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User no longer registered.
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I did it
Sent an emamil to my senator asking if they'd throw me in federal prison for not having heath insurance. No answer except for an acknowledgement email.
Gonnna be interesting to see what answer [if any] i get back.
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| February 4, 2012, 22:20 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
Dude, you HAVE to keep us posted on that!!!!!!!!!!!! Excellent move!!
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| February 4, 2012, 23:31 |
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perveman
111 / male
Tucson, Arizona, US
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Re: I did it
OOMG, no offense intended, go to a mirror, speak your mind. And.......?
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| February 5, 2012, 00:46 |
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yepper12
73 / male
Jeffersonville, Pennsylvania, US
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Re: I did it
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| February 5, 2012, 10:11 |
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kamarel
60 / male
Alexandria, Louisiana, US
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Re: I did it
Nice move. I suspect the likely answer is no, but you might get fined or have extra taken out for taxes to put yourself in the uninsured pool.
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| February 5, 2012, 19:26 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
WEll, I got a call from an aid of this senator. he told me that in 2014 they are going to start fining people for not having health insurance. The fines will increase from that point.
Since I wasn't home, I called back. I told this aid that I knew about the fines. I was hoping they'd put me in a federal prison as I'm tired of trying to help support this goverments llack of responsibility. 
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| February 7, 2012, 13:05 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Re: I did it
QUOTE (OOMG @ February 7, 2012, 13:05)WEll, I got a call from an aid of this senator. he told me that in 2014 they are going to start fining people for not having health insurance. The fines will increase from that point.
What a crock! But I'm sure you take solace in the fact that you're paying for his health insurance for the rest of his life.
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| February 7, 2012, 13:49 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: I did it
I will make a prediction. They will either give an extension or change it so they don't fine people. At least I bet the wont fine people if your lower end of the income scale because this country will revolt. It has already started. Besides, the Republicans will through it out there as much as they can if this happens and you know people will be pissed at the Democrats so they will clean this mess up before that happens.The democrats want Obama to stay in office they will have to fix this before the elections or at least look like they are trying to fix it.
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| February 7, 2012, 15:47 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
The biggest problem is that they want to fine people that don't have health insurance. I'm fortunate enough to have a major med plan and that's all.
What people don't know is that legislation makes a person get coverage for stuff that doesn't apply to them. For example---I really don't need coverage for pregnancy or breast exams.
The entire thing stinks. Those without health insurance were covered under many government and non government programs paid for by in large part by those that have health insurance.
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| February 7, 2012, 20:10 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
are they gonna fine the Dr's that charge outrageous prices too? are they gonna provide people with REASONABLY priced insurance? most people would buy insurance, if they knew that they'd be covered 100% at a reasonable price. i mean, c'mon.. who can afford a $125/paycheck premium, and still have to pay a $500 deductible especially when a 15 minute ER visit runs almost $700
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| February 7, 2012, 22:06 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Re: I did it
QUOTE (lonelyandhorny @ February 7, 2012, 22:06)are they gonna fine the Dr's that charge outrageous prices too? are they gonna provide people with REASONABLY priced insurance? most people would buy insurance, if they knew that they'd be covered 100% at a reasonable price. i mean, c'mon.. who can afford a $125/paycheck premium, and still have to pay a $500 deductible especially when a 15 minute ER visit runs almost $700
Many with company provided health insurance go to the emergency room so they can get an aspirin. There's many abuses in health insurance by the people that have it. That's why companies keep deleating benifits. No one should need more than a major medical plan.
this is gettin off topic though.
I just wanted to heat or read this persons [or his reps] reaction when I told em I wanted a fed prison so i could quit supportin thier stupidity.
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| February 8, 2012, 01:47 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: I did it
There are many reasons for the cost of health care, there are also many people to blame. Actually people with insurance tend not to use their benefits. The uninsured who don't have insurance are the largest group of people that go to the ER for an aspirin as you put it.I have to use my family as a guide and tell you that we need much more than just major medical. One problem that people don't use their benefits is they don't understand them. Another problem is the co-pays are so high they do no good. They want $200-$250 as a co-pay for a colonoscopy on my plan now, plus the doctors co-pay of $45. It just went up again. I don't have that money just laying around these days.
