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I am really upset this morning - so here goes!!! It may take one very long blog or many shorter blogs to get my points across, so here goes. You may want to pick out the topics you may want to read and ignore others or all of them - Will not use my normal signature of OMG - OBAMA MUST GO !!! As this is not my usual conservative blog. Last night I had a 55 year old female tell me that when she was a single mom earning $4,000 a year there was no help available for her or her . My god, her were young 40 years ago so there were fewer programs available. She went on to say that I did not know what I was talking about. Now here is the rub. I spent 28 years in the healthcare system. I do not brag, but I was very good at my job and I fully understand the healthcare system. I am not a doctor and I cannot tell you what is wrong with you unless it is a mental problem. When it comes to healthcare finances, I do understand the healthcare system. The liberal media has done an excellent job of painting a dismal picture of our healthcare system. The media would like for you to believe that there are 50 million+ folks living in the USA without healthcare. The truth is that there are over 50 million folks without healthcare insurance. Even after Obamacare is fully in place in 2016, there will still be 23 million folks without healthcare insurance. There are about 11 million illegals without insurance and Obamacare will not cover them. There are 8 million folks that could afford to buy insurance, but will game the system and not purchase insurance. I have never figured out where the other 4 million are. Myth 1: There is not a single individual in the USA legal or illegal that does not have access to healthcare. Just go to any Emergency Room any night around 7 PM. They all start arriving about then. Did many studies of ER visits - it always came out around 75% to 80% of ER visits were non-ER visits. Here is the problem - a hospital ER must see every patient that walks or is carried into the ER. A hospital cannot admit a single patient and a hospital cannot discharge a single patient. Only a physician can. A physician does not have to see a patient in his private practice - no money, no insurance - the physician does not have to see you in his office. An average minor ER visit is around $150 - the average physician office visit is around $75 - If you want to save billions in healthcare costs, why not make physician at least provide some no pay visits. The physician clout in Washington, DC is much stronger than hospitals. Myth 2: People seen in an ER setting do not receive the same level of service that people with insurance. That is totally false. ER physicians, ER nurses, and ER professionals seldom know the payment status of a patient. They do treat every one, but with 75% not really being that sick or requiring ER services, they are not going to waste their time. They have to many patients that they must see. A normal ER time around here is in the 5 hour range. Even with insurance. Myth 3: I cannot afford healthcare or my prescriptions. One of the biggest myths around. Many ways to save on prescriptions, many programs available to help you cover your prescriptions. There were ads on TV where two buses were going around the USA trying to tell folks how to get help. Drug companies have programs with sliding scales - my mom would have had to pay $1,300 a month for her prescriptions during the last 3 years she was alive. Her total income was $900 a month - she found a program where her prescriptions would only cost her $40 a month - her doctor did have to fill out some paperwork - her doctor always thanked her for finding the program as he was able to help many of his other patients. If you live near either border (Canada or Mexico), you can save 50% to 80% on your prescriptions. In Tucson there is a bus service once a week that goes to Nogales - they will accept all American prescriptions and even have a physician right next door that will write a prescription for you. Same prescriptions from the same pharmacy companies. Canada even has mail order pharmacies - many state, local, and government employees have contracted with the Canada pharmacies and save millions every year for their employees. So here are the other topics that I will cover: Time to Wake UP America!! The government cannot continue to give you everything. Everyone needs to start taking responsibility for themselves and their families. The true cost of Medicare under any plan. Programs for - there is not a under 21 or 26 if in school that should not have health insurance - If there is, it is the parents creating the problems. There are even options for folks in the 40 to 65 before Medicare kicks in. You need to look in the right place and find the programs. A good place to start with repealing Obamacare and replacing it with something that works. Lets take a close look at the Canada healthcare program - Cancuks will not tell you the truth about their healthcare. |
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9/2/2012 10:26 am |
I agree. Very well said. Teddy-ess and hairee, We need (An update on the situation here.) ROTFLMFAO
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Rusty: I am that 55 yr old female and I stand by my comments. I have lived it. Last September I was in hospital overnight. I have decent insurance. But when I got out there was no end to the hounding for payment of my portion (over $2,000). I have been paying each month on this but even with my commitment to pay I was still sent to collections. Reason being I did not pay off the whole amount at once and they cannot keep bill open over so many days. For now I pay them so much a month to pay off my bill but I will never stay in hospital again. I will die first before I go back. The hospital still harrasses me to pay off but they will have to take what I can give them. I sympathize with those folks that cannot afford to pay back and have bill collectors continuing to abuse them. When Mac was ill we also were limited on assistance. I could not afford to get someone to stay with him during the day while I was at work. Cost would have been outrageous. Most people cannot afford that. If I hadn’t had Mac on my insurance to supplement his medicare I don’t know what we would have done. As it was we still ended up spending thousands of dollars on prescription drugs. Medicare does not cover those copays. I also know what I dealt with as a single parent on public assistance. Not all people that have used welfare are lazing drug addicts or drunks. I left an abusive marriage and had nowhere else to go but to get welfare. Every time I made more than around $300 a month I would not qualify for medical coverage for my kids. My daughter is a director of a group home in Colorado. She cannot afford the copays so neglects getting preventive health care. I personally have decent health insurance but cannot afford most of my prescriptions. I avoid going to the doctor because they keep sending me to specialists which charge premium copays. They charge you copay for consultation, copay for visit, copay for revisit. A person can go to the poor house with copays alone. So what is it you DO NOT understand about affordable health care. I’m definitely not a mooch of the system but I cannot afford to see a doctor. You can ramble on forever about what help is out there. But those of us that have lived it know better. I don’t care how much you have worked for hospitals or wherever you worked. It's all lip service. Until you have walked in my shoes - don't judge my personal experience or views. Bruja Most people that know me know I normally keep out of these discussions but I feel very passionate about this. The wealth of a soul is measured by how much it can feel; its poverty by how little. W. R. Inge
