Comments on: Talk to Me (Us All) About Health Care: Open Thread http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/ Nothing is too precious to try at least once. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:30:08 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kinnicchick http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5764 Kinnicchick Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:47:22 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5764 Speaking to this, (well not to the fact that she used a footnote or that you love her, but to the above) my dh had a brain tumor removed in 2001. We had pretty good health insurance (he's self-employed so it isn't CHEAP by any stretch of the imagination) but still, when you're talking brain surgery and the hospital stay involved, you still have a bit of out-of-pocket costs involved with that. Plus the time not working (a year) and so on. We ended up paying those costs with (dare I say it) credit cards. We already had a rather sizable debt. We got a handle on things eventually (selling our home before the bottom fell out of the economy because we had extremely lucky timing), but we easily could have been among those statistics. <br><br>I'm perplexed about this country being so incapable of getting a handle on health care. Watching the insurance companies continually dictate now what medications my dh should take or having to fight the consistently to pay for the scans he needs to keep watch for recurrence. (I could go on and on). Speaking to this, (well not to the fact that she used a footnote or that you love her, but to the above) my dh had a brain tumor removed in 2001. We had pretty good health insurance (he's self-employed so it isn't CHEAP by any stretch of the imagination) but still, when you're talking brain surgery and the hospital stay involved, you still have a bit of out-of-pocket costs involved with that. Plus the time not working (a year) and so on. We ended up paying those costs with (dare I say it) credit cards. We already had a rather sizable debt. We got a handle on things eventually (selling our home before the bottom fell out of the economy because we had extremely lucky timing), but we easily could have been among those statistics.

I'm perplexed about this country being so incapable of getting a handle on health care. Watching the insurance companies continually dictate now what medications my dh should take or having to fight the consistently to pay for the scans he needs to keep watch for recurrence. (I could go on and on).

]]> By: Kinnicchick http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5308 Kinnicchick Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:47:22 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5308 Speaking to this, (well not to the fact that she used a footnote or that you love her, but to the above) my dh had a brain tumor removed in 2001. We had pretty good health insurance (he's self-employed so it isn't CHEAP by any stretch of the imagination) but still, when you're talking brain surgery and the hospital stay involved, you still have a bit of out-of-pocket costs involved with that. Plus the time not working (a year) and so on. We ended up paying those costs with (dare I say it) credit cards. We already had a rather sizable debt. We got a handle on things eventually (selling our home before the bottom fell out of the economy because we had extremely lucky timing), but we easily could have been among those statistics. <br><br>I'm perplexed about this country being so incapable of getting a handle on health care. Watching the insurance companies continually dictate now what medications my dh should take or having to fight the consistently to pay for the scans he needs to keep watch for recurrence. (I could go on and on). Speaking to this, (well not to the fact that she used a footnote or that you love her, but to the above) my dh had a brain tumor removed in 2001. We had pretty good health insurance (he's self-employed so it isn't CHEAP by any stretch of the imagination) but still, when you're talking brain surgery and the hospital stay involved, you still have a bit of out-of-pocket costs involved with that. Plus the time not working (a year) and so on. We ended up paying those costs with (dare I say it) credit cards. We already had a rather sizable debt. We got a handle on things eventually (selling our home before the bottom fell out of the economy because we had extremely lucky timing), but we easily could have been among those statistics.

I'm perplexed about this country being so incapable of getting a handle on health care. Watching the insurance companies continually dictate now what medications my dh should take or having to fight the consistently to pay for the scans he needs to keep watch for recurrence. (I could go on and on).

]]> By: Lili http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5303 Lili Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:25:45 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5303 I agree!<br><br>Instead of the entire focus on Obama, I think more pressure should be applied to the Democratic party as a whole. They have the votes in the Senate, lets stop tip toeing around the issue and trying to be bi-partisan. This needs to be done, write the right bill and vote. I agree!

Instead of the entire focus on Obama, I think more pressure should be applied to the Democratic party as a whole. They have the votes in the Senate, lets stop tip toeing around the issue and trying to be bi-partisan. This needs to be done, write the right bill and vote.

