In my mail Saturday I received the latest BlueCross/BlueShield scam. And oh, yeah, it's a scam. You only figure out the great parts by the time you finish reading the fine print.
Want health insurance? BC/BS has a plan for you.
Let me start by saying I'm not exactly a disinterested observer of BC/BS insurance. After all, they canceled my policy eight years ago on a pretext after I had a sonogram that proved I didn't have any female problems.
Say what?
Yeah, that's what really happened. Apparently the simple fact that I had this test was enough to put them into DEFCON 1, even though I was clear of all disease. I can just hear the convo in the actuaries' room: Well, she must have had the test for a reason. Even though it says she's okay. And you know those damn female problems. They always cost a ton. Yeah, I know we just renewed her policy, but dammit, cut her from the rolls anyway. And do it retroactively in case there are tests that haven't been billed yet!
So Saturday I get an offer for "limited benefit health insurance" from them. No denials, no refusals, blah blah. Naturally I opened it because these days I can't get insurance for any price (well, except for an international policy which would cover me in every country on earth but this one, but that's a different matter). I'm diabetic. Blame my dad and granddad. Maybe I never should have been insured ever, given this set of genes!
However, that's not the point. Again.
No the point is that I could get a limited benefit health policy for the low cost of $30 per month! Wow. No questions asked, no pre-existing limitations...
Oh, wait. Hmmm. What the hell is this?
OIC... in the fine print.
For the price of $30/month, I can get "up to" $50 knocked off my doctor visits. Well that would save me if I went to the doctor every month. (I don't.)
I can get $15 knocked off "most" prescriptions. Um, does that mean I would get them for free, since right now my kindly doctor is bending over backward to treat me with meds that only cost $4 at Target? This is not clear. I somehow doubt they would reimburse me $11 for buying cheaper drugs. So this might conceivably save me, um, $12/month? (And it still wouldn't make it possible for me to take the one drug I really need, because that costs $250/month...and even at $235 it's beyond reach. And really folks, the drug assistance plans for people like me don't cover this particular one, so please save your fingers.)
Oh, it covers the dentist too! I could use that... except it only covers basic services, and only "up to" $50, and only twice a year. Basic services mean, I suppose, cleaning and X-rays. It's not clear. Somehow I don't think it'll ever be clear, and given what it costs when I go to my dentist for exam, x-rays and cleaning (all one visit) $50 ain't much. And we haven't gotten to the cost of a filling, and I'm sure crowns, etc. don't count as basic service. Well, I don't want their damn dental care anyway. There's a better discount plan for that from Careington.
But I would get lab tests done for free at Quest Diagnostics, probably the most expensive lab on earth, but only twice a year. But, uh, my doctor does them all for less than 20% the cost of going to Quest, so I guess I don't really need that benefit, and the extensive driving involved.
So I get all this for only $360 per year? Um, no. Read the really fine print: That cost is for a person only 30 years old.
I'm not even going to bother to call to find out what they'd charge me at 59. Because this plan would be even more useless if it costs more.
So there you have it: the bone that landed in my mailbox, intended to move me on a chart from "uninsured" to "insured" so they can claim they cover everyone.
Pure statistical Jujitsu.