This post perfectly demonstrates the difference between us Worms and the voting public in America, and is why I like this community so much. I've never seen anyone take issue with comped subscriptions. I like that my subscription helps enable that in some way. If only Americans had the same attitude towards each other's actual lives…
I've spent so much time lately thinking of how much our (meaning the general voting population; media; government) perceptions of what government should be doing for the population has changed in New Zealand, and also in pretty much every 'Western' democracy.
In the post-WW2 era (and even before) it was understood that the government needed to invest in the nation to create an environment that fostered growth and and established a firm foundation for society. This was true everywhere. There was also an understanding that government needed to have a moderating role in commerce and capitalism in order to help balance the relative power of consumers vs. businesses.
But that's been eroding. Arguably the US leads the way in that erosion, but again it's true everywhere. We keep being hit by austerity policies that put the people in a worse position in order to ensure continuity of growth for corporations.
Government programs that supported social progress and created stable infrastructure have been privatised and shrunk.
Healthcare in the US is a really spectacular example of both the issue — a refusal to invest or interfere by the government that creates a worse situation for society as a whole in favour of private commerce — and also of the political and media narratives that have firmly taken root in order to support that status quo.
Across Western democracies it's an accepted truism that right-aligned governments are "better for the economy" when the evidence is weak at best, and entirely lacking if we want to consider the economy on any terms beyond just share prices and stock dividends.
Anyway... That is to say, it sucks that your insurance, like all US health insurance from what I can tell, is shit. And it's the most obvious symptom of a much bigger and continuing failure of imagination and policy.
The Helen Clark Foundation recently ran a poll on social cohesion with the unhappy finding that "Almost half of men aged under 45 are in favour of New Zealand being governed by a strong leader who does not have to bother with parliamentary oversight or elections". I find it quite alarming the number of people here who think that Trump is a good thing. There's work here to be done is what I'm saying, I guess.
Believe it or not, things use to be way worse before the Affordable Care Act. It used to be that you could reach a lifetime maximum after which you were no longer insurable. Or you could be denied because of a "pre-existing condition".
I left my last job because they switched to a high-deductible health plan, where everything (including meds) is out of pocket until you meet a ridiculously high deductible. Much cheaper for the employer, not so much the employees.
I have pretty good insurance through my current employer, but I once still turned down an ambulance after calling 911 because I wasn't sure if it would be covered and ambulances are ridiculously expensive. The paramedics make you sign a form and everything saying no one will sue if you die.
I think Americans DO by and large want universal healthcare, but the insurance companies spends a lot of money paying lobbyists to make sure it won't happen. And a lot of Americans are more interested these days in making other people suffer than making their own lives better.
It's certainly cheaper. I pay around $130/month at the moment. But you're very much at the mercy of your employer to provide good options. High deductible health plans are fine if you're relatively healthy, but if you're on medications or go to the doctor a lot it's way more expensive.
Also, if your current insurance isn't covering certain medications, be sure to check out GoodRx. They have free coupons for a lot of common medications that can really bring down the price. It's what I used when my insurance wasn't so great.
Excuse the length of this comment but I only hope this might help someone reading, or at least open some eyes. It saved my life. Quite literally.
My partner is South African, and the healthcare situation there puts us in similar WTF territory. The cost of health insurance is outrageous—and I wasn’t even able to get any before getting residency (and even then, only the most basic emergency hospital plan… which I couldn’t buy without a South African bank account… which I couldn’t open without a temporary residence permit… which home affairs is taking 3+ years to process).
Like you, I carried the constant “what if I get cancer/chronic illness?” worry. (Maybe not as much the mass shooting fear, but yes, because—crime + South Africa is no joke.) We were literally in the middle of discussing our options for future care when, in January, I got diagnosed with cancer.
Fuck.
I had the option of going back to Australia (huge privilege, I know)—but that would’ve meant leaving my partner behind (or waiting months for a visitor visa) and then likely waiting months more just to access public healthcare. Meanwhile, my tumour could’ve spread into my lymph nodes and taken a joy ride around my whole damn body.
No thanks.
