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Offline RobJohnson

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The Crisis in American Medicine
« on: June 14, 2009, 01:47:30 PM »
Quote
stevedeshazer  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jun-14-09 12:55 PM

The Crisis in American Medicine


 

Harper's magazine, October 1960.

I got this in an email from my Congressman, Earl Blumenauer D-OR.

Link here: http://www.earlblumenauer.com/health-care/crisis-in-ame... /

I wish I could excerpt a couple of passages, but it's in PDF format.

It is definitely worth the read, long and detailed.

These are the section titles:

* Foreword
* The Politics of Medicine
* The Decline of the Healing Art
* The Patient's Right to Die
* Do You Really Want a Family Doctor?
* A Doctor Prescribes for His Profession
* Medical Research: Choked by Dollars
* Tomorrow's Hospitals
* Beyond Traditional Medicine


Forty-nine years later and we're still having the same silly argument.

Hell, even Harry Truman recognized the problem and tried to solve it.

Anyway, thanks to Congressman Earl Blumenauer for the link and for recognizing the problem, too.

Spread it around.

Quote
napi21  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jun-14-09 01:11 PM
Response to Original message
1. The diff now is that the dramatic rise in cost to everyone has refocused
 our attention on all these issues. In the 80's businesses were just beginning to charge employees for a portion of their HC. My husband had a quad bypass in 1992 and other than the copay of $20 to his GP & $25 to his heart surgeon, there was NO ADDITIONAL COST to us for anything! He had his surgery, was in the hospital for 5 days, and when we walked out, all we got was big smiles and well wishes from the hosp. staff...NO BILLS AT ALL! Try that one today!

It really ticks me off when I hear about 80% of Americans are satisfied with their HC! My guess is that the majority of that 80% have not had to really USE their HC either!!!! I was always happy with mine too UNTIL I BROKE MY ANKLE 2 YEARS AGO! I had what I thought was great HC coverage, but I ended up with copays of $2,500 when I added up all the different bills and that did not even include the meds & the wheelchair I rented for 6 weeks. Our annual income was $24,000 and I didn't HAVE $2,500 laying around to pay those copays. That 80/20 coverage is very deceiving folks! When you hear the ins is going to pay 80% of the bill, it sounds goo...UNTIL you find out what the total bill is! 20% of $15,000 is $3,000!!!!!!
 

 :yawn:


 



 
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Offline Carl

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2009, 02:09:54 PM »
80/20 with a stop loss at 2000.00-2500.00 has been around my entire adult life (will be 45 this year) so I don`t know what is such a revelation to them about it.
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Offline Traveshamockery

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2009, 02:12:03 PM »
Why again do people think that someone else should be responsible to pay for their health care?   If you get insurance through your employer, that's great, but that's between you and your employer.  For God's sake, when will people realize that they cannot continue to rack up debt, have kids they cannot afford, and not work when they are able to, and have someone else pay for it?

Too many people choose to buy "stuff" instead of buying health insurance - that's their problem! 
« Last Edit: June 14, 2009, 02:14:06 PM by Traveshamockery »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2009, 02:17:35 PM »
Quote
(1000+ posts)        Sun Jun-14-09 01:11 PM
Response to Original message
1. The diff now is that the dramatic rise in cost to everyone has refocused
 our attention on all these issues. In the 80's businesses were just beginning to charge employees for a portion of their HC. My husband had a quad bypass in 1992 and other than the copay of $20 to his GP & $25 to his heart surgeon, there was NO ADDITIONAL COST to us for anything! He had his surgery, was in the hospital for 5 days, and when we walked out, all we got was big smiles and well wishes from the hosp. staff...NO BILLS AT ALL! Try that one today!

