Every time I consider leaving my job or even changing industries, the specter of losing my health insurance very quickly rights my thinking. My company even has what I would consider “good” health insurance (relative to other US companies) and I still find myself paying surprise bills from providers. I can't imagine what it's like for folks with chronic, more serious and ongoing healthcare issues.
The last time it happened, the doctor's office didn't bill me for a visit when I had the flu back in February 2020 (literally right before covid got going). They sent me the bill in October 2021 due to a “mistake” on their end, and even though my deductible had been met in 2021 for other fun reasons, insurance wouldn't foot the bill since it had been reported in 2020. After calling and trying to get them to drop it, I just told them I wasn't paying until my HSA had some more money in it. Then I waited longer until I got the scary letter that they were sending the bill to collections. Luckily by then my employer's quarterly contribution kicked in and I just paid the rest off.
It's clear companies, politicians, and the insurance industry don't consider healthcare a human right. Everyone I know, on all “sides”, know the medical insurance industry in the US is a scam.
What change would be forced if a large movement to shred your medical bills started?