I'll never forget when I was prescribed a medication for a heart condition, literally crucial for me to continue living, and the insurance company denied the claim. Without insurance it was $600/mo at a time when I was making $5.25/hr.

[–] Midnitte@beehaw.org 43 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

And this applies to all treatment.

Coworker that was a double breast cancer survivor was denied coverage for the drug that kept the cancer from coming back again. Like, they want you to die so you don't cost them money.

Maybe this is the time Americans actually think about the value of an institution who's only purpose is to extract wealth from normal people.

[–] MoonMelon@lemmy.ml 27 points 2 weeks ago

My dad survived colon cancer but then any further colonoscopy was denied for five years because it was no longer "preventative".

[–] SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee 23 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I really don’t get how your insurance company can be like “you need this treatment to live” (Or anaesthesia is vital for an operation, and an insurance company just be like “nah…”.

[–] Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 29 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I remember the phone call with the insurance clearly. I asked the lady on the phone, "I don't understand - my doctor says this is crucial but you're saying I can't have it?" And she said, verbatim, "I'm not saying you don't need it or can't have it. I'm saying we're not going to pay for it." And when I told her "Then you're giving me a death sentence." she went silent. I ended up stretching my one month doses over 3 months so it was "only" $200/mo.

[–] SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee 13 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

That’s inhumane. I wonder if the person on the other end of the phone just didn’t give a shit or what…

[–] Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 14 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I think she did. I could hear pain in her voice.

[–] SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee 6 points 2 weeks ago

Then I feel for her…end of the day we all only go to work cause we have to.

My GF used to work for a company that provided in home care and facilities for the elderly, there were people whose job it was to phone up families and basically say “I know died last week but you owe us this money/equipment…”. That mustn’t have been fun.

[–] theneverfox@pawb.social 7 points 2 weeks ago

She probably had no authority to do anything about it. Delay, deny, defend…she’s part of deny/defend. She’s there to tell you that you were rejected, not to explain why or appeal. If a doctor calls, they’ll go into “you didn’t submit X step of paperwork declaring the patient has Y, and so even though you noted it elsewhere we’re denying”

Going off script risks her job, and for what? By design, she can do nothing to actually help

[–] Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world 12 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It's actually an easy translation. "Nah" means "we don't anticipate you being capable of paying us more than what we'd have to spend to give this to you, so if you can't find cheaper the more lucrative option is letting you die."

[–] SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee 9 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, they’re in it to make money, not to provide a health service. I forgot that bit.