LAist: Seeking Solutions to Disparities in Healthcare

jrb

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:13:19 -0800

Here kristinester, you might want to watch this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAWZrfYXs-c ... It's kind of long, 20 + minutes, but a lot of people in this youtube were covered, paid their premiums on time, and had a very good relationship with their healthcare provider, until they started costing them money. Prescription drugs and big pharma is a whole 'nother pile of shit. Why are drugs so expensive? Big pharma will tell you it's the cost of R&D. But Bob isn't wearing that shit eating grin because Levitra gave him a big schlong. He makes a very comfortable living letting everyone out there in TV land think he can still get it up for that ugly looking woman who plays his wife. Count the number of comercials, do the math, and tell me it's all because of R&D. (whistling the Levitra jingle)

jrb

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:10:37 -0800

Cedar's must have changed some of their policies then. Back in the 80's I got mugged and and woke up in their e-room getting my head stitched up. I was newly employed and couldn't pay the bill right away. Their accounts receivable guy was so aggressive he almost got me fired from my job. He called my work, spoke to my boss, (also named Jim), and when I came into work that day the boss sat me down and asked me if I had a gambling and/or drug problem and if I owed some one money. All that aside, I have several reasons for feeling that the free market system isn't the right system for healthcare. Since it's all about dollars and cents, and you could care less about anyone less sucessful than yourself, let's talk about the financial aspects of free market healthcare. First of all, in the healthcare industry, competition doesn't necessarily translate into lower prices. You have hospital "A" and hospital "B" in competition with each other. Both have to independently stay up to date with the latest equipment and technology. Of course they can't share or farm their equipment out to each other. That just isn't done in a free market competitive situation. So you have two hospitals duplicating expenses that could have been shared. This means costs for both go up, i.e. higher prices for the healthcare consumer. I'm also concerned that a for profit company, more worried about their bottom line, isn't going to be as worried as they should be about the quality of the care they give. You can cut corners on a lot of things, but healthcare shouldn't bo one of them. As it is bean counters are already telling doctors what they can and cannot do. Do you want a CPA dictating your treatment options to your doctor? Sorry, but that just doesn't sound very healthy to me. In our free market healthcare system we pay more, and get less for our money than any other country on the planet. That's a fact. If you ask any hard core free market worshiper why that is, they won't be able to tell you. The free market system is not supposed to work that way.

kristinester

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:50:41 -0800

Actually, I kind of like the free market. CEO's make that money regardless, and I'm sure they probably would still find some way to make a profit off single payer healthcare. Look at it this way, government contractors make a fortune. Why? Because they overcharge. They know the checks will clear. Healthcare? Same difference. The industry may very well end up making more money if it's subsidized by the government. Again, I like the free market. Why? This country is a capitalist nation. Anyone that works hard enough can get rich. You can do anything you want, and the tax rate is still relatively low compared with other nations. Even if you don't wind up rich, you can still be comfortable and afford to retire if you plan right. I have no sympathy for failure. So why should I pay more money in taxes, so that someone who sucks at life can get free healthcare? Fuck em. And no, I'm not a Republican.

jrb

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:05:57 -0800

Gee I don't know. Maybe because Shiela Kuehl's plan would have been less expensive than what we have now. Maybe you like your insurance premiums paying six figure bonuses to insurance co CEOs instead of providing healthcare. Better hope they don't decide you have any pre-exsiting conditions you didn't tell them about when you try and use your own health insurance Kristin. You'll find yourself in the same or worse position as my co-worker's brother. Ain't the free market great!!??

kristinester

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:03:04 -0800

Oh and for the record, Cedars Sinai not only serves the rich and famous, but the broke and unfamous as well. A few months ago I was bitten by a dog at a dog park. I was unemployed at the time, had no insurance and was in far too much pain to get all the way over to West LA from Hollywood to go to the VA Hospital. Since I was unemployed and without insurance, they gave me a $2,300 discount. Total bill, a little over $800. Sure I was rushed out of there pretty quick once I got in, but it was just a puncture wound to the hand. Gave me a prescription for antibiotics and painkillers and sent me on my merry way. Without insurance, I was taken care of completely and adequately.

kristinester

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:34:20 -0800

He should have had health insurance. How is that my problem? And why should my taxes pay for it?

jrb

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:28:35 -0800

I had a personal experience with that disparity last summer. I was at work. Forgot, (or ignored), the fact that I'm way past 25 years old. Tried to jump from the delivery pick up's bed onto a loading dock. Fell backwards and fractured my wrist. I was covered by worker's comp. I got six x-rays, wore a cast for six weeks, six doctor's appointments, and a dozen physical therapy sessions. None of it scheduled on the same day. Mean time my co-worker's brother drives a taxi. While on duty he sustained a gun shot wound which pierced his large intestine. Many taxi drivers work on a contractual basis with the owner of the taxi. They are basically taking a shift for a percentage of the meter. These employers are not required to provide them with worker's compensation insurance. He was taken to an e-room where the doctor stapled the intestine closed, sowed him up, did an excellent job of saving his life, and told him that he wanted him to stay in the hospital a couple of days for observation. While in the recovery room he said a man with a clip board visited him, inquired about his insurance, worker's comp, or other ability to pay for the treatment. Of course he had none. He was released within 6 hours with instructions to keep the wound clean, change the dressing often, come back if he thought it was getting infected, and gave him one follow up appointment so the doctor could check the wound, and take the stitches out. True story. So that's the disparity. Insurance coverage. I'm a big fan of Sheila Kuehl, SB-840, and single payer healthcare. http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/09/senator_sheila.html We almost got this. It made it all the way to the Governator's desk. It survived everything except Schwarzenegger's veto pen. Arnie said it would be Socialized Medicine. Can't have that. Thanks for all the compassionate conservatisim Arnie!!

kristinester

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:46:01 -0800

Try the LA Free Clinic. I've never bothered with it because I have the VA for coverage when I don't have insurance, but I've heard good things about them from friends. I don't know how choosy you can be about the gender of the doctor though. Personally I would be far more concerned about the quality of care rather than whether my doc has a penis or not.

samkim

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:45:29 -0800

anyone know any good doctors for a checkup for someone without medical insurance? i have insurance so i have no idea...prefer female, for a female patient