General Discussion: General Discussion: Why do we have to reform healthcare with more healthcare?
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c_jackson

 Joined: Oct 21, 07
 Posts: 1507 (72)
 Location: Mississippi  
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 09 1:10 PM

From my own research, I've learned, healthcare costs have skyrocketed, continue skyrocketing and, without common sense, will continue skyrocketing with legislation pushing health care insurance.  Any of you guys remember twenty years ago when none of us needed health insurance?  A doctor's office visit was a whopping $20?  A hospital stay could be paid with two weeks' pay?

 

I looked at my wife's last hospital stay:

 

Room-$550/day

X-ray-$150/slide

X-ray tech-$400/slide (x12)=$6000

Medication (already prescribed and on hand for $4/30 day supply) $15/dose x 6 prescriptions=$90/hr. x 4hrs.=$360  (what's that all about, she had the meds for free, no cost to the hospital). 

Ride in the Ambulance (including fuel for such, oxygen for breathing which I thought was supplied simply by inhaling and exhaling, trauma kit((?!?) and I guess the convenience of having a rude individual continue telling you nothing was wrong with you all the way to the emergency room) and unloading fee-$2200 (30 min. ride)

Ambassador fee(????)-wheelchair ride to the door because you may or may not be strong enough to walk under your own power=475. 

Administrative fee for said night-$200

Doctor's consultation, a booming 7'33"-$895

Cafeteria fee for specialized menu (after all, she HAD to eat)-$55

 

Add the entire bill up:  $10,735/one night's emergency room visit!

 

Damn near $11k!

 

This Nation wants to see some health reform, how about we curb some of this outrageous charging on helpless patients scared to death who show up in hospitals and just want to stay alive?  We wouldn't even need health insurance if these big shot hospitals and medical "professionals" who give these patients ten minutes out of their busy schedule and send them a $5k bill got down off their high horses and tightened up on their expenses?  Times have gotten tough, sure, but how tough have times gotten for the people who run these health institutions?  A constant push for health-care reform is on, whom is pushing the people who drive the costs higher and higher while the very people they treat keep dying in larger numbers?  instead of forcing a populace to buy insurance, maybe we need to take a look at health care at its roots and ask the basic question, with technology across the board becoming less expensive, why is the price of human life becoming harder to afford?  We shouldn't need insurance for this.  Where is the money we pay going?  What happened to the Hippocratic Oath?

Why aren't health-care facilities being run by those who preserve life?  Why does administration of health and life mean more than those whom want desperately to preserve it?
doctonka

 Joined: May 18, 09
 Posts: 157 (12)
 Location: Arizona  
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 09 2:41 PM

CJ,  your money is going to cover the cost of all the people who don't pay a thing. I just transported one of our regular local meth addicts for the millionth time this year. He has no insurance or job, No state medicaid and No income. By law we are required to transport him if he requests it regardless of finances. He calls every single week. So our ems service passes these types of losses off in the form of higher billing fees. I am sure the hospitals do the same thing.

cohenj87

 Joined: Apr 19, 09
 Posts: 378 (29)
 Location: Minnesota  
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 09 3:03 PM

i paid 10k for a broken hand that needed mending. pretty big hole for me when i was 19. still somewhat in a hole because of it
c_jackson

 Joined: Oct 21, 07
 Posts: 1507 (72)
 Location: Mississippi  
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 09 3:16 PM

The most hilarious thing about the whole experience, the doctor breezed in through one door and pranced out the other door, stopping long enough to give his diagnosis.  To Jo and I, we hung on this medical professional's every word, this guy comes in, flips a couple pages, not even looking at Jo (who's convinced she's about to be faced with the big C) and tells her,  and I quote< "Yeah, well, no, tests came back clean, you're good.)  Facing back at us as he leaves the room, "Oh yeah, lower your cholesterol."

 

Well...
Trilarian

 Joined: Jan 07, 09
 Posts: 313 (30)
 Location: Louisiana  
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 09 3:20 PM

CJ - There is greed yes, and I'm not trying to defend against that in any way.

I do see a big problem that is a source for the ever increasing cost from my area.  The law states a hospital can not deny medical services, regardless of who or how many times a person enters the front door (or calls the ambulance).  Before Katrina, we had Charity Hospital that took the brunt of it.  Now however, the regular ER is filled with illegal aliens, welfare people who treat it like a social event, people who got scratched by their cat, addicts looking for pain killers, etc.  None of them have any intention of paying, and get a free ride.

I know this as up until recently my Grandmother was in and out of the Hospitals here.  While waiting because she had chest pain, couldn't breathe, and was losing vision we looked around to see 95% of the population was either non-English speaking Mexicans, 600+ pound beached whales talking about their 6" nails, and a few junkies - none of which even looked ill much less in pain or in need of an EMERGENCY.

What has happened is they figured out that if they hit the ER, they can't be denied treatment (unlike a private practice doctor).  Once they get treated they get a bill, which when they don't have any type of identification, are on welfare, or work illegally (paid under the table, so no tax, no garnished wages), they just throw away.  The hospital can write some of it off sure, but the burden is now so significant its not just an easy tax write off like it used to be.  In fact, the first time we admitted her and showed her Insurance card, I remember the nurse gathering the others nurses saying "We got a paying one!"  It was like ordering the oversize meal challenge at a restaurant and having the server ring a massive bell.  Apparently, paying customers were so rare that they made a game/bet out of it to see how many paying customers they got a week/month.

