Guest guest Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 Now... tell us how you really feel! In a message dated 2/21/04 3:06:59 AM, genie7368@... writes: << I believe this is the article you are looking for. This is so sad, because on the news they said insurance companies especially BCBS are saying our weight is SELF inflicted. Hey is that is the case, they need to drop liver problems with alcoholics, they need to drop any self inflicted wounds or situations. That was a total bull-statement for them to say, and they need to pay for any MEDICAL problem no matter how it became. If it wasn't for gaining (self inflicted) weight there would hardly be no need for any surgeons. So who does the insurance companies work for?? Not the one that is paying them you and me, but the medical profession so they can all make a pile of money of us. that is SAD. Take care, ne 1/5/04 Dr R Statesville 310/278 >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 ne you said " So who does the insurance companies work for?? Not the one that is paying them you and me, but the medical profession so they can all make a pile of money of us. that is SAD. " I beg to differ in a respectful but emphatic reply. The insurance companies especially HMOs do NOT work for the medical profession... they work for their stock holders and themselves. Ask any Doctor about how much hooey they have to go through to get paid. The insurance companies are in the business to make money. They make money by collecting more premiums and paying out as little as possible. They do this by denying claims and stalling on payments to the doctors as long as possible. The insurance companies make getting reimbursed difficult hoping you will " give up " and say it's not worth the hassle of it all. Please don't lump the medical professionals in with the insurance low lifes like the jerk you quoted from that article in FLorida. You know Dr. Rutledge and Dr Hargroder etc. aren't in this just for the money. And my husband who is a Pediatrician isn't a doctor for the money either. They want to help people. Doctors are highly trained and skilled professionals who spent sometimes up to 15 years in higher education . The long hours on their feet doing precision life saving surgery, or on call answering the phone in the middle of the night with worried patients and their families deserve to be rewarded. Sorry if I sound aggravated but I get resentful when people think that Doctors are overpaid and moneygrubbing. PS. My insurance co. Blue CHoice an HMO doesn't pay for ANY Weightloss treatment... drugs... therapy... etc or surgery. They just hope you will be desperate enough to pay for it yourself. Then they get all the benefits of the surgery results ( less money out for high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, sleep apnea, sexual dysfunction, bladder incontinence surgery etc....) without having to pay anything out. We refinanced our house to get enough cash to pay for my MGB last spring. It's the best 17,0000 we've ever spent in our lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 Hi I want to be thin!! Yes, when I feel something I usually say how I feel, thank God for these boards so we can all vent and compare notes. And I am very disappointed in that news article from Blue Cross Blue Shield. I was hoping these company's would figure they would be saving money in the long run by helping us now, but I guess they don't want to put out the initial big amount. What happened to helping the people who are a medical necessity? What I am really afraid of is the rest of the insurance companies following along with BCBS and making it impossible for the people who really couldn't afford this surgery at all. That's just my thoughts but lets hope that wont happen, I want to see all these new pre-ops getting on this board and be able to have the chance to have this surgery to help their lifes! Well, take care and next time leave your name for us! Thanks, ne 1/5/04 Dr R In a message dated 2/21/2004 6:01:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, Iwant2BThin@... writes: > Now... tell us how you really feel! > > > > In a message dated 2/21/04 3:06:59 AM, genie7368@... writes: > > <<I believe this is the article you are looking for. > This is so sad, because on the news they said insurance companies especially > > BCBS are saying our weight is SELF inflicted. Hey is that is the case, they > > need to drop liver problems with alcoholics, they need to drop any self > inflicted wounds or situations. That was a total bull-statement for them to > > say, and > they need to pay for any MEDICAL problem no matter how it became. If it > wasn't for gaining (self inflicted) weight there would hardly be no need for > > any > surgeons. So who does the insurance companies work for?? Not the one that > is > paying them you and me, but the medical profession so they can all make a > pile > of money of us. that is SAD. > Take care, > ne > 1/5/04 > Dr R Statesville > 310/278 > >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2004 Report Share Posted February 22, 2004 I feel the BC CEO was dead wrong and he will suffer himself before this is over as well he should. If Obesity is self inflicted