dailykos.com— Today, I went in, insurance-less, to the doctor for the first time. In light of our problems back home, I felt I should share this with all of you here.
Dec 18, 2009View in Crawl 4
Deregulation didn't really cause either. The real estate bubble in both instances were just a symptom of the underlying problems with the monetary system. Deregulation may have made things worse but there are also instances where it helped. Making deregulation the scape goat for everything is over simplifying a much more complex problem. It has far more to do with the mechanisms of interest rates, elastic monetary supplies and debt than anything else.
Japanese people don't want Americans to come and take all their jobs the same way Americans don't like it when illegal immigrants get all the jobs in Texas, Florida, California and New York.
@alphaterminusIt would have been nice if the hospital up front said what the cost of a band aid would have been - kudos to yours for not charging for them. Sure I'd consent to the x-rays and check for concussion, but a band aid and cream I could have done at home. I ended up not even getting the pain medicine they prescribed because it would have been $80. I got extra strength tylenol at the store and was fine. I understand that there are a lot of salaries to pay for, as well as for people who cannot afford, but there must be better ways to manage the costs than to just dump it in the most ridiculous of places. My school's health center went digital and reported to save 25% of their budget. Hospitals could do the same thing - it'd reduce the risk of mistakes, be able to transfer data from one doctor to the next easily, and from one hospital to another as well.
jeffieK ,You have just called me an effing Criminal.I think you have some of your information crossed.the Enterprise itself is sane and stable it is the Gov't intervention that has brought it to Criminal status.Taxing of health Insurers. that is right taxing your health insurer for the procedures they pay the hospital for you.This is part of the criminal situation, there are many layers to it.I do agree that the institution of Employer Insurance Plans is on a % basis corrupt, however, we are not all criminal.
Australia has a good system which is a national health care coverage with set prices for services, and then the practitioners decide their own fees. They can charge more (often), the same (not so often), or less than the government prescribed fee (never). Then as a consumer you make a choice where you want to go according in part to how much extra you are willing to pay, Many very good doctors charge near the set rate, Hospital in-patients are covered as well, But there are extras and such things as Ambulance you must have your own cover. Generally there is a health safety net which works well and is supported Federally through our taxes. The main problem which has consistently arisen seems to be fraud from the doctors' side - over servicing - and also the lack of cover for dental. Otherwise I think that it is a great solution which is a market-oriented version of the European total state paid systems.
In Korea I've been to the doc for less than $20, and my daughter spent *6 weeks* in a level 3 NICU at Yonsei University Hospital in Seoul for something like $4000. /American living in Seoul
Indeed. Midterm election this year. Find out who opposes reform and who wants it and vote accordingly. And when I say "reform", I mean the more radical, the better.
You'd just be chasing your tail. The idea that you can manage your costs with regard to the health industry is a cruel myth. My wife went through this same issue last year and it was a nightmare. A very expensive nightmare.
arkons24Dec 19, 2009
Deregulation didn't really cause either. The real estate bubble in both instances were just a symptom of the underlying problems with the monetary system. Deregulation may have made things worse but there are also instances where it helped. Making deregulation the scape goat for everything is over simplifying a much more complex problem. It has far more to do with the mechanisms of interest rates, elastic monetary supplies and debt than anything else.
amadeus2490Dec 20, 2009
Japanese people don't want Americans to come and take all their jobs the same way Americans don't like it when illegal immigrants get all the jobs in Texas, Florida, California and New York.
zerocubedDec 20, 2009
@alphaterminusIt would have been nice if the hospital up front said what the cost of a band aid would have been - kudos to yours for not charging for them. Sure I'd consent to the x-rays and check for concussion, but a band aid and cream I could have done at home. I ended up not even getting the pain medicine they prescribed because it would have been $80. I got extra strength tylenol at the store and was fine. I understand that there are a lot of salaries to pay for, as well as for people who cannot afford, but there must be better ways to manage the costs than to just dump it in the most ridiculous of places. My school's health center went digital and reported to save 25% of their budget. Hospitals could do the same thing - it'd reduce the risk of mistakes, be able to transfer data from one doctor to the next easily, and from one hospital to another as well.
docgaebelDec 22, 2009
jeffieK ,You have just called me an effing Criminal.I think you have some of your information crossed.the Enterprise itself is sane and stable it is the Gov't intervention that has brought it to Criminal status.Taxing of health Insurers. that is right taxing your health insurer for the procedures they pay the hospital for you.This is part of the criminal situation, there are many layers to it.I do agree that the institution of Employer Insurance Plans is on a % basis corrupt, however, we are not all criminal.
adamsonDec 23, 2009
Australia has a good system which is a national health care coverage with set prices for services, and then the practitioners decide their own fees. They can charge more (often), the same (not so often), or less than the government prescribed fee (never). Then as a consumer you make a choice where you want to go according in part to how much extra you are willing to pay, Many very good doctors charge near the set rate, Hospital in-patients are covered as well, But there are extras and such things as Ambulance you must have your own cover. Generally there is a health safety net which works well and is supported Federally through our taxes. The main problem which has consistently arisen seems to be fraud from the doctors' side - over servicing - and also the lack of cover for dental. Otherwise I think that it is a great solution which is a market-oriented version of the European total state paid systems.
chompyJan 1, 2010
In Korea I've been to the doc for less than $20, and my daughter spent *6 weeks* in a level 3 NICU at Yonsei University Hospital in Seoul for something like $4000. /American living in Seoul
atarioJan 3, 2010
Indeed. Midterm election this year. Find out who opposes reform and who wants it and vote accordingly. And when I say "reform", I mean the more radical, the better.
amusedtodeathJan 5, 2010
You'd just be chasing your tail. The idea that you can manage your costs with regard to the health industry is a cruel myth. My wife went through this same issue last year and it was a nightmare. A very expensive nightmare.
crcurranJan 5, 2010
An obscure South Park reference. It translates to "They took our jobs"Not very relevant to the discussion though.
Closed AccountJan 6, 2010
citation needed