I'm for toughening up the bullshit laws then enforcing a price reduction for the paying customer.  We can keep the law deny no one.  However, if you don't have proper ID, you are detained until a family member can bring it or INS deports you.  You want to come to the ER weekly on welfare just because you can and won't have to pay for it - fine - but your bill is taking out of your welfare check (like it would be out of MY paycheck should I skip out).  Hell, too many 'non-emergency' ER visits in a time period, put your ass in forced labor to the government (our roads could use some fixing).  Legalize the damn pk's for OTC sale, and let the junkies OD on their time - less cost overall that way.  There needs to be a penalty for someone else other than the law abiding, tax paying citizen, or the system is going to implode.  Once people are held accountable for their actions, the hospitals can stop hemorrhaging money on this crap and our general cost can come down and the ER can be what it was designed for - an EMERGENCY ROOM.

Sorry CJ, didn't mean to steal your thunder on this post.  I just see it getting worse if we have a public option.  All that will mean is MORE people will show up in the ER to get a allergy pill, and the bill will go to the tax payer while my rates keep rising.  So while work wants to put a freeze on year end raises until the economy evens out, I see my tax obligation and general cost go up.  So I will get poorer as time goes on for working hard - sounds great, really helps the motivation.  It does seem it would be easier to sit on the couch all day and collect a paycheck - if only I didn't have this thing called pride. 
c_jackson

 Joined: Oct 21, 07
 Posts: 1507 (72)
 Location: Mississippi  
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 09 3:36 PM

Shit, Trilarian,

 

I have no thunder here, remember.  My pride in my Corps is something that rubs people raw.  I can't help it, it's all I've ever known.  Sort of my claim to fame.  Guess a lot of other members don't dig it because...well, hell, just because I guess.  I won't stop being whom I am, I'm proud to be a Marine!  If it offends others, that's not my problem anymore.I'm too damn old to give a damn, and to be frank, I give too much of a damn about my friends to let anything bother me anymore.

 

Recoil, you're right.  But being a Marine doesn't mean I have to be apologetic.  I gave my service to God and Country.  I can't give service to mother because I never had one.  Look it up if you don't believe me.  Since I've left the mlitary, I give a lot of what I have to this site.  It's not much, but who's to judge?

 

the question I give to the forum is, what happens on Mother's Day?
c_jackson

 Joined: Oct 21, 07
 Posts: 1507 (72)
 Location: Mississippi  
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 09 3:47 PM

besides, ther are a LOT worse Marines than me, believe it or not!
Mad_Max

 Joined: May 31, 09
 Posts: 432 (11)
 Location: Florida  
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 09 4:49 PM

On the subject of Health Insurance I've something to add.......

 

 I've always bought my Insurance thru the company(s) I work for almost 20 years now - In a nutshell I've watched it go from very affordable to almost out of reach as late......Been in the HMO plans that I'm sure most are familiar with : You pay a premium every paycheck and see the doctor with a small "Copay", Your also covered with a Copay should you need an emergency room.

 

 Well it just turned to SHIT because the Company sez it can no longer afford to offer the HMO Plan......Instead they're now offering a PPO Plan that is costing me an additional $2K a year, With a deductible so high that I'll probably not reach it for them to cover a dime of my expenses - Just free money to them unless I get seriously ill or injured(Or a family member) - The good news is my "Maximum out of pocket" is "ONLY" $10K should there be a Catastrophic Accident or Injury.

 

This insurance is a Fricking Joke - Just free money to them and their counting on us not to need it......What else am I going to do???......Screwed without Insurance should something major happen !!!

 

SUCKS !!!  

 

 
trickywoo

 Joined: Nov 01, 09
 Posts: 14 (3)
 Location: Alabama  
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 09 10:27 PM

My wife is an R.N. at UAB hospital, she is always complaining about all the paper work she has to do that she didn't have to do not so long ago. All the docs and hospital are afraid of being sued so they are spending tons for c.y.a. She says she can't be the nurse she needs to be for all the paper work, there is a lot of money and decline of health care, not all of it by no means, but a chunck none the same.  Ambulance chasers are one of the reasons for this.
All I can say is I sure don't want the gov. handling my health care!!!!i
7jinxed7

 Joined: Jul 15, 09
 Posts: 366 (31)
 Location: Tennessee  
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 09 11:09 PM

 I hate doctors and hospitals for they way they take advantage of people like this. I new a guy who broke or should I say shattered his lower leg in a jet-skiing accident a couple years ago. His bill before he even got the full total, this was just his first bill to arrive a total of $80,000.00. Why? Theirs no excuse for that. I would rather die than pay that to some greedy bastard. 

 My mother had a incident a week ago  were she passed out behind the wheel. They kept her for three days did several test head scans and multiple other test. They found absolutely nothing! But guess what she is going to get a big fat bill anyway. If they misdiagnose someone they still bill you the full amount. 
 
 I think CJ's gotta point.Start the reform there. If people weren't gouged like this maybe people wouldn't mind paying on their own.  Maybe the insurance would be able to cover more. Maybe the Gov. wouldn't have to take over healthcare. Maybe people like myself who don't have healthcare might be able to afford the help we need.

 All I can say is for all those doctors and hospitals who overcharged, I hope you enjoyed it. No were all going to suffer for it. Not like they care,they'll just retire. But hey someone had to buy them a new Mercedes every other year and a million dollar home.

 ANd Um yeah I'm one of those people getting help in the ER or in the walk in clinincs. I DON"T HAVE HEALTHCARE! I CAN"T AFFORD IT! I have checked numerous places and the cost was just outrageous. People without healthcare  get denied at a doctors office.  I always pay my doctors bills even though I would love to tell em to F*&$ O#$! You don't know the other persons situation sitting there in the ER. Every one in the ER is not a freakin deadbeat. But do I want Obama care Hell NO!
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