Instead, we chose to return to the place we met—Vietnam—and I started treatment at a world-class international hospital for less than the price of a hatchback. Within a week.
I’m so, so grateful we already knew about this hospital (my partner had been treated there when we lived here before), and I’m beyond lucky we had access to the funds—because even though it’s astonishingly affordable compared to the West, it’s still not free.
I can’t even imagine what 7 weeks of cancer treatment would cost in the U.S. But I’ll say it to anyone who’ll listen:
Look overseas if you can.
(Trauma surgery for a gunshot wound or two notwithstanding.)
The thing about this is that most Americans are not worldly and simply do not think outside of the country at all. And also, we are taught from a very young age that the reason our healthcare is so expensive is that it's the best healthcare system in the world. We're taught that everywhere else, especially those countries with socialism, have shitty healthcare and everything takes longer over there since everyone can use it and just takes advantage of it. Also, a lot of our doctors here are foreign and we're told it's because the US is the best and everybody wants to be here. People come from all around the world to use our fancy expensive healthcare because it's better!
I think it's nuts that I have an aunt in Texas that literally believes this but then also goes to Mexico to stock up on cheaper medication a few times a year. Everything in the US is like this. We believe the patriotic lies we're fed while actively being fucked over by our own systems in a very visible way.
It's best, only in the sense that we are the experts at treating lots of very complex medical issues, as well as the best at keeping people alive (whether those people really should be kept alive or not). That is the only thing that is "best" about our healthcare system.
I think you’re summed it up better than I ever could (also, you’ve got a much more acute insight, as I’m not American). Maybe I’ll make it my mission to spread the word? Haha. People need to know—you CAN get amazing healthcare elsewhere and it won’t send you bankrupt. As an Aussie, the idea of being thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of dollars in debt because you needed even basic medical care is just unthinkable. It’s true though, going through the public healthcare system means some waiting—particularly if we’re not talking cancer or other immediately life-threatening illness (if you want a hip replacement, you could be looking at years). I’m so grateful that we had the experience of healthcare overseas, and in Vietnam in particular—or we NEVER would have even thought of it as an option. After all, you think medical tourism and you’re thinking Thailand or maybe Malaysia, not Vietnam. I’m 4 weeks into my 7 weeks of treatment, and the care has been incredible. Not to mention, they’ve got some of the most advanced cancer treatment technology in the world here. Feeling very, very thankful.
Like I said, though, we're not a very worldly bunch. I've never had a passport before! On the whole, we don't have much of a concept of anything outside of the US or even the part of the US where we live. We're dumb but also, we're taught to be dumb. Worldliness, or globalism, is not something we're taught to aspire to and, if anything, we're taught the opposite. The outside is *scary*, you know? Most Americans do not have friends that are not Americans that could teach or influence us otherwise.
Now I'm feeling kind of like there should be a Webworm cultural exchange program where David pairs us dumb Americans up with someone from another country and we talk & exchange ideas & eventually travel to meet in each others' countries and at the end, we have to stand up in front of the Webworm class and give a presentation on our findings.
Perfect summary. The irony of being the former leader of the "free" world is their own citizens pay with their lives because they can't afford medical care.
It can be hard not to be the main character in your own life - but thanks for at least trying not to be. (Some) Americans could learn a thing or two from you!
Oh boy, we really do. I’m fortunate to work for a large company that can subsidize my health insurance, but I realize that most Americans (and those who are here from another country) don’t have that privilege, and that’s a HUGE problem.
Healthcare is a human rights issue. No one should file for bankruptcy, set up a GoFundMe, or die because they can’t afford healthcare.
I support Medicare for all, but because the US is obsessed with the wrong things, I don’t think it will become a reality anytime soon.
ps. I'm okay with us being the fascism-at-large experiment (I mean, it sucks, but we also have a lot to answer for within the western world) but only if it means all other countries put safeguards in place to *avoid it*.
Haha, I was thinking much the same thing. I recently watched this 'review' of Auckland's (bad, IMHO) transport system which made me wonder if my doth-protest-too-much levels might be elevated! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqerH0hF2mA (worth watching even if only for the wonderfully self-aware te reo pronunciation)
Can I suggest you put together a go bag, if you haven't already? Change of (not your worst) clothes, some cash, phone chargers and toiletries, and a padlock.
