At this point in our country, when insurance is perfectly comfortable telling a 26 year old, healthy woman that they are going to lose the ability to walk unless they can come up with 60k for surgery, insurance reform is mandatory.

109. Greg Stemm Says:
     June 19th, 2007 at 9:23 am

     What insurance? I am self employed and after struggling for ten years with exploding premiums my renewal went from $479 a month up to $650 a month and I could not longer afford it. And…because I have a preexisting condition so I am no longer eligible for coverage at any price.

110. Dick Mason Says:
     June 20th, 2007 at 9:21 pm

     The Health Care for All Campaign is working hard to make universal health care a reality in New Mexico.
     We will be doing public forums throughout New Mexico in the next 3 months. Check our website for details.

111. A. Molina Says:
     June 21st, 2007 at 10:21 am

     I was appalled to learn that after three years of not being insured and finally getting some insurance through my spouse, that I there was a waiting period of 1-3 months for new patients to see a doctor in the State College, PA area. After finally getting an appointment I received a letter from the doctor’s office reminding me of my upcoming appointment and to check the policy of my insurance with regards to “WELLNESS VISITS OR SICK VISITS” because apparently in addition to ripping us off and making us wait, insurance companies are now discriminating payments based on the nature of our visits. SOme companies do not allow doctors to bill them for wellness (meaning just a routine check-up) and sickness (meaning you’re suffering from something) on the same bill or during the same visit. They recommend I use my upcoming visit for sickness and book a later appointment (meaning another 1-3 month wait) for my wellness visit. HOW PATHETIC IS OUR COUNTRY BECOMING AND HOW MUCH LONGER ARE WE GOING TO TAKE THIS SHIrT?? thank you for putting this issue out there Mr. Moore, let’s just hope the sheep arent too far gone to realize what’s being done to them.

112. Damir Says:
     June 23rd, 2007 at 1:50 pm

     Thank you Mr. Moore!

     You made me make my decsion to leave USA and go back to Europe much easier.I work two full time jobs for last 5 years, have OK health care insurance, but i am always at work…so thank you for helping me.

113. Danielle Says:
     June 25th, 2007 at 12:56 pm

     You want to know the truth the scums do not pay there bills!!!! Have zero empathy for anyone. HMO’s owe me thousands of dollars. They just want to hold onto there money as long as they can!!!!!! HATE THEM ALL!!!!

114. James Jackson Says:
     June 25th, 2007 at 1:51 pm

     I am a US citizen and medical student. The health insurance provided for students by the state of Texas is so poor that not even the University Hospital, where I study and work, will accept it. So if I ever feel ill, I cannot see a doctor at the medical school nor hospital at which I work/study unless it is a life-threatening emergency. Even then I may get stuck with lab fees. Right now I’m struggling with around $2000.00 of lab fees on my loans-only income. Student Resources / Mega Life Insurance and the state of Texas should be horribly ashamed. I’m am not the only student to threaten legal action… it seems the only way to get half-decent customer service and sub-level care. Because I have asthma and allergies I am denied an individual policy with every other company I can find. I am stuck with the horrible excuse for health insurance, Mega Life. It’s no wonder even University administrators have dubbed the insurance provider Mega Death.

115. Thomas Munro Says:
     June 25th, 2007 at 2:27 pm

     My problem is that I had too much insurance. My wife started a new job in another city. I remained at home with our son. Over the course of 18 months my son had a couple ER visits and received other miscellaneous care; when I took him in for care I presented my insurance card. Well it turns out that my wife’s coverage from her employer was primary. When my insurance company found out that we had coverage through her employer they set about retracting payments from every provider for the last 18 months. My wife’s insurance company refused to pay many of the charges because they had been submitted too late (its been up to 18 months!) Of course the providers immediately turned to me, in some cases demanding many times what they had been paid by insurance. I paid some of the smaller bills myself, and after months of wrangling my wife’s insurance company have said that they will cover at least some of the charges if I can get the providers to resubmit them. Its a nightmare, and its not over yet. It is especially ironic that both of the health plans in question are Blue Cross Blue Shield plans; you would think that they could just talk with eachother and work it out. but…. No.

116. William Lawler Says:
     June 25th, 2007 at 7:51 pm

     I suffered chronic disc pain in the lumbar region for 14 years and it cost me my family, home and job because Nationwide Insurance would not pay. Nationwide Insurance found a Doctor 1 month before I am paying $ 30,000.00 cash out of pocket for Artificial Disc Replacement to write a report there is nothing wrong. Then for practice they tell the doctor a lie about my history and get him to cancel the surgery they are not paying for anyway. Fortunately the doctor thought enough of me to call me in. I met the woman he gave my operating table to in the waiting room. I am so lucky he believed my story. He supports Paybilly.com which I started the year before 2005 surgery. I woke pain and med free and have been since. I got my life back. I am now strong enough to fight back and I picket the Connecticut Nationwide corporate office for 1 hr. every morning, along with a multitude of Nationwide Insurance Agencies. Never give up.

117. splat Says:
     June 26th, 2007 at 6:38 am

     I worked in Hollywood T.V. and film for 12 years and was insured through my union. I never once used my policy as I was never ill. I decided to take a 18 months off and travel. After 6 months I recieved a notice saying because I was no longer working, and therefore not paying through my job my insurance would be dropped. I was given the choice to self pay…….at $2000. a month !! This after paying them for 12 years and never taking a penny back !
     I moved to Denmark. Problem solved.

118. Jerry Says:
     June 26th, 2007 at 2:04 pm

     I was insured with Lovelace on a self insured plan back when my wife was pregnant with my daughter. I then started working with a company that also used Lovelace as their insurance provider. When I was hired I informed the company that I was switching from a self insured plan to the company plan and they were both with Lovelace and was concerned about that. They told me no problem and went ahead and switched me over. 6 months later after my daughter was born, they informed me they wouldn’t cover the costs because when we switched (even though we switched from one Lovelace plan to another) that it was a pre existing condition and would not be covered, causing me to have a huge bill that was not covered by insurance.

119. Andrew Allan Says:
     June 26th, 2007 at 3:15 pm

     Went skiing for the first time of my life last year in Boone, NC. Needless to say, I did horribly at first. Long-story short, I ended up tearing a ligament in my knee on one of the first runs and went to the hospital the next day under my mother’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield coverage from her work as a legal secretary.

     Several months later, the pain when I bend my knee certain ways never went away so I went for rehab with the idea that surgery might be needed to fix completely.

     Well my mother’s company switched over to AEtna a month or 2 prior and they have deemed the aliment “pre-existing” and therefore won’t cover it. The rehab some how slipped by them but the surgery is completely out of the question now.

     The deffinition of insurance is a secured coverage or contract of payment for an unexpected incident. Thank you for giving me reason to not use you nor trust the industry again.

     Thanks “INSURANCE”.

