OT. How much does it cost the average American (family) for health care insurance.

Could be, but I'm reminded of the logistical problem in a cavalry regiment. On a campaign of 100 mounted troopers, one wagon of hay was required for each ten horses. That's ten wagons of hay. But the wagons were drawn by two mules who also needed hay. So, for twenty mules, an extra two wagons were required. but that meant four more mules and one more wagon. And so on.

To eliminate the waste in the healthcare system, more oversight is required. These green-eyeshade types, wearing decorative sleeve-garters, in turn, would need managers, and the managers need supervisors, and the supervisors need directors. All in the loop need manuals, guidelines, studies, reports, standards, exceptions to the standards, lawyers, investigations, notaries public without number, and so on.

In a perfect system, a pharmacist who dropped a pill on the floor, then stepped on it, would have to fill out forms in triplicate, attend a board of inquiry, and stand by while committees were formed, new guidelines developed and promulgated, and fussing without end ensued to ensure this ghastly waste never recurred.

Screw all that! I remember a world before breast augmentation. The world was a dismal place indeed.

Competition. Lower prices. Better service.

And if they get no "residents" the profit to the shareholders goes to zero. The fault is not with the nursing home - they are catering to a particular class of people. On the other hand, there ARE nursing homes that can compete with the finest hotels. It's all in the choice of the client.

Society used to have such a thing. It was called children and grand-kids.

Reply to
HeyBub
Loading thread data ...

My grandfather died after a sexual encounter down the dirt road. What a way to die at age 68!

Reply to
Oren

My late parents in UK got financial assistance (no means test) to pay somebody to cook and clean for them for a few hours each week. The nurse came to the house to take blood samples, check bp, etc. Saved everybody the cost of assisted living or a nursing home.

Maybe where you live. We have three or four Walgreens in town and two or three independent pharmacies. No CVS for almost 20 miles.

In NY we had CVS but AFAIR no Walgreens.

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

Yep. It was away for the government to quiet down some people without violating the wage controls in place. Government expediency coming back to bite us on the ass later on. Who coulda seen that coming. (g). > aem sends...

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

Many but not most. The first regimen is get the biopsy and the histology done, THEN decide on what you want to do.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

formatting link

Totally futile...

--

Reply to
dpb

Hi, I often hear down there folks go bankrupt due to serious medical expenditures. Up here never heard of it.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Tony Hwang wrote in news:Kvpmm.1040$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe01.iad:

It also happens to people whose insurance company dumps them. The company doesn't want to pay for the treatment.

Reply to
RobertPatrick

-snip-

Walgreens made a shot at the Capital district a few years ago. 2 stores on the same road a few miles apart.

Now the closest one is in Catskill- 30-40 miles away. The Rite Aids across the intersection from those Walgreens are still going strong.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

In the Rochester NY area, Walgreens are very common, and only in the last few years. Also many of them in cities near Rochester.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

"RobertPatrick" wrote

Correct. Due to medical issues gained in the service, I am 'uninsurable'. I am 50% disabled. I have the company insurance for catostrophic but only the policy to protect my income as they will not cover my pre-existing conditions under any other of their policies. Able to work some types of jobs with a bit of job accomodation (which the current one fits with no problem) which keeps me happy and off the public dole.

Reply to
cshenk

Tony Hwang wrote: ...

Well, it does happen; the number is certainly being overplayed just now in particular I think.

Again, certainly there could be/should be some modifications; from what I observed in Canuckland and listening to the expatriate physicians who've emigrated it's certainly not convincing to me that that is the direction in which to solve the problems...

--

Reply to
dpb

Grin, what folks 'want' reallly is a free ride with a 'policy' similar to the highest rate Blue Cross, Blue Shield coverage and no payment nor rise in their taxes. Even our local yahoo community group here had a thread on it and when cost came up, all they could offer was a higher tax on items the people themselves didnt care about. Nannyism stuff like higher beer and cigs 'because you shouldnt do that anyways'.

Fact, to get that level, it would cost about 12,000$ per year per person here. People who do have that level of coverage, want to keep it. People who don't, want it but are either unwilling or unable to pay for it and want others to pay for them.

Sometimes you get the 'you owe me because I'm poor and can't find a job'.

