What's going on in California?

[cowboydoc]

Re: What\'s going on in California?

Del,
You're exactly right. There are some guys that get into congress with promises like what we've said here and they just get stonewalled and blackballed. I had a very good friend that went to washington eight years ago. He was a great guy and had ideas like the rest of us common people. When he got there he tried to do the things he promised he would do. Noone would support his bills, he couldn't get any money appropriated for his causes, and he was reduced to a no figure there. When it came time for re-election he hadn't accomplished anything he had said he was going to even though he had busted his but trying and was easily beaten in the next election by a party line boy who got all the money and ran a smear campaign. Perfect reason of why I am so cynical of the government.
Oh and you guys that don't believe that gun control laws are an agenda to end our gun rights period better think again. The NRA has guys in congress and they know this is true. Why do you think they try so hard and spend so much money to oppose any sort of gun regulation. It is a very real threat. The NRA isn't a bunch of fanatics they are hard working blue collar and white collar people that believe in the fundamentals of the constitution and know what will happen. Don't think for one minute that just because we are the USA it won't happen. I honestly believe if it wasn't for the NRA that we would already be there.

 

[alexcocco]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

i have been in healthcare for 20 years, you talk about making someone sell something for less than they pay for it, the ins co's and medicare are slowly forcing hospitals into bankruptcy, those that are left after the massacre will be so broken down that they will look like the hospitals in russia, equipment will be broken or obselete and no replacement parts available.

this will make the savings and loan debacle look like a tea party, who do you think will be stuck with the tab as usual the american taxpayer. this is 1/7th of the american economy. it is being looted under the watchfull eyes of the likes of ted kennedy. who favors a national (read socialist) government run healthcare system.

this ballancing the budget was done on the backs of the healthcare providers, no one made the insurance companies charge less premiums, but they paid the hospitals and doctors half of what they used to pay them, they tripled my premium in two years and i have never been sick. where is the money going? in the pockets of the politicians and ins. co's thats where, all for corporate greed.

when the whole thing caves in the politicians who are in office will blame clinton and the present day politicos and say "it was not my fault it was those other guys that did this!!! " business as usual inside the beltway.

have a nice day
alex

 

[cowboydoc]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

Have to agree with you 100% Alex. I see the same exact things going on. Pre-cert. now with many insurance companies and they want a diagnosis, treatment plan, and how long I expect to treat them before they will even authorize payment and then you have to fill out ten forms to get paid!! Even after all that they drag you through the mud to make half of what you did five years ago for less paperwork! Then you have to pay some scalping managed care company just to have the privelege to see their patients for half of your normal fee. Like you said insurance premiums keep rising and the quality of the care keeps going down.

 

[Bird]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

Hmmm, I certainly agree that the entire healthcare/health insurance mess needs a complete overhaul, but unfortunately, don't know who's to blame the most. The Dallas newspaper recently ran an article about the dire straits the hospitals are in; but of course, no matter how much money they're "losing", the administrators of every hospital in the area are drawing salaries and benefits of 1/2 to 3 million a year; sure must be tough times.

Bird

 

[Thomas]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

All one has to do when in the hospital feel atmosphere and notice the signs of big business..at least at Dartmoth Hitchcock Memorial Hospital.

Just last Summer buses from Vermont fill w/ people from the USA went to Canada pharmacy..same medicine heck of a lot cheaper..yeah there a problem w/ the system.


Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[jyoutz]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

I have to sound off on this one. On nearly all issues, I'm a free market conservative. But after dealing with health care fiascos for a long time, I have to say the system is definately broken and so frustrating that I would like to punch everyone involved. The health care system doesn't work in rural America. Let me explain. Most of us cannot afford a full coverage family health care plan of our own choosing. And of course it's certainly not an option to be without insurance. What I do, and I suspect most people do is to purchase the employer subsidized plan available as part of our job benefit package. That said, it's very frustrating when the employer changes policies and options every few years to try to find a health care provider within a reasonable travel distance (1-2 hour drive). Then when you find someone, a few months later you are notified that the insurance company and Dr. are feuding agin and he will no longer honor your insurance. And so it goes on and on. One case in point, five years ago, I had a very good insurance policy offered by my employer (US Government). Our family doctor and the local hospital accepted this policy, no problem. In fact this company was the most common in the area. My wife was 8 months pregnant at the time and we went through the hospital pre-admission paperwork. All was taken care of-or so it seems. Then one week before our child was born, the hospital announced (you guessed it-they are feuding with the insurance company and will no longer accept business with them). We ended up traveling 125 miles to Flagstaff, staying there for 1 week prior to the birth day, just to do business with a hospital that accepted our insurance. Of course, six months later, the hospital and the large insurance company settled their differences and are now happy again. On and on it goes. Last fall, my son needed minor, non-emergency surgery. We carefully selected a Dr. and hospital that cooperated with our insurance plan and had the surgery done. Well sure enough, we get a huge bill from the attending doctors (anesthesiologist, recovery room Drs. whom we never selected or even met). And sure enough they don't do business with our insurance and we are responsible since they are not employees of the hospital (they are "independent contractors"). You have to spend so much time hasseling with the Dr., hospital, and insurance company that it is enough to make you sick. I'm just glad we have had only minor health care needs so far. I've heard of much worse horror stories that involved other local families. Both parties always have what seems to me to be valid arguments. But the bottom line is "This system doesn't work and is broke!" I don't have an answer, but (SHUDDER) -Hillary's and Ted's national socialism system don't sound half bad to me right now.

