| Jan 17, 2006 @ 5:02 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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Thor1960303
Posts: 3,345
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Fifteen or so years ago,I would've completly dissed socialized medicine in any way,shape or form.Yet after seeing how much of my paycheck goes for medical insurance and how little is actually covered,I'm ready to move north to Canada.Here are some of my gripes about US health care which,btw,SUCKS A FAT MEAT!!There I said it.
It took me over a year to get an MRI on my shoulder because an insurance BEANCOUNTER,not a doctor denied it.Excuse me???Since when does a beancounter veto a doctor's orders?To me that sums up where the USA's priorities are concerning health care.The almighty dollar of course.Just look at the markup on Rx drugs.A pill that costs .000000025 cents to make gets sold for as much as 8 bucks!!!Ever seen itemized statements sent to insurance companies?Talk about padding the inventory!I once did a story(I'm a TV photojournalist)on an old man who got a fishing hook stuck in his hand and went to the ER.Took them less than an hour to remove the hook and close him up,no sticthes.Medicare paid the bill,but when this man saw the itemized statement,he called us to do the story.The bill was almost 1000 dollars!!!The statement showed all kinds of plasic splints and surgical kits that of course weren't used,but still medicare was billed for it.When my daughter was visiting up in Ontario,she broke her arm playing.The total bill from CHEO was under 300 dollars US.When she came home and had the cast(actually it wasn't even a real cast)removed and had Xrays,the bill to my insurance was over 700 bucks with a 25 dollar copayment from me!!
I don't think you'll ever see socialized health care in the US simply because too many entities are padding the bills and cleaning up.Here's a joke that sums it up here.A benefactor to a hospital was taking a tour of the new wing her contribution bought.In one of the rooms there was a man masturbating in his hospital bed.She complained to the chief surgeon who explained that the man suffered a rare malady where if he didn't have an orgasm every twenty minutes,his system would back up and he would die.They then moved to another corridor where there was another man recieving a blow job from a nurse."Surely this can't be justified!"She exclaimed."Oh yes,you see,this man suffers the same condition as the other man you saw.He just has a better health care plan".
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 5:06 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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kattsmeow
Posts: 22,628
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I sure hope not. I want to be able to make an appointment at a Doctor any time I want and not worry when or how long I have to stand in line according to my illness.
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 5:09 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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Thor1960303
Posts: 3,345
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I sure hope not. I want to be able to make an appointment at a Doctor any time I want and not worry when or how long I have to stand in line according to my illness.
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I know some Canadians,Brits and a few other nationalities that will tell you the wait isn't much different.Like I said,I waited a year for my MRI in a town where there at least 5 MRI machines,probably more because of a beancouonter's decision.
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 8:55 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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Greystone1
Posts: 1,677
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The government will keep making health care more and more expensive until we demand socialized medicine.
Ever wonder why your local pharmacy doesn't simply re-import American made drugs from other countries, where they are MUCH cheaper? They can't, it's illegal.
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 9:08 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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waiting41
Posts: 1,926
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We won't see it as long as our politicians continue to be so corrupt. Check out THEIR health care plans. National healthcare is WAY overdue in this country. Healthcare is a right. America is way behind on this one.
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 9:26 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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Seamonkey836
Posts: 111
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If socialized medicine is all that many extremist claim it is then why are so many from nations that have socialized medicine coming here for medical needs ?
If you want to get the cost of medicine down take the lawyers out of the system.
What needs controled in this nation is lawyers and insurance companies.
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 9:30 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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Greystone1
Posts: 1,677
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The question is, which laws have driven the costs up? Does anyone really believe that the costs went up all by themselves; That health care is expensive just because?
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 9:39 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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beatriceistheone
Posts: 152
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Thor:
I feel your frustration. I'm someone who is for socialized healthcare. Actually it would help people catch a condition/disease sooner so there wouldn't be even further money spent later on on the uninsured.
Another point is that having socialized medicine would allow the USA to be competitive in the worldwide economy. It is very hard to for the USA to compete for business here when a business can go overseas and have no obligation to supply healthcare.
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 9:44 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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Pete73052
Posts: 19,370
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The question is, which laws have driven the costs up? Does anyone really believe that the costs went up all by themselves; That health care is expensive just because?
