Most distrubing ad this election season: the one from an interest group about the

[hedgehog]

woman with Lyme disease with all the medical bills despite having health insurance!

[napi21]

1. Stories like that are also very real! The problem is that most people

don't believe it until it happens directly to them. I know I didn't. I've been very fortunate to have had a very healthy life, and when I would hear stories about people having to file bankruptcy because of medical bills even though they had insurance, I mentally dismissed those stories as "there must be more than I'm hearing." THEN 2 years ago I broke my ankle. Between all the deductibles, co-pays, and amounts billed that were't covered, my out of pocket cost was $2,500!!! I managed to pay it, but our income is $25,000 a year, and I can't afford to pay that large amt. Plus, how much would it have been if I had contracted some serious, long term illness! I had been lulled into a false sense of security with that 80/20 hospital deal because on it's face, when you hear the ins pays 80%, it sounds ok. When you're hit with the bills, you only realize how much 20% of a BIG # really is!

[yellowdogintexas]

2. and the smaller the group, the higher the out of pocket. Don't even get me

started on individual coverage.

I have processed claims on small group and individual plans and the way many of those plans are structured is for one purpose only: to generate profit for the insurance company.

You never really know how good your insurance is until you have to file a claim on it.

[napi21]

3. How right you are! My husband & I just enrolled in Medicare and

a supplemt. That experience I had with BCBS sure taught me what questions to ask when I was reviewing supplements! It proved mind boggeling what some of them don't cover and don't TELL YOU unless you know enough to ask!

[sunwyn]

4. I have had lyme for over 10 yrs now.

When I lost my job due complications of lyme I lost my medical. I haven't seen a lyme doc in 6 yrs. Nothing surprises me anymore.