It really ticks me off when I hear about 80% of Americans are satisfied with their HC! My guess is that the majority of that 80% have not had to really USE their HC either!!!! I was always happy with mine too UNTIL I BROKE MY ANKLE 2 YEARS AGO! I had what I thought was great HC coverage, but I ended up with copays of $2,500 when I added up all the different bills and that did not even include the meds & the wheelchair I rented for 6 weeks. Our annual income was $24,000 and I didn't HAVE $2,500 laying around to pay those copays. That 80/20 coverage is very deceiving folks! When you hear the ins is going to pay 80% of the bill, it sounds goo...UNTIL you find out what the total bill is! 20% of $15,000 is $3,000!!!!!!






Thank another Demorat, Kennedy! He created HMO's, oh and by the way...you are breaking my heart with the 80/20 sob story. When your God Obama is done you are going to get a lot less health care and it's going to cost you way more then 20%...bet on it.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2009, 02:29:46 PM by Bondai »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2009, 02:27:12 PM »
Quote
stevedeshazer  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jun-14-09 12:55 PM

...Forty-nine years later and we're still having the same silly argument.

Hell, even Harry Truman recognized the problem and tried to solve it.

Anyway, thanks to Congressman Earl Blumenauer for the link and for recognizing the problem, too.

Quote
napi21  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jun-14-09 01:11 PM
Response to Original message
1. The diff now is that the dramatic rise in cost to everyone has refocused our attention on all these issues...

And only in the DUmbass Universe they live in does a reasonably intelligent human being not make the connection that THE REASON for the "dramatic rise in cost for everyone" is that every DUmbass politician since Truman has had their hand in the ****ing pot, trying to FIX HEALTH CARE.  :banghead:
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Offline MrsSmith

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2009, 02:40:26 PM »
Quote
napi21  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jun-14-09 01:11 PM
Response to Original message
1. The diff now is that the dramatic rise in cost to everyone has refocused
 our attention on all these issues. In the 80's businesses were just beginning to charge employees for a portion of their HC. My husband had a quad bypass in 1992 and other than the copay of $20 to his GP & $25 to his heart surgeon, there was NO ADDITIONAL COST to us for anything! He had his surgery, was in the hospital for 5 days, and when we walked out, all we got was big smiles and well wishes from the hosp. staff...NO BILLS AT ALL! Try that one today!


What was the hubby, railroad or military?   ::) ::)  80/20 with a $1000 deductible per person - no prescription coverage - was GOOD insurance when I got my first full-time job after attaining my degree.  The HMO at the second place I worked was even better, they covered part of the doctor's visits, and up to 50% on prescriptions. 

What kind of mentality insists that all basic needs (food, shelter, healthcare) must be covered by the government?   If you really want it all free, go rob a few banks.  We'll provide for you for years and years. 
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2009, 03:33:49 PM »
I worked for some pretty large corporations that only paid 80% of Rx drugs, I had to pay out of pocket, then file a paper claim. It took weeks.

Computers and electronic claims (thanks to Gore's invention of the internet, LOL) resulted in less upfront out of pocket costs for many folks.
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Offline Lord Undies

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2009, 03:55:16 PM »
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when we walked out, all we got was big smiles and well wishes from the hosp. staff...NO BILLS AT ALL!

That's because you probably gave them a fake address and phone number.
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2009, 04:07:51 PM »
Quote from: Lord Undies on June 14, 2009, 03:55:16 PM
That's because you probably gave them a fake address and phone number.

 :rotf:
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Offline PatriotGame

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2009, 04:22:23 PM »
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It really ticks me off when I hear about 80% of Americans are satisfied with their HC! My guess is that the majority of that 80% have not had to really USE their HC either!!!! I was always happy with mine too UNTIL I BROKE MY ANKLE 2 YEARS AGO! I had what I thought was great HC coverage, but I ended up with copays of $2,500 when I added up all the different bills and that did not even include the meds & the wheelchair I rented for 6 weeks. Our annual income was $24,000 and I didn't HAVE $2,500 laying around to pay those copays.

