Off topic rant

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Wow. How'd you work that out? Bankruptcy? (sp?)

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Well, the only way to fix that, is to wait for all the bills to finish rolling in, then file bankruptcy.

my wife had some real bad stomach pains, went to the ER, about 5-6 hrs and a few tests later she was released. a week later a bill a little over 6k!!! insurance covered most of it, i'm glad of that. i've been to a few doctor's homes doing work and hmm they live very, very, very nice. it is truly a shame what some companies/businesses can get away with charging the average person...



vaughn

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Only one in eight of the patients who experience medical malpractice actually sues; only half of those who sue receive settlements. Malpractice suits account for less than one percent of the soaring cost of U.S. health care.

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I learn something new every day. :cool: I found a little more info regarding malpractice, although it is written by an Insurance Jockey. Interesting to see how much of the costs are attributed to administration and corporate policy.

Well let's see. Our 5 year old was born in the hospital, delivered by a mid-wife which we paid seperately. I arrived at the hospital at 5:30 a.m., he was delivered without meds, stitches or even the use of oxygen for either of us at 12:30 p.m. (that's just 7 hours). I left the next day at 2:30 p.m. so a total of 33 hours of in-hospital care. My son was nursed and roomed in. Neither of us required any special care nor received any. It was likely the most by the book, easiest, non-medical delivery outside of a home delivery or squatting in the forest. The hospital bill alone (remember the midwife and the pediatrician were paid seperately).....almost four grand! Mikey is of course worth every penny but that's ridiculous for a midwife assisted, totally natural delivery. Oh and the food wasn't bad but I hate to think what those pancakes cost me!

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Originally Posted by jglass38

http://www.sustainabilityinstitute.o...ges/logosm.gif The Donella Meadows Archive

Voice of a Global Citizen

_Canada's national health care system covers 25 million people using fewer administrators than Massachusetts Blue Cross, which covers 2.7 million. The average American doctor hires twice as many people to handle paperwork as the average Canadian doctor.



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I'd like to know the reasons that contribute to all this extra paperwork? Is it that the [monopolized] system is that just that inefficient? Or is it that doctors/hospitals need this perceive that this necessary to avoid ligation? Or is it some combination?

How are these hospitial monopolies being maitained? Were are the lawyers that work as our state and federal attroney generals with all this overbilling?

This is quite an interesting write-up comparing the American and Canadian health care systems both pro's and con's.

http://home.ca.inter.net/~grantsky/medicine.html

Well I would think at a very basic level that Canadian physicians since they are in effect paid by the government are in a single payer/biller, standard rate situation. Not one doctor's office with gawd knows how many different insurance companies to deal with and who will pay what and who won't.

I grew up in Canada and as much as I love living in the States, I miss the medical system back home. It's not perfect, it may even someday disappear and become more like the American system as Canada loses so many good physicians to the States were they make so much more money. It is a system that can be abused easily unfortunately. It is a system though were all Canadian receive medical care and don't have to pray they have that $10.00 or $50.00 co-pay if they are even lucky enough to have decent insurance like it is here.

kind of on this topic, i find it funny, that to run a hospital

(director/administrator) you don't need any medical knowledge or certification or degree.:confused: i know it mainly office work and numbers, but to me some medical knowledge or training would be nice. also it is more up to the insurance companies how long you stay and what treatment you get?:bolt:


vaughn

While I agree that socialized health care works (for the most part) for Canada, I don't think it would be an improvement in America.
For one thing, America has roughly nine times the population of Canada. That's a massive difference.
But my biggest contention with those who wish for socialized health care in America is the fact that the same gov't that is in charge of our public education system would be in charge of our health care. To me, that is a horrific thought.
Add to that the fact that said gov't in currently in the hands of the religious right, and you have a certain recipe for disaster, in my opinion. The recent closing of hundreds of family planning clinics across the nation only solidifies in my mind that we are quickly becoming a nation in crisis due to the religious ideals of fanatics.
So there. I'm sure I've managed to offend 3/4 of the forum tonight :O

no offense taken here, everyone has the right to think and feel what they want. life would be boring if everyone was the same!



vaughn

Eh, just quit your job, move to my wonderful state, and go on welfare; your health needs are taken care of by the taxpayers then; whoopee...!

I have a sick amount deducted from my paycheck every two weeks for insurance; it gobbles up a lot of my earnings; then there's the tax to pay for the... wonderful people who don't want to work and keep squirting out kids year after year; it is honestly a wonder I bring anything home!
I don't wanna get started on this topic; I work in a department that works on payment plans for debtors' defaulted credit cards; people seem to think they can go out and get $10000 in things on their Providian card and then magically they don't have to pay anything for it... ::boils::: I miss working with student loans, where you could just garnish peoples' wages!
I'm sorry, but as a full time worker, I am enraged by those who take advantage of the system. I sincerely feel for those who are truly disabled, or really fell on hard times and need help; but I only hope those predators who play the system are one day brought to justice!