120. medicalindigent Says:
     June 26th, 2007 at 5:54 pm

     We had Mega Life and Health Insurance,(how can they call it “insurance”?) sold to us by the National Organization of Self Employed. We had the policy for about 4 years, a major medical policy. We figured we could pay for normal care ourselves, just needed a policy in case of an accident, heart attack, or cancer, something of that sort. My husband was in a really bad motorcycle accident, hit by a guy with minimun 10/30 insurance. Since 3 guys were hit at once, we split that 30K between us. I figured OUR health insurance would pay their fair share of the $100,000 in medical bills. Boy, were we in for a shock! We were stuck with $72,000 after the awful insurance paid their share. I can’t believe this policy can be legally sold. I paid them more in premiums than they paid out.
     I have no idea how we are going to dig ourselves out of this mountain of debt, after losing many months of work, and spending our savings just meet living expenses.

121. HB Says:
     June 26th, 2007 at 10:42 pm

     2 years ago my chronic health condition (vulvodynia) was considered pre-existing by BCBS of NJ. I had to shell out of 6k to the hospitals and doctors who would not even write a letter to the HMO for me. They denied you? You pay them. One Doctor I saw did write to BCBS and I didn’t have to pay a dime for his procedures that were also in question. If only the other professional stood up for me. I was alone with mounting debt.

     It took 2 years to fight them with a lawyer and about 1 year to collect my funds from all the hospitals. The hospitals gave me props because they said they rarely hear of people who fought and won medical insurance disputes.

     I am also lucky enough to have a condition where most of the Dr.’s and physical therapists are so specialized and in demand they don’t take insurance. The price of me finding a cure has been upwards 1000 a visit.

     Lastly, as freelancer in the NYC area, I pay 516 a month for Empire BCBS. I tell most people that and they feel they need to go to the ER themselves.

122. Lenny Says:
     June 26th, 2007 at 11:21 pm

     After getting care for an inflamed nerve in my foot (neuroma), my insurance refused to pay, stating they didn’t cover “nerveous conditions” - meaning “mental disorders”. They were actually so stupid as to equate a swollen nerve with nerveous condition because they both contained the word “nerve”. I battled with them until they finally understood the difference, but to do so I had to get on a third-grade education level with them so they could understand. Geesh.

123. Pat Says:
     June 26th, 2007 at 11:36 pm

     I applied for insurance with Assurant. When I received the insurance quote, they added a 10 year rider because I was taking medication to regulate menopausal syptoms. I questioned why they refused to cover any costs related to menopause for 10 years, including regular pap smears and mammograms. I was told that menopause was considered a pre-existing illness. I told the Assurant rep that this was discriminatory because menopause affected all women. She told me that they considered prostate cancer a preexisting condition and that affected men. I explained to her that all men don’t get prostate cancer, but all women experience menopause because it is a natural part of life, not an illness. I asked them to reconsider and they refused, so I refused to accept their insurance policy.

124. Amy B Says:
     June 27th, 2007 at 1:33 pm

     1) I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease while a college student in 2000 while under my father’s group policy (he is a blue collar worker for Exxon). My Dr. prescribed several medications for me.
     When I went to fill them, the pharmacist informed me that I could only receive an 11 day supply of one of them because the insurance company had imposed a restriction. So I had to refill 3 times a month, paying the $30 “fixed” co-pay 3 times, effectivly costing $90/month.
     In 2005, my diagnosis was reversed, but I had to have surgery to remove built up scarring. My husband and I were covered by Humana under the State of Louisiana workers group policy. Under the policy, surgerys had to be preapproved, in-network, blah blah blah. So I took great measure to follow all the rules. Under the HMO, the surgery was supposed to cost only $300 fixed. Two weeks out of surgery, I get a bill for nearly $3000, stating that in the operating room there was both an anesthesiologist AND a nurse anesthetist, and the insurance company would only pay for one of them. By the way the entire surgery and 3 day hospital stay cost $23,000 (apparently that’s what the insurance company had to pay, but I don’t believe this).
     Anyway, so I maintained my position that while “under the knife” I had no choice how many Dr’s and nurses were in the room, I furthermore I was never informed prior to surgery of this restriction. The hospital eventually wrote off the expense, and the insurance company did not pay.
     Now we are trying to get insurance again, after 2 years of being uninsured, and the same group policy had doubled in monthly premium costs.
     I am optimistic that the net effect of more and more people becoming uninsured will naturally drive the insurance cost so high that insurance companies will be drivin out of business, and the government will be forced to increase taxes to expand medicare wider and wider until we have sociallized medicene, like it or not. Or the gov’t will subsidize health insurance companies, in which case we are all screwed.

125. simeon kline Says:
     June 27th, 2007 at 4:18 pm

     Hello I am a 22 year old male who has blue cross blue shield.

     A little over a year ago I became ill with what was later diagnosied as ulcertive coloitous. When I was frist addimitted into a hospital in new jersey I had two doctors, as gastrogist and a general hospital doctor. Because Im a gay male the general doctor of the hospital forced me to take an HIV test and asked repeatedly ask me about how sexualy active I was even after the gastroligist diagnosied me with a seavere case of ulcertive colitous. My pain was increasing to the point I would lay on the floor of my hospital room until someone would arrive with a shot. over the two weeks my wieght went from 137lbs to 105.

     My family decieded to take action and have me transfered to Mount Siani in New York City. By the time I arrived my colon had completely ruptured. The doctors were truly amazing and ending up taking me in for surgery within 24 hours of arriving. If I would of spent on more day in the hospital in New Jesery I would of been dead.

     I surgery required that I have to use a colostomy. Finnally once I arrived home the medical suppiles that were ordered for me by the hospital did not arrive.

     I called the medical supply company and they told me that I do not have comverage from my insurace company because I had a “pre existing condition”. Which it clearly was not. The wrost part was is that no one, not even the medical supply company contacted me to notify me. I eneded up not having the colostomy bags that I needed. I had to express ship the colostomy suppiles 100% my cost. I had no other choice. the saddest part of this is that I didn’t have my supplies in time for me to be able to go to my 21st birthday my family and friends where throwing me. After all I went through with being sick. Then to have to have the added stress and anexity of dealing with my health insurance made it wrose.

     I have made a full recovery and I still have Blue Cross Blue Sheild they only covered 70% of the cost and Im now 22 with 0ver $100,000 in debt with medical bills. I just hope I never get sick again.

126. Nick Says:
     June 27th, 2007 at 4:49 pm

     I have Tricare Prime from my fathers service in the Navy. I only have it for another week and a half or so until I turn 21, then it lapses. In 99% of the cases it is a GREAT insurance company. If I had to recommend an insurance for all people in America, this is the one I would choose. The only problem I’ve had with it was recently. I tore a tendon in my ankle and have been unable to work for the past 5 months. I need inserts for my shoes to support the arch of my foot. It collapsed due to the torn tendon. These inserts are custom made and cost $300. My insurance, for reasons they will not tell me, does not cover them. They are vital to my walking, running and working ability. I would just like to know why they will not cover such a small cost for such a large impact when I can not afford it.

127. Wendy Patterson Says:
     June 27th, 2007 at 9:58 pm

     I fell down a full flight of stairs, headfirst, on my back. My head went through the wall at the bottom as did my foot that flung up over my head upon landing. My wrist was broken. I was very very lucky to miss having a broken neck or head injury. After spending an over night in the hospital, I was in extreme pain in my back and neck. There was a blizzard that night and the resident proceeded to tell me I was going home! It would have been extremely difficult to even get in and out of the car, let along get up the icey, snowy driveway. No way was I able to go home! Since I was in so much pain and I really made a scene about it, I was able to stay one more day to get the pain managed. But I really had to be assertive (while being so hurt.)

