Still getting used to the system

I received an e-mail today, a reminder from the university that I needed to "enroll for my benefits package"...a lovely euphemistic fashion of saying that I had yet to choose how much I wanted to spend on my health care next year. Ok, that is a bit cynical, the university does pay the majority of health care costs, so I am getting some benefits, I only have to pay $650 next year (total health insurance cost is ~$5,300).

Oh wait, I forgot, that's what I have to pay to HAVE health care, that's not what I have to pay to USE it. They like to use the term, co-pay, instead of cost or expense, which is what it is. See if I want to go see a physician, I have to pay $10, an optometrist, well that's another $10...this is what I have to pay for walking in and just seeing them. Of course, this insurance doesn't give me access to any doctor...well it does, but only a few of them that work with (for) my insurance, if I'm outside of my "network" I have to pay a $500 deductible! Wait a minute, did I buy health or car insurance? At least with a car I can get a warranty, though I guess by now some of my parts have exceeded the mileage to be covered by warranty.

So in doing this whole 'enrollment' I found that I couldn't simply renew my old plan, that package was no longer offered (seriously, do these things come with more options and upgrades? I feel like I'm buying a car). So they provide us with a table of the costs for the various health plans, trust me, it doesn't help much. For example there were two plans, by different 'health care providers' that looked identical, but one was about $4 less per payment (or ~$100 less per year). I still don't know what the difference was because I didn't feel like sorting through all the BS and legal jargon that is used by these companies. See in the end, the main thing is to pick the right "Primary Care Clinic". That's right folks, you have to pick which hospital will be most convenient for you should you need medical attention, and you have to do that now, for all of next year! Pretty convenient isn't it?

See that underlines the gross stupidity of the whole system. Because now, should I be so unfortunate as to be involved in some kind of accident and need medical assistance I better be taken to the right hospital (or network, not that I know which hospitals are in my network). Otherwise I'll be out $200-$500 right away, oh wouldn't that be fun.

And one last thing, can someone explain to me the difference between "emergency care" and "urgent care"? I've heard of the Emergency Room, hell they even did a whole TV series on the damn thing. However I have yet to see an Urgency Room. And why the hell do I have to pay different amounts depending on which I go to? Better still, which one am I supposed to go to? If I go to the ER I have to pay $50 (though the fee is waived if I'm admitted). Yet if I'm not admitted I have to pay $50 and then what? I'm still not admitted! Do I then go to Urgent Care and pay the $10 fee there? I might just have a nervous breakdown trying to figure this shit out, at least I have 100% Mental Health/Chemical Dependency coverage.

I really miss the simplicity of the Canadian system. Pay your taxes, go to any hospital, anywhere, get taken care of with no additional costs. I like that.