KipWellsFan Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 I just watched John Q. and was wondering what you guys think of the American health care system. *Obviously the movie isn't perfectly precise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 You really want to know? It could be a very long post, not the snappy quick stuff people like on message boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KipWellsFan Posted June 22, 2003 Author Share Posted June 22, 2003 I knew what I was in for when I posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 The cost has gotten out of control the last twenty years or so. I had to pay for my sons birth and my wifes hospitalization a long time ago, because my health plan at the time did not pay for it. It took me three months and the bill was paid in full. Today it would bankrupt me. For what its worth I don't think the movie is realistic, more Hollywood sensationalism than anything. Believe me, I could have much more to say on this subject but I'll hold off for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxfest Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 They charge $20.00 an aspirin, $ 16.00 a diaper, $12.00 a bandaid and so on it is at crisis time in this country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Be Good Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 WILLIAM Jefferson Clinton helped the Health Care System, big time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KipWellsFan Posted June 22, 2003 Author Share Posted June 22, 2003 Funny thing is I've heard a couple of politicians over the past couple of years say that the U.S.A. has the best health care in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 WILLIAM Jefferson Clinton helped the Health Care System, big time How? It has gotten progressively worse since the mid 80's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 Funny thing is I've heard a couple of politicians over the past couple of years say that the U.S.A. has the best health care in the world. That's the point. I was going to make this big long post with lots of criticisms and concerns and still come to the same conclusion. There is no way I would trade this countries system for Canadas or the UK. I'd no longer be here if I were a Brit or a Canadian. Twice in my life I needed life saving surgery, and I needed it fast. I didn't need a big monster bureaucracy in my way and I didn't need to be put on any damn waiting list. Customer service is a disaster everywhere today, not just in medicine. Criticize my politics if you like or my baseball opinions, but I know a little about this subject ( as I'm sure others here do who have butted heads with our health care delivery system. ) I have many criticisms of Amerian medicine, and still may make a long winded post here, but I dread the thought of federal politicians "saving" health care. What they will do is ruin it beyond repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 Funny thing is I've heard a couple of politicians over the past couple of years say that the U.S.A. has the best health care in the world. I agree we have the best health care, the problem is paying for it. How many people would consider leaving the US to have surgery elsewhere? How many people travel to the US for care? The problem is the battle between the insurance companies and the health providers. They both claim it is so bad yet I don't see any of them going out of business. The problem is they both want more profit, the insurance companies do not care about the quality of your treatment, just what it costs. I know many do not want the government running their healthcare. Instead we are going to have for profit insurance companies telling you what treatment you will get and where. They will also explain that they need to make a profit for shareholder return. Once insurance companies begin to merge and the choices get smaller, we'll have a dozen or so large, for profit, insurance companies controlling what medicine you can take, which Doctor to go to, what kinds of treatment you can have, etc. I have heard as many of my