Looks like that degree in ancient African tribal belt weaving "studies"is really paying off for you huh?
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Offline MrsSmith

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2009, 04:27:32 PM »
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davsand  (1000+ posts)      Sun Jun-14-09 01:30 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. There IS no such thing as a "not-for-profit" hospital these days.
 They may claim they are "not-for-profit" but the billing is every bit as high as it is in the "for-profit" hospitals. About the only thing that makes them "not-for-profit" is the paperwork they filed with the IRS at some point in time.

YMMV but that is what I have observed.


Laura

They are not-for-profit because they don't make a profit.   ::) ::)  Any "extra" money, after the millions written off every year, is put back into the business to do "dumb" things like upgrade equipment or build more rooms. 

Not-for-profit places do NOT turn down non-payers, illegal immigrants, the uninsured, or anyone else. 

They do the same job for the same money, but give a lot more of those jobs away for free. 
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Offline Ralph Wiggum

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2009, 05:17:07 PM »
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davsand  (1000+ posts)      Sun Jun-14-09 01:30 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. There IS no such thing as a "not-for-profit" hospital these days.
 They may claim they are "not-for-profit" but the billing is every bit as high as it is in the "for-profit" hospitals. About the only thing that makes them "not-for-profit" is the paperwork they filed with the IRS at some point in time.

YMMV but that is what I have observed.


Laura

I love when idiots who have never worked in a particular field write about it like they are experts. :whatever: :bird:

Of course, that basically means every post at the DUmp qualifies.  Except of course for the cheetos and smoking pot realms, that's where they excel.
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2009, 07:26:03 PM »
Quote from: Ralph Wiggum on June 14, 2009, 05:17:07 PM
I love when idiots who have never worked in a particular field write about it like they are experts. :whatever: :bird:

Of course, that basically means every post at the DUmp qualifies.  Except of course for the cheetos and smoking pot realms, that's where they excel.


 :lmao:
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2009, 04:55:00 PM »
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That 80/20 coverage is very deceiving folks! When you hear the ins is going to pay 80% of the bill, it sounds goo...UNTIL you find out what the total bill is! 20% of $15,000 is $3,000!!!!!!



Ummmm, no shit Sherlock?











Damn the DUmmies are stupid.
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #14 on: June 16, 2009, 01:28:13 AM »
Quote from: Wineslob on June 15, 2009, 04:55:00 PM



Ummmm, no shit Sherlock?


Damn the DUmmies are stupid.

It's one of the few times that the math has been correct on DU.  LOL
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Offline delilahmused

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2009, 03:34:49 AM »
Good God these people are easily led. The moment the big 0 talks about something they're clamoring all over each other to jump on the bandwagon. If he gave a speech on the nutritional value of eating your own shit they'd be digging it out of the toilet and breathlessly running to DU to brag about it. What tools!

Cindie
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #16 on: June 16, 2009, 09:45:47 AM »
Quote from: delilahmused on June 16, 2009, 03:34:49 AM
Good God these people are easily led. The moment the big 0 talks about something they're clamoring all over each other to jump on the bandwagon. If he gave a speech on the nutritional value of eating your own shit they'd be digging it out of the toilet and breathlessly running to DU to brag about it. What tools!

Cindie


And now he's got ABC to help shovel the shit.


Too bad I don't watch ABC.       :fuelfire:
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“The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be reduced; the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled. Payments to foreign governments must be reduced, if the nation doesn't want to go bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.”

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"Practice random violence and senseless acts of brutality"

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Offline Ralph Wiggum

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Re: The Crisis in American Medicine
« Reply #17 on: June 16, 2009, 10:10:06 AM »
Quote from: Wineslob on June 16, 2009, 09:45:47 AM

And now he's got ABC to help shovel the shit.


Too bad I don't watch ABC.       :fuelfire:

The ABC 0bama infomercial is really going to tear the DUmmies up.  Haven't they been boycotting ABC ever since they aired the made-for-TV movie "Path to 9/11"?
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