Often talking with such folks, it's a true situation due to narrow job skills but I never let that stop *me* from flipping burgers if for a time thats all I could get. Sometimes it's folks like me now, (medical issues, can not stand more than 15 mins without pain, can not lift more than 20 lbs without risk of injury) which puts a major crimp in the ability to get the simple standby jobs like cashier etc. Other times it's a real but not lifelong problem (3-4 kids, can't afford childcare unless the job pays well enough, later have to match hours to school or be able to pay aftercare).

BTW, the natural for the one with 3-4 kids would be operate a home daycare, but that's not always possible due to laws in some places and number of kids. Like here, 1 adult per 4 toddlers and she/he would already be at limit and not 'legal' to take in more.

It's the 'you owe me because I'm poor' without any good reason to not be working, flipping burgers or stocking walmart shelves for a time, that irk me. I have no problem with the above set with real reasons, even if temporary (childcare, elder parent care) but I have a big problem footing the bill for those who are healthy and just *will not* work to meet us taxpayers half way on this. TANSTAAFL

Even then though, I could wrap my mind about it for catostrophic care and some form of basic insurance free for all with a set of tiers for upper level (lower co-pay etc) services you pay for. In lands with 'free medical' add-on policies from commercial companys do this. It would be the same here.

One misunderstood thing is that the person with validated disability, already *has* some level of care, often medicare/medicaid /SSDI regardless of their age. The problem there is if they *do* happen to find a job they can work at, they can't make more than a certain amount per year or they lose that coverage, yet can not get insurance for any price. If I were not retired military with Tricare, that would be me.

Reply to
cshenk

Jim Elbrecht wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

We have 2 Walgreens on the same road about 2 miles apart. And 2 RiteAids about 1 mile apart. But no CVS. Why or why not! lol. It must be due to the with the high ratio of older people in town.

Reply to
RobertPatrick

Hell, here in Philly we got a CVS, 2 blocks away. A rite aid 4 blocks away. And all around wally greens and you name it. Drug stores galore. No wonder so many are addicted to drugs.

Reply to
joevan

Yes that is much as it in this part of Canada. And we are not pretending everything is perfect or without any problems. But when I go for any medical procedure the person I get the same priority as the person next to me. Witness those investigations into imperfect laboratory cancer detecetion work. And the firing of a coroner in one province!

Had agreed with my doc to have (The long form, 12 hour fasting one) follow up blood test within a month or six weeks. So last Friday I decided to go have samples taken. My family GP will have the results (electronically) probably tomorrow, Tuesday. So have just made appointment to see her to review results and a swelling problem with my right foot, this coming Thursday. If it was more urgent I would go a hospital ER. Where waiting times can be long!

There are and will be no charges; except the cost of my gasoline to drive to blood collection; I choose the hospital where parking is easy, the staff are pleasant and waiting times are short. Bernice the regular receptionist was on vacation!

It's all paid for through taxes. Canada is one of many (westernized anyway) countries that have government funded, THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN GOVERNMENT 'RUN', health care schemes that cover 'most' if not all of their population.

With successful European, Scandinavian and other successful national health care systems operating for the last 50 years etc. it seems amazing that USA citizens are not 'agitating' FOR universal health care.

Reply to
stan

In other words decisions are made financially not medically. While that happens to some extent in all health care systems, medical ones provide better decisions than ones based on 'keeping down the cost', or improving an insuring companies bottom line!

Reply to
stan

No obviously it IS being paid for (by taxation etc.) and medics of all types (and researchers) should be well paid. But it more a matter of eliminating much of the waste and inefficiency (and unnecessary duplication) from existing systems being run for profit!

Reply to
stan

My logic doesn't follow you claim about insurance companies having a strong incentive to hold down costs ... when I worked for self-insured employers, the employer paid estimated medical claims costs plus a percentage. The insurance company benefited only from claims paid; NO incentive to hold down costs. Claims were reviewed closely for accuracy according to contract, and employer went to bat for anyone who had an issue with a claim payment or denial. Both quality companies, IMO.

Reply to
norminn

As I said elsewhere, the elimination of waste could easily cost more than just letting it go.

My grandmother had a cigar box labeled "pieces of string too short to be of any use." Same idea.

Reply to
HeyBub

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.