Charlie Self

[George E. Cawthon]

I think that current health care keeps you alive, it justs makes you wish you were dead!

[Mike Marlow]

Health care - no matter what form it took, has always been a "profit center". Even the family doctor of old who holds such an emotional place in our imaginations, was in it for the profit. Profit all by iteslf is not contrary to good health care.

I would be inclined to agree that malpractice is not the problem the health care industry would have us believe. Certainly, there is some problem within that industry which the industry should be held accountable to and for which significant awards have been made, but like you, I question what percentage of the take this really represents.

Not so sure I agree with this point at all.

Insurance companies have *always* been a for profit venture. They did this by spreading risk, but it has always been for the purpose of profit and not for any other reason.

Alas - the fundamental principle of profit. Not so different from what everyone with a 401K expects from the companies that their money is invested in.

[jmac]

Yup. Politicians.

jmac

[lgb]

Being old enough to remember family doctors making house calls, and hanging quarantine signs, I disput the profit motive. I'm sure there were some thus motivated, but I personally knew one who practiced where payment was in corn, chickens, and the occasional crumpled dollar. And several who opted for low incomes by practicing in rural and small city areas and setting their prices to what people could afford.

Also not true. The first insurance companies were cooperative ventures of "spreading the risk" among merchants. They were protecting their profits, but the "company" per se made no profits.

I've always felt that profiting from the misfortunes of others had to be at least slightly immoral. A doctor making a decent living is one thing, a giant corporation milking the ailing is another.

And BTW, get well Charlie!

[George]

Indeed, the "Blues," which began as the insurer of last resort are a not-for-profit outfit here in MI. They tried to change it, but got whacked soundly.

OTOH, hospitals which are not-for-profit have a way of expanding endlessly into new markets and growing in equipment in order to spend the money that would otherwise show as "profit," and cause them to get whacked.

[eag111]

Charlie-- Hope you're feeling better soon. My wife just went through a similar ordeal--with potassium, morphine, tubes and Foley....what a nightmare! Eric

[Renata]

Get Well right quick there!

Renata

[Philski]

Sorry for posting this so late. Glad to see you are well on your way to recovery. You've been a stalwart on this group for years and I, for one, want to see you stay around a bit longer!

My wife had diverticulitis and ended up in the horsepistol for 10 days. The morphine she took really depressed her breathing so they had to cut her access to that "little button" she could use to administer herself on her own. And most people on the pain killers end up with killer constipation huh????

Well good to see you back postin' away!

Get well soon!

As Always, Phil(ski)

[Charlie Self]

hospitals

nursing

(morphine

herself

Improving more slowly than I like, but improving. Odd lack of endurance, which is normal according to the doctors.

I didn't have to worry about constipation with that tube into my stomach, and with nothing to eat for nearly 10 days. But you're right in that they won't release you until things, er, start moving again, something not helped by the soft diet you finally get.