It isn't fair for insurance companies to expect a doctor to take $8 for an office visit (that is the actual amount they pay many doctors, that's why they wont take a medicare or medicaid plan) but it also isn't fair that the doctor charges $100 for a visit to explain results of a blood test. We also have a HUGE issue with illegal aliens using our emergency rooms and hospitals in general.
I know as a medicare advantage user I get frustrated when I was told I needed a brace that you must have a perscription for from the specialist. I payed $45 dollars as a co-pay for the first visit and each visit after. I go to the surgical supply and can buy it for $47 with no insurance. My insurance company (A Medicare advantage plan) tells me "no I must get it at the place they say". I go there and it's something like $480. I had a $49 co-pay.It was the same exact brace ,same brand same everything.There is plenty of blame to go around.
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| February 8, 2012, 04:01 |
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GG317
60 / male
Bowl of Granola, Massachusetts, US
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Re: Re: I did it
QUOTE (newbie1011 @ February 8, 2012, 04:01)There are many reasons for the cost of health care, there are also many people to blame. Actually people with insurance tend not to use their benefits. The uninsured who don't have insurance are the largest group of people that go to the ER for an aspirin as you put it.I have to use my family as a guide and tell you that we need much more than just major medical. One problem that people don't use their benefits is they don't understand them. Another problem is the co-pays are so high they do no good. They want $200-$250 as a co-pay for a colonoscopy on my plan now, plus the doctors co-pay of $45. It just went up again. I don't have that money just laying around these days.
It isn't fair for insurance companies to expect a doctor to take $8 for an office visit (that is the actual amount they pay many doctors, that's why they wont take a medicare or medicaid plan) but it also isn't fair that the doctor charges $100 for a visit to explain results of a blood test. We also have a HUGE issue with illegal aliens using our emergency rooms and hospitals in general.
I know as a medicare advantage user I get frustrated when I was told I needed a brace that you must have a perscription for from the specialist. I payed $45 dollars as a co-pay for the first visit and each visit after. I go to the surgical supply and can buy it for $47 with no insurance. My insurance company (A Medicare advantage plan) tells me "no I must get it at the place they say". I go there and it's something like $480. I had a $49 co-pay.It was the same exact brace ,same brand same everything.There is plenty of blame to go around.
Actually, uninsured people pay less for health care than insured people do per capita. For example, my boss underwent a biopsy for his lungs. The cost of surgery was 5 grand, because he doesn't have insurance. The same surgery, he was told, would have cost his insurance company some 27 thousand dollars for just the surgery alone. It's easy to bilk insurance companies these days and no one even bats an eyelash doing it...
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| February 8, 2012, 07:05 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Re: Re: I did it
QUOTE (GentleGiant388 @ February 8, 2012, 07:05) QUOTE (newbie1011 @ February 8, 2012, 04:01)There are many reasons for the cost of health care, there are also many people to blame. Actually people with insurance tend not to use their benefits. The uninsured who don't have insurance are the largest group of people that go to the ER for an aspirin as you put it.I have to use my family as a guide and tell you that we need much more than just major medical. One problem that people don't use their benefits is they don't understand them. Another problem is the co-pays are so high they do no good. They want $200-$250 as a co-pay for a colonoscopy on my plan now, plus the doctors co-pay of $45. It just went up again. I don't have that money just laying around these days.
It isn't fair for insurance companies to expect a doctor to take $8 for an office visit (that is the actual amount they pay many doctors, that's why they wont take a medicare or medicaid plan) but it also isn't fair that the doctor charges $100 for a visit to explain results of a blood test. We also have a HUGE issue with illegal aliens using our emergency rooms and hospitals in general.
I know as a medicare advantage user I get frustrated when I was told I needed a brace that you must have a perscription for from the specialist. I payed $45 dollars as a co-pay for the first visit and each visit after. I go to the surgical supply and can buy it for $47 with no insurance. My insurance company (A Medicare advantage plan) tells me "no I must get it at the place they say". I go there and it's something like $480. I had a $49 co-pay.It was the same exact brace ,same brand same everything.There is plenty of blame to go around.