I'm not saying you'll ever have to use it, but it feels nice to know you have it! And also that you know exactly where your passport is.
I certainly don't want to add to your anxiety! I'm a world away, so I don't know what it's *really* like over there. But last year my daughter had to go to the hospital repeatedly, and in between visits it was a nerve wracking time. Having a go bag ready helped me feel like I had some control over the situation, and we ended up using them too.
I would also like to add, for those of you with pets, to be disaster/emergency prepared for your pets! I can link to a list of needed stuff and podcast episode I made about this issue if anyone is interested. <3
If you're not familiar with the story, that's been a major aspect of the non-news part of the reporting. There have been a number of stories regarding people thinking he's attractive, and basing their entire perspective on the matter solely on his appearance. Others based on what they perceive as the outcome they hope will happen (or "sticking it to the man") rather than the specifics of the underlying situation. Unfortunate, because it takes away from the discussions that should really be happening, both in regards to medical insurance in the US as well as the entire judicial/criminal process.
I simply do not understand why anyone would oppose full, well-funded universal health care. I just don't get it. Everyone gets the health care they need. Your taxes go to something that you personally will benefit from multiple times throughout your life at barest minimum. It is a high percentage preventative against homelessness, addiction, public health catastrophes, workplace illness and injury, and all of it is cheaper than paying for trying to manage these things once they go bad.
It's wins all across the board yet people will lose their minds over the mere idea of it. It does my head in!
oh boy. I've been here 24 years and the health insurance issue has been the roughest roller coaster. In NYC we have a really incredible org (run by attorneys) that work for free, they will take your info and hunt the best insurance and tell you exactly why you should not pay for this or that one. I wonder if there is a similar org close to you! They are so brutally honest about the system and are actively working so hard to make sure you get something affordable. I have the cellphone of one of their workers, sometimes I just text her and say "hey is this all still good??" and when she texts me back I feel like she gave me a hug. Ha. sad. (p.s. once when I was choosing between two plans, one of the attorneys said "well do you want to rip up $300 and throw it down the drain?"....and I said no....and then he said great then don't choose that one. Argghh it's bananas.
I have to say, because what am I if not a major bummer, but NZAo is going this way. There's a two tier health system, with anyone who has a condition that isn't caused by an accident having to try figure out how much they're going to be expected to cover and what is covered by Te Whatu Ora (refuse to go back to HealthNZ).
I'm lucky. My monthly DMM (disease modifying medication) is covered, but anything extra is up to me. I do remember though, when I was first being assessed for my medication, you had to do a two hundred metre walk unaided. This surprised me because in the UK I knew many people in wheelchairs who were on the same treatment as me. I expressed my surprise to the doctor who said, "It's $40,000 a year. We have to make sure you're worth it."
Appreciate this perspective - I was super curious to get into the comments here just to learn what is happening in places that are *not* hellscape USA.
I am kind of an outlier here in that I desperately need ridiculous healthcare due to an autoimmune disease and cancer diagnosis (I'm okay!). What's sad is that I cannot accept my employer's health insurance policy because it would not cover the medical needs I have (medicines, doctors, testing, etc.), so I still have to pay about $800.00/month for my marketplace health insurance. And even with premium coverage, I had to fight over a year to get medication covered to help keep my bones from deteriorating more than they already are!
And, I'm incredibly privileged in that I can afford my insurance and most of my care and I have familial support IF I can't. I always think about how impossible it must be for a family of 4 to even get affordable care when it's absolutely necessary much less preventative care (heaven forbid!). The healthcare system in America is so broken! Thanks for hanging in there! Rant over!
Have you seen the public statement yet? I just searched it up because I was curious if they were being as transparent with the HIPAA violation as they are required to be.
Your data may have been leaked because they were using Google Analytics. Google, of all the entities out there, is what may have given your private health information away to third parties. You'd think a company so big that it's practically synonymous with being on the Internet would be capable of preventing data breaches...