     The subsequent months of recovery were a nightmare in terms of keeping straight all the bills, the insurance statements, the mistakes made by the payees and the payers. It was so stressful dealing with all the different providers bills, the insurance company and the billing offices that I had to limit myself to no more than 2 hours a day to keep it all straight!!

     And I had what was considered a pretty good health plan as I was a state employee! I also was pretty experience in dealing with buracracies!

     After that year, I vowed to do whatever I could to help change this outmoded, cumbersome health care nightmare. We definitely should have healthcare for all and a single payer system.

128. GREG Says:
     June 27th, 2007 at 10:48 pm

     My wife had to have an emergency surgury for a possible ectopic pregnancy. We found out 12 hours prior to the proceedure. The Doctors office did the right thing and called ahead and got pre-approval for an “Operative Laparoscopy”. When all was said and done, there luckily was not ectopic, my wife was fine, and they were able to down code the billing to a “Diagnostic Laparoscopy”, saving quite a bit of money to the insurance company (I know, I’m a physician myself).
     Around 2 months later, we recieve a bill from the hospital for 1000 dollars, and both my wife and I thought this was odd. We contacted the doctors office, and they said that this was a fee not covered by insurance, but it did not compute with our co-pay plan. So I called the insurance company, and they said it was a pre-authorization violation, since the doctors office had not called and authorized a pre-certification 24 hours in advance for a “diagnositic laparoscopy”, considered non-emergent.
     My reaction was flabbergasted, hung up on symantics, and none the less, the insurance office did show that the doctors office had called and asked for a “opparative laparoscopy”, and was approved to it’s emergent nature. The violation was issued soley because my wife’s doctor did the right thing, down coded for the apropriate proceedure, saving money to the insurance company. However, a pencil pusher in the claims office was going to deny us over this sensitive topic anyway (because my wife miscarried the day after the procedure!!!)
     Six months later, 3 submissions for appeals later from my doctors office, and around 10 phone calls from me, we got it corrected. Now I know what my patients have to go through some times, and I wish the insurance companies would hire qualified physicians and personel to review these cases and put 2 and 2 together to find out how simple the answer actually is.

129. Janet Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 12:39 am

     Recently I was diagnosed with impingement syndrome in my shoulder. The orthopedic surgeon recommended rest after a cortisone shot and an xray confirming his diagnosis. After several weeks with no improvement he did one more injection, telling me if this didn’t help physical therapy probably would.

     I started physical therapy beginning in May. The PT office required $40 each visit even though I have insurance (at $660 per month). I was able to deal them down to $20 per visit, but I was going 3 times a week. $60 per week for 4 weeks = $240. I didn’t have any more money to give so I had to quit going. My shoulder pain has increased and is nearly where it was when I began the PT.

     In the meantime our insurance has not decided whether or not they will pay due to medical necessity. It’s either physical therapy or surgery. Guess which one they will pay for without question??? You guessed it…the surgery!! After 2 months they should be able to decide whether PT is standard protocol for shoulder impingement. While I wait, I am risking tearing the rotator cuff and causing damage that is more difficult to repair, and costing more money. I now have a $900 bill for PT that may or may not be paid, depending on which way the wind is blowing for the insurance company. HELP, HELP, HELP!!!

130. Will Lovs Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 12:45 am

     I was injured on the job over two years ago, twice.. The first time caused by two of their supervisors who were not thinking. I almost died as a result of their actions. The company covered up the incident very sneaky like as even both of the company’s medical and insurance operations were in-cahoots of manipulation and control of the construction company’s crew.

     The second time was because while trying to heal from the first injury, I was forced to over-compensate for my body’s balance re-injurying the first injury and setting my whole physic out of equilibrium and cause bulging lower discs and pinched sciatic nerves.

     Because my injuries were rib-bones, backbone-discs and vertebra with the damage on the inside, they fought any and all recognition of my problems for months before I was able to find an attorney and get an honest doctor’s opinion about my whole situation. They quickly closed their bogus operation, remanned, restructured and relocated. It was amazing to watch as they did what they did..

     Now I am waiting to get the mess they made to me and my family straightened out, as I continue to suffer both physically and financially.

     Their are some nasty, greedy people in this world,

     Will

131. Jenny Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 10:00 am

     When my son was born 7 years ago, we had to call the insurance company (Blue Cross Texas) to tell them when he was born. My husband called not once, but TWICE, immediately after the birth - mainly because they had a history of rejecting 90% of our claims. So I get a bill a month later - they refused to pay for baby’s care after the birth. I called, and they said they rejected it because we did not notify them of the birth. Well, A) YES WE DID - TWICE! and B) They paid for the damn C-section - did they think I just had my pregnant abdomen cut open at 9 months to get a peek, and then had it sewed up again without removing the baby?? I had to fight with them for months before they finally agreed to pay for it. Then months later, out of the blue, I got ANOTHER bill saying they refused to pay. I had to start from scratch. It was not until I lost it and started screaming obscenities at the supervisor I finally got on the phone that they fixed it. And I am not a screaming obscenities kind of girl.

132. Harold Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 11:27 am

     I went to the doctor with heart palpitations, at the time I was using strong smelling paint primer in an enclosed area. My doctor thinks that is what caused the palpitations… end of story.

     Not so, I have since applied for insurance… several times with several different companies, all denied; I have a preexisting condition. I have tried to change, or remove this incorrect record to no avail. If I want insurance I must go to work for a large company to be excepted. I work for myself and have two children, basically if I get a major illness… I die. That is the health Insurance I know, and hate!

     Go get them Michael Moore!!!!

133. Lisa Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 12:12 pm

     In the 80’s I worked for one of the largest Insurance Companies in the U. S. as a Workers’ Compensation Claims Adjuster. As an Adjuster, we were “trained” to look for ways to deny coverage and limit medical treatment. Our job performance was based on how quickly we closed files and how low we settled the claims. I got out because I couldn’t stand the environment or the guilt!

134. Craig (kansas City) Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 4:58 pm

     I fell and broke several vertbra in my lower back, the ambulance picked me up and took me to the hospital. I gave the admissions girl my United Health Care Card, I told here I wasnt sure if it was workers comp or my responsiblity…….

     Next thing I know I have a morphine pump in my arm and dont know much about anything for the next 5 days.

     About a month later the insurance will only pay 50% of the bill!!! They told me I had to call them within 24 hours of a hospital stay, I explained I broke my back and was on morphine!! How was I to call, besides I gave the insurance to the hospital, Never the less, I got stuck with 1/2 of a $16,000.00 Medical bill, OUCH!!!! RIP-OFF

135. Kaye Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 6:34 pm

     My husband and I are in our late 50’s. We do not have insurance as we are self-employed and we cannot afford the premiums. We hope to get catastrophic insurance next year, but it is so very expensive, we just don’t know if we can do it. It is frightening to think that we could be wiped out financially if one of us were to become ill or have an accident. We can’t afford not to have coverage, but we don’t have an extra $800/person/month.

     Politicians are worried about political power, not the welfare of the citizens of this country. I’m getting fed up and angry.

136. Cathy Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 9:09 pm

     Hey….here’s my beef.

