Sleep Center thieves

jnk · Post by **jnk** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:08 pm

I admire the conspiracy theories outlined above--I just don't think they go deep enough, far enough, or are, frankly, cynical enough.

A system that forces everyone to be a part of it even when it is broken and is victimizing everyone--brilliantly sinister! The question is, Can regulating organized crime ever really improve it?

As Deep-Throat never actually said: "Follow the money."

But watch your back.

jeff

TheDreamer · Post by **TheDreamer** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:03 pm

jnk wrote:The question is, Can regulating organized crime ever really improve it?

From what I'm reading about our Canadian xPAP users....it doesn't.....

riverdreamer · Post by **riverdreamer** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:31 pm

goose wrote: If any of you read or experienced what just happened in California it's only a small example of the corruption in our governments. We all wonder why "Johnny can't read" (sorry Johnny -- it's a figure of speech!!!). California cut $11B out of the education budget instead of taking it from elsewhere. Education is such an easy target.....Take it out of Fire and Safety and see how much money "we the people" are willing to pony up to save it.....

HEY!!! Up here in Northern CA, they ARE taking it out of Fire and Safety too. The plan is that people will have to either pay monthly to have 911 emergency response, or pay one big bill if you use it. Police, fire, and ambulance. And yes, we DO already pay taxes that are supposed to cover these things. It looks to me like we are paying more and more to get less and less.

Sorry! Couldn't help it.

goose · Post by **goose** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:59 am

Ha -- I'm in the North section also...
I know what you mean about paying more for less.....
<begin rant>
If "we the people" would ask/demand less from our so called public servants it might not cost us so much, but "we the people" keep demanding services. Then when it comes time to pay for said services we squeal and the repugnantcans and the demodummies can't seem to figure it out, so their knee jerk reaction is to cut on the "easy stuff". They give a lot of lip service to cutting Fire and Safety etc., but somehow they always come up with the bucks - and the teachers get pink slips. Misplaced priorities in my mind.....
How about all those so called entitlements?? Identify the cheaters and throw their sorry asses into the clink with Bernie Madoff......problem with that is in California the Feds are telling the governor that we have to let a whole bunch of felons loose because of prison over crowding.
What's wrong with "workfare"?? ....Our supreme court decided that making someone work for their "welfare" was unconstitutional because it was depriving them of their rights......HUH??? So.......we have a constitutional right to a free ride?? Where do I sign up???
Hmmmmmm......And don't get me started on parents that aren't allowed to be parents anymore because of "Child Protective Services" and the like.....Ya see 'em every time you go to the grocery store. I think I'll just leave that one there.....
Problems in society??? Naw. Just listen to the social services people -- they'll tell ya......
There's too many Rush Limp-paw's running around spouting their self-righteous hate and intolerance. Hypocrites and demagogues that are somehow given credibility....quite sad really.....
Until we the people decide to kick some butt and take some names it ain't gonna change.....and I don't see we the people willing to do what's necessary....
<end rant>

My soap box is getting kind of rickety these days......
It is what it is.....
cheers
goose

glfredrick · Post by **glfredrick** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 7:06 am

I've divorced my sleep doctor for just these reasons. The co-pay is typically the price of equipment I can buy on my own, so I'm managing my own sleep care under the guidance of my general practioner who charges me a $20 co-pay for office visits.

Portageegal · Post by **Portageegal** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 7:53 am

$ 18 medicare paid for this. I will buy them out of pocket online from now on. I can get a three pack for less than $5.

mindy · Post by **mindy** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:52 am

Goose - I'm with ya on that rant!

Mindy

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:24 am

TheDreamer wrote:
jnk wrote:
Re: Sleep Center thieves
Man. It must have taken some very enterprising theives to have been able to steal an entire sleep center like that!
Probably happened in broad daylight too, eh?

Mine happened while I was sleeping. or was that sleep deprived. As soon as I woke up I fired everyone of them.

purple026 · Post by **purple026** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:42 pm

My GP told me that the person who pays the most for health care are those who have no insurance. Insurance companies negotiate a deal with health care providers so they pay only part of the fee. The amounts which Medicare uses (Medicare Assignment) are so small that as of right now, many private office medical doctors would not accept me as a patient. I go to the clinic associated with the local Medical School and fronts for the hospital which is the designated public facility.

I see the doctors office bill of seventy five dollars for a standard visit to a student doctor. Medicare Assignment pays eighty percent of $12.50.

My issue with the system is that I feel a mask seal should be replaced more often than once every three months, and I can not buy a new mask seal for the kind of price that Medicare pays.