what happened with lung cancer from cigaretts and Cirosis of the Liver from Alcohol. These are self inflicted so to speak but has anyone ever refused to treat a person with cancer. We were dying just as they are. I do see one difference. We have to eat ( a certain amount) but we do have to eat An alcoholic never had to take the first drink and a smoke feen never had to smoke the first cigarette. I would like to have figures for joint replacements in both knees and the amount it cost a person to pay for high blood pressure medicine and cholesterol problems. Also diabetes is greatly improved by this surgery. I think $ 17,000 is pretty cheep to treat these and that is not to mention any other problems that may come up. Phyllis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 Geez!!! Lighten up! At least you have health insurance. I have not had it since my divorce in 1994! I had to take out a loan to pay for my MGB! And I knew when I did that there was no way I was getting it back! I have to pay for all my meds $136 a month for my Actigal. I have to pay for my doctor visits and all my blood work on my own! I couldn't even GET health insurance because of my weight! Not even for NON weight related problems. Not even for a cut finger, a broken bone, or a cold. I would love to just have my normal stuff paid for. I wait in line at the health clinic for an hour to get my pap smear done. I have cashed in my kids savings bonds in the past to pay for emergency medical services. The way I see it is " be glad " that you had it (you MGB). Be glad that if you do have a complication or a deficiency or break you wrist roller blading that you do have insurance to cover THAT! Be thin and know that even though you didn't get your 17 grand back that it was still worth it! Every month when I make out my $318 check to the credit union to pay for my MGB I remind myself that I did it to save my life. NOT to be paid back but to be there for my husband and my kids in 20, 30, 40, and 50 years to come. I am sorry you have not gotten paid back for your surgery. I am sorry for all the ignorant people (BCBS) that think " it is our fault " . I am sorry for any suffering that you may have had over this. But just remember there are others out there, like myself, that didn't have the money but found a way to do it and NEVER was getting the money back. But please vent! It is good for you. And I do not blame you at all. But just remember some of us do not have ANYTHING to complain about or to. Debbie, Tampa Dr. R 6/27/03 255-181 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2004 Report Share Posted February 24, 2004 you must also remember that she has PAID for the medical insurance that does not want to pay-up when she needs it! so she is out the MGB money AND the insurance money! sometimes people think insurance is free through employers... it isnt. if you have 2 jobs to chose from .....one job pays 30,000 with no benefits and the other pays 27,000 with medical benefits...... a smart person takes the one WITH insurance. so, yes even though the cost or (in my case) part of the cost of ins is paid by the employer (right) we make less money for the priveledge of working for such " generous " companies. just another view of the same situation.... everyone be well... insurance or not! cathy s in va > Geez!!! Lighten up! At least you have health insurance. I have not had it > since my divorce in 1994! I had to take out a loan to pay for my MGB! And I knew > when I did that there was no way I was getting it back! I have to pay for all > my meds $136 a month for my Actigal. I have to pay for my doctor visits and > all my blood work on my own! I couldn't even GET health insurance because of my > weight! Not even for NON weight related problems. Not even for a cut finger, > a broken bone, or a cold. I would love to just have my normal stuff paid for. > I wait in line at the health clinic for an hour to get my pap smear done. I > have cashed in my kids savings bonds in the past to pay for emergency medical > services. The way I see it is " be glad " that you had it (you MGB). Be glad that > if you do have a complication or a deficiency or break you wrist roller > blading that you do have insurance to cover THAT! Be thin and know that even though > you didn't get your 17 grand back that it was still worth it! Every month when > I make out my $318 check to the credit union to pay for my MGB I remind > myself that I did it to save my life. NOT to be paid back but to be there for my > husband and my kids in 20, 30, 40, and 50 years to come. I am sorry you have not > gotten paid back for your surgery. I am sorry for all the ignorant people > (BCBS) that think " it is our fault " . I am sorry for any suffering that you may > have had over this. But just remember there are others out there, like myself, > that didn't have the money but found a way to do it and NEVER was getting the > money back. But please vent! It is good for you. And I do not blame you at all. > But just remember some of us do not have ANYTHING to complain about or to. > > Debbie, Tampa > Dr. R > 6/27/03 > 255-181 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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