Actually, uninsured people pay less for health care than insured people do per capita. For example, my boss underwent a biopsy for his lungs. The cost of surgery was 5 grand, because he doesn't have insurance. The same surgery, he was told, would have cost his insurance company some 27 thousand dollars for just the surgery alone. It's easy to bilk insurance companies these days and no one even bats an eyelash doing it...
----and ya hit the nail on the head!!! The insurance companies aren't really the problem. It's the medical providers medical equipment supppliers and drug companies.
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| February 8, 2012, 13:11 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: I did it
It's a combination of all that have been mentioned. You are correct that a doctor will charge an uninsured person less than an insured person. Here lies the rub. But when a doctor sends the bill to the insurance company they send it as you see as that $27,000 instead of the $5,000. However you pay whatever the insurance company and doctor work our lets say 20%. Then the insurance company pays the "usual and customary" but actually even less than that. They knock the bill down to usual and customary on paper but then knock it down more to the "agreed upon amount between the doctors and the insurance company". In the end it is all worked out so you have more out of pocket. Your insurance pays pennies on the actual bill but it does all kinds of things like put you in a different category (because they use the billed amount) "Catastrophic" much faster. It also effects your prescription benefits when they play this game with medication. Some might be familiar with the "donut hole". They also have other games like, if you have a C-pap machine for example and need new nose pillows, they have worked it out that you have to buy the package of various types and sizes for $25 instead of you being an uninsured person who can order just the one you need for 50 cents. Even when you report this as medicare fraud the government does NOTHING! The response you normally get is "Why do you care if you don't have a co-pay on this." All this crap adds to the overall healthcare costs.
I had a family member get so fed up with a hospital over billing the insurance company she told the insurance company not to pay them. She took the hospital to court and subpoenaed all the records. They had to explain why they charged $50 for an aspirin and $200 for an ace bandage. SHE WON!
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| February 9, 2012, 07:31 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
I disagree that the insurance company is billed more. Every case I've seen the uninsured person pays more.
As far as the insurance company and medical provider "working it out so we pay more" isn't acccurate from my experience. The heart stress test and related things I had a few years ago was covered except for about $200. Now, that's not the most expensive thing that can be done, but it would have cost me several thousand dollars had I not had the insurance.
Dad was on oxygen, inhalers and other stuff for many years before he died. Not once did my parents have to pay for the oxygen tanks or later the oxygen concentrator. They never had to pay for the hospital stays/visits. Some of the meds they did, but not all.
Then you have the "medical discount" plans that don't pay for anything but tout themselves as insurance. How stupid is that? I can negotiate with them on my own.
I like that your friend took the hospital to court and won. I wonder however why she went there for something that only required an aspirin and ace bandage.
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| February 9, 2012, 14:28 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: I did it
She didn't go there for something that only required an ace bandage an an aspirin but it was two thing that were given during some of the treatment. It was a very serious and long term hospital stay for her husband who pasted away shortly after. The problem she had was when she saw the bills and started checking things and realized there were things that were never done being billed as well as over charges like the ace bandage and aspirin.
As for the your experience you are very lucky. I have had more hospital,doctor and insurance experiences than I ever wanted. I have had to learn much more than I ever wanted as well as became friendly with some people in the medical field. That's how I learned how this crap works. What you see and what the insurance companies pay are VERY different.A family member had also been an executive at a major insurance company for many years and she confirmed it as well. She is the same one that sued the hospital.I've seen the real payments on my daughters bills alone. It would make you ill just looking at them.If you saw my families medical files you would understand why I had to get educated on this stuff. What most people don't know is you can negotiate to some extent on the medical bills with the doctors and hospitals.