     For our family we pay approximately 450 a month for the care of 3 reasonably healthy people. Health insurance is the second most expensive thing I pay for, right behind my mortgage. If I had the opportunity to take advantage of socialized health care, I would be able to afford to pay my other bills much more easily. When I go to the emergency room, I have to wait for hours because in AZ our emergency rooms are overloaded. (You can figure out the why of that on your own, I think) Hospital bills go unpaid by immigrants who come over the border illegally, but since the law states that hospitals can’t turn anyone away, I end up paying more for my bill because the hospital of course is not going to absorb cost that it doesn’t have to.

137. Paul Zetterower, ARNP Says:
     June 28th, 2007 at 11:05 pm

     As a psychiatric nurse practitioner in a community mental health center, I see many working class persons who do not have lost their health insurance. One reason reported is that, once they get sick, they cannot work. Once one loses their job, they lose their health insurance.

     In other words, health insurance being tied to labor is a flawed method, because HEALTH is required to be able to work. Once one cannot work, one cannot have health insurance, therefore one cannot pay to get well. It’s a vicious cycle I see far too often.

     I’d also like to pose a direct contradition to the claim that persons without health insurance are just ‘lazy’ who don’t want to get a job. On the contrary, I could introduce you to many Americans who have worked their whole lives, only to be stricken with an illness that costs them their employment and, again, their insurance.

     Health care reform is long overdue. It’s past time to send a message to the politicians that, if you don’t support universal health coverage, you are not worthy of political office.

138. LENORE DELGADO Says:
     June 29th, 2007 at 12:38 am

     I am repeatedly denied health insurance coverage because I have high blood pressure caused by stress. The blood pressure is under control with medication and is in the normal range. I now have an accident policy in case I’m “hit by a bus” so I can get some of my medical bills covered. The only way I can ever get “real” insurance is through a job. I was laid off more than 4 years ago, and no one wants to give me a “real job”… I’m too old–aging baby boomer who’s “lost her looks”… and this is the Amurikkan way of life.

139. Ariana Says:
     June 29th, 2007 at 1:03 am

     Back in 2002 I was senior in high school working a part time job at a department store. My mother was working full time for the same school district I was attending. On average I would pull in 350.00 every two weeks, while my mother brought home 186.00 every two weeks. So why was I making almost double then what my mom was? The insurance. All she had was health insurance on herself and me. The insurance was CHA which has recently been changed to Humana. Humana insurance is better than CHA, but it is still ridiculously high. My mother had to have surgery done on her nose and sinus cavities in 2005, her co-pay was 1,700.00; that’s almost half of what my hospital bill came to the next year when I gave birth to my son. I also have Humana. When you’re trying to raise a family and paying other peoples insurance and other bills through taxes, every little bit helps. But this is America. Long leave the American Night Mare.

140. David Says:
     June 29th, 2007 at 2:02 am

     Hello Mike!

     Perhaps you should give people who have the Veterans Administration (VA) as their Healthcare Provider a chance to speak about their experiences. You would probably get some interesting responses. Just remember the old adage, if healthcare is being done right anywhere in the world, it’s truly not being done by the VA.

     Desert Storm Vet

141. Eric R Says:
     June 29th, 2007 at 2:07 am

     When I was with Aetna, I had to get prior approval for a colonoscopy. I got their approval, had the procedure done and thought that was it.

     A couple weeks later, I got a bill in the mail from the hospital. When I called, I asked them why they hadn’t billed Aetna. They told me they had and that the bill I received was a “courtesy notice” - I told them if they wanted to be REALLY courteous, they’d leave me alone and talk to Aetna.

     I called Aetna and they feigned ignorance, saying they hadn’t received the bill. I thought it was a minor glitch until I got another bill … and then another and another. Aetna continued to claim they hadn’t received the bill. Finally the hospital sent my account to a collection agency!

     At this point I became ballistic, called Aetna and ranted for a half hour. Seven months later, they finally paid the bill.

     When I spoke with a friend who worked in the insurance agency, he laughed. “What, you thought they were really going to pay the bill as soon as they got it? Think about all the INTEREST they’d be losing on that money if they paid the bills when they were due!”

142. Mark Says:
     June 29th, 2007 at 2:03 pm

     In September of 1997, my then 17-year-old son, was an innocent victim of a violent crime. He was life flighted to the University Hospital in Salt Lake City where he underwent surgery and spent five days in the hospital. My insurance company (to whom I had paid several hundred dollars a month for 15 yrs) ultimately denied the hospital & doctors claims because the University Hospital was not in their network. A year later, I was forced to file bankruptcy and lost my home and everything I owned. Now 10 yrs later, I still rent, my auto insurance is higher because I have poor credit, I have used most of my retirement savings and the IRS has filed a lien on my credit and they hound me constantly. I’m sure they need my money, it represents .000000345% of the amount that has been spent in Afghanistan & Iraq. As a side note, my son’s attacker who stabbed my son five times was sentenced by our justice system to nine months in jail, no restitution, where he had access to free rehabilitation, education and, I’m sure, free healthcare. What a wonderful system.

143. Deneen Says:
     June 29th, 2007 at 6:50 pm

     I can not afford insurance.

144. grace Says:
     June 29th, 2007 at 6:51 pm

     i have no insureance no type of coverage and i take over 8 types of meds and now have found out im a diabetic border line, so with high blood pressure heart problems,i take coummadin i take pain pills for fybermyalgia,i have osteoarthritis and perosis, i have horrible bad eyes and now with all of this i can’t even see a regular doctor, and i really need a total knee replacement on both legs, i have had both breast removed due to cancer, and im a widow on top of all of this, i live in the richest country in the world, im a natural born citizen and believe me it burns me up when i see other people not from this country buying tons of food with food stamps and getting medicine with health cards and i can’t because im in the wrong age bracket for any type of govermental help and the job i struggle to work at each day has no ins or anything else because we are independent workers and at my age ( 58) i cant be job choosey because im not young and beautiful. any way im mad and even tho im taxed to death on everything i cant hardly afford my meds or rent or food but boy let me not pay something even tho i can’t afford my meds and ole irs is right there i wish bush would go back to crawford texas and loose everything he has but that will never happen and i guess im gonna have to hope that God provides for me

145. Melinda Connally Says:
     June 29th, 2007 at 9:22 pm

     My mother died from breast cancer at the age of 33; she left behind 5 children and a husband. My older sister began having yearly mammograms at the age of 30, and my doctor has recommended that I do the same due to our family history of breast cancer. Last year, when my sister turned 33, she received a notice from her insurance company stating that they would not cover her annual mammogram. Confused by this, she called the company, and was told that the screening was “frivolous” and “unnecessary” for a 33 year old woman, EVEN THOUGH OUR OWN MOTHER HAD DIED FROM BREAST CANCER AT THE SAME AGE! She was forced to speak with numerous people at this company on many different occasions before finally getting this decision reversed.

