# Health care horror story #13848732 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 26, 2009, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612 "2009-12-26T08:01:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/681 "2010-02-05T18:39:08Z")
“Why does a Sham-wow need a napkin dispenser?” ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/682 "2010-02-05T19:48:56Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > _Napkin Sandwich: Generations_ was an abomination and/or never happened. \*\*Curlcoat \*\*would probably say it should have been aborted; for once, I think we’d agree with her. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/683 "2010-02-06T04:49:24Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > Wait - I thought people who had children without savings you deem appropriate were typical for this country? Or was it people who don’t want poor people to die in a gutter? Your world is so flat that people can only be one thing? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/684 "2010-02-06T05:30:15Z")
Flat as a napkin sandwich. That’s what my grandmother always used to say. She would know. She’s the organizer of [Napkin Conference 2010](http://www.thechurchlv.com/napkin-conference) ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/685 "2010-02-06T05:42:09Z")
> [@Indyellen](#): > > That’s correct. The pre-existing clause works as follows: > > Say you have insurance through your employer. Due to these trying economic times, you are laid off. For any number of reasons, you can’t afford COBRA coverage (where you pay the full premium - which is generally _much_ higher than individual coverage), and/or can’t afford to _immediately_ pick up an individual policy. You are out of work (or not eligible for coverage thru your new employer) for 63 days (or longer). When you DO get coverage, you will have fallen into the pre-existng condition clause, and your new policy doesn’t have to pay SHIT for **12 months**. > > That’s how the pre-existing clause works. > > (I am a medical biller with 10+ years of experience.) I apologize for quoting a post from page 2, but I hadn’t really read this thread before now except a bit that I caught from page 9 or so when I replied once before (I tend to avoid the health care debate threads) This isn’t necessarily true, it largely depends on the insurance company. For example, the policies I sell to businesses on a daily basis has no pre-existing condition clause, except to say that we don’t care about pre-existing conditions. You can be 8 1/2 months pregnant, go into labor the day the policy goes into effect and we pay for it. (I am an insurance agent with 5 years in sales and 15 years in the industry including claims) ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/686 "2010-02-06T23:14:01Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Your world is so flat that people can only be one thing? Well, if you say that people who have multiple children without planning and end up on welfare are ‘typical’, then I, who has no children, doesn’t even like children, and is not on welfare can’t also be typical. Do you not understand what ‘typical’ means? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/687 "2010-02-06T23:21:41Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Your world is so flat that people can only be one thing? The irony, it burns! ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/688 "2010-02-07T05:48:07Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > Well, if you say that people who have multiple children without planning and end up on welfare are ‘typical’, then I, who has no children, doesn’t even like children, and is not on welfare can’t also be typical. I have never said that people on welfare with multiple children are typical US citizens. > [@](#): > > Do you not understand what ‘typical’ means? Yes. Do you understand that people can be many different things? Even if it were true that I said that the typical US citizen was on welfare with multiple children, it is still possible that they also have your closed mind and fear of any different ideas. Which appears to be typical of US citizens these days. Again, I am amazed that someone with your stated education cannot follow something as simple as this. That education also apparently doesn’t provide any maturity. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/689 "2010-02-07T09:24:04Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Again, I am amazed that someone with your stated education cannot follow something as simple as this. That education also apparently doesn’t provide any maturity. As opposed to the staggering maturity you have gained over your many years? Oh, and I can _follow_ your argument, I just think it’s retarded. Capiche? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/690 "2010-02-07T18:15:07Z")
A guy at racketball returned this week. He had lymphoma and was very sick. He wound up getting stem cell transplants and it seems to have taken. For now he is appearing to be getting better. He had 2 insurances. He worked in a bank’s IT department. If he used his insurance, which would pay 80 percent, he would have lost his home during the 7 months of treatment. He would have gone bankrupt. His wife works for a hospital and her insurance covered better. But there were treatments they refused to pay for and he had to pay for them himself. The bank did not save his job for him. He has to find a job but his health history will be an impediment. He of course can not get insurance now. Yep, we have a great system. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/691 "2010-02-07T18:39:59Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > He of course can not get insurance now. Then he should just _buy_ insurance! DUH!!! Whiney bastard! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/692 "2010-02-07T21:14:23Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Then he should just _buy_ insurance! DUH!!! > > Whiney bastard! :rolleyes: [curlcoat]He should have planned for every possible contingency and saved a monetary amount of no fewer than six figures![/curlcoat] ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/693 "2010-02-08T05:24:37Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > As opposed to the staggering maturity you have gained over your many years? Far more than those of you who respond to ideas that conflict with your own by throwing out random insults and making things up. > [@](#): > > Oh, and I can _follow_ your argument, I just think it’s retarded. Capiche? Hard to believe since you have yet to address any of it. > [@gonzomax](#): > > A guy at racketball returned this week. He had lymphoma and was very sick. He wound up getting stem cell transplants and it seems to have taken. For now he is appearing to be getting better. He had 2 insurances. He worked in a bank’s IT department. If he used his insurance, which would pay 80 percent, he would have lost his home during the 7 months of treatment. He would have gone bankrupt. His wife works for a hospital and her insurance covered better. But there were treatments they refused to pay for and he had to pay for them himself. The bank did not save his job for him. He has to find a job but his health history will be an impediment. He of course can not get insurance now. Yep, we have a great system. How much money have you donated to help him out? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/694 "2010-02-08T06:01:20Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > How much money have you donated to help him out? Troll. Napkin sandwich-munching troll. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/695 "2010-02-08T06:34:11Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Troll. Ah. When you all tell me I should be responsible for strangers’ health care costs, it is a humanitarian suggestion. When I ask if **gonzomax** has helped a friend with his health care costs, I’m a troll. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/696 "2010-02-08T06:46:34Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Interesting. You forgot to twirl your mustache evilly when you said that. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/697 "2010-02-08T16:49:10Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Ah. When you all tell me I should be responsible for strangers’ health care costs, it is a humanitarian suggestion. When I ask if **gonzomax** has helped a friend with his health care costs, I’m a troll. > > Interesting. He has more money than I do. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/698 "2010-02-08T17:05:12Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > How much money have you donated to help him out? Aweome. We’re back to the spaghetti dinner suggestion. Full circle come, we have. Spaghetti sauce can be messy though. Better stock up on the napkins. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/699 "2010-02-08T17:12:37Z")
Don’t you touch those napkins! You want me to starve?!!? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/700 "2010-02-08T17:17:05Z")
Across the river in Canada, he would not have to worry about such things. In most industrial countries, nobody has to go bankrupt of lose their house when they get sick. You do not know if you or another family member is going to get sick. But the nagging worry is always there. If they do, will I be able to deal with the illness and stand up to the insurance company at the same time. They can just refuse to pay for procedures, or claim there was an omission on the info when you signed up or you had a contributory pre-existing condition that allows them to escape paying. Then, while a family member is ill, you have to spend endless hours arguing and fighting with the insurance company that was taking your premiums for years. If you have no trouble with this system, good for you. I do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612.md?page=36)