None of this is new. If you read about some of the cases that people are arguing about in the political world you see exactly the same complaints. The biggest problem is people don't know about this stuff and get taken advantage of. Or they say "I only had to pay a $50 deductible so I don't care if the hospital over bills for shit they never did." People should care even if they aren't paying it out of pocket at that time it does effect you in the long term.It's really to complicated for me to explain all the in's and outs of how medicare and medicaid work and how it really hurts those people on those programs long term and why it is bankrupting this country.All the insurance companies have this country by the balls and they are squeezing them hard!Our whole insurance system and legal systems need to be overhauled to fix this. I'm not holding my breath for that to happen. I wont even get into how the lawyers play into this.
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| February 9, 2012, 15:11 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
"None of this is new. If you read about some of the cases that people are arguing about in the political world you see exactly the same complaints. The biggest problem is people don't know about this stuff and get taken advantage of. Or they say "I only had to pay a $50 deductible so I don't care if the hospital over bills for shit they never did." People should care even if they aren't paying it out of pocket at that time it does effect you in the long term.It's really to complicated for me to explain all the in's and outs of how medicare and medicaid work and how it really hurts those people on those programs long term and why it is bankrupting this country.All the insurance companies have this country by the balls and they are squeezing them hard!Our whole insurance system and legal systems need to be overhauled to fix this. I'm not holding my breath for that to happen. I wont even get into how the lawyers play into this."
This is why the insurance companies have auditors that are checking this stuff. Do you actually think that an insurance company is going to pay full retail? They don't. As far as the lawyers, if people weren't sue happy in this country, the medical care providers wouldn't have to carry a 50 million dollar malpractice policy.
As far as my experiences, mom did medical insurance reviews at a medium sized paper company in WI for 30 years. that's reviewing bills the insurance office recieved] No, it wasn't a bare bones policy either. it rated very high for coverage. My sister has been in nurse administration for about the same length of time. She get all the fun of dealing with the legal end of everything for the hospital she works for.
If you want to spend the time. Read all 400 pages of Obamacare.-------
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| February 10, 2012, 00:46 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: I did it
It's not "Obama care". That is what the republicans call it and try to put the worst spin on it as possible.I will grant you this, I am not happy with what was passed but we also can't ignore all the issues this country has with health care. And as I said there is plenty of blame to go around. Like everything there is good and bad in it all. The good and bad doctors, lawyers, patients, hospitals insurance companies etc...There are doctors that get sued for no reason and some that should not only be sued but they should loose their license and be in jail. Yes some people sue as a living and some that should sue can't afford it or don't have the knowledge. Everything I have mentioned in my statement were actually from personal experience. I know one doctor that almost killed my mother because he misdiagnosed STREP THROAT as cancer.My father wanted to kill that doctor and I didn't blame him. I also have doctors that saved my daughters life and another that basically called my son a drug addict because he made an assumption without actually taking the time to treat him and read his records. If he had he would have found he never as much as took an aspirin and refused pain medication, however he has some serious even life threatening health issues. I've seen the real records of what we are billed and what the insurance company pays and how it is addressed for the consumer.It has nothing to do with the health care package that we have not even started to see most of the effects yet. You refer to it as "Obamacare". This has been going on for as long as insurance companies have been around. I have also seen what they actually pay the doctors in court records as well as files I received.I know we all know people and it might even be yourself that gets a huge bill and even though they know that they were over charged wont say a word as long as it doesn't come from their own pocket.As I said there is plenty of blame to go around.I even have a letter from Blue Cross Blue shield that says they were not going to pay for my daughters "open heart surgery" bills because they felt it could have been done on an "out patient Basis". I thought it was an error but they stood by that decision until I told them I showed the letter to the media and they will be getting a call.(It does help to be in the media at times.) That was 14 years ago and for the record they still have not finished paying the surgeon.