146. Megan Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 5:10 am

     In May,1997, my son graduated from highschool in PA. He was living with his father at the time. After he graduated, he came to CT to live with me and attend college at Eastern University. His father had paid for an out of state plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield of PA so that if Sean became ill, he could be treated in CT and the insurance would pay.
     Sean came to the doctors office where I worked, on July 7, 1997 and had a college physical. His testicle was doublee the size and he had a mass that was 10 cm in size. He was sent to a Urologist where further testing proved that he had stage 3 testicular cancer. the doctor got on the phone with experts at Dana Farber and Sean went there. They said he was a candidate for a blind study there that could involve a double stem cell transplant. But the problem was, BCBS of PA didn’t want him to go, so they denied the protochol. Sean’s tumor markers were over 200,000 initially. In a man they are supposed to be

147. jOHN BECKER Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 6:31 am

     an insurance company was originally a non profit entity for the benefit of farmers who had crop failures. If weather was good and not claims, then there was no premium for the next year because the money just laid in the bank. a religeous group a few years ago used this group banking system for it’s churchgoers and it worked well untill the competing insurance companies said the stock investors wanted huge profits and this church system was UNFAIR COMPETITION and hiding behind a tax free entity. The people didn’t care because they all benefited and saved money. (free enterprise) The gov’t ruled against the churches based upon separation of church and state and putting business in the pulpit. THE PEOPLE LOST AGAIN. WHY DOESN’T CHINA REBUILD IRAQ? They can do it alot cheaper than HALIBURTON and that will save the US TAXPAYERS BILLIONS. WHERE IS THE FREE MARKET being used in the mideast? don’t the rich just love monopolyism? HOWS YOUR GAS BILL?

148. Megan Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 7:11 am

     Good for you Lisa! you weren’t willing to sell your soul!
     Megan

149. Arlene Wise Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 7:35 am

     If people get well, where will the doctors get their income??

     CAn you imagine a well country and all the doctors learning new jobs or professions etc.. One dr. working as a carpenter and grease money at a car garage etc..??

150. Distressed in NY Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 9:22 am

     I specifically asked my health insurer BEFORE purchasing the insurance if my doctor’s were enrolled. The answer was yes, so I purchased the insurance.

     I went to my appointment for an MRI and the nurse stated that I needed a “pre-approval” number. We called the insurer while I was in the Dr.’s office (3x) and the insurance company DID PROVIDE A PRE-APPROVAL NUMBER for the MRI.

     However, the nurse said I needed to sign a form that stated I will pay for the MRI if the insurance company does not pay OR ELSE the MRI could not be done OR I would have to pay up front (it cost several thousand dollars). In pain, I signed the form because the pre-approval was given. Now I have a bill for the MRI (pre-existing condition). My credit was already down the tubes because of identity theft, now this. Thankfully I am a person of faith because I prayed for my health and was able to put off surgery (symptoms/pain subsided) until I can get myself in order and fight back. I’m planning to go to law school.

     Thank you so much for doing this documentary. I will use it as a teaching tool every chance I get!

151. Amanda Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 12:27 pm

     I’m a full-time university student as well as holding down a full-time job. However, I cannot possibly pay for any health coverage between supporting my dad and myself. I was dropped from Medicaid when I turned 21 for continued coverage despite the fact that I was under suicide watch by my therapist (brought on by being overwhelmed with stress). I was told by Social Services that if I wanted any medical coverage, I’d have to “get knocked up.”

152. Louise Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 12:40 pm

     I have worked as an RN for 15 years at a “magnet” hospital. In 2003 I had been battling obesity for over 15 years and was ready for a permanent solution, so I decided to get a Lap Band. Insurance denied it, so I took my health into my own hands and went to Mexico for my surgery, saving myself about $10,000 while getting a much more experienced surgeon. In 2006 I had lost 30 pounds, regained 40, was having gastric reflux which I had never experienced before in my life, was unable to eat bread or meat, was vomiting 3-4 times a week from food getting stuck in the band and for 2 1/2 days was unable to eat or drink anything because a piece of steak had lodged in the band. I wanted the band removed and I wanted a gastric bypass. I fought with Principal Financial for a year to have the surgery covered. They were disrespectful, uncaring and heartless. I was told by one woman there that because I lost weight after my tonsillectomy, obviously I was able to lose weight, I must just not be trying hard enough. Finally I decided I would just have the band removed without the bypass, and I was told that that would be covered if medically necessary. Wouldn’t you think that being unable to eat or drink for 2 1/2 days would make it medically necessary? Well, in the eyes of those wonderful medical professionals, apparently not. Their latest ploy is to prove that I shouldn’t have had the band in the first place, therefore they shouldn’t have to pay to take it out. I’m tired of trying reason with unreasonable people and I am hiring a lawyer. I’m ashamed of the doctors and nurses who sell us out so their companies can make a buck.

153. Chuck Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 5:06 pm

     Being a semi-sensible person myself. –Or as the INS co. OH,–”Another idiot.” Screwed me out of treatment in -2003-2005 and is still doing so. I’m fixing to sue, its the only way I hear. Sue them and they’ll fold, but you HAVE TO FILE SUIT AGAINST THEM for it to work. Tis a real pity that the wealthy doesn’t give a *)^%T about his brother and sister Americans. Just like G.W. Bush.

154. Mary L Hale Says:
     June 30th, 2007 at 7:09 pm

     I was paying $100 a month for health insurance with a $5,000 deductible. I decided to cancel it since I would just be paying most of the cost anyway. Now I have no health insurance.

155. Jessica Says:
     July 1st, 2007 at 3:58 am

     I suffered from knee problems for years and begged my docotor (Blue Shield HMO) to send me to physical therapy. He refused and ultimately told me to take 4 Advil’s every four hours. The pain went away while I was taking the drugs but my blood started thinnin. I went back to the same doctor with the new problem and he sent me to a specialist to check my blood. The specialist told me my blood was thinning because of the high number of Advil that I was taking and ordered that I stop immediately. Needless to say, I never returned to that doctor and changed my plan. After seeing your documentary, I don’t know what is the “better” insurance company.

156. Eric Moser Says:
     July 1st, 2007 at 4:45 am

     I paid weekly for my insurance through my work. I paid the highest premium. I had to go to the emergency room because I was really sick (not deathly ill but, sick). I got a medical bill for nearly $300.00. I was asked to contact my insurance agent to see if they were going to pay for it. I was told by my insurance that they don’t pay for emergency visits at all. I started out with Cigna then it changed to Foundation or Beech or something like that. Not even sure who my insurance was… I told the company I was working for that I wanted to cancel my medical insurance and I was told I would have to wait for the open enrollment period to cancel which was in November… I felt like a prisoner of the system and a victim.

157. Leslie B Says:
     July 1st, 2007 at 9:30 am

     I am so tired of paying monthly premiums only to find that I get very little or no coverage whenever I go to the doctor. And I am talking about routine things , like allergies, knee pain, influenza, mammograms. According to the insurance company , I ‘was not covered at the time of service’. Curious, since I have had continuous coverage for several years with the same company.
     In a recent meeting at work, our central office insurance coordinator asked if any of us had any issues with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. Surprise! Every one of us had had similar experiences of coverage denied.
     These guys are crooks, pure and simple. And they are stealing our money!

158. Tom Says:
     July 1st, 2007 at 9:43 am

     US health insurance is built to be a money making insdustry. The fewer payouts they have to make, the more money is made.

