We had a number of speakers our first year of vet school regarding pet insurance. From my experience there and working with vets in the field they overwhelmingly oppose pet insurance because they learned their lesson with human insurance. In the end the insurance companies, not the owner or veterinarian decide what is best for the patient.
yes, health insurance just propagates increases in of costs services.
They do it so that they can charge thousands of dollars for treatments. If there were no health insurance, rates would reflect what people can actually afford to pay.
I can afford services of just about any professional- except medical professional. Why? Because relative affordability of insurance premiums is driving costs up. They are constantly testing the limits of how much they can raise rates and with the government covering and guaranteeing a large portion of the premiums, they keep doing it.
If insurance went away, what would doctors and hospitals do? Sit around and do nothing because no one can afford what they are asking? No, they would adjust their rates to what people are actually capable of paying, otherwise they would have to look for new line of work.
I'm a professional person, but I have to compete for business with others- I can't just raise my rates 20% per year and force people to pay up. Medical establishment can. Why?
A crappy solution is no solution at all. Instead of reliving the disasters of human healthcare they are working toward better options. Like I said, had you not been frothing at the mouth, interest-free payment plans are a ridiculously good option in the interim.
I once had a dog that got a case of the bloat. If it's treated within a couple hours of getting it, the dog will live and be perfectly fine. But, it costs about $3,000. I paid for it, but insurance would have come in handy. However, I don't think insurance should be used as a financial lever to perpetuate an animal's life if it will suffer.
Why extend a pets final years by a small amount, at huge cost financial, and in terms pain and suffering? Most of the times it in kinder and more compassionate to give the animals peace. These procedures only let owners postpone the point to when they have to finally let go.
Agreed, have two great dogs, large shepherd mixes, both are over 13 years old now. They're still very active and bound around but I hate thinking how little time is left.
There was this one guy in the neighborhood that dropped off his cat to some routine operation done, like $300 or so normally (not neutering). The pet hotel guy was supposed to pick it up because he was on vacation for a month but by the time he came back the hospital said the operation went wrong and they had to give the cat emergency treatment and put it on a feeding tube and breathing apparatus and all types of s**t, and were demanding something like $48,000 in fees and now the guy is facing bankruptcy and is suing them for not contacting him and seeing whether to just euthanize the critter, it's just a big mess.
Honestly, I like pets, but they aren't family in the sense like people are, I'm not going to jeopardize my financial health over them and make my kids suffer by not being able to afford college later on and that type of crap, I ain't gonna spend more than $500 a year on a cat.
They also realize that they are charging bottom-line prices on all of their services. You bring in insurance and then NO ONE will be able to afford pet care unless they have insurance... sounds like a familiar problem, doesn't it?
Liability insurance is based on realistic costs of property damage and costs of injury treatments. Property costs are kept in check through real competition. Health care doesn't seem to follow any rules of competition.
That's why automobile liability insurance is relatively cheap, while health insurance is out of reach of private individuals- only through group plans supplemented by employers can you afford it. Never mind the actual costs of health care. Even the rich have to have insurance because they can't stand exposure to health care bills in hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It's a system that got out of hand a while ago.
thesonofdarwinAug 1, 2010Buried
We had a number of speakers our first year of vet school regarding pet insurance. From my experience there and working with vets in the field they overwhelmingly oppose pet insurance because they learned their lesson with human insurance. In the end the insurance companies, not the owner or veterinarian decide what is best for the patient.
compulsive1Aug 1, 2010Buried
yes, health insurance just propagates increases in of costs services.
They do it so that they can charge thousands of dollars for treatments. If there were no health insurance, rates would reflect what people can actually afford to pay.
I can afford services of just about any professional- except medical professional. Why? Because relative affordability of insurance premiums is driving costs up. They are constantly testing the limits of how much they can raise rates and with the government covering and guaranteeing a large portion of the premiums, they keep doing it.
If insurance went away, what would doctors and hospitals do? Sit around and do nothing because no one can afford what they are asking? No, they would adjust their rates to what people are actually capable of paying, otherwise they would have to look for new line of work.
I'm a professional person, but I have to compete for business with others- I can't just raise my rates 20% per year and force people to pay up. Medical establishment can. Why?
bobosmitorJul 31, 2010Buried
I have spent hundreds of dollars on my pets. I think pet insurance is a good idea, if it is made affordable.
mbtriaAug 1, 2010Buried
I am sorry for your loss. Our pets become such a part of our lives that their passing leaves a void that feels like it can never be filled.
ryanhoulihanAug 1, 2010Buried
Let's figure out people sized health insurance too.
thesonofdarwinAug 1, 2010Buried
A crappy solution is no solution at all. Instead of reliving the disasters of human healthcare they are working toward better options. Like I said, had you not been frothing at the mouth, interest-free payment plans are a ridiculously good option in the interim.
rizzosbackAug 1, 2010Buried
I had to put my dog down last Sunday. I suppose at least I avoided all this nonsense.
matzahmanAug 1, 2010Buried
12pc? Have they never heard of the % sign?
anomaly100Aug 1, 2010Buried
Same here. I spend a fortune on my animals. A friend of mine has pet insurance and it is affordable if you compare it to the vet bills.
rudeturnipAug 1, 2010Buried
I once had a dog that got a case of the bloat. If it's treated within a couple hours of getting it, the dog will live and be perfectly fine. But, it costs about $3,000. I paid for it, but insurance would have come in handy. However, I don't think insurance should be used as a financial lever to perpetuate an animal's life if it will suffer.
djrobxAug 1, 2010Buried
I don't disagree, but why does this only apply to pets and not humans?
rizzosbackAug 1, 2010Buried
@rustygb
And then you crash into a Lamborghini.
mabba18Aug 1, 2010Buried
A much better choice.
Why extend a pets final years by a small amount, at huge cost financial, and in terms pain and suffering? Most of the times it in kinder and more compassionate to give the animals peace. These procedures only let owners postpone the point to when they have to finally let go.
belthizeAug 1, 2010Buried
Agreed, have two great dogs, large shepherd mixes, both are over 13 years old now. They're still very active and bound around but I hate thinking how little time is left.
rolfAug 1, 2010Buried
There was this one guy in the neighborhood that dropped off his cat to some routine operation done, like $300 or so normally (not neutering). The pet hotel guy was supposed to pick it up because he was on vacation for a month but by the time he came back the hospital said the operation went wrong and they had to give the cat emergency treatment and put it on a feeding tube and breathing apparatus and all types of s**t, and were demanding something like $48,000 in fees and now the guy is facing bankruptcy and is suing them for not contacting him and seeing whether to just euthanize the critter, it's just a big mess.
Honestly, I like pets, but they aren't family in the sense like people are, I'm not going to jeopardize my financial health over them and make my kids suffer by not being able to afford college later on and that type of crap, I ain't gonna spend more than $500 a year on a cat.
thesonofdarwinAug 1, 2010Buried
They also realize that they are charging bottom-line prices on all of their services. You bring in insurance and then NO ONE will be able to afford pet care unless they have insurance... sounds like a familiar problem, doesn't it?
compulsive1Aug 1, 2010Buried
Liability insurance is based on realistic costs of property damage and costs of injury treatments. Property costs are kept in check through real competition. Health care doesn't seem to follow any rules of competition.
That's why automobile liability insurance is relatively cheap, while health insurance is out of reach of private individuals- only through group plans supplemented by employers can you afford it. Never mind the actual costs of health care. Even the rich have to have insurance because they can't stand exposure to health care bills in hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It's a system that got out of hand a while ago.
stonebearAug 1, 2010Buried
Because they aren't mean-spirited bastards? Just a thought.
dmm219Aug 1, 2010Buried
Insurance is great for a large dog in his/her younger years.
After they get to be about 8 or so...I tend to drop it...they've had a pretty full life at that point.
The worst part about having pets...its that they die too quickly (most pets).
I want a genetically engineered dog that will live 50 years...(sniff...not looking forward to the eventual with my dog...)
rustygbAug 1, 2010Buried
Not a joke... just a scam -- like all insurance.