It is possible that if one did not have insurance, one might negotiate a deal with the Sleep Wake center in advance. I know that here, in Salt Lake city, Utah, I had long delayed going to the Sleep Wake center because at one time in the 1990s Medicare would not pay for the Sleep Test but would pay for the machine and such if I had positive test. When I finally asked, my local GP clinic did not know what Medicare would pay for. However the same doc had spent some time at the Sleep Wake center and said if I called the Sleep Wake Center and spoke with the person who did the billing, they would surely find a way to accommodate my needs. I am still not sure if Medicare paid for the test or the Clinic just did it gratis. I spoke with the Sleep Doctor for over an hour in my first visit. I had a lot of questions. He was very informative and was willing to talk with me until I ran out of questions. He indicated that the Clinic would find a way to work with anyone who needed the treatment. Meaning a small payment every month. Lowered bill. Doing the test and titration on the same night which is also sometimes done because it was a hardship on the patient, like the patient was from out of town.

No doubt paying the full price for services, equipment is not right. It is part of our current health care system in which the Medicare bases its prices on a percentage of those full prices. I have a strong feeling that Medicare is not over paying providers.

SaltLakeJan · Post by **SaltLakeJan** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:24 pm

Right now the entire medical community seems like a lose, lose situation. And, getting worse every year.

As of December 2008, I am officially a Medicare patient. When I heard some of the proposals/rumors, the new regime is considering for the Medicare folks---restricted care--higher premiums--you've had your turn, now its time for someone else. I wonder if we will look back on 2009, as the good ol days? Hmmmm?

Jan

purple · Post by **purple** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 6:48 am

The question occurs to me. Who is getting the most un-just deal.

Those of us on Public Insurance, like Medicare: A program whose value is constantly eroded by an ever changing, un-predictable series of rule changes of Co-Pays, reduced reimbursement for medical providers. While at the same time the Cost-of-Living increases, during the Bush W. years, have not been current with real costs. With the economy as it is, and baby boomers beginning to retire, I would predict my personal material quality of life is only going to get worse.

Then there are those whose pay and type of jobs have left them with no health insurance. The working poor. It is sure that sometime a member of their family will end up with a health problem which can not be ignored. Then they often end up in an Emergency Room who can not refuse to treat them, and has the highest price tag. Plus Emergency Rooms are clogged up with non-life threatening cases.

I interpret the first posters situation is that he has been successful in life by his own efforts. He was not offered a better deal because of the size of his income. Perhaps because he did not know he could ask for a better price. Then he finds that others are demanding huge sums of money for the services and equipment, which by the way, I got for free. The first poster is right in being angry about what what was demanded that he pay.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 9:02 am

There is the billable price for medical services. THIS is the outrageous amount that takes our breath away. And THIS is the amount that the UNINSURED are charged (and the ONLY ones who end up paying that amount).
Then there is the second tier, the amount that Medicare allows or insurances contract for.
Then the third tier, the amount Medicare will pay (80% of the Allowed amount).
And then the final tier, the patient's Medicare or insurance CoPay.

The uninsured should ALWAYS attempt to negotiate a better price w/the provider. They won't always get a reduction in price. But they should ALWAYS make the attempt.

Any hospital that accepted government money to expand, update, renew their facilities, equipment, etc. HAD to agree to treat the indigent w/o charge. (I think this dates back to the 50's if I remember correctly). To make up for the loss of income from treating the indigent hospitals passed the costs on to the insured and the uninsured who could afford to pay the costs. The insurances weren't/aren't happy w/this arrangement so they negotiated a better price. Then along came Medicare and more negotiated reimbursements. I'm not sure there is anyone who actually KNOWS the REAL cost for each procedure, test, treatment anymore.

Arizona-Willie · Post by **Arizona-Willie** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 9:35 am

I have long suspected that the people in the insurance companies who set the amount they pay providers are taking kickbacks from the providers.

All insurance company empoyees ( above drone level ) and executives and their families should be audited semi-annually.

They and their families should also be checked to insure that they aren't in a no-show job for any providers. No-show jobs for a family member are an easy way to give a payoff.

They just absolutely HAVE to be corrupt to authorize paying providers several hundred percent more for things than they KNOW the stuff can be bought for on the open market.

glfredrick · Post by **glfredrick** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 2:06 pm

Of course there are kickbacks... I work in the campus and facilities servide area, and we are required to use certain vendors because of the kickbacks. That is part and parcel of corporate America. Everyone is making money off of everyone else's piece of paper or number on a spread sheet.

The truth about real wealth is that there are just two ways to make it for real -- dig something out of the ground or grow something in the ground. All the rest is just shuffling that stuff around, paying middle men, etc., and that, unfortnuately, is what America has become -- a nation of spread sheets and managers moving numbers and paper for profit.

Here in Louisville, when I drive across downtoan, I notice that every building in the skyline has either a bank name or an insurance company name. I'll bet it is similar in most other cities in America also. Think that all that high $$$ real estate got there by charging fair prices and market rates? Right... Weird, is how we just go along with it, never mind that it all comes out the other side of our paychecks.

Mask

Additional Comments: Pressure = 16!!!

Mask	Humidifier

Mask

Additional Comments: Pressure = 16!!!