F O C U S

So why do we need healthcare reform?  Why should insurance companies cover people with pre-existing conditions and raise all the healthy people’s premiums? I find myself debating this issue constantly with colleagues in the clinic.

Because when you’re healthy and have great insurance, insurance companies love you.  But as soon as you get diagnosed with a major illness (ex. cancer), suddenly they drop you and you are left with NO COVERAGE. Then you’re deemed a pre-existing condition and can’t buy health insurance anywhere, regardless of how much money you have. Then you’re left paying out of pocket for your treatment. This is exactly what happened to my mom when she was diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago after being insured for 20+ years. And that’s why I support healthcare reform even though it may screw me over since I’m currently working in the health profession. My reimbursements may be smaller and my premiums may go up in the future, but it’s worth it.

What’s the point of having insurance when they’re not gonna cover you when you really need it? That is why we need to change. Other things to change: distribution of the reimbursement scale, malpractice coverage, drug costs, medical approach (preventive care vs. only treating when things get bad/expensive), preventing redundant medical tests (super common problem).