Hurrican Sandy

I haven't heard about the bankruptcy claims. Yes, there are lines, but thats mainly for elective surgery. I certainly did not wait for a bed or any tests. Within 4 hours of being admitted i had an xray and MRI, nor did my brother when we discovered his brain tumor, nothing but free and 100% straight in, top notch care

 

You lie lol.
Im just spouting bs right wing talking points. They make it sound like every country makes their citizens wait 6 months with a broken leg.

 

Lol okay, gotcha

 

Healthcare shouldn't be a luxury for only the wealthy but yes here the poor fall through the cracks. When things are done to move towards fixing it at the slightest bit of pain the wealthy cry. We will never be fixed. Ted Kennedy died knowing his dream would probably not be met.

 

I think that technically the American system of medical care is what's wasting so much money.

Here in the US when health care is provided mainly under independent health insurance companies, doctors/staff have more freedom to set services at whatever price they want. THIS is what makes the health care so expensive, doctors can set any place they want and of course they'd set it as high as they could.

In Canada, there's certain price caps that the doctors/staff cannot go over for certain services.

If the American government was going to pay for health care, they could set it so that there's one standardized amount for a family doctor... like one patient seen = $50, compared to the doctor deciding that they wanted to charge $150 per visit. (I made these numbers up, don't quote me on it ). It'd help keep the price inflation down and accessible to all (and save the government money on the medicare/mediaid as well, since the price for the services could be reduced).

I wish I kept an article I came across last year that compared the prices side by side. Of course, with the health care policy changed, this could be a moot point anyways lol.

 

They actually cannot. A lot of their business is contractual. Meaning they contract to charge prices that insurances, hmo's , ppo's, medicare and medicaid set and pay ...fee based on service. When you accept the contractual amount you cannot charge the patient the difference. That basically leave companies that have no contract and selfpay left on their own to pay whatever the price is.

 

I think it's because we don't mind paying higher taxes. There are queues, obviously, but it's a small price to pay for free, indiscriminate health care for all. I've been on a waiting list for CBT therapist for a year or something. But apart from that I can get a Dr appointment straight away, see a dentist today if I need to, if I break my leg I'll be seen in a couple of hours at most, I see my psychiatrist every couple of weeks, see my CPN every week and more if I need it.

Scotland is awesome - free healthcare, free prescriptions (including dental and glasses/contacts for poorer citizens), free education, free university education (and you can drop out and re-do it three times before they say 'c'mon that's enough now'), free school meals for poorer kids, free uniforms for poorer kids. Much more. It's great. I really hope that doesn't get taken away by the Conservatives and those down in Westminster and the grade A wanker Mr. Cameron. His party are cutting vital services like crazy right now. Of course most of that is in England and Wales. Luckily we have our own parliament. Scotland is a lot better for poorer people than England and Wales. They have to take out CRAZY loans like in the US to pay for university education and I think they still pay prescriptions.

Did you guys see the NHS tribute Danny Boyle put together for the Olympics? Feeling proud to be British right now. And I hate patriotism.

 

I see, is that the way it's always been or was it a recent change with the Obamacare stuff?
Because, that's not what was said in class... and your point sounds better, makes more sense. If that's the way it's been since last fall, then I clearly wasted a hell of a lot of boredom in the med sociology class I took

 

It has been as such for a good 20 years or more. My last job was government contractual in finance at a hospital. Dealing with gov all day was unfun. But a good lesson in patience.

 

It's not truly "free". And that is why we don't have it. Because here people don't value it enough to pay higher taxes.

 

Nic was going to post a bit of boring for you. People who aren't on the inside of these facilities don't realize how cost is redistributed. People are actually naive enough to believe that the hospital takes the fall for indigents.

That is a huge laugh.

It's the same concept as going to Walmart and if someone steals they just make it up by increasing the prices YOU pay. The cost is spread around so the place can make money.

One thing is you get a dying medicare patient who lays in the hospital for weeks or months hooked up to machines before dying. They are acute so they can't go to nursing facilities. The way the system is set up unless they go past a threshold where the hospital loses so much past the basic payment the hospital has to eat it. Link to explain how extreme it has to be to get an outlier payment above the basic payment.

http://cms.hhs.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/AcuteInpatientPPS/outlier.html

 

lol I don't find the topic boring, actually quite fascinating. The class itself beat the topic to death though and had a really boring professor .

Thanks for the link, reading now

 

The waste comes from much more than what the health professionals charge.
My therapist used to get paid 72 dollars from insurance for every visit with me. He charges 175 an hour.

If you are on contact with federally and state funded insurances..you lose money. It's why it's so hard to be seen.

I have a pdoc in my life that hasn't been paid ANYTHING by the state in over 6 months.
But we just spent hella money replacing our street lamps so Mauna Kea can see better at nite.

 

I know there is a cold snap coming here Wed......so many without power still....


On a heartwarming note...

Sandy doggie rescue...:smt060 ​

 

The problem is (or one of the problems), that even if it is contractual. Services cost here in the US, say - for an MRI is way more expensive here than in most other countries, In fact I think the US charges the most. There is a huge problem with that disproportion, and its a well know fact.

I saw a documentary a few years back that was comparing US, Gemany, England and Japan and it was oh, so interesting!!!

 

If every payer/patient pulled their own weight and paid their share the cost would not be redistributed to those who can pay. That is the crux of it. Until everyone has insurance then the playing field will equalize.

 

I don't agree with that. It is not that simple. The insurance industry needs to cleaned up on top of that.

 

Day fucking six. Its crazy. Thank God we finally got some gas so I can chill in the car

 

Not in this lifetime.

 

I agree with that. Wont ever happen.