I find it interesting that they told you to keep an eye on your credit report, because their statement says "There was no disclosure of other types of personal information, such as Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, or banking or credit card information." If they didn't leak any of that information, how would anything potentially leaked impact your credit report?
Also, I just scrolled to the bottom and feel the need to point out the irony of the fact that one of the companies they're directing you to for credit reports is Equifax, who had their own infamous data breach less than a decade ago in which they leaked personal data of nearly 150 million Americans...
I have worked, mostly in health insurance since 1998. Big chunk of that for "The Big Blue" (Blue Cross Blue Shield) but also for smaller insurers and even a few gigs on the providers side of things. I've seen the system go from bad, to worse to "wtf?" All the way to where we are now (which you seem to becoming familiar with) I've held pretty much all the operational positions within the claims administration world (hitting "approve or deny" on up to 26 claims an hour as a processor) The entire system is fucked. Both on the insurance side and the hospital/physician side. Both sides are money grabbers and no one is better or worse than the other. My front row seat to all of this change hasn't meant preferential treatment either. I've always had the same options for.coverage as any other member of the health plan for which I served. My main question mirrors one of your own. Why do Americans hate the idea of universal Healthcare? (Whatever the beast be named) The only argument against it I've ever heard is that "they don't want the government telling them what to do) The kicker there is that most insurance companies payment policies defer to CMS Medicare... which is run by the government. 🤦♂️
1. LOL, that airport worker is amazing and is probably a fan like the rest of us plebs.
2. PPOs are amazing when you're trying to get diagnosed with something out of left field. I received my fibro and adhd diagnosis (yes, an executive dysfunction double whammy, le sigh) within 6 months which is practically impossible. But I was able to go directly to specialists which significantly sped up the process; most folks take ~2 years for a fibro diagnosis. I think I would also upgrade to a PPO if I was planning on becoming pregnant. Too many things can go wrong and I would rather have the best available if I needed it. Pregnancy or cancer.
I'm now on HMO and haven't seen a doctor in literally five years due to provider burnout from my fibro care. When something falls apart on my body it'll be quite a shock to my routine!
I have also made the unfortunate discovery that everybody was right about movement for reducing pain. It's helped me quite a bit, damnit I hate when those fitness people are right /hj
Glad you have come to this. It's strange - you just want to rest, and I feel we are told not moving is good. But for backs - in my experience - MOVE (if you can, without obviously causing more damage). Not running and shit, but walks, and stretches, and gentle things.
A failed, but expensive, state. I still struggle to understand why so many Americans are so proud of what is increasingly looking like a theocratic hellscape (although I guess that might just be my privilege of being an outsider looking in). Like Dylan commented below - this is corroding (and I would add) highly contagious. To paraphrase Yannis Varufakis, we shouldn't be too surprised when, after building our entire economy around a giant financiallised real estate ponzi scheme, the market comes to cannibalise the very essentials of existence itself (water, medicine, etc.).
A stray thought I have pinned:
If ANYONE here who is paying for Webworm who is also dealing with bonkers medical costs
- you should *never ever* pay for Webworm.
Email me and I will comp you, anyone: davidfarrier@protonmail.com
This post perfectly demonstrates the difference between us Worms and the voting public in America, and is why I like this community so much. I've never seen anyone take issue with comped subscriptions. I like that my subscription helps enable that in some way. If only Americans had the same attitude towards each other's actual lives…
I've spent so much time lately thinking of how much our (meaning the general voting population; media; government) perceptions of what government should be doing for the population has changed in New Zealand, and also in pretty much every 'Western' democracy.
In the post-WW2 era (and even before) it was understood that the government needed to invest in the nation to create an environment that fostered growth and and established a firm foundation for society. This was true everywhere. There was also an understanding that government needed to have a moderating role in commerce and capitalism in order to help balance the relative power of consumers vs. businesses.
But that's been eroding. Arguably the US leads the way in that erosion, but again it's true everywhere. We keep being hit by austerity policies that put the people in a worse position in order to ensure continuity of growth for corporations.
Government programs that supported social progress and created stable infrastructure have been privatised and shrunk.
