Doctor visits without health insurance are expensive. Doctor visits with health insurance are pretty expensive too, especially if you fear you may have COVID-19.
The story of a Miami man's flu test went, sorry to say it, viral in February. After a work trip to China and feeling ill, he went to a doctor “in an abundance of caution” and left with a bill for more than $3,200 (and a diagnosis of simple flu).
On Tuesday, President Trump announced major insurers Humana and Cigna will waive copays during the coronavirus pandemic.
Many wonder why it took COVID-19 for health insurance companies to promote medical visits by removing copays.
Well, it could have to do with insurance companies being profit-driven enterprises that are required to place shareholder profit first, above all else.
Aside from following medical requirements and state and federal laws, insurance companies do not care about us. That's just not what S corporations are about.
If there could be a silver lining from the current world crisis, it would be a better-protected society via a public option for health coverage. Such an option would be driven not by profit but by appointed or elected members of government.
It wouldn't be perfect, but it would mean fewer decisions based on profitability, and that's a healthy start.