159. Lezlie Says:
     July 1st, 2007 at 10:31 am

     Please understand the definition of insurance. Insurance is coverage by contract to guarantee another against an unforseen loss by a specified contingency. You are signing a contract for your unforseen losses. Not pre-exisiting conditions (and for the actress, you are pretty lucky that your insurance company will consider those charges after one year), not for coverage specifically denied by your contract, etc.

     Why are you signing contracts that only have an Outpatient maximum of $2,500. Do you understand that chemotherapy is an outpatient service? And, do you understand that after 2 months of chemotherapy, that Outpatient max will be satisified?

     BE A SMART CONSUMER. Until our government decides that healthcare in this country IS a crapshoot and needs to be paid for by themselves, the best we can do is be smart about our decisions. You should know your insurance’s customer service number by heart. Call and ask before you go and have any services done.

     If they say no, ask for a medical review indicating what services comparable to those requests ARE covered? Call your provider’s office, advise that the charges aren’t covered. Ask what else can be done. Call your congressman, let them know specifically what is going on. Contact your state’s department of insurance. It’s not that hard. GOOGLE it.

     Just be smart about it.

160. Janet Bridges Says:
     July 1st, 2007 at 1:17 pm

     Almost 30 years ago as a Board member of a Massachusetts community health center I spoke with Sen. Ted Kennedy about National Health Care. How long does Washington need!! NO ONE I repeat NO ONE in Washington no matter what the Party is going to make
     any SIGNIFCANT changes to health care unless there is a serious organized movement to change this system NOW not 3, 5 or 10 years from now. As evident in all of these letters something must be done to stop the suffering of all Americans. The fact that our military families deal with this is the most disgusting of all. They put their lives on the line for us.
     With all of the intelligent individuals we have in this country I believe a group of doctors, financial analysts and citizens could put their heads together and come up with a plan, goodness knows Washington never will!!!
     Challenge the Presidential candidates to do more than empty promises just to win the election. Ask them for a plan, a timeline, and what they are going to do here and now to get this started while they are our Senators and Representatives. We need more Michael Moores to help us accomplish this one battle in the war of survival for middle class America for the little guy has no voice.

161. Shannon Says:
     July 1st, 2007 at 6:15 pm

     I am a woman of child bearing age who has a family history of Tay-Sachs. (a fatal genetic disorder). I went to my GP for genetic testing to determine if I was a carrier-before I tried to get pregnant. (My mother and her father are carriers) BCBS denied my claim because we are not of Jewish dissent (this disease is mostly prevalent in Jewish populations). They denied my claim despite a *family history* of this *genetic* disease!!! I was actually one of the lucky ones because my doctor’s office was so outraged when they heard that the insurance company denied my claim they contacted insurance immediately and didn’t stop protesting until insurance agreed to pay. What kind of an insurance company denies a woman of child bearing age genetic testing when she has a family history of fatal genetic disorders

162. Thomas Renteria Says:
     July 1st, 2007 at 11:45 pm

     Just saw SICKO, wanted to share my similair experience. Driving to Lake Tahoe for a seasonal summer restaurant I got involved in a spectacular auto accident in which I got hit and run over by an fully loaded Peterbuilt 18-wheeler hay Truck. Lucky for me, I was in a new Subaru Outback. Anyway, both myself and the truck driver were brought by ambulance to Tulare Hospital. Later I got double billed because there were two of us ($1995.00);that was just the beginning. After Seven Years with Blue Cross without any Claims, They upped my monthly Premiun to $495 and my deductable to $2500. I had to cancel. Not Right! So glad you can see the Truth in you movie.

163. Matt Says:
     July 2nd, 2007 at 9:52 am

     I needed to have emergency throat surgery last year and through my family have so-called “full-coverage” medical insurance. After a quick and successful surgery I start getting letters from the ER doctor and anesthetist for $400 and $800 respectively. This is during a year where my family has already paid the outrageous $5000 deductible. Now I have to try to get the insurance company to pay something that was obviously a necessary procedure that was covered by our policy. Not only is the healthcare in America tremendously expensive, but getting any kind of sickness results in a huge headache.

164. Brandon Says:
     July 2nd, 2007 at 9:59 am

     I had always assumed one of the perks of being a teacher would be the profession’s much-vaunted retirement and health benefits. Boy was I wrong. This year, when I decided to change school districts in order to pursue a more lucrative salary offer(Capitalism! Gasp!), I was informed that the Kaiser health insurance which I had fully paid for until August of this year would be cancelled, effective the date of my resignation. The premium contributions for the remaining two months of coverage which I had already paid were “refunded” back to me in my final paycheck.

     So now, for my summer vacation, I get to become a member of the growing number of U.S. citizens completely “free” of the burden of health insuran

165. Teresa Chaure Says:
     July 2nd, 2007 at 1:11 pm

     Six years ago, my son was insured thru Aetna on his father’s policy, he was 12 years old. Complaining of a knee pain, we went to an orthopedic Dr. in network and he was diagnosed with Osgood Shlaughters (sp?) Disease, which is simply his bones were growing faster than his ligaments (a common ailment when boys go through that growth spurt)with time it corrected it self. At 18, and by now fully grown at 6′3″, his father became self-employed and we purchased an individual plan for him thru Blue Cross. About 3 months after having the policy, he complained of a pain in his knee again, and we returned to the same Dr. as before, ashe was also in the Blue Cross network. The issue with his knee was not detected in the x-ray, (bones and ligaments were all fine now) so an MRI was approved and scheduled. That Also showed no cause, so he was told to take it easy, ice it, the usual. Thinking all this is done, co-payments paid, etc., I receive a bill for both the Dr’s charges and the MRI, followed by a letter that this condition was pre-existing, and the policy cancelled. I immediately contacted the Dr’s office, and they vehemently denied ever saying there had been a previous condition, as 1) it was determined to not have been related to the Osgood Shlaughter’s from 6 years prior 2) they were sensitive to the fact that we had changed insurance. Not being able to afford close to $2,000.00 in fees, I had to make payments arrangements, and am now just one payment away from being paid up!! The problem now is that my son is uninsured, as we are afraid that he will be turned down because of his knee! He is in college now, so he at least has health services on campus - and we just pray that nothing happens! I can’t afford to include him on my insurance at work, and support him while he gets his education. I know I am not the only one in this situation - what ever happened to the American Dream??

166. Alicia Says:
     July 2nd, 2007 at 2:45 pm

     my story isnt as tragic as some people but me and my mother have gone through so many insurance companies and NONE of them have covered ANYTHING EVER! my doctor doesnt even take it…it doesnt cover any part of any prescription that ive ever gotten, so ive ended up paying over 100$ for most of the prescriptions i needed. your movie opened up a whole new world for me and i completely agree with you and how our healthcare systems suck! thanks for making this movie!

167. Deb Mason Says:
     July 3rd, 2007 at 5:24 pm

     Michael I can’t wait to get to the theatre to see your new movie. I have seen every one you have ever made, BLESS YOU FOR SPEAKING TRUTH.
     I would just like to say that although I have insurance through my husbands company, I almost never see a doctor. I believe completely in holistic, natural medicine.
     People in this country eat a steady diet of nothing but garbage food, fed to us by the same criminal thugs that run the insurance industry, pharmaceutical companies and for that matter our government. It’s all big business. Wake up people, be responsible for your own body. Don’t run for a pill everytime you have a minor discomfort. If God had wanted us to take drugs they would grow on trees. And as for cutting into people, that should be the last resort not the first option.
     If we all stop feeding these corporate monsters they will no longer be able to gouge us gullable consumers.
     I know there are illnesses that require some type of medical intervention, but most things are treatable at home with herbal remedies or changes in the diet (you don’t even want to get me started on diet, the food “pyramid” fiasco and the SAD Standard American Diet)
     Our health care mess is our own fault. We are a lazy, whiny society that wants everything to be fixed by someone else. Take responsibility for your own health. Buy books, go on the internet, see a naturapath, learn about alternative medicine. It’s your body, learn something about it.