Healthcare in the US is a really spectacular example of both the issue — a refusal to invest or interfere by the government that creates a worse situation for society as a whole in favour of private commerce — and also of the political and media narratives that have firmly taken root in order to support that status quo.
Across Western democracies it's an accepted truism that right-aligned governments are "better for the economy" when the evidence is weak at best, and entirely lacking if we want to consider the economy on any terms beyond just share prices and stock dividends.
Anyway... That is to say, it sucks that your insurance, like all US health insurance from what I can tell, is shit. And it's the most obvious symptom of a much bigger and continuing failure of imagination and policy.
Come home soon :)
The Helen Clark Foundation recently ran a poll on social cohesion with the unhappy finding that "Almost half of men aged under 45 are in favour of New Zealand being governed by a strong leader who does not have to bother with parliamentary oversight or elections". I find it quite alarming the number of people here who think that Trump is a good thing. There's work here to be done is what I'm saying, I guess.
Seriously, what the hell is happening with men lately? Why do they need a Daddy so much??
It's a bit concerning the man-baby father figures they're choosing instead.
Reagan and Thatcher are both on a spit roast in hell for all of this.
Maybe human centipede style with a third awful person! 🙏
You just want me to come home so I can bring back duty free RumChata!
Yes... Although I'm not sure they let you get duty free on deportation flights.
😂
Believe it or not, things use to be way worse before the Affordable Care Act. It used to be that you could reach a lifetime maximum after which you were no longer insurable. Or you could be denied because of a "pre-existing condition".
I left my last job because they switched to a high-deductible health plan, where everything (including meds) is out of pocket until you meet a ridiculously high deductible. Much cheaper for the employer, not so much the employees.
I have pretty good insurance through my current employer, but I once still turned down an ambulance after calling 911 because I wasn't sure if it would be covered and ambulances are ridiculously expensive. The paramedics make you sign a form and everything saying no one will sue if you die.
I think Americans DO by and large want universal healthcare, but the insurance companies spends a lot of money paying lobbyists to make sure it won't happen. And a lot of Americans are more interested these days in making other people suffer than making their own lives better.
This is interesting - I have never had employer benefits, so it's always been a "do it for yourself" situation.
It's certainly cheaper. I pay around $130/month at the moment. But you're very much at the mercy of your employer to provide good options. High deductible health plans are fine if you're relatively healthy, but if you're on medications or go to the doctor a lot it's way more expensive.
Also, if your current insurance isn't covering certain medications, be sure to check out GoodRx. They have free coupons for a lot of common medications that can really bring down the price. It's what I used when my insurance wasn't so great.
Holy 💩 I wish your last words weren't so true 😫
It's completely true. :(
Excuse the length of this comment but I only hope this might help someone reading, or at least open some eyes. It saved my life. Quite literally.
My partner is South African, and the healthcare situation there puts us in similar WTF territory. The cost of health insurance is outrageous—and I wasn’t even able to get any before getting residency (and even then, only the most basic emergency hospital plan… which I couldn’t buy without a South African bank account… which I couldn’t open without a temporary residence permit… which home affairs is taking 3+ years to process).
Like you, I carried the constant “what if I get cancer/chronic illness?” worry. (Maybe not as much the mass shooting fear, but yes, because—crime + South Africa is no joke.) We were literally in the middle of discussing our options for future care when, in January, I got diagnosed with cancer.
Fuck.
I had the option of going back to Australia (huge privilege, I know)—but that would’ve meant leaving my partner behind (or waiting months for a visitor visa) and then likely waiting months more just to access public healthcare. Meanwhile, my tumour could’ve spread into my lymph nodes and taken a joy ride around my whole damn body.
No thanks.
Instead, we chose to return to the place we met—Vietnam—and I started treatment at a world-class international hospital for less than the price of a hatchback. Within a week.
I’m so, so grateful we already knew about this hospital (my partner had been treated there when we lived here before), and I’m beyond lucky we had access to the funds—because even though it’s astonishingly affordable compared to the West, it’s still not free.
