US healthcare the best?

Wulfman... wrote:My wife and I keep losing our doctors......two in less than 5 years. They keep quitting and/or taking other jobs out of the area......for better money or just to get a reprieve from "the grind".
So far, no problems about them taking Medicare, but the big hospital conglomerates which have all these satellite offices can't keep them or won't pay them enough to stay. In 2011 - 2012, there were three doctors who left this one office. Our last one left last Friday and now we're waiting to see who they get in next.


Den

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I have a different problem, I'm collecting them, two new ones this year, up to 7 now. The problem to feel safe, I have to pat them down every visit, to make sure they don't have pipe bombs strapped on. Jim

Possibly this varies from one geographical area to another. Likely good statistics/research is lacking.

Like with DME's, I can go to the Medicare site and find local doctor's accepting Medicare.

I have no trouble locating specialists [cardiologist, neurologist, gynecologist/oncologist, physiatrist], however, I am finding many of the good recommended family doctors and internists in my area are dropping Medicare entirely or accepting new patients but not if they have Medicare. These doctors are staying and not leaving their practice.

It's great, IF you have lots of financial resources. But that's true almost anywhere in the world.

If you are someone who doesn't have alot, it's horrible.

Our system costs double per capita what most other single payer systems pay for healthcare.

We are the only civilized nation on earth without a comprehensive care system, and we are more expensive by a large margin even though competition is supposed to moderate prices.

Our system is indefensible.

That said, the quality of care I get is heavily dependent on how much I pay for it, and how involved I am in engaging the providers. I have had to fix their mistakes countless times. The DME providers can be a pain and highly bureaucratic.

I thought Obama care was suppose to take care of this! I'm still waiting on my health care premiums to drop $3500 per year. I keep calling about it, but the people I'm talking to start laughing.

Sheriff

faulty memory removed.

palerider wrote:

Sheriff Buford wrote:I thought Obama care was suppose to take care of this! I'm still waiting on my health care premiums to drop $3500 per year. I keep calling about it, but the people I'm talking to start laughing.

Sheriff

that's because the insurance company lobbyists had far too much to do with what the republican congress would allow to pass.

WOOP WOOP WOOP....

(couldn't resist)


Den

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palerider wrote:that's because the insurance company lobbyists had far too much to do with what the republican congress would allow to pass.

Obama's campaign promise at a Bristol, VA "town hall" on June 5, 2008:

"In an Obama administration, we'll lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year. And we'll do it by investing in disease prevention, not just disease management; by investing in a paperless health care system to reduce administrative costs; and by covering every single American and making sure that they can take their health care with them if they lose their job. We'll also reduce costs for business and their workers by picking up the tab for some of the most expensive illnesses. And we won't do all this twenty years from now, or ten years from now. We'll do it by the end of my first term as President of the United States."

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=77434

Candidate Obama lies again: "I can make a firm pledge: under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 will see their taxes increase - not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes." ~Obama at Dover, NH campaign stop, September 12, 2008.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=78612

Obama embraces the term "Obamacare" at a July 2012 Ohio campaign stop: "...when you hear about the Affordable Care Act -- Obamacare -- (applause) -- and I don’t mind the name because I really do care. That’s why we passed it. (Applause.) You should know that once we have fully implemented, you’re going to be able to buy insurance through a pool so that you can get the same good rates as a group that if you’re an employee at a big company you can get right now -- which means your premiums will go down."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-off ... aign-event


Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius even hypes it at the 2012 DNC: "But for us Democrats, Obamacare is a badge of honor. Because no matter who you are, what stage of life you're in, this law is a good thing."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/80711.html

Wulfman... wrote:WOOP WOOP WOOP.....

fair enough.

I just happened to see this story and thought I'd add it to this subject thread.

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/02 ... our-years/


Den

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This is a joke, right? US healthcare is the best? Hahaha...

Gimme a break...more like our healthcare system is run by a bunch of greedy health insurance companies, who dictate to the doctors and to the patients what treatments and even what diagnoses we can have. Its all about saving money in this country, the healthcare system in the USA is a joke. On a scale of A to F, with A being the best and F being the worst, I'd rate the U.S. healthcare system as an H or an I. Grades so low they are off the scale.

If you want good healthcare in this country, you gotta either get lucky and find a doctor who for some reason feels sorry for you or sympathizes for you and genuinely wants to help you. Or you gotta pay cash for it out of your own pocket. In most instances, its the second.

Went to a cardiologist on Wednesday after my primary had ordered an ultrasound of my heart and the report came back indicating problems.

