Is Ebola Covered by your Health Insurance Plan?

Like most of you I've been watching the news reports coming out of Dallas...

Point of fact, my Wife an ER nurse here in Colorado believes that Thomas Eric Duncan, not being a US citizen didn't have insurance so when he first shows up in that Texas Hospital... they gave him a box of tissues and sent him on his marry way...

Anyway, My wife and I are covered by an HMO... in other words is we came down with Ebola they would pay for the first 3 days of our hospital stay... any longer would be on us...

Then we have the people Thomas Eric Duncan was staying with... they have been quarantine for 21 days right... is there anyone among us who can skip work for twenty one days... then who's going to get the bill for having their car decontaminated? or paying to have the sidewalks power-washed?

I hate to sound cold hearted to these people's plights... but dollar wise... If I came down with Ebola the cost not the illness might just be the death of me.

originally posted by: HardCorps

I hate to sound cold hearted to these people's plights... but dollar wise... If I came down with Ebola the cost not the illness might just be the death of me.

Then emigrate to the UK where you will be treated in a hospital for whatever you have for as long as it takes free at the point of delivery.

This is why the NHS is so important to us.

100% medical coverage for me, all of my family, and pretty much everyone I know. But we're Canadians, and I'll be the first to admit having no understanding of the convoluted system of health care that goes on south of our border.

You guys should really get that sorted out, because getting ill shouldn't be a debt sentence.

If you are covered by the ACA any where in the US you are covered.

a reply to: HardCorps

Good point! I think it would wipe out a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck. The federal government should pay people to make sure they don't lose everything like cars, homes, etc. They give enough aid to other countries, they should help their own citizens.

That brings up another thought. Congress should pass a simple law that says if you catch Ebola and it is confirmed, that a company can not fire you because of the quarantine time lost from work.

I heard somewhere that most Ebola patients would not be covered, at least considering the resources that would need to be spent on you if you got it. 3 days wouldn't even start!

originally posted by: HardCorps
Like most of you I've been watching the news reports coming out of Dallas...

Point of fact, my Wife an ER nurse here in Colorado believes that Thomas Eric Duncan, not being a US citizen didn't have insurance so when he first shows up in that Texas Hospital... they gave him a box of tissues and sent him on his marry way...

Anyway, My wife and I are covered by an HMO... in other words is we came down with Ebola they would pay for the first 3 days of our hospital stay... any longer would be on us...

Then we have the people Thomas Eric Duncan was staying with... they have been quarantine for 21 days right... is there anyone among us who can skip work for twenty one days... then who's going to get the bill for having their car decontaminated? or paying to have the sidewalks power-washed?

I hate to sound cold hearted to these people's plights... but dollar wise... If I came down with Ebola the cost not the illness might just be the death of me.

21 days? Why then pray tell, as he reported in a Dallas news conference would the Dallas county "Judge" who seems to be spearheading this cluster f$ck of a response admit that he was in the presence of "Louise and her family " (the family who had contact with Mr. Duncan) for several hours and then reports that he drove in the same car with Louise and family to the undisclosed, donated location of their quarantine and then not himself be quarantined for 21 days??? Surely if you yourself were not protected (by Haz Mat suit, respirator et cetera) and in the presence of those who are being quarantined, why then are you not quarantined too? Totally asinine. The incompetence is so epic in scope that I ponder is such incompetence possible? The Powers that (USED) to be are going floridly psychotic. Do not believe a word they say and follow your intuition now more than ever! PEACE.

originally posted by: anxietydisorder

You guys should really get that sorted out, because getting ill shouldn't be a debt sentence.

That is a great term! I like that. And catching Ebola in the US would be a Debt Sentence for sure!

originally posted by: anxietydisorder
100% medical coverage for me, all of my family, and pretty much everyone I know. But we're Canadians, and I'll be the first to admit having no understanding of the convoluted system of health care that goes on south of our border.

You guys should really get that sorted out, because getting ill shouldn't be a debt sentence.

Took the words right out of my mouth. the amount of debt I'm in because of Lupus... If I were to get Ebola... Man.
I'm more scared of bills than the disease.

I should point out..
there are still some 43.3 million Americans with no health coverage at all...
that's just the people we know about... what's going to happen to them...

I'm just saying... If I caught it... I don't know what would kill me first...Ebola or the bill's I'd rack up?

originally posted by: spirit_horse
a reply to: HardCorps

That brings up another thought. Congress should pass a simple law that says if you catch Ebola and it is confirmed, that a company can not fire you because of the quarantine time lost from work.

Hopefully the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) would cover/protect us.

www.commondreams.org...

"Nurses to CDC: Wrong. US Hospitals Not Prepared for Ebola
87 percent say their hospital has not provided education on Ebola"


I'd like to emphasize two points made in it related to our 'suffering' not 'health' system in the US:

"What our surveys show is a reminder that we do not have a national health care system, but a fragmented collection of private healthcare companies each with their own way of responding,” Castillo said.

and

Finally, Castillo said criminalizing the patient in Dallas or elsewhere is “exactly the wrong approach and will do nothing to stop Ebola or any other pandemic.”

This is a prime (and dangerous) example of how our 'for-profit' 'healthcare' system is not about anyone's health but only about corporate (and hence a few individuals) profit.

The system is horribly effectual when it comes to actual patient and public wellbeing and care.

B. Castillo is the spokesperson for the group releasing the survey.