I hear doctors complaining that malpractice insurance is high. I would suggest that malpractice insurance is high because people not only bring malpractice cases against doctors - but that they WIN those cases. Maybe if doctors did a better job, their insurance would be cheaper... you know - like good drivers.
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| Jan 17, 2006 @ 9:46 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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waiting41
Posts: 1,926
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 12:27 AM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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Maybe if doctors did a better job, their insurance would be cheaper
competency?! are you drinking again? 
i'm with you, waiting, about politicians taking care of themselves. preventative care is very important, but i guess it doesn't round up dollars like the present attitude and disregard.
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 9:43 AM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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EyesofBlue72660
Posts: 13,047
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The costs of health insurance are created by: medical providers, insurance companies and the insured people themselves!!!!! It is a vicious circle.
15 years ago I was processing claims. Got a bill from the hospital for $5,800.00 (the patient was in for gall stones). The accompanying anesthesiologist's bill was for 70 minutes; there was also a bill from a surgeon and an assisting surgeon. Upon further review, I noticed that the dates of service was ONE day only. I called the hospital to see if there had been a mistake in the length of stay (a $5,800 hospital bill for five days would have been about right; and five days for gallbladder surgery would have been the norm). I was informed that there was a new procedure to sonically blast the gallstones and since it was so "new", the equipment was expensive and they needed to pay for it....thus the high bill.
Think about it........a 70 minute procedure. Even allowing for an hour of clean-up/preparation time between each surgery, 7 of these procedures could be done in one day.....That's $40,600/day. Say there are 20 weekdays in a month....That's $812,000/month. Multiply that by 12 and the hopsital has charged a grand total of $9,744,000 in one year. I'd say that is a little steep to pay for one piece of equipment, electricity, janitors, and surgical support staff (remember---the two surgeons and anesthesiologist submitted their own bills.....they're not hospital staff!).
Now, is it really the insurance company that is gouging?!?!?!!?
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 10:17 AM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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Thor1960303
Posts: 3,345
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Now, is it really the insurance company that is gouging?!?!?!!?
*********************
If they are it's only a defensive measure to cover their butts from the medical industry's gouging.I have a friend who pays all of her medical expenses out of pocket as she has a relationship with several doctors where she doesn't pay what an insurance company would.
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 11:03 AM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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i was in a car accident, and i went to a chiropractor (he did much more for me than the traditional, drug pusher MDs). when the insurance company wouldn't pay $90/session, the guy said i could pay him $15. wtf! he said it wasn't his fault but the insurance company.
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 11:11 AM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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Pete73052
Posts: 19,370
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Forget the high tech. Years ago when my ex was in the hospital - they billed me $30 ea for asprin.
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 11:26 AM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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what sort of drinks were served with those aspirins on a silver platter? the healthcare industry sounds so much like the feds with the overkill prices (isn't that supposed to offset graft and corruption?). i can see a higher price for equipment. how high tech can an aspirin get -- titanium coating?
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 11:30 AM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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Pete73052
Posts: 19,370
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I don't know - but for $30 per, I'd want to see colors.
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 12:07 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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kattsmeow
Posts: 22,628
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Ok, now where are our friends from the UK and Canada?? They could tell us what they think of their Medical.
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 12:13 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it?
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EyesofBlue72660
Posts: 13,047
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I don't know - but for $30 per, I'd want to see colors.
Pete....years ago, before the insurance industry started putting a deductible on ER visits......you probably could have seen colored suckers or balloons the hospitals handed out to the kids when the parents took them into the ER for a sniffle or poison ivy---just cause their insurance paid ER visits @ 100%.
Lec......there is a MAJOR difference between automobile medical coverage and health coverage!!! Gawd.....don't even get me started on auto insurance and their version of claims payments!! 
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| Jan 18, 2006 @ 12:44 PM |
Socialized medicine:Will the US ever see it? |
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minky
Posts: 261
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Healthcare is a business. The cost for treating extremely ill people
without adequate coverage is absorbed by those who have the
resources to pay. I prefer the freedom to choose my physician and
treatment whatever the cost.
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