The problem with private insurance is exactly the same as the problem with public insurance, i.e. medicaid, no matter how high premiums are, the expenses of the last few weeks of most peoples lives are always much, much higher than the amount of any premiums they paid in during their lives so the healthy people end up paying for the care of sick people and then the system has no money to pay for the care of the young when they begin to age and experience unavoidable health problems (think about it, everyone dies of something). And then there are unexpected problems, like the fact that certain drugs and other treatments end up having unexpected side effects that increase the need for care in a way risk management departments at insurance companies could never predict because pharmaceutical companies keep the results secret, and some results are not predictable. How can anyone really predict what the long term effects of a drug created 5 years ago will be? The ideal customer for an insurance company is someone who is physically healthy and likely to commit suicide before old age, thus saving the insurance company the cost of paying for the health needs of at least one elderly person. Society should consider this fact and look at the financial relationships between pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies, when big pharma makes drugs that cause young, physically healthy people to commit suicide (ssris, anti psychs, etc.)

So I am curious. You said you cannot afford insurance but do you actually think any non-group insurance company would insure you? My Cobra coverage was $576 at one point though I had good medical care. When I realized it was going to end in about 6 months, I called around. The first company I called flat-out told me I was uninsurable because of the 3 meds I am on (though I know it was because I was BP.)

And I was willing to continue paying the high $576 a month. It's a no win situation.

Years of LIthium have ruined my stomach lining and esophagus.

I have to take Nexium or what ever I eat, even water comes up.

I cannot afford Nexium anymore, unless I get samples. I don't take it.

I've just learned to live without eating most foods I love now, and knowing what ever I eat will probably come back up.

Wonderful.

Of course I can stop the lithium, but I cannot tolerate Depakote, or Lamictal.

The things we do to try to stay well with BP.

I'm Canadian, eh, and I pay about $52 for medical insurance which covers all the crappy treatment I could ever wish for. My psych drugs are free if my doctor fills out a form once a year. I'm still not happy. If I move to the USA (Mum was born in Montana) and I endeavour not to be insured, could I be guaranteed not to be treated?

Please???

Could someone answer my question? Does the USA allow a consumer to be charged for services they don't want? I would think consumer protection legislation would say no.

fa: it depends on what state you are in. for ex, in washington state, accupuncture and massage are mandated coverages in all policies and i cannot opt out--not that i'd want to. some other states let ppl pick and choose a bit more selectively. is that what you meant?

heck what do i know? i don't even have insurance right now

I was actually more getting at who foots the bill for my Coast Guard trip, my ambulance trips, my many 911 calls (some were even from me!), my police chaffeurs, over a month in lock-up on a psych ward including rumbles with security guards cheered on by nurses holding syringes full of Loxapine (that's got to cost extra).

Eventually, it's the taxpayer (which I have been for years and will be again when I get my act together). I think the whole thing could have rung up $100,000 for one month of hell.

For much, much less than that sum, I could have been provided with an informal network of safe people to talk to. I could have dealt with my suicidal feelings with no four-point restraints being involved. An outreach nurse could have come to my home and brought psych meds prescribed over the phone by a pharmacist who already knew me.

My medical insurance would normally cost $52 per month and it covers all reactive medicine but not acupuncture, massage, basic dentistry, counselling, etc. If there's a humane and effective way to prevent suffering, Canada isn't interested.

At the moment, I receive a federal disability pension of close to $840 (taxable) per month. As a result of being on the pension, I am eligible for the above-described medical insurance for free. Rents in the closest town start at $600 but I am in an unusual situation and don't have to pay rent. If I did, I'd have $240 to spend on utilities, bus fare and, oh, yeah, food.

Here's my question: If I opt out of BC's Medical Services Plan, who will get stuck with the next $100,000 liability that is created? Would that prevent the next person from calling 911 just because I'm having a spaz? Could I carry a federal identity card that says "Fuck off and leave me alone" for the next time someone feels a need to "do the right thing"?

Francesca, In answer to your question, yes you can be charged for services you don't want. My dear old wrongful civil commitment invovled me being charged $1,000.00 a day even though I refused to sign the consent form, it's documented in my chart that the commitment papers are invalid and it's documented in my chart that I don't need treatment. Part of the money Carraway Methodist Medical Center paid me was an agreement not to sue me for the $7,000 I had no legal duty to pay them, in exchange I was forced to dismiss my Joint Commision Complaint against them.

Any time you read about forced care in the US, including mandatory counseling and/or therapy, the victim/patient isn't just forced to attend they're forced to pay, the same with forced medication. It's a horrible system that forces people to apply for social security disability as a way to survive since of course if you are forced to get psychiatric care, you cannot get private health insurance.

As a Canadian, do you think if I immigrate to Canada I can bring my cats? I know they'll let my dog in;)