168. Cheryl Says:
     July 3rd, 2007 at 5:37 pm

     I am a Family Nurse Practitioner who works in a low income rural area. I pay a large premium for my health insurance because of a chronic illness that did not keep me from getting a Bachelors, a Master and a postgraduate degree. My insurance company will not allow me to fill prescriptions if they don’t agree with my doctor regarding my need. The insurance company does not even have to get an opinion from a Dr. of like experience for approval of the medication. In other words a “Family Practice Dr.” can over ride a recommendation by a “Neurologist”. Now I only got my health insurance by a fluke since the company over looked the fact that I had a chronic condition.. accidentally. Thank goodness they missed it! Now let’s talk about anyone who serves in Government and look at their health care… Hillary has health care for the rest of her life since she was a First Lady and now she has Health care for the rest of her life as a Senator… I doult she would be denied coverage if she got Hypertension or Diabetes. If we go for Universal Health Care Coverage we still need to make sure it’s not rationed like in other countries. As a provider I won’t ever be a millionaire, but all of my patients will get the best care I can provide. My point is, it’s more than Health Insurance Companies, more than bad providers, it’s more than rising cost of care. I’m not sure there is a simple answer!

169. Garret Says:
     July 3rd, 2007 at 9:43 pm

     Hi Mike,

     My good friend, who’s name I don’t want to use,lost his job in your home town of Michigan. Well, he found out years ago that he has diabetes and he smokes around 2 packs a day. Now, his only option at the time was to go on Medicade and after being on Medicade for only a year, Medicade cut his medication by half. Since then he’s had numberious sugar crashes, some have led him very close to death. Now Medicade is telling him that he was being cut off and he had to pay the full premium which, get this, is over $1500 a month. Crazy right, well here’s where it gets a little more interesting, I knew a guy who works in health care and I recommened that my friend see him just so he could see what he had to offer. Guess what, this guy I knew was able to find my friend an affordable health care plan that would suit his needs, and for (oh my gosh) less then the GOVERNMENT BASED HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT YOU ARE PROMOTING. The same health care plan that was going to cut my friend off from the life saving drugs he needed.

     Now I would be very supprised to see you publish this on your website because why in God’s green earth would you want to put a statement, in it’s entirety, against you on your website? In fact, to turn things around completely, I think you should do your next movie about corrupt movie producers who take money from the very poor people’s pockets that they are (supposingly trying to help) and buy nice big homes, nice big cars, and live in lavish luxary, while the rest of us get feed your crap.

     Oh, here’s another movie idea. How about a independent film about raising price in food because liberals, like yourself, push for ethonal to be put in our gas but the production of which raises the price of the food that we eat. That sounds like a great movie idea.

     If you want more movie titles, I’ve got them.

170. Debra Says:
     July 3rd, 2007 at 11:52 pm

     My parents were both productive members of society who had always played by the rules, and done everything right. They had good jobs, raised two kids, managed to buy a house, pay off the debt, etc.

     But in 1996, they both developed serious chronic health conditions at the same time. My mom lost her job; my dad could only work part time with his heart condition. Luckily, his work insurance continued to cover the four of us…until his branch of the floor covering store he worked at was shut down. My father, who at this point was battling terminal pulmonary fibrosis and chronic congestive heart failure, was suddenly unemployed - and unable to provide health insurance for himself, his sick wife, and his two kids.

     Well, nobody wanted to hire a 53-year-old man with a terminal condition - let alone give him health insurance! My dad took to begging, bargaining. Finally, a bank took pity on him and gave him a teller job (at $8 an hour), with the understanding that he was really working for the health insurance. My dad was grateful. What choice did he have?

     My father continued to work at that bank during the last months of his life. He stood all day at that teller’s desk, while at home he was mostly confined to a bed. He continued to work that job until he was at 1/3 lung capacity, at which point the doctors gave him two weeks to live. He could afford two weeks.

     I am utterly convinced that my father would have lived longer had he been permitted to treat his condition properly. A man with a serious lung condition should not be required to stand all day long simply in order to pay for his own treatment. Is this the country my father raised me to know and love?

171. Janice Says:
     July 4th, 2007 at 8:07 am

     I just love my PPO plan. It requires that I go to certain doctors and hospitals that they choose. If I don’t go to an in-network doctor or hospital, they pay very little. Here’s the kicker: I live in a small town, and have to travel over two hours so my daughter can get her eyes checked, her pediatrician appointments, etc. I have Aetna. When I called and asked them if there was anything that they could do for me, they told me that, “it wasn’t their fault that I live in the middle of nowhere.” Very profesional, bravo to you, Aetna.

172. FarmKid Says:
     July 4th, 2007 at 1:30 pm

     I grew up, the daughter of a farmer. Like most self own businesses, we had insurance, but the deductibles were very high…you didn’t go to the hospital unless you couldn’t fix it yourself…and you always tried everything to fix it yourself first.

     I remember one time in the winter when I was very sick. I had a fever of 105. I remember they turned off the heat to the house so it would be cold and opened the front door to let in the cold winter air. Then they put me in a cold shower until I was completely wet and made me walk the halls naked until I was dry. I think they did this three times.

     Yes, it did bring down the fever. I remember begging my parents to stop, and promising that I would be a good girl. I didn’t understand why, at the time, they were making me do that. They explained to me later that with such a high fever, I would get brain damage, and they HAD to get the fever down.

     I had forgotten about this event of my life until I saw your movie.

173. Katey Says:
     July 4th, 2007 at 1:53 pm

     A few years ago I had to have reconstructive knee surgery. Being a naive 23 year old fresh out of college I figured that my corporate health plan would take care of everything. After all, I paid a good chunk of money every month for the most expensive plan my company offered. Well, United Healthcare decided that certain things wouldn’t be covered. Like the fact that I was allergic to morphine and needed a different drug so my throat wouldn’t close up cost me $90.
     But my real complaint is that a couple weeks later as I was gimping around with one usable leg on crutches I fell and broke my foot on my good leg! So then I wasn’t able to walk at all. So I called United Healthcare to see if I could get a wheelchair approved. They told me NO! They told me it was a luxury item! WHAT?!?!? I wasn’t asking for one of those motorized scooters! I explained to several people there that I couldn’t walk at all and I had no way to get around. Still, they wouldn’t approve it. So I had to walk at a snails pace for 6 weeks. Because of the pressure I had to put on my foot my bones never healed properly. Thanks United Healthcare!