I can’t even imagine what 7 weeks of cancer treatment would cost in the U.S. But I’ll say it to anyone who’ll listen:
Look overseas if you can.
(Trauma surgery for a gunshot wound or two notwithstanding.)
The thing about this is that most Americans are not worldly and simply do not think outside of the country at all. And also, we are taught from a very young age that the reason our healthcare is so expensive is that it's the best healthcare system in the world. We're taught that everywhere else, especially those countries with socialism, have shitty healthcare and everything takes longer over there since everyone can use it and just takes advantage of it. Also, a lot of our doctors here are foreign and we're told it's because the US is the best and everybody wants to be here. People come from all around the world to use our fancy expensive healthcare because it's better!
I think it's nuts that I have an aunt in Texas that literally believes this but then also goes to Mexico to stock up on cheaper medication a few times a year. Everything in the US is like this. We believe the patriotic lies we're fed while actively being fucked over by our own systems in a very visible way.
Holy shit, I have heard "it's the best healthcare system in the world" said to me so many fuckin' times. Brainwashed. Fully brainwashed.
It's best, only in the sense that we are the experts at treating lots of very complex medical issues, as well as the best at keeping people alive (whether those people really should be kept alive or not). That is the only thing that is "best" about our healthcare system.
I think you’re summed it up better than I ever could (also, you’ve got a much more acute insight, as I’m not American). Maybe I’ll make it my mission to spread the word? Haha. People need to know—you CAN get amazing healthcare elsewhere and it won’t send you bankrupt. As an Aussie, the idea of being thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of dollars in debt because you needed even basic medical care is just unthinkable. It’s true though, going through the public healthcare system means some waiting—particularly if we’re not talking cancer or other immediately life-threatening illness (if you want a hip replacement, you could be looking at years). I’m so grateful that we had the experience of healthcare overseas, and in Vietnam in particular—or we NEVER would have even thought of it as an option. After all, you think medical tourism and you’re thinking Thailand or maybe Malaysia, not Vietnam. I’m 4 weeks into my 7 weeks of treatment, and the care has been incredible. Not to mention, they’ve got some of the most advanced cancer treatment technology in the world here. Feeling very, very thankful.
Like I said, though, we're not a very worldly bunch. I've never had a passport before! On the whole, we don't have much of a concept of anything outside of the US or even the part of the US where we live. We're dumb but also, we're taught to be dumb. Worldliness, or globalism, is not something we're taught to aspire to and, if anything, we're taught the opposite. The outside is *scary*, you know? Most Americans do not have friends that are not Americans that could teach or influence us otherwise.
Now I'm feeling kind of like there should be a Webworm cultural exchange program where David pairs us dumb Americans up with someone from another country and we talk & exchange ideas & eventually travel to meet in each others' countries and at the end, we have to stand up in front of the Webworm class and give a presentation on our findings.
Well, here'll do! Webworm, where people from all over the world meet to read and exchange views.
All the very best with your treatment.
Thanks so much, I appreciate it 💕
Best of luck with the rest of your treatment 🌷
Thank you so much 💕
Perfect summary. The irony of being the former leader of the "free" world is their own citizens pay with their lives because they can't afford medical care.
Thanks for sharing this experience - I am so, so glad you got the help you needed. Valuable perspective - and lifesaving, for some.
I used to wonder if America existed simply to put any complaints I have about NZ into perspective. But then I realised it wasn't all about me.
It can be hard not to be the main character in your own life - but thanks for at least trying not to be. (Some) Americans could learn a thing or two from you!
Oh boy, we really do. I’m fortunate to work for a large company that can subsidize my health insurance, but I realize that most Americans (and those who are here from another country) don’t have that privilege, and that’s a HUGE problem.
Healthcare is a human rights issue. No one should file for bankruptcy, set up a GoFundMe, or die because they can’t afford healthcare.
I support Medicare for all, but because the US is obsessed with the wrong things, I don’t think it will become a reality anytime soon.
Your life is absolutely about you!
ps. I'm okay with us being the fascism-at-large experiment (I mean, it sucks, but we also have a lot to answer for within the western world) but only if it means all other countries put safeguards in place to *avoid it*.
