Obama finally called them out

[FarmerChick]

yea Big Daddy---fear of the unknown is usually a problem concerning all aspects of our lives.

yes I heard about 4 yerars for this all to happen also. seems far away.

but I don't think plans will change much like you said. I don't see ins. companies going hog wild and re-writing contracts, exemptions and all that to screw us over. It will still be a competitive market. The first company to "act decent" and give good plans for decent money will be the one us people give our money mostly.

yea changes happen but again, like before I say to all, change must happen.

 

[patandchickens]

Canada does send a number of people to the US for treatment that is not available there. I just spoke to one yesterday. Her Canadian insurance is paying for her trip to be evaluated (mind you not treated) here for a condition that is not common but not rare either. No available specialists in her province (and I guess Nationally ?? too.)

And you think that's a BAD thing? <scratching head> The fact is, Canada is a much less populous country than the US, with many fewer large urban centers and thus many fewer large cutting-edge hospitals.

Heck, if *New England* were its own country, IT would sometimes have to (or want to anyhow) send patients elsewhere for specialized stuff that simply doesn't happen in New England hospitals... purely because of size.

The point is, Canada DOES PAY FOR THIS - just because there is a specialist or special piece of equipment lacking or just because all NICU beds are temporarily filled in the area, it does *not* say "oh well, too bad".

Pat

 

[VT-Chicklit]

What is being proposed is un-Constitutional, as is much of what Congress has done in the last 30 years. For anyone who would like a copy of the constitution to refer to, Congressman Scalise from Louisiana is giving them away to all who request one. Here is an article by the Congressman regarding a Bill he is sponsoring to sunset Czars. In the article there is a link where you can send an email to request a copy of the Constitution from his office. They will send you one. I have requested a new copy, my pocket copy of the Constitution has gotten dog eared as of late.

Here is a link to the Congressman's web site:

http://scalise.congressnewsletter.net/mail/util.cfm?gpiv=2100046490.1450.540

 

[enjoy the ride]

Canada does send a number of people to the US for treatment that is not available there. I just spoke to one yesterday. Her Canadian insurance is paying for her trip to be evaluated (mind you not treated) here for a condition that is not common but not rare either. No available specialists in her province (and I guess Nationally ?? too.)

And you think that's a BAD thing? <scratching head> The fact is, Canada is a much less populous country than the US, with many fewer large urban centers and thus many fewer large cutting-edge hospitals.

Heck, if *New England* were its own country, IT would sometimes have to (or want to anyhow) send patients elsewhere for specialized stuff that simply doesn't happen in New England hospitals... purely because of size.

The point is, Canada DOES PAY FOR THIS - just because there is a specialist or special piece of equipment lacking or just because all NICU beds are temporarily filled in the area, it does *not* say "oh well, too bad".



Pat

It is nice that Canada's neighbor does have those things, isn't it?

 

[Wifezilla]

It is nice that Canada's neighbor does have those things, isn't it?

Don't worry. We wont for long. Then it will all be fair...right?

 

[me&thegals]

It is nice that Canada's neighbor does have those things, isn't it?

It cuts both ways. I know of 2 people in my small circle who have gone to Mexico for cancer treatments they couldn't get here.

 

[enjoy the ride]

It is nice that Canada's neighbor does have those things, isn't it?

It cuts both ways. I know of 2 people in my small circle who have gone to Mexico for cancer treatments they couldn't get here.

That's usually because the procedures are not recognized as safe here.

BTW, it was Pat's remark about not treating people that irritated me- anyone who goes to a hospital here sees that a good share of the people there not only don't pay anything but count on it. We also have many free clinics and low cost clinics that exist on grants and donations. Not to mention dental clinics, woman's health clinic, drug rehab clinics etc. In a county of about 120,000 people.
The media is very prone to reporting complaints that are not investigated.

 

[FarmerChick]

Hospitals can't funciton without payment. Clinics can't either.

Between the illegals and a deluge of uncompensated care from the uninsured -- how can they funtion without funds? No payment means doors close. It means NO NEW treatment etc. can truly be added to their laundry list of tests available. No new funds to add wings and increase better medical care.

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{quote}----The job of providing non-emergency care to low-income, uninsured people -- legal immigrants, undocumented immigrants and U.S. citizens alike -- falls to nonprofit clinics rather than hospitals, officials and clinic directors said.

"Illegal immigrants aren't the only enemy, poverty is the enemy, the lack of insurance is the enemy," said Michael Rodolico, executive director, HAWC Community Health Center. "We're seeing all kinds of people, including the newly poor. These are people who lost their benefits or the jobs as corporations are cutting back. ---{quote}

_____


The growing amt. of the uninsured is rising. Only the inevitable will happen....hosp/clinics etc can not function on unpaid bills. We will have less treatment facilities available as they close their doors, to keep from losing every penny treating uninsured people.

If hosp. and clinics and such were working without the threat of unpaid bills, they could actually improve their testing facilities etc.

When hospitals strain to just keep up with uninsured, unpaid bills etc....how can they even consider adding new treatments or buying new equipment? they can't.

If the uninsured continues to increase (and it will) and more illegals etc. are using the system....the inevitable is less good treatment and hosp/clinics may close.

"The newly poor"---yup, all those people who had insurance and are losing it. The ones that had a decent job never thinking they could not have medical care, but when needed, they go and get treated and can never pay that bill.

There will be many "newly poor" and when the uninsureds pull down the clinics and hospitals and everywhere else "we" insureds need treatment, well too bad then.

If hosptials/clinics etc. know that everyone who walks thru the door for treatment CAN PAY a reasonable charge for treatment thru insurace, imagine the better care facility that could be provided. Hosptials could COUNT on functioning like a profitable business, keep people employed and start to function with future treatment options etc. in mind and grow and be more advanced. They win. And when they win we insureds win with better health facilities.

If the U.S. can get a reasonable control of the uninsured situation, imagine what problems they can tackle next? And there are many that need tackling. But when one big issue over powers the govt. admin.....starts to sink the natino...well then it sucks up all the energy. It becomes the fat beast that just keeps other issues from being addressed. Handling one major issue like the uninsureds of this country is needed now, so we can move forward.



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just rambling out thoughts

 

[patandchickens]

It is nice that Canada's neighbor does have those things, isn't it?

Canada's neighbor is a lot LARGER, in terms of population and wealth.

Also, no country has cornered the market on ALL medical expertise and equipment. I am sure there are some Canadian researchers who outstrip their US counterparts for their particular disease or condition of interest. Certainly there are some treatments that exist in Canada but not the US and private citizens come up and pay for them up here (you can argue 'oh, if the FDA does nto approve it yet there must be some *reason*', but the same argument could just as well be made in reverse, and of course lots of things the FDA *does* approve get approved in another country a year or three earlier, so I do not think that argument stands up in general). And of course there has been a whole industry segment based on selling Canadian priced drugs to Americans

There *are* certainly big hospitals and big university medical research centers in Canada -- just fewer, in accordance with its smaller population (only 10% of the US population, and with a lot of it quite far from any urban center). (or if you prefer, the US has the 3rd largest population in the world, canada the 36th)

I'm not sure what comment I made about "not treating people" that irritated you, sorry.

Pat

 

[Big Daddy]

It is nice that Canada's neighbor does have those things, isn't it?

Don't worry. We wont for long. Then it will all be fair...right?

We will still have those things. We will still develop cutting edge technology just like Europe.