 

[ddl]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

I think people like to point fingers to who is to blame for the health care problems. People like to blame the HMO's, Doctors now are part of a PC, which likes to make money and they blame the HMO's, the mangaers not the Doc's. Doc's feel like their hands are being tied, but I wonder if it is the HMO's or the PC's. I wondered why when I went to my doc he always sent me to some spec. doc. I found out the PC received Money for every refural they sent. ONce I told my doc that I did not like that, he actually started doing his job. In short, I think everyone is responsible for our mess. We the real employers of the medical people need to start demanding the people who we hire to provide med. care work for us. Only when all levels of the med. system realize who is really the employer, we will just get finger pointing and no changes will take place.

Dan L

 

[cowboydoc]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

Dan,
With that statement you better throw the lawyers in there too. If I treat a patient for something that is out of my specialty I immediately set myself up for a lawsuit. That is one reason why doctors send patients to specialists even for simple things. In this sue happy world, and consumers are just as responsible here, every little hangnail mistake people think they should be compensated for.
All you have to do is look at the numbers to see who is right. Insurance company profits are at record levels, doctor's salaries have decreased steadily over the last few years, medical school applications are down because of all the hassle you have to go through to get paid, paperwork is at an all-time high, more paperwork equals more staff, and the costs just spiral, now have to see more patients to make the same amount of money that you did before, and lawsuits are up so there goes your malpractice through the roof again.
You don't go out and blame the auto unions for your higher automobile or that higher price you pay for your tractor do you? Doctors anymore are nothing more than employees of insurance companies. Even though it may be a physicians group or sole propietor the real boss, for the most part, is the insurance company. I work about 60 hours a week, take very few vacations, have 10 years of college, and most upper management at the local companies make more than I do and have benefits!
I'd love to practice the old ways where you had plenty of time with patients and got paid for what you did. In todays society if I practiced like that I wouldn't even pay off my student loans.

 

[markcg2000]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

I am probably unique in my situation, but I think the health care system works - for me ( I now cover my head with my arms to ward off the rotten fruit being thrown at me /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif).

My son is 11 and was born with the left half of his face/head deformed. (see my homepage mark ) My daughter is 9 and was diagnosed with (insulin dependant) diabetes at age 3. Betwen the 25+ operations Stephen has had (most recently Jan. 19 for 7 hours) and the quarterly checkups Vicky needs (going this afternoon), we have been extremely well taken care of.

I know that I am lucky in that I live about 7 miles from a hospital specializing in children (Strong Memorial). I know that I am lucky to be in one of the top 2 or 3 managed care programs in the US (Blue Choice, by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of the Finger Lakes Region). Lastly I am most lucky to work for a compnay that actually seems to care about its employees (Global Crossing).

I also realize that I have some of the best doctors I've heard of working on our side. I see a little of all the paperwork they do and realize it is stupid. I couldn't imagine what I would do if I had to deal with all that, as well as my children.

as the saying goes, "just my 2 cents"

<font color=green>mark</font color=green>

 

[alexcocco]

Re:health care reference (RANT ON)

cowboydoc,
i am not sure that they get it, the public doesent understand that the last wall of protection that they have against the preditory practices of the insurance companies is the physician. the wall seems to be crumbling, i read a survey in med economics that of doctors between 48 and 56 yrs old, 1/3rd of them are persuing a career out of medicine, 1/3rd will retire in the next five years. the public does not understand the significance of this, these doctors are the backbone of medicine when they go who is going to teach the younger doctors, who will take care of the patients, who will fight for them against the ins. co's?

as far as the salary of the hospital ceo's, who runs a 100 milliion dollar company in the united states for less than they get. in the private sector they would earn an equal salary, because you see it in the paper its big news. worse what does a nurse make for working shifts, weekends, holidays with mandatory overtime it is shamefull what these people are paid.

when the bill comes due the taxpayer will pay, thats my prediction, remember you heard it here first.

alex