My mother is 64 years old and her legs are in so much pain she cant sleep at night. She is a heavy woman and the last time I was over the house she had been out in the garden for a half hour and her leg was turning purple. I told her she had to go see a doctor right away. I talked to her today and she told me she called the doctors office but they wont take her because she doesnt have medical insurance. She said she is gonna wait until she turns 65 (october). This is fucking bullshit. There is something wrong here.
Hospitals can not turn away patients, but they can also do whatever it takes to collect any assets, including puting lien on a house
She is already set in her mind that she will not recieve treatment until the end of this year. Since we live in a free market, why not engage in free market negotiations? She can go to an ER, and every time someone sees her for any reason, whether triage or treatment, whether a doctor, nurse or tech, constantly ask how much the cost will be. She can always refuse any a la cart treatment or walk out anytime if the quote is too high. Might have to devote 12 hours or more to sitting in a waiting room. . .
She is already set in her mind that she will not recieve treatment until the end of this year. Since we live in a free market, why not engage in free market negotiations? She can go to an ER, and every time someone sees her for any reason, whether triage or treatment, whether a doctor, nurse or tech, constantly ask how much the cost will be. She can always refuse any a la cart treatment or walk out anytime if the quote is too high. Might have to devote 12 hours or more to sitting in a waiting room. . .
yeah, they cant refuse her....she needs to be checked out....if u have to help, so be it....if u cant, she still needs to be looked at...she can work out some kind of payments later if she has to, but dont let her go until then, and it might be too late..
when you get a chance watch this movie..
Sicko (2007)
With Michael Moore. A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry ... View company contact information for Sicko on IMDbPro. ...
<cite>www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/ - </cite>Cached - Similar
Ok, I'll be the bad guy here.
We all need health care and we all know it. I work and have a health care plan. If you're employer doesn't offer this then you must pay for it and have a private plan.
If a person doesn't have a plan they must ask themselves why they don't have a plan. If they can't afford a plan then essentially you're saying a person can't afford a plan so those of us that do should pay for the people that can't afford it and guys like me don't think that's right.
I'm very sorry that your mom is in pain but it's her fault she's a heavy woman right? I'm sure you and her could've seen this coming from a long ways away. Americans are by and large (no pun intended) overweight and there's no personal accountability. It's a known fact that being overweight causes many more health problems. So, by providing universal health care you're asking me to pay for someone else who can't maintain a healthy lifestyle and again, I don't think that's right.
Now, rip away please but I'm only providing an opposite opinion here. There are two sides to everything.
We all need health care and we all know it. I work and have a health care plan. If you're employer doesn't offer this then you must pay for it and have a private plan.
If a person doesn't have a plan they must ask themselves why they don't have a plan. If they can't afford a plan then essentially you're saying a person can't afford a plan so those of us that do should pay for the people that can't afford it and guys like me don't think that's right.
I'm very sorry that your mom is in pain but it's her fault she's a heavy woman right? I'm sure you and her could've seen this coming from a long ways away. Americans are by and large (no pun intended) overweight and there's no personal accountability. It's a known fact that being overweight causes many more health problems. So, by providing universal health care you're asking me to pay for someone else who can't maintain a healthy lifestyle and again, I don't think that's right.
Now, rip away please but I'm only providing an opposite opinion here. There are two sides to everything.
Have you ever lived in Europe GTC? I don't imagine you have or you wouldn't be so quick with this opinion. I lived in England where they have socialized medicine and a neighbor of mine had something wrong with here intestines and needed surgery. With a health care provider you'd get in and schedule surgery in about 1-2 months (depending upon the issue) but with universal health care there's a wait list and she didn't get her surgery for 8 months.
Also, because everyone gets care the facilities are sub-standard. I took a co worker to a local hospital and the examination rooms were separated by a damn curtain. I could here every issue with the person in the curtain space next to us. That, to me, is sub standard.
Socialized medicine is such a great concept but until you've actually lived it then your opinion really is just an opinion with no basis.
Enfuego,
The American health care system encourages the very problems you speak of. I, too, have health coverage from my employer, though I do have to pay a small amount each paycheck. However they do not give me the option of refusing the package in exchange for higher wages. Therefore, the only way to benefit from the $38 I give up each month is to be unhealthy (when I was only a 20 hour employee it was $194, despite almost always picking up extra shifts for anyone taking time off). If I recieve care in excess of that amount, everyone else, doctors, patients, workers, employers, all contribute a little bit to help me. If I don't require care, the money I pay and the hours I work go to supporting doctors I never see and patients other than me. In that sense, we already have socialized medicine. The only problem is that only certain groups are entitled to these social programs while many others are shutout
Either make it a free-market, for-profit system, or give it to everyone the way we do with police and fire
The American health care system encourages the very problems you speak of. I, too, have health coverage from my employer, though I do have to pay a small amount each paycheck. However they do not give me the option of refusing the package in exchange for higher wages. Therefore, the only way to benefit from the $38 I give up each month is to be unhealthy (when I was only a 20 hour employee it was $194, despite almost always picking up extra shifts for anyone taking time off). If I recieve care in excess of that amount, everyone else, doctors, patients, workers, employers, all contribute a little bit to help me. If I don't require care, the money I pay and the hours I work go to supporting doctors I never see and patients other than me. In that sense, we already have socialized medicine. The only problem is that only certain groups are entitled to these social programs while many others are shutout
Either make it a free-market, for-profit system, or give it to everyone the way we do with police and fire
You do make a good point but you're talking about $38. I sure as hell would be glad to pay that amount each month to be fully covered whether I use it or not. Just look at that payment like you do your car insurance. I hate paying car insurance but I know it's a necessity and nothing I can do about it. But saying I should pay extra or lowering the standards of my health care or my facilities because other people can't afford theirs or refuse to pay it for whatever reason is not acceptable to me.
Also, I don't think any system encourages Americans to eat a double bacon cheeseburger 3 times a day without excercise. Being overweight is a personal and lifestyle choice and if you don't have health care coverage you should be at the gym or walking and eating right to prevent many diseases that come along with having a beer belly.
You know Doug, that's a very good point and it brings up something else I saw the other day. I know in many cities clinics are popping up with volunteer doctors that are providing health care coverage to people that can't afford it. These are mobile clinics and you should ask if there's one close to your area.
Also, before everyone gets all upset at what I've said in this thread I'm just providing an opposite opinion. I'm not the only one that feels this way so it should come as no surprise. If we act professional and discuss the issues then we can see all points of view. If we act like children then we get nothing.
i have been up and down both sides of this issue, its a tricky one. the reality is if she goes to the hospital and gets treatment but never pays for it who is it that does pay for it?
the insured.
at the end of the day we don't all deserve the same car, the same size house, the same amount of money. Its a great country because for 200+ years people have worked their asses off to make the most of their freedom to do so. it is those people working their asses off that make it great for everyone else.
i got cancer in 2001 and the day after i got diagnosed i got it removed and a week later i started my treatments. if i had been told i had to wait it could've killed me.
so to me something is right with this country, till someone f's it up.
the insured.
at the end of the day we don't all deserve the same car, the same size house, the same amount of money. Its a great country because for 200+ years people have worked their asses off to make the most of their freedom to do so. it is those people working their asses off that make it great for everyone else.
i got cancer in 2001 and the day after i got diagnosed i got it removed and a week later i started my treatments. if i had been told i had to wait it could've killed me.
so to me something is right with this country, till someone f's it up.