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9/2/2012 12:19 pm |
I was very happy with the care my sister received in our county ER - even better than I receive with insurance. She was just approved Friday for a local program (county) based on ability to pay. It reduced her bill for the ER services from $17, 000 to 1500 and she has access to all of the needed out patient and follow up services she needs as well as hospitalization at the same type of discount. Once she is back on her feet and working again her percentage of liability will be more based on her income. This program will count as her health care insurance requirement. The catch? Oh gee - people have to follow through with providing the needed documentation which was not hard to get and cooperate. I am amazed at how many just don't cooperate and follow through for such a benefit. If there was any consistency in our national health care system she may have avoided having to make a major move back to CA here she and her daughters to live with her mother and start over again. I have no knowledge of how our local program works funding wise but it sure works in terms of providing the needed services. It might be a good example of how things can work. And yes - I get most of my meds (the expensive ones) in Mexico. The difference in what I would have to pay for the 2 most important ones (not covered by my medicare advantage plan) pays for my annual vacation there. Spiritwoman ^i^
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9/2/2012 12:42 pm |
Bruja - there is not enough room on this page to list all the programs out there that can help. Mac could have got home health care paid for by medicare, but a doctor would have to authorize the home health care. A hospital turning your credit over to a collection agency is a waste of the hospital time and money. If you agreed to and met an agreeable monthly payment, your account would never leave our accounts receivable. Even wrote off many accounts when it was clear the person could not afford to paid. Medicare has had Part D prescription for several years - yes it does cost more, but probably would have helped you. Mac could have joined an advantage plan- there are a lot of plans that cover both Part A and Part B - all copays and deductibles and no payment over what Medicare pays them - You do have to spend some time to find them, but most of the better plans are readily advertised. There is not a kid between conception, 21 years of age, up to 26 years if in school that should not have health insurance. The government will pay for health insurance for every family of four earning up to $67,000 a year - there are copays and deductibles. If a family is making more than $67,000 they should have no problem paying for health insurance. It is still a matter of priority - may not be able to pay for the 4,000 sq ft house, the new beamer every year of so. I have walked in your shoes for many years and thru thousands of families. You are no different than the many millions of dollars of unpaid medical care that I wrote off the books every year. Millions
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rusty, Mac was under hospice and we did have all the necessary forms and paperwork and doctors approvals. I know what it would have cost us and they would not pay. Things may have changed in recent years as far as help for a family but I know what I dealth with as a single parent. As far as priorities - anyone that knows me knows that I'm far from being Frivolous. I don't waste money but than again - I dont make a whole hell of a lot. The hospital refused to work with me even though I was paying $100 a month. They told me it was their policy to send to collections any bill that was not paid within certain period of time. Look it up. Banner hospital in Phoenix. I even went as far as the Attorney General because I didnt think it was fair for them to do this when I was never late and always paid what I could. But their policys are not patient friendly. The hospitals and medical companies will write off huge percentages for insurance companies but refuse to work with most hard working Americans. Someone needs to make insurance companies accountable. Bruja The wealth of a soul is measured by how much it can feel; its poverty by how little. W. R. Inge
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9/2/2012 2:44 pm |
Hi Rusty I agree completely with ur blog. I've never worked in the health care field, altho my education may have lead in that direction (BS in Psychology) had I continued in that vein. But I knew most of the stuff u mention here about the American health care system before Obamacare. I just wonder why it seems so many other folks never knew it, or have somehow been lead to forget it? Good blog and GBU, Gavin GREETINGS EARTHLINGS! I COME IN PEACE! TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER. Klatu, baraba nicto.
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9/2/2012 2:44 pm |
Rose - your military even call themselves cancuks - met a few Rose - I know a lot about Canadian healthcare and how it works - it will never work in the USA - would cause a civil war
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9/2/2012 9:57 pm |
I agree about navigating the system. Having worked as a social worker for years my "retierment" includes regularly spending some time helping friend or relative navigate or advocate. Ironically the system seem to be such that the most is thrown at people when they are sick, old or otherwise not able to take care of business Spiritwoman ^i^
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9/3/2012 7:57 pm |
Perhaps you could explain to us ignorant furriners why so many Americans go into bankruptcy because of medical bills.
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9/5/2012 7:49 am |
There is a synopsis on the web of 2007 study concluding that 62% of bankruptcies had a medical component. 92% of these had medical bills over $5,000. Look it up. A guy named Himmelstein was one of the authors. Sounds to me as if that qualifies for the adjective 'many'.
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9/6/2012 7:21 am |
It's not $5,000, it's 'over $5,000'. That span covers a good deal of territory. I don't know how many were concerned with medical bills. Why don't you look up the study and report back?
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