Meanwhile, I'd been told to use an event monitor for two weeks. Every time I had a cardiac event I was supposed to record it and upload it to the cardiologist over a landline phone. Only there was a bit of a problem: the damned thing records three events before it has to be dumped, and after the third it beeps every 30 seconds to tell you it's full. And I work 8 hour shifts with my home health care moonlighting job, and while working my pastor job I'm not in an office. Which means I could record two events in an 8- 10 hour period. Not too informative.

But hey, not to worry! Because the cardiologist did not have the report from his own clinic concerning the monitor.

And then he told me that I have stage one heart failure and he wanted me to start a beta blocker. Went to the pharmacy that night and was told that no prescription was called in for me. Called the doctor's office on Thursday and was told that it could take 3-5 business days for it to be called in. The nurse called me on Friday and left a message for me to return the call. Called her back at 1 p.m and reminded her that I can rarely access a phone so she should leave a detailed message on my voice mail. No call back.

In December I had a colonoscopy. Under the ACA they are free because they are preventative. Slight caveat: if they find a polyp and remove it, then it is no longer preventative, but is a treatment. So I had to pay a 20% copay.

A member of my parish needs cancer surgery but cannot afford it. There's a possible cure available if you are wealthy. Doesn't do her any good.

I'm not a fan of American health care right now.

IMO, getting rid of the for profit health insurance industry entirely would go a long, long, long way towards helping to fix the American health care system. As would if more Americans stopped eating so much and were more willing to take some responsibility for their health. Its a two way street. You cant expect doctors and hospitals to work miracles on people who just plain dont care about themselves.

On the other hand, when Americans get sick and they DO care about themselves and are willing to change their ways, Americans should get access to quality health care, including quality specialist care and without being wealthy.

People laugh at me for saying it, but I still think the best approach is to go back to a fifties and before approach with primary care. Let people pay for primary care out of pocket, working it out with primary care doctors...cash only or credit and do payments over time old style. Let specialist care go to some form of single payer system thru the government. I favor keeping primary care in the private sector, but putting specialist care in the government system, if you cannot afford to pay for specialist care yourself, which is most people. I have my own ideas on healthcare.

I think letting the states regulate health insurance is one of the most evil things there ever was in American healthcare. The states cant regulate a do do bird.

Bons wrote: I'm not a fan of American health care right now.

Bons wrote:Went to a cardiologist on Wednesday after my primary had ordered an ultrasound of my heart and the report came back indicating problems.

Meanwhile, I'd been told to use an event monitor for two weeks. Every time I had a cardiac event I was supposed to record it and upload it to the cardiologist over a landline phone. Only there was a bit of a problem: the damned thing records three events before it has to be dumped, and after the third it beeps every 30 seconds to tell you it's full. And I work 8 hour shifts with my home health care moonlighting job, and while working my pastor job I'm not in an office. Which means I could record two events in an 8- 10 hour period. Not too informative.

But hey, not to worry! Because the cardiologist did not have the report from his own clinic concerning the monitor.

And then he told me that I have stage one heart failure and he wanted me to start a beta blocker. Went to the pharmacy that night and was told that no prescription was called in for me. Called the doctor's office on Thursday and was told that it could take 3-5 business days for it to be called in. The nurse called me on Friday and left a message for me to return the call. Called her back at 1 p.m and reminded her that I can rarely access a phone so she should leave a detailed message on my voice mail. No call back.

In December I had a colonoscopy. Under the ACA they are free because they are preventative. Slight caveat: if they find a polyp and remove it, then it is no longer preventative, but is a treatment. So I had to pay a 20% copay.

A member of my parish needs cancer surgery but cannot afford it. There's a possible cure available if you are wealthy. Doesn't do her any good.

I'm not a fan of American health care right now.

Bons,

I am so sorry about your diagnosis.

In light of that, why does it take your cardiologist's office 3 to 5 business days to call in a prescription? Even for routine issues, that would not be good much less for someone in your situation.

MrGrumpy wrote:IMO, getting rid of the for profit health insurance industry entirely would go a long, long, long way towards helping to fix the American health care system. As would if more Americans stopped eating so much and were more willing to take some responsibility for their health. Its a two way street. You cant expect doctors and hospitals to work miracles on people who just plain dont care about themselves.

I definitely agree that healthcare is a two way street.

But another way of looking at things is many times, the person who seemingly doesn't care about themselves, does a big time about face after a medical crisis. This guy, Steve Cooksey, is a perfect example of this after being hospitalized due to being diabetic and obese.

http://www.diabetes-warrior.net/

Interestingly, he took matters into his own hands by going on a high fat, low carb diet, when he found the standard medical treatment of diabetes drugs wasn't working. He is now at a normal weight and has fantastic blood sugars.

49er

MrGrumpy wrote: getting rid of the for profit health insurance industry entirely would go a long, long, long way towards helping to fix the American health care system.

Vote for Bernie. Then come back in 10 years and tell us how socialism is working for you.