174. Melissa Says:
     July 4th, 2007 at 3:56 pm

     Hi. My son is currently two years old, and those of you with children know how many doctors visits a two year old has had in their little lifetime. I went in to his two year checkup and they told me i had a balnce due of over $700.00. I didn’t think this was right, so i called the insurance company, and they told me that they do not cover “well baby” visits, they only cover the child when he is sick. I was really outraged; i could not understand why they would rather my child be sick, than prevent him from something that could affect his entire life! What a sad world we live in. Mr. Moore, my family and I commend you!

175. Gregory Highfill Says:
     July 4th, 2007 at 7:06 pm

     I’m one of the lucky ones. I worked for AT&T for 25 years and was represented by one of those “commie-labor unions.” Through the strikes that I and earlier generations of employees, AT&T has some of the finest health insurance at the lowest cost to the employee.

     I am “retired” now and I do not pay for my insurance. My doctor co-pay is $20, and I have a mail-in prescription plan, which I manage to hit the maximum charge half way through the year.

     I’ve lived with HIV since 1985 and as a result of the toxic and very expensive medications, I have undergone two open-heart surgeries, had cancer, diabetes and a host of other complications, but I’m still with the living. I’m not sure if this would be true with lesser or no insurance.

     I am grateful every day for what I have, and attend support groups filled with people just trying to get the very basics of health care. The system is definitely broken, and even with capitalistic medicine it all makes bad business sense. Other countries spend less money per capita for healthier citizens.

     This documentary seems to be cutting across party lines, which means it may stand a chance of changing things in this country.

176. Roberta Branca Says:
     July 4th, 2007 at 9:20 pm

     I wasn’t gonna hog the space, I’ll look like a “gadfly”, but what the heck … the full list of my experiences includes …

     1979: Had to stay in hospital three days so the insurance would cover the $1200 for a back brace
     1985: my parents’ first introduction to HMOs. My father’s new insurance plan won’t cover visits to my orthopedic specialist, even though he is the best in the country and agrees to accept the HMO contract fee. My parents decide to take me to him and pay all costs out of pocket. Friends and teachers scoff when I tell them I’m not covered my medical insurance.
     1986: Now 18, Sen. Bob Kerry is the first presidential candidate to talk about a national healthcare system. Nobody around me seems to see this as an important issue.
     1988: Following a car accident in which the car overturned and I was suspended in my seatbelt for 20 minutes, the ER attendant refuses to do back x-rays even though it hurts when I breathe and I say I feel “something loose in my back’. She refuses to call my specialist, is about to prescribe muscle relaxants until my mother tells her i have a rspiratory condition possibly caused by a muscular disease. She finally calls my orthopedist, who prescribes Codiene and orders an x-ary. I have three broken ribs.
     1990: I am denied individual health coverage because of the muscular condition, which is still undiagnosed. I instantly wonder whether i can ever be self-employed as a writer since I am ineligible for self-insurance. Spend years trying to get references to the muscular disease off my record while somehow still being able to receive treatment when needed.
     1991-1994: My employer, a small newspaper publishing company, is “self-insured”. I quickly discover this means that even though i pay premiums through paycheck deductions, their entire “insurance plan” is dependent on a bank account they can choose not to contribute to. When the account is bled dry, they stop paying claims. Me and my coworkers find ourselves being dropped as patients left and right. I called the labor department about the paycheck deductions. First, they tell me the company is to small to be prosecuted and the case law is fuzzy. So I start crying over the phone. The next day the Dept. of Labor rep calls me AT WORK to warn me that if I pursue a complaint, it won’t be confidential and the company can fire me. I take a “sideways promotion”, in other words find a new job at the same level for about the same amount of money but better benefits.
     1997: The ‘ask a nurse’ I’ve called through my new HMO orders an ambulance to my apartment because i have woken up at 3 a.m. with heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and pain running down my left arm. It turns out it’s “only” stomache acid in my vains, which caused a panic attack leading to the heart palpitations. I spend all night in the ER. Next day the personnel office calls me at work to tell me not to call an ambulance again unless it’s a real emergency. The insurance company attempts to deny the ambulance claim as a non-emergency, as well as the ER visit because the ER physician didn’t file a referral form. I use the Better Business Bureau system to force the insurance company and the hospital to work it out between themselves and leave me out of it.
     1997-98: My PCP decides my continued digestion problems (see above, stomach acid in my veins) is probably a stomach bug, and although she admits the symptoms don’t actually fit she refuses to order tests to confirm it or to send me to a specialist. She tries a variety of antibiotics, which weakens my immune system and leads to several respiratory infections and walking pneumonia. After six months I change PCPs, and I’m diagnosed with a hiatal hernia — my stomach literally gets caught in my throat because the diaphragm muscle is damaged. This can cause throat cancer if left untreated. Still hasn’t been surgically treated but I was on prescription meds for a while until I learned to control the symptoms through diet.
     1998-99: I get tired of my PCP’s office saying “that isn’t in your records” regarding medicine allergies, family medical history, and personal medical history. So I order copies of all my records for the entire three years that this HMO has been treating me. The records are full of inaccuracies, incomplete information and some statements that can only be characterized as lies. I become a contract worker, and as soon as my COBRA ends, I find a new HMO company. (Please note: If you are eligible for any insurance at all, even if it sucks, you are NOT eligible for individual insurance and so can not shop around. So much for “free market consumer choice”.
     2001: The PCP I have been seeing for two years discovers that i have lost my health insurance and drops me as a patient. At the time I was being treated for adult scoliosis, restrictive lung disorder, and a bunch of other crap. The smaller hospital that covers the uninsured does not have a pulmonary department. Five years later, I have still not had the regular tests necessary to make sure the breathing machine I use at night is properly set. I have no idea what I would have done if it had broken down.
     2003: Although I am eligible for state insurance coverage through unemployment, they have taken their time approving me for premium reimbursements. I discover that a new law allows my HMO to deny coverage if my premiums have lapsed, and i will have to pay premiums for six months before claims will be paid out again. I called the constituency office of my state legislator. They’ve never heard of this law, and have no idea how to help me. The state Insurance Division send me a list of insurance companies that will cover my situaiton. Premiums are $5,000 a year. I’m ineligible for any other state health plan since technically I ‘have insurance’.
     2007: After a couple years of part-time jobs that at least provided insurance — again, that wonderful animal called ‘company self-insurance’; I land a FT permanent job and happily enroll in a Blue Cross HMO. After three months the company drops the HMO. My choices are two Aetna plans, one with high copayments and one with high-deductibles. Plus a couple different savings account options, and i experience the joys of being reimbursed with my own paycheck deductions. This is considered a benefit because they are pre-tax. Our parent company releases an annual report about their health benefits, and it turns out they are self-insured … a joy to know STOCKHOLDERS are entrusted with my healthcare “choices”.
     Next weekend when I get paid I am running, not walking to see Mike’s new movie.
     There. Done. If I think of anything else, I’ll write my own book.

177. Max Says:
     July 5th, 2007 at 3:07 pm

     HELLLLLLOOO. I am being sued right now for a delinquent medical bill. I could care less. I have spoken to the insurance re: this issue many times they still have not addressed it. Finally they ok’d part of the claim.The rest of claim remains denied. IT IS FOR ANESTHESIA! Hello, I had major surgery twice in a week. the “clerk said but ma’am you had surgery the week prior. Duh I am sorry too the doctor could not complete it. What was I to do bring my own drugs for the second surgery??????????????

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