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| February 10, 2012, 03:47 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Re: I did it
QUOTE (newbie1011 @ February 10, 2012, 03:47)It's not "Obama care". That is what the republicans call it and try to put the worst spin on it as possible.I will grant you this, I am not happy with what was passed but we also can't ignore all the issues this country has with health care. And as I said there is plenty of blame to go around. Like everything there is good and bad in it all. The good and bad doctors, lawyers, patients, hospitals insurance companies etc...There are doctors that get sued for no reason and some that should not only be sued but they should loose their license and be in jail. Yes some people sue as a living and some that should sue can't afford it or don't have the knowledge. Everything I have mentioned in my statement were actually from personal experience. I know one doctor that almost killed my mother because he misdiagnosed STREP THROAT as cancer.My father wanted to kill that doctor and I didn't blame him. I also have doctors that saved my daughters life and another that basically called my son a drug addict because he made an assumption without actually taking the time to treat him and read his records. If he had he would have found he never as much as took an aspirin and refused pain medication, however he has some serious even life threatening health issues. I've seen the real records of what we are billed and what the insurance company pays and how it is addressed for the consumer.It has nothing to do with the health care package that we have not even started to see most of the effects yet. You refer to it as "Obamacare". This has been going on for as long as insurance companies have been around. I have also seen what they actually pay the doctors in court records as well as files I received.I know we all know people and it might even be yourself that gets a huge bill and even though they know that they were over charged wont say a word as long as it doesn't come from their own pocket.As I said there is plenty of blame to go around.I even have a letter from Blue Cross Blue shield that says they were not going to pay for my daughters "open heart surgery" bills because they felt it could have been done on an "out patient Basis". I thought it was an error but they stood by that decision until I told them I showed the letter to the media and they will be getting a call.(It does help to be in the media at times.) That was 14 years ago and for the record they still have not finished paying the surgeon.
I refered to it as "obamacare' for lack of a better term. Much of what you describe is in your area and frankly am surprized Blue Cross Blue Sheild would do that. That's who I have and never had one problem with them. Neither has anyone else I know that have them.
We both seem to have people that know about this and fronkly, you should have asked your executive relative that health insurance company more about what they actually pay the providers. it's not as much as you get billed for. 
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| February 10, 2012, 03:58 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: I did it
That's what I said they inflate the bill on paper so you pay a higher copay because you pay a percentage. But they actually pay these doctors much less. But when it comes to certain things it varies because of the way they "bundle it" . This is to complicated a subject to go through all this on here and explain all the ins and outs.
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| February 10, 2012, 07:47 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Re: I did it
QUOTE (newbie1011 @ February 10, 2012, 07:47)That's what I said they inflate the bill on paper so you pay a higher copay because you pay a percentage. But they actually pay these doctors much less. But when it comes to certain things it varies because of the way they "bundle it" . This is to complicated a subject to go through all this on here and explain all the ins and outs.
WEll, that's interesting. It's NOT what you said. You stated that the insurance companies pay more than individuals. Not that they inflate it on paper. This isn't an uncommon thing to charge an individual more than a company. It happens in every area of life. Except maybe Wal-mart. You also said that people don't care what the insurance compaies pay becasue they only pay x number of dollars. What do you think insurance is for? I have confidence that those insurance companies can take care of themselves.
Who said I needed a non medical provider or non mediccal insurance person to explain this? I don't think you've done very well so far----------
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| February 10, 2012, 13:42 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
Ok, before you guys come to blows, lets re-look at what the original intent of this thread was. OOMG's point was about being fined or jailed for not having insurance. I believe what he was saying that government has no business being involved in this and so many other aspects of our lives. The Federal Government is one of the most dysfunctionaly run organizations in our Country. About the only thing that is run properly is the Military.
Back in the 90's, they seized the Bunny Ranch, a highly profitable brothel in Nevada. Realizing that there was no way to recover the taxes that were owed, they decided to keep it open and run it themselves and keep the profits. It was closed within a year. They even fucked up selling sex and booze. Definitely not who I want telling me how to do things.
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| February 10, 2012, 14:08 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
OOOOOoooooo NOOOOoooooo!!!!
They're talking about the "O" doode, and tossing around the "P" word!
No politics, ya'all
Free, ya look fine in that black and white striped referee shirt!
Blow that whistle and toss them flags!
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| February 10, 2012, 15:02 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: I did it
Free and Chazzy. You're both correct. It has gotten way off topic.
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| February 11, 2012, 02:33 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: I did it
No problem. Besides I would never beat up OOMG. I like him. There are plenty if people I would rather kick in the ass. I can't even remember how this all started.lol Weren't we talking about sex?
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| February 11, 2012, 06:44 |
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