Worse Than the Mob: The Insurance Industry Is Organized Crime

[Le Taz Hot]

124. In California we had four choices.

From worst to best: Blue Shield, Blue Cross, Kaiser HMO, Kaiser PPO.

At first I signed up with Blue Shield that was supposed to start February 1. My premium wasn't due until January 21. Along about January 15, I get this e-mail stating that, in order to be covered by January 1 (????), my premium needed to be sent in immediately. I sent them back an e-mail explaining that my FEBRUARY'S premium wasn't due until January 21. I called "Customer Service" (there's a reason I put that in quotes) and got some guy with an accent so heavy I could hardly understand him I asked where I was calling to and he stated he could not tell me where they were located. (Like I couldn't figure out it was in India.) I, to this day can't figure out what he was saying. I ended up doing further research and found out that, although Blue Shield may have listed, say 40 carriers in my area that accepted Blue Shield, the reality is that only maybe 3 of those are taking new patients so 40 just became 3.

I ended up cancelling the Blue Shield (Gold plan) for several reasons, not the least of which I started panicking at the $600.00+ per month premiums (that's WITH subsidies) and decided to go with Kaiser's Bronze plan with a $6,000 deductible and a 60/40 arrangement -- iow, insurance that I won't actually be able to afford to use. But it's only 300.00 a month so there's that. The other think Kaiser has going for it is they have an actual US-based Customer Service. I called them about my insurance cards, asking when I should expect them in the mail and I got an actual English-speaking person without the endless "porn music."