My Health-Care Story: Well Served by the System
By Hannah Boyle
Reston
President Obama tells lots of frightening medical stories, but many people can testify to being well served by the system. In the 18 months our daughter battled cancer, my husband and I never had to call our insurer, though it paid out tens of thousands of dollars in claims. In 2008, when it became necessary to accept that medical science could offer her no more, our end-of-life discussions occurred only with the doctors and nurses who had proven their dedication to healing her.
All Americans deserve such care, but it won’t come by way of the legislation offered so far.
By
washingtonpost.com editors
| August 24, 2009; 5:28 PM ET
Categories:
health care
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Posted by: jboyno | August 25, 2009 7:31 AM | Report abuse
How fortunate Mr. Larrabee's experience was.
How utterly rare an experience it actually is.
I have private health insurance for myself and my son with a widely recognized company.
I have not had any medical claims on the policy in over 4 years.
My son's leg was broken in a high school football game.The company refused many claims associated with his injury, included, but not limited to EMS transportation and limited his physical therapy to 5 visits.
I pay over $500 a month for our coverage, and have had to fight the company on almost every single claim.
I finally find that I am giving up and paying many claims out of pocket, as I would have to be unemployed to have the amount of time necessary to stay on the phone and fight them.
This should not happen to anyone.
My medical bills have me almost to the brink of bankruptcy. Does anyone give a care?
Posted by: cannguidry | August 29, 2009 4:27 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
Mr. Larrabee's conclusion is unsupported by the heart-wrenching story he relates. The health care reforms proposed, however amorphously, by the Democrats will help others get the good medical care he describes. Unfortunately, all too many have had their insurers fail them at the very point when the coverage is needed the most. The end of life discussion he is grateful for will be available to all. There will be no government intervention, except to insure the doctors get paid for their participation.
One of the problems with the reform is that it will require the 'haves' to be sympathetic to the plight of the 'have-nots'. Too many of us have a hard time doing that.