Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

I hope it does remain DOA, the system can be bad. Nothing makes things worse than the government. Closest thing to eternal life on this planet is a congressional bill or program

I was one of those workers, working all hours in order to keep my daughter in clothes, a roof over our heads, and there wasn't not a thing.....not a single thing left over for a health insurance policy. So I am one of those that someone is paying for. Apart from w/c. The whole point is, is that there are a whole lot of people out there who seriously can not afford any type of health care. And you know what? Recently I looked into getting some type of affordable health care insurance. And I was turned down. And why was I turned down? Because I can't keep up with payments on the mortgage and the fuel bill. I am an American Citizen, and I was working so hard to keep things together. Getting hurt on the job was not part of the equation. Now I can't keep above water no matter what I try. And there is not a single benefit system that I can turn to. Believe me I have looked.

Yes, a new health care system will cost. And it will cost all of us. And I have to say just one thing. If I had a job, and I was being taxed for country wide health care for everyone, I would be honoured to pay it, given what I know and what I had. If I could save just one person from going through what I have gone through...then I would do it. If that is socialism...then I am a socialist. And just for the information of a few....Montana has not a great deal of employers who have any benefits for employees. Apart from w/c. So maybe w/c insurance gets cancelled. But with a good country wide health care system...or one like the UK...you wouldn't need that type of insurance anyhow.

And that raises another point. If you had a UK type of health care. Where the employee is paying towards the countrywide health care, and where there is no w/c burden on the small businesses. Then small businesses might actually have a better deal. All businesses would have a better deal. You wouldn't need a w/c insurance at all. How much would money comes into insurance companies with this? If we all put our heads together to find a way to support such a system instead of fighting it, then we all stand a better chance of good health care. One more point I should make, and probably already have. If I had gotten hurt at work in the UK...I would have unlimited health care at no cost to me...I would have assistance with my mortgage and food bills...without condition. And housing taxes, which the British call council tax. So I wouldn't lose my home. My daughter would not have quit high school in order to help with costs here at home. I could see my own g.p. for other problems that are related to being stuck at home. I would have home help, again without cost. And last but most certainly not least. I would have peace of mind. I could go to sleep at night knowing that I wouldn't lose almost everything.

Ok. I am off of the soap box now. Hit me with what you've got. I know it is going to come. So maybe I would be better off shutting off the computer for the nesxt couple of days.

no Bag your opinion is as good as anyone elses...And even if it differs from mine I respect your right to have one. that is what America is all about and why our fore fathers and mothers came to America to be out from under a goverment that made our choices for us....I do not want the goverment telling me what I can and cannot do....we the people tell the goverment(by voting) what we want them to do.....If the goverment thinks we want universal health care then put it to a vote to the people not ram it down our throats.....I believe that is the biggest problem right now those that have health care like what they have and those that dont want it yet either by cost or health cant get it....want it....but do all want to throw all their money in one big pot and a young healthy 21 year old pay the same premiuem as a 40 year old in poor health or a healthy 45 year old working man pay the same as a 25 year old drug addict?
Somewhere in there there has to be a happy medium a state pool where you can get insurance at a subdidized rate....Medicare is going broke at an alarming rate,our goverment spends money like there is no tomorrow someone has to stand and say enough is enough.....we cannot be all things to all people.....I do believe the Doc admin told us about has merit....I spoke to my Doc about it....he thought it was a good idea for a town GP but if you had a cronic illness you would have to change Docs to recieve hospital care....He also informed me he would be retireing in 7 years that ranching brought in more income with less headaches.....he is our main OB/GYN doc and the only Doc that will do pain management within 50 miles......He simply cant keep paying higher mal practice insurance,and get paid less money for visits,and told what tests he can run.......
I dont have the answer but as an American I dont like goverment raming anything down my throat......come up with a working solution we all can understand and put it up for a vote then let the people decide.

bagpuss....Your post sounds like something out of a fantasy to me. I love it and wish with all my heart that we had something like this. The care you have rec'd and would have rec'd post injury seems to be better than anything I've see or heard here. I understand it's government run BUT if the government wants to tell me I deserve and am going to get better care than I am, I am grateful for the help.

Jayne I also see your point in $$$ being distributed properly. I was turned down for Food Stamps many, many years ago. I made little money and was supporting 3 children. The woman in the booth next to me was offered Drug and alcohol rehab. She turned it down. The case worker then said "OK we will continue your check and food stamps" I asked my caseworker if I put a needle in one arm and a bottle in the other hand if I would get Food stamps for my kids. They called security

Ther eare holes in every system.....most not fair in Governement systems. All I know is something has to be done about healthcare OR people will be dying, hospitals closing and Dr.s losing their practices.

We are all here because of w/c system. We have all had our troubles with the system. Now lets all try to remember that in some cases that w/c is a governement run system. I for one do not want my private Ins. to be run the way my w/c claim has been run. If I did not have private Ins. some of my medical tx that I needed I would still be waiting for.

Bag, In Montana ther are more ways to recieve help, than in most states. We have many private options, the Food Pantry, Town pumps program for people who need cash for bills. The Cathloic Church in Montana has many programs, besides the Catholic aid society. Just to name a few.. There are also the governement programs.
If you have a child that lives at home than you should qualify for the governement programs.

Limbo.....BRAVO!

mpenny, I wish that were the case. I have contacted everyone and they all say the same thing. I just don't qualify. I do use the Food bank....started two weeks ago and I hated it. I had to go again last week and the feeling was the same. I feel so ashamed to be in a position that my own parents raised me to NEVER get into. And I can not even put into words how it felt to be sitting in a room full of people, some who were obviously as uncomfortable as I was, others who had the smell of booze on them. It was surreal. I don't look forward to going again. It was so bad to see even students sitting there.

I have not contact a Catholic Church. Don't you have to be Catholic? I was raised as one, but became a born again Christian when I was 17. I have not been back to the Catholic Church since. I currently don't have my own church.

What is the Town Pump thing? I thought that they only got food from the community to send on to the food banks.

Capricorn,
I know that the health care system in England is government run. Having said that I never once was told where I could and couldn't go, what type of treatment I could and couldn't have. They would not cover plastic surgery unless it was related to an accident or breast replacement after cancer. But if your own doctor could give forward a good case that you needed the surgery in order to live a better life, usually the treatment would be approved and off you would go. Otherwise you could just pay for it yourself. I enjoyed having my own G.P. for years. My daughter grew up with one G.P. who knew her very well. I liked that. Our G.P. was actually a doctor that I worked with and saw how he was with patients, so I chose him to be my own doctor. If I had to be referred to another consultant then I stayed with the same consultant each time, as well as my own doctor.

I understand that w/c is government run here. But hand on heart. This is certainly not the type of treatment I ever got in England. I never had to jump the hurdles I have had to do here. And in the meantime lose all dignity as well as any chance of catching up financially. w/c places me at boardline poverty...but not quite. And as a result I do not qualify for the help that I have heard about...I have applied and always the same thing. And they all say the my home is the problem. So basically I am being told...lose the home and you will be fine. You will be homeless, but you will get some of the help you need. Wonderful.

My home is the only investment I have to use towards any type of care in old age. I lose that now and I am stuck in old age.

To apply, for assistance, Food stamps etc I did not know that your home, auto and a few other things were considered income. I thought assistance is a federal program administerd by each state. Here in Illinois they go by your income then deduct what you pay out in payments, gas elec, the basics, a home and car are not considered assets.........Stocks, bonds, savings accounts, pensions are assets. Medicaid is usually also considered when applying for assistance.

anyone else know anything about this type of program??????????