Another Funny Ad Placement

I found this one in today's Houston Chronicle. I don't think the person pictured in the liposuction ad has been to the Health Museum much less the gym! Furthermore, I am not sure which is the before and which is the after picture in the ad. To see my previous Funny Ad Placement item click here.

Health Care Revisited

Just this week I received a letter from my health insurance provider informing me that me that my insurance premiums were going to be "adjusted" (translation: they are going up). The increase is about 15%, far beyond the current rate of inflation. Their stated reason for the increase is "medical costs continue to increase as new technology, new procedures and new prescriptions drugs offer treatment alternatives never before available".

What a load of cow excrement! The reason that my insurance premium is being raised is 1) to ensure that profits for the insurance company remain high and 2) to offset the increase health care costs due to the burgeoning number of uninsured in this country. I was born at night, but not LAST night. Health care costs are rising for one reason only: there are fewer and fewer people paying in to the system by buying health insurance, whether individually (like me) or through employee benefits.

But this is just how the health industry in this country has come to work. The poor, unemployed or under-employed turn to the state or federal government for Medicaid or similar programs. The old have Medicare (for the time being). The rich can pay their own way without insurance (or afford any premium levied). The middle class (that would be ME) are left to try to cover ourselves with private insurance in what is called the "free market system". There certainly is a "system" but nothing in it is even close to "free" when it comes to health care. I would settle for just reasonable.

Now I don't mind paying my own way but when the system is so biased towards soaking the middle and working class and rewarding the uninsured poor and undocumented in this country, I have to speak up. I am entitled to my opinion and you just got it.

But to add insult to injury, tonight I got a call from a so-called "marketing survey" company wanting to ask me questions about my level of satisfaction with my current health care provider, which they mentioned by name. I have been called many times by these surveyors and have come to realize that at best their surveys are biased towards whoever hired them to to do it. At worst the survey is nothing more than a "feel good" effort by the company paying for the survey to confirm what it already believes. In the case of tonight's call I knew exactly why I was targeted.

Duh! They just raised my premium and wanted to assure their board of directors (or stock analysts or whomever) that all us customers were still very satisfied with our provider. What a crock! I told the caller that I was on to their ruse and would not participate. She thanked me for my time and wished me a good day. As a parting shot I asked if she (the survey taker) had health insurance at her job. Answer: NO (go figure).

To see my previous blog on health care in this country click here. Once you read it you will see why I am going to have to drink less beer (or a cheaper brand).