AutoPAPs- a difference?- and some complaining!

Christine,

I know from our talks that you are a very sweet and caring woman. But no one who cries poverty goes on vacation, UNLESS someone is paying the whole bill for them. We are not crying poverty here, but we haven't had the $$$ to enjoy a family vacation in six years. So when I hear this, it kind of gets me a bit, shall we say, perturbed? You should, the next time you chat with him, find out all about the vacation and see if you can glean from the remarks if it was a "gift" from some family member, or something along those lines, or if he just had the spare money laying around for one. If it's the latter, he can afford to pay for his healthcare, too.

You know, I like to think the best of everyone, believe me, and I get burned a lot in that thought process. But when I hear something like this, he sounds like he could be playing on your good nature. That would not be right. Just my opinion, though, whether right or wrong.

Wader wrote:

This guy does not NEED a new sleep study

With all due respect, sure he does. ANYONE receiving medical treatment of any kind, especially treatment including oxygen, needs a reassessment after 10 years. In fact, I think that the assessment should have occurred years ago. I'm quite serious about this -we change in many ways over the course of 10 years and pressure/oxygen needs deserve reassessment.

Comments made about a new machine providing treatment in different ways given that it has new technology in it are valid. Further, maybe the person simply wants a new machine because 'new is better' but, not-withstanding, this person needs a new assessment/sleep study before making any changes in treatment.

Frankly, I'm surprised that the patient is not insisting upon a new sleep study.

WillSucceed wrote: Frankly, I'm surprised that the patient is not insisting upon a new sleep study.

He's not insisting on a new sleep study because he does not want to pay the $400 - $500 copay.

Keep in mind that even though you are in Canada, this patient is not. Luckily for us in the USA we do not have the NHS paying for all the medical care the everyone would be "insisting" they get.

A sleep study is not the only way of assessing this patients needs. As far as we know his condition has been assessed via regular visits to the Doc all along the way.

Luckily for us in the USA we do not have the NHS paying for all the medical care the everyone would be "insisting" they get.

Not sure what you mean by NHS -I think you are referring to the UK based National Health Service. Canada has a Federal Health Act, but the individual Provinces manage health care for residents of the Province.

I see nothing wrong with any individual "insisting" on adequate health care without the hinderance of whether or not they can afford it. From this side of the fence, I think it would be profoundly unlucky to have to worry about your health needs based on whether or not you can afford them. I love knowing that if I get clocked in the head by the unhealthy stick, my tax dollars have created a strong, comprehensive health service that is available to ANY resident of Ontario, rich or poor, no matter what. I guess that this comes down to some basic philosophical differences in thinking.

Canada has decided that it's citizens ALL deserve the same level of health care where the US runs its' health care based on an for fee/for profit insurance system. I have no comment on which one is better; I only know that I like the system that is available to me and would not give it up for anything.

The big issue here, is the man in question. If he is being followed by a Dr. who is actively monitoring his CPAP and Oxygen needs, and these needs have changed in any way, the Dr. should be writing the script which the RRT then fills. In no way should the RRT be putting his/her licence to practice on the line by changing aspects of the patients' therapy without the data of a current sleep study and/or, a new prescribed treatment regime from the Dr.

And to add one last comment, if this man is full of you-know-what and can afford healthcare AND vacations, then he should not be conning the system and the poor people who have helped him before to save a buck. Let those that can afford pay and help those who truly can't.

I agree, healthcare should not only be for the rich or the comfortable. Everyone living in this country should be afforded healthcare. If we can spend billions of dollars on a space program, and there a pro sports player who makes millions of dollars a year, not to mention the actors and people in the music industry who makes millions if not billions per year, how can we turn our backs on the people who can't see a doctor because they can't afford either the out-of-pocket expense of an office visit or otherwise, or the exorbitant premiums private health insurance companies charge to be insured? I pay almost $600 a month for an individual HMO, not even a PPO. That is not affordable; it's highway robbery. And from what I hear, that isn't even so bad compared to other plans.