]]> By: Eva Owsian http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5301 Eva Owsian Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:50:12 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5301 We are suppose to have good insurance BUTT recently my husband had something on his face so here is where the "good insurance" comes in. We call the clinic where we are told "oh gee we are positive we can't help you BUTT you do need to come here so we can refer you" Ok we go pay the co pay takes a total of 5 min and we are told we have a choice of 2 Dr's one we can see in 2 weeks the other 6 weeks so naturally we take the 2 week Dr. BIG MISTAKE we go pay another co pay (this makes 2 now) he gets a biopsy and of course we have to wait for the results, we have to make another appointment and of course make another co pay (this makes 3 co pays and nothing has happened yet except a referral and a biopsy yeah) Husband gets told it is one thing but Dr. is not sure it isn't basal cell cancer so come back in 2 months...2 months and the "C" word plus me looking up stuff on WebMD = me thinking OMG cancer can eat your face off (yes I am dramatic sorry) so back to the clinic where we pay another co pay (this makes 4) get sent to the other Dr. who my husband likes and he freezes it, it didn't work but we were told it might not so he has to go back again and yes another co pay (this makes 5) and another biopsy (this makes 2 biopsy and yes we do have to pay a portion of that) we get the phone call (yes I know you are just as disappointed as I am that there wasn't a 6th co pay yet) yes it is basal cell and we do have an appointment to take care of it where (yes you knew it was coming oh darn did I ruin the surprise for you) we will be paying a 6th co pay and of course the portion of the surgery that the insurance won't cover. This is overly scary to me because we have good insurance but really this is just nonsense, We will end up with 6 co pays and whatever they didn't cover I am rethinking calling our insurance good and with this knowledge would certainly be willing to try something else. Actually to be honest I am thinking that we could of saved about $100.00 or so if we just made an appointment with the right Dr. on our own without insurance. We are suppose to have good insurance BUTT recently my husband had something on his face so here is where the “good insurance” comes in. We call the clinic where we are told “oh gee we are positive we can't help you BUTT you do need to come here so we can refer you” Ok we go pay the co pay takes a total of 5 min and we are told we have a choice of 2 Dr's one we can see in 2 weeks the other 6 weeks so naturally we take the 2 week Dr. BIG MISTAKE we go pay another co pay (this makes 2 now) he gets a biopsy and of course we have to wait for the results, we have to make another appointment and of course make another co pay (this makes 3 co pays and nothing has happened yet except a referral and a biopsy yeah) Husband gets told it is one thing but Dr. is not sure it isn't basal cell cancer so come back in 2 months…2 months and the “C” word plus me looking up stuff on WebMD = me thinking OMG cancer can eat your face off (yes I am dramatic sorry) so back to the clinic where we pay another co pay (this makes 4) get sent to the other Dr. who my husband likes and he freezes it, it didn't work but we were told it might not so he has to go back again and yes another co pay (this makes 5) and another biopsy (this makes 2 biopsy and yes we do have to pay a portion of that) we get the phone call (yes I know you are just as disappointed as I am that there wasn't a 6th co pay yet) yes it is basal cell and we do have an appointment to take care of it where (yes you knew it was coming oh darn did I ruin the surprise for you) we will be paying a 6th co pay and of course the portion of the surgery that the insurance won't cover. This is overly scary to me because we have good insurance but really this is just nonsense, We will end up with 6 co pays and whatever they didn't cover I am rethinking calling our insurance good and with this knowledge would certainly be willing to try something else. Actually to be honest I am thinking that we could of saved about $100.00 or so if we just made an appointment with the right Dr. on our own without insurance.

]]> By: milkfish http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5300 milkfish Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:17:28 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5300 To be fair, the President is the president of the entire government, not only of health care. I believe that if he weren't personally committed to health care reform, willing to expend personal capital on the subject, it would simply have slipped off of the national agenda as it has for the past decade or more. It helps that there is some alignment between the containment of health care costs and the long-term management of the Federal budget, but in the short term this subject has to fight for resources along with many other priorities.<br><br>Also, as you know, the President does not run the Congress, which controls the pursestrings. He can influence and cajole, but if the legislators will not step up and spearhead the sweeping changes that are needed, because the constituents aren't pushing them to do so, then it's not as if he can fix the whole mess by Executive Order. To be fair, the President is the president of the entire government, not only of health care. I believe that if he weren't personally committed to health care reform, willing to expend personal capital on the subject, it would simply have slipped off of the national agenda as it has for the past decade or more. It helps that there is some alignment between the containment of health care costs and the long-term management of the Federal budget, but in the short term this subject has to fight for resources along with many other priorities.

Also, as you know, the President does not run the Congress, which controls the pursestrings. He can influence and cajole, but if the legislators will not step up and spearhead the sweeping changes that are needed, because the constituents aren't pushing them to do so, then it's not as if he can fix the whole mess by Executive Order.

]]> By: Kim Werker http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5299 Kim Werker Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:49:02 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5299 Lightening things up slightly: You used a footnote in a blog comment, and<br>now I think I love you. Lightening things up slightly: You used a footnote in a blog comment, and
now I think I love you.

]]> By: VJ http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5298 VJ Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:43:17 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5298 Oh, believe me, I know. In 2007, 60% of bankruptcies were due to medical bills. That's a 50% increase since 2001 [1].<br><br>I don't know of anyone who's divorced because of medical bills, but I do know an uninsured asthmatic who can't afford primary care, and so she ends up every year or two in the ER -- which definitely costs the taxpayers more than a couple primary care visits. <br><br>Portland, like Vancouver, has a large population of mentally ill and/or addicted homeless people. Our city government knows that housing, and taking care of these people costs less than leaving them on the streets and having them end up doing petty or not so petty crimes, ending up in ER or an emergent mental health treatment center... but, the public will seems to think that the homeless are just lazy, that if they'd just get a job, they'd be fine, not looking at the situations that caused them to be homeless in the first place. <br><br>So when I do watch TV, anything other than say Rachel Maddow, or read the paper, I have the uncontrollable urge to start screaming things outloud -- which is fine when I'm at home with the windows shut, not so great otherwise....<br><br>It's a huge moral failing on our part. <br><br>[1] <a href="http://www.fleshandstone.net/policy_trends/1531.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.fleshandstone.net/policy_trends/1531...</a> Oh, believe me, I know. In 2007, 60% of bankruptcies were due to medical bills. That's a 50% increase since 2001 [1].

