Health/Medical Insurance for Piano Techs?

[Carl Meyer]

This is such an explosive subject that I have agonized over whether to get involved. Those of you with a longer memory, recall that I was the driving force  of a former thread about health insurance, socialism etc.  That almost got out of hand.
I didn't try to offend anybody, but I certainly did.

To Tom Sivak I must say that although I've disagreed with you in the past, I hope you don't take it personal that I'm using your post to respond.  I would just assume you're a young idealist and I'm an old cynic.  Okay??

Here are some thoughts.

----- Original Message -
---- 
From: <Tvak@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 9:22 PM
Subject: Re: Health/Medical Insurance for Piano Techs?


> 
> In a message dated 4/12/02 12:04:46 PM, Pianotoone@AOL.COM writes:
> 
> <<  It 
> only covers hospital stay, but that is 100% coverage.  I find that I can 
> pretty well cover Dr calls out of pocket but a multi thousand dollar hospital 
> stay is nice to have protected. >>
> 
> OK, just for the sake of discussion, let's say that you (G-d forbid) have a 
> heart attack.  The insurance covers 100% of the surgery and the hospital 
> stay.  Great!  

Isn't insurance basically for catastrophic loss?  When insurance covers hang nails and ingrown toenails, doesn't that only enhance the insurance company ability to increase the rates.  Insurance salespersons realize that if they can sell increased coverage they make more money.  Insurance companies realize that in order to entice sales personel to push the increased coverage they need to increase the commisions.

> 
> Now you happily go home, and find that you have to visit the doctor twice a 
> week for 6 months, and take 14 pills a day.  Can you afford that?

I would only visit my Doctor twice a week if I were terminally lonesome.  Fourteen pills a day may cure that permanently.


 
> I had the same coverage as you and pretty much the same attitude.  My 
> insurance agent helped me realize that the coverage I had would be quite a 
> liability in many circumstances.

Your insurance agent is not your employee, He's self employed.  He works for himself.  He makes more money if he sells you increased coverage.

We are forced into needing insurance by the insurance industry.  That's why medical care is so expensive. I had Kaiser (HMO) thru where my wife worked at $120 mo.  When I turned 65 I had to convert to their senior plan.  I understand the government pays Kaiser $550/ mo to provide me less care than I had under the other plan, but I had to take it or leave it.
I'm also eligble for VA coverage, but my care provider doesn't like me much, so I don't go there often. 

I have two procedures that I do to myself.  These are suppressed by the medical trade.  Not profitable.

Anybody interested in these, call me at 408 984 0482

I can give you web sites about them.

Carl Meyer  Assoc. PTG
Santa Clara, California
cmpiano@attbi.com 


 
> I would suggest though that you rethink things while you're still young and 
> can get on a more comprehensive plan.  (You must be young if Blue Cross only 
> costs you $114/month.  Before I abandoned that policy I was up to $131/month.)
> 
> Just my two cents
> 
> Tom Sivak