Haha, I was thinking much the same thing. I recently watched this 'review' of Auckland's (bad, IMHO) transport system which made me wonder if my doth-protest-too-much levels might be elevated! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqerH0hF2mA (worth watching even if only for the wonderfully self-aware te reo pronunciation)
may owri
Can I suggest you put together a go bag, if you haven't already? Change of (not your worst) clothes, some cash, phone chargers and toiletries, and a padlock.
I'm not saying you'll ever have to use it, but it feels nice to know you have it! And also that you know exactly where your passport is.
I certainly don't want to add to your anxiety! I'm a world away, so I don't know what it's *really* like over there. But last year my daughter had to go to the hospital repeatedly, and in between visits it was a nerve wracking time. Having a go bag ready helped me feel like I had some control over the situation, and we ended up using them too.
(She's all good now!)
I very much have a bag, and a plan. For the current ICE situation, and a variety of disasters (the fires were also a prompt).
A friend had to do exactly that - be prepared to flee with less than a day's notice - then did. Very scary stuff.
I would also like to add, for those of you with pets, to be disaster/emergency prepared for your pets! I can link to a list of needed stuff and podcast episode I made about this issue if anyone is interested. <3
Not really on topic, but man Luigi Mangione is very photogenic!
There is a store I walk past most days that have his face on various t-shirts. Magazine covers galore. Marshall makes good points on this below.
Also, the photos of him - composition wise - are just insane. Filmic: https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1weUUH.img?w=768&h=511&m=4&q=100
I don't believe in marriage, would marry him. Don't want kids, would have his babies
If you're not familiar with the story, that's been a major aspect of the non-news part of the reporting. There have been a number of stories regarding people thinking he's attractive, and basing their entire perspective on the matter solely on his appearance. Others based on what they perceive as the outcome they hope will happen (or "sticking it to the man") rather than the specifics of the underlying situation. Unfortunate, because it takes away from the discussions that should really be happening, both in regards to medical insurance in the US as well as the entire judicial/criminal process.
I simply do not understand why anyone would oppose full, well-funded universal health care. I just don't get it. Everyone gets the health care they need. Your taxes go to something that you personally will benefit from multiple times throughout your life at barest minimum. It is a high percentage preventative against homelessness, addiction, public health catastrophes, workplace illness and injury, and all of it is cheaper than paying for trying to manage these things once they go bad.
It's wins all across the board yet people will lose their minds over the mere idea of it. It does my head in!
oh boy. I've been here 24 years and the health insurance issue has been the roughest roller coaster. In NYC we have a really incredible org (run by attorneys) that work for free, they will take your info and hunt the best insurance and tell you exactly why you should not pay for this or that one. I wonder if there is a similar org close to you! They are so brutally honest about the system and are actively working so hard to make sure you get something affordable. I have the cellphone of one of their workers, sometimes I just text her and say "hey is this all still good??" and when she texts me back I feel like she gave me a hug. Ha. sad. (p.s. once when I was choosing between two plans, one of the attorneys said "well do you want to rip up $300 and throw it down the drain?"....and I said no....and then he said great then don't choose that one. Argghh it's bananas.
I have to say, because what am I if not a major bummer, but NZAo is going this way. There's a two tier health system, with anyone who has a condition that isn't caused by an accident having to try figure out how much they're going to be expected to cover and what is covered by Te Whatu Ora (refuse to go back to HealthNZ).
I'm lucky. My monthly DMM (disease modifying medication) is covered, but anything extra is up to me. I do remember though, when I was first being assessed for my medication, you had to do a two hundred metre walk unaided. This surprised me because in the UK I knew many people in wheelchairs who were on the same treatment as me. I expressed my surprise to the doctor who said, "It's $40,000 a year. We have to make sure you're worth it."
Some doctors really fucking suck.
Appreciate this perspective - I was super curious to get into the comments here just to learn what is happening in places that are *not* hellscape USA.