I don't know of anyone who's divorced because of medical bills, but I do know an uninsured asthmatic who can't afford primary care, and so she ends up every year or two in the ER — which definitely costs the taxpayers more than a couple primary care visits.

Portland, like Vancouver, has a large population of mentally ill and/or addicted homeless people. Our city government knows that housing, and taking care of these people costs less than leaving them on the streets and having them end up doing petty or not so petty crimes, ending up in ER or an emergent mental health treatment center… but, the public will seems to think that the homeless are just lazy, that if they'd just get a job, they'd be fine, not looking at the situations that caused them to be homeless in the first place.

So when I do watch TV, anything other than say Rachel Maddow, or read the paper, I have the uncontrollable urge to start screaming things outloud — which is fine when I'm at home with the windows shut, not so great otherwise….

It's a huge moral failing on our part.

[1] http://www.fleshandstone.net/policy_trends/1531...

]]> By: avivagabriel http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5297 avivagabriel Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:39:42 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5297 I'm also deeply disappointed in President Obama. I've been told to keep my criticisms to myself by progressives who fear our agenda will be harmed by expressing our disappointment in his weakness or lack of clarity. I tried that for three months. <br><br>But...After watching Bill Moyers' videos (Healthcare as a Human Right, Money-Driven Medicine), I don't think I'm doing progressives, Obama, or the people of my country any big favor by shutting my mouth, slapping on a brave grin, and chanting "I'm optimistic, I'm optimistic" mantras 24/7. <br><br>I'm NOT optimistic. That doesn't mean I'm gonna lie down and roll over, or collapse in a puddle of apathy. <br><br>In fact, my pessimism drives me to do more, say more, and become an activist. My pessimism is politicizing me. Speaking one's "truth" is the fire, the passion, and the energ that drives change. I'm also deeply disappointed in President Obama. I've been told to keep my criticisms to myself by progressives who fear our agenda will be harmed by expressing our disappointment in his weakness or lack of clarity. I tried that for three months.

But…After watching Bill Moyers' videos (Healthcare as a Human Right, Money-Driven Medicine), I don't think I'm doing progressives, Obama, or the people of my country any big favor by shutting my mouth, slapping on a brave grin, and chanting “I'm optimistic, I'm optimistic” mantras 24/7.

I'm NOT optimistic. That doesn't mean I'm gonna lie down and roll over, or collapse in a puddle of apathy.

In fact, my pessimism drives me to do more, say more, and become an activist. My pessimism is politicizing me. Speaking one's “truth” is the fire, the passion, and the energ that drives change.

]]> By: Kim Werker http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5296 Kim Werker Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:26:02 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5296 "The insurance companies dictate what physicians you can see, proscribe a<br>protocol for treatment that if it is not followed - they won't pay, they<br>also dictate what is an allowable payment."<br><br>That's not socialized, and overall that's not what happens in<br>government-administered health care systems. My doctor chooses courses of<br>treatment, within reasonable parameters—with an emphasis on "chooses" and<br>"reasonable". Your quote is what people who think socialism kills puppies<br>believe socialism is. It's not.<br><br>Still, I'm so with you on a single-payer system. “The insurance companies dictate what physicians you can see, proscribe a
protocol for treatment that if it is not followed – they won't pay, they
also dictate what is an allowable payment.”

That's not socialized, and overall that's not what happens in
government-administered health care systems. My doctor chooses courses of
treatment, within reasonable parameters—with an emphasis on “chooses” and
“reasonable”. Your quote is what people who think socialism kills puppies
believe socialism is. It's not.

Still, I'm so with you on a single-payer system.

]]> By: askatknits http://www.kimwerker.com/2009/08/27/talk-to-me-us-all-about-health-care-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-5295 askatknits Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:15:00 +0000 http://www.kimwerker.com/?p=934#comment-5295 Kim, you got me!<br><br>I work in health care and see a HUGE need for coverage for all citizens. It sickens me that people are so short sighted. <br><br>We already have "socialized medicine" - the insurance companies dictate what physicians you can see, proscribe a protocol for treatment that if it is not followed - they won't pay, they also dictate what is an allowable payment. <br><br>It is wrong, horribly wrong.<br><br>Give me a single payer system - and quickly. Kim, you got me!

I work in health care and see a HUGE need for coverage for all citizens. It sickens me that people are so short sighted.

We already have “socialized medicine” – the insurance companies dictate what physicians you can see, proscribe a protocol for treatment that if it is not followed – they won't pay, they also dictate what is an allowable payment.

It is wrong, horribly wrong.

Give me a single payer system – and quickly.

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