Health care in the US

[ncabot22]

Does anyone have a good link to the proposed changes in the US health care system Obama is wanting to make? My husband and I have an opportunity to move from Canada to the US (Chicago) and I'm a bit wary because of the horror stories I've heard about US health care in its current form. Thanks in advance. We both have pre-existing conditions (nothing too serious) and I'm not sure if we can get insurance through my husband's employer.

[Warpy]

1. Take every horror story you've heard about US health care

and multiply it by 10. Cost cutting to increase profit has wrecked most facilities. Hospital staff do their best, but there are just too few of them to do a really good job. When you're sick, you need them to do a really good job.

I have worked with Canadian nurses here, and every single one of them has said the same thing, "If I get sick, put me on a plane for Canada!"

They had insurance. They just knew the games insurance companies play here to squeeze profits out of sick people.

Chicago is a short plane ride to civilization (Canada), so you won't have to suffer if your husband's insurance company balks at providing your care.

[Kitty Herder]

2. Why would you even consider it if you have pre-existings?

You'll be screwed if you come here. I'm dead serious. If you are even able to get insurance, it will cost you a fortune because they charge those with pre-existing conditions more. Even if you have insurance in the U.S., a serious accident or illness can leave you destitute. Not worth it.

[dflprincess]

3. You can probably get put on the employer's group policy even with your preexisting conditions

BUT - more and more employers are going to policies with high annual out of pocket expenses (think a few thousand). It's cleverly called "Consumer Based Health Care" (I call it "Sure Hope You Don't Get Sick Insurance"). The theory is that people will think twice about the accessing healthcare if they have to pay more for it - and that much is true. Though early evidence suggests that it costs everyone more in the long wrong because people are not keeping up on their prescriptions or other routine maintenance and they're winding up in the hospital for longer stays.

If you have a chronic problems, stay in Canada, you'll could go bankrupt if you move here.