| There can be few in the United States who do not | | | | people who have to pay more, but this is small |
| know the name of America's oldest health insurance | | | | comfort. |
| provider. But, despite its age and the fact that it | | | | So just what is the answer to this problem? |
| provides cover for some one-third of all Americans, | | | | Well, in the long run of course the only thing that will |
| just how good is Blue Cross Blue Shield health | | | | really make a difference is to move to a system of |
| insurance? | | | | single payer health care. In those countries where |
| Many people who use Blue Cross Blue Shield appear | | | | everybody pays into a central health system through |
| to have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, | | | | their taxes everyone, regardless of whether they |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance provides a | | | | have money or not, has their health needs met and |
| relatively cheap alternative to a large number of | | | | gone are the days when we saw families suffering |
| other health care plans but, on the other hand, it also | | | | simply because of an inability to meet their doctor's |
| seems that this is very much a case of 'you get | | | | bill. |
| what you pay for'. | | | | Until the day comes when we have a single payer |
| Certainly the cost for Blue Cross Blue Shield health | | | | healthcare system a significant number of Americans |
| insurance is comparatively low, but the price that you | | | | will live as they do now in fear of getting sick, |
| pay for this is often seen in the fact that it takes for | | | | knowing that, if this were to happen, it could put a |
| ever to get the care you need. It can often take | | | | strain on their resources which might well land them |
| several weeks simply to get an appointment and, | | | | in such debt that they will simply never recover. |
| once you do get to see a doctor, it can then take | | | | Enough of the daydreaming though because the fact |
| several more weeks, if not months, to get the | | | | of the matter is that universal healthcare is a long |
| referral to a specialist if this proves to be necessary. | | | | way off if it comes at all and, for the time being, we |
| The real problem of course is that this does not | | | | are stuck with what we have which for many means |
| simply apply to Blue Cross Blue Shield and there are a | | | | Blue Cross Blue Shield. |
| significant number of other providers out there who | | | | Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance may not be |
| are just as bad. | | | | the best in the world but perhaps, alongside the |
| Whether you are looking at HMOs, PPOs, or any | | | | other providers available, they are not a bad |
| other sort of healthcare provider, many have their | | | | alternative for the price. At the end of the day Blue |
| problems and, invariably, the root of the problem is | | | | Cross Blue Shield has been around longer than any |
| simply the age old question of money. Just like any | | | | other insurer and provides health insurance for a |
| other type of business, health insurance companies | | | | greater proportion of the population than anyone |
| seek to maximize their profits while providing the | | | | else, so they must be doing something right. |
| minimum level of care which their customers will | | | | This is of course only one personal view and your |
| accept. In the case of Blue Cross Blue Shield health | | | | own experience may be quite different. |
| insurance you at least have an advantage over those | | | | |