I am kind of an outlier here in that I desperately need ridiculous healthcare due to an autoimmune disease and cancer diagnosis (I'm okay!). What's sad is that I cannot accept my employer's health insurance policy because it would not cover the medical needs I have (medicines, doctors, testing, etc.), so I still have to pay about $800.00/month for my marketplace health insurance. And even with premium coverage, I had to fight over a year to get medication covered to help keep my bones from deteriorating more than they already are!
And, I'm incredibly privileged in that I can afford my insurance and most of my care and I have familial support IF I can't. I always think about how impossible it must be for a family of 4 to even get affordable care when it's absolutely necessary much less preventative care (heaven forbid!). The healthcare system in America is so broken! Thanks for hanging in there! Rant over!
Have you seen the public statement yet? I just searched it up because I was curious if they were being as transparent with the HIPAA violation as they are required to be.
https://news.blueshieldca.com/notice-of-data-breach
Your data may have been leaked because they were using Google Analytics. Google, of all the entities out there, is what may have given your private health information away to third parties. You'd think a company so big that it's practically synonymous with being on the Internet would be capable of preventing data breaches...
I find it interesting that they told you to keep an eye on your credit report, because their statement says "There was no disclosure of other types of personal information, such as Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, or banking or credit card information." If they didn't leak any of that information, how would anything potentially leaked impact your credit report?
Also, I just scrolled to the bottom and feel the need to point out the irony of the fact that one of the companies they're directing you to for credit reports is Equifax, who had their own infamous data breach less than a decade ago in which they leaked personal data of nearly 150 million Americans...
I have worked, mostly in health insurance since 1998. Big chunk of that for "The Big Blue" (Blue Cross Blue Shield) but also for smaller insurers and even a few gigs on the providers side of things. I've seen the system go from bad, to worse to "wtf?" All the way to where we are now (which you seem to becoming familiar with) I've held pretty much all the operational positions within the claims administration world (hitting "approve or deny" on up to 26 claims an hour as a processor) The entire system is fucked. Both on the insurance side and the hospital/physician side. Both sides are money grabbers and no one is better or worse than the other. My front row seat to all of this change hasn't meant preferential treatment either. I've always had the same options for.coverage as any other member of the health plan for which I served. My main question mirrors one of your own. Why do Americans hate the idea of universal Healthcare? (Whatever the beast be named) The only argument against it I've ever heard is that "they don't want the government telling them what to do) The kicker there is that most insurance companies payment policies defer to CMS Medicare... which is run by the government. 🤦♂️
So many thoughts about this but my main two are:
1. LOL, that airport worker is amazing and is probably a fan like the rest of us plebs.
2. PPOs are amazing when you're trying to get diagnosed with something out of left field. I received my fibro and adhd diagnosis (yes, an executive dysfunction double whammy, le sigh) within 6 months which is practically impossible. But I was able to go directly to specialists which significantly sped up the process; most folks take ~2 years for a fibro diagnosis. I think I would also upgrade to a PPO if I was planning on becoming pregnant. Too many things can go wrong and I would rather have the best available if I needed it. Pregnancy or cancer.
I'm now on HMO and haven't seen a doctor in literally five years due to provider burnout from my fibro care. When something falls apart on my body it'll be quite a shock to my routine!
As ever, the horrors persist...
How is your back these days, David? You made it to Japan and back, I suppose that's a good sign?
I am keeping on top of it with exercise and stretching and being very careful.
I have also made the unfortunate discovery that everybody was right about movement for reducing pain. It's helped me quite a bit, damnit I hate when those fitness people are right /hj
Glad you have come to this. It's strange - you just want to rest, and I feel we are told not moving is good. But for backs - in my experience - MOVE (if you can, without obviously causing more damage). Not running and shit, but walks, and stretches, and gentle things.
A failed, but expensive, state. I still struggle to understand why so many Americans are so proud of what is increasingly looking like a theocratic hellscape (although I guess that might just be my privilege of being an outsider looking in). Like Dylan commented below - this is corroding (and I would add) highly contagious. To paraphrase Yannis Varufakis, we shouldn't be too surprised when, after building our entire economy around a giant financiallised real estate ponzi scheme, the market comes to cannibalise the very essentials of existence itself (water, medicine, etc.).
UGH, just UGH