How evil are HMO's?

In class we've been discussing how HMO's and the health care system in the U.S. is flawed. We have also watched SICKO and interviewed people about their feelings on U.S. health care. While I agree that the system is majorly flawed and leaves out care to those who need it the most - the poor and impoverished, my own dealings with privately funded insurance companies have actually been quite enjoyable...eer at least not as terrible as Michael Moore seems to make it out.

I am covered by the health care company Signa, provided to me through my dad's company. I have coverage for anything that I need. They pay for dentist visits, eye examinations and 1 pair of eyeglasses a year, along with any sort of emergency or medical coverage necessary. Not only that but the co-pays are low and most of my prescriptions are payed for. I have been under Signa's care for most of my life, and as an accident prone little kid, had to take many trips to the emergency room, where I was treated well and (most of the time) quickly. I've found that I feel safe with Signa and there is never a second guess when going to the doctor's of "How much will this cost me? Can we afford this?" The only thing I regret about Signa is that my first pediatrician who I had seen for most of my life changed his policy a couple years ago and no longer accepted Signa patients, so I was transferred to another pediatrician who, I personally think is a bad doctor with no bedside manner and they wouldn't let me switch to someone else. While I was upset that I had a new doctor I didn't particularly like, I also have to take into consideration that my visits are being paid FOR me and sometimes you have to take the good with the bad....

My mom has Medicare, provided by the government. I'm not sure about all of their policies but so far she says that she likes Medicare and they provide good doctors, low co-pays and pays for all her prescriptions.

I agree with a lot of points that Michale Moore's documentray SICKO makes, and also with a lot of things that you have pointed out in class, but I also think that a lot of it is one-sided.