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Casey Geiger

Do you want to buy my medicine?

Posted by
Walter Geiger
in Opinion
Tuesday, January 13. 2009
Comments (13)
“Sorry I haven’t called home lately mom, I have been studying a lot.” That was the typical excuse I would tell my parents when they called. One night I really was studying when I collapsed in my fraternity house.

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#1 Anonymous on 01/14/09 at 10:38 AM
It's not health care which needs reform, it is the insurance industry that needs to be reformed!

In addition to basing the premium on your health, they factor in where you live, race and even credit rating.

A recent study of western European nations, along with the US & Canada revealed that per person, the US spends more on healthcare, yet we rank 5th in life expectancy, last in infant mortality & next to last in "quality of life"

I am fortunate to have "decent" insurance with a prescription plan. It is definitely not good, but better than Casey's.
#2 Andrew Odom on 01/14/09 at 11:00 AM
Do you happen to have the link to that report? I would love to read it.

I, too, have a solid insurance plan with good prescription rates.

As for European health care and lifestyle, I drink a glass of red wine each night. I know there are conflicting reports on this but I think it does the body good and detoxifies at the same time.
#3 Anonymous on 01/14/09 at 02:04 PM
It is from the World Health Organization's web site http://www.who.int/whosis/en/

This web site allows you to compare any number of countries, along with health indicators & time period, so it is quite informative
#4 Trey on 01/14/09 at 06:24 PM
that stinks, but this was a very well written article. I am not sure if this was for a school paper or not. If this was just purely for editorial purposes it looks like we may be looking at one of the future editor in chiefs of the herald gazzette.
#5 S Smith on 01/15/09 at 08:47 AM
As consumers we must examine the cost structure of insurance. One noted executive of a company that provides coverage to senior citizens thru AARP became a billionaire! Providers of medical services are among the highest paid in this country. Drug manufacturers sock it to us and pocket huge profits for their profits. The problem is not government. It is greed. Find the way to control greed and you'll be renowned as genius.
#6 Casey on 01/15/09 at 02:45 PM
Hey all,

When I wrote this, I had originally written several pages with much more detailed research. However, when looking for publications I had to reduce the size to 1200 words. If you would like any more explanation on any of the topics please ask and I will do the best I can to answer.

Thanks,
Casey Geiger
#7 Andrew Odom on 01/15/09 at 02:48 PM
Thank you Casey for speaking up about your article. Even in its brevity it was well written and got the point across. Definitely food for thought.
#8 Anonymous on 01/16/09 at 12:53 PM
As long as the insurance companies and corporate America control the lawmakers of this country they will do what is good for them and not the people. I say we make a new law, no lawyers or lobbyists in Washington!
#9 Health Care employee on 01/16/09 at 08:24 PM
I work for a top health insurance company and can honestly say we do everything we can internally to provide lower costs to consumers. We work to make our rating, installation, billing and IT processes more effective to reduce waste. We work with providers to negotiate contract rates which often means reducing a provider's charge to a consumer by up to %30.
Sadly, high insurance costs are often due to the poor care we take of ourselves in this country. I am not saying company excutives make a 'reasonable' amount of money - on the contrary, I agree they do reap high monetary benefits. However, all of us are responsible for our health. You race, age, sex, place of residency and religious beliefs do all play into how you take care of yourself.
#10 Anonymous on 01/19/09 at 02:09 PM
All of the above needs to be fixed. 1 of my medications costs $600 a month. Needless to say I have to do without and hope for the best. I don't make enough to buy health insurance or enough to fill my RX.
#11 Anonymous on 01/20/09 at 09:50 PM
Simply put something needs to change. I was working and honestly too young to really care, but I remember hearing talk about healthcare reform in 1993 or so. If we had started trying new things then, we'd have a 15 year head start. However, we decided to do nothing so 15 years later we have an even bigger problem. I'm not saying government control is the answer, but let's change something and see what happens. If that doesn't work, let's change it again. If costs continue to rise and we don't like the results, we can't reasonably expect better results unless we change something.

That said, here's more absurdity for you. My company sponsored insurance premiums were approximately $1,800 per year. After I was let go, I was given the option of continuing this coverage for over $11,000 per year. The best part about this is that the company is REQUIRED BY LAW to provide me with this option. So without that law, one would assume they would just cut people off as soon as they leave. So now you have no job, minimum unemployment income (way less than you made even after your original health deduction), similar expenses, and a health cost that's increased over 500%.

If that's not enough, you put what's left of your pride in your pocket and head down to the local DFCS office for assistance. After several attempts to submit all the paperwork and all the required items, you learn that unfortunately your current income is TOO HIGH to qualify for any medical assistance. "Why is it too high?", you might ask. "Because you have too much unemployment income", says the nice case worker...

In summary, I pay a mortgage, have 2 cars over 5 years old each, have a family, and have reasonable expenses (all cut and adjusted for our current situation). In November I voted for Obama because something has got to change. Honestly, I don't even really care how, but it's got to be something different from what we have now. Because at night I thank God for the countless blessings I have (no matter what I've said above), and I pray for the many more people in the country that have worse problems and a lot less. Americans deserve better.
#12 Lindylo on 01/24/09 at 08:54 AM
I also have had to swallow my pride and go to DCFACS to apply for assistance and have been given the same answer "you don't qualify because your income is to high and because your husband is a blue collar worker who at the age of 62 is still driving 65 miles each way to work just so we can keep what little insurance that we do have. Although he has diabetes, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, and several other ailments that require him to take over 1,ooo dollars worth of medicine per month. While those who choose not to work can get what the government takes from those who do work, to pay those that don't want to work or are too sorry to work can get it for nothing. The government system doe not work and I personally am tired of working hard and still not being able to afford medicines. And while I am on the subject of the government taking from those who do work, now to provide cell phones and home phones for those who are to lazy to work. Excuse me a phone is a luxury and not a neccessity and therefore the taxpayers should not have to fund it.
#13 Bob Heiney on 01/28/09 at 10:17 PM
The insurance companies caused the sharp rise in insurance costs by introducing the concept of medical insurance. This disconnects the individual from the actual costs and sets in motion spiraling upward pricing due to artificial demand. I know many people who run to the doctor for a hang-nail simply because they have medical insurance. The best way to lower medical costs is to for people to universally stop purchasing medical insurance. Ultimately, prices would come down. If we get socialist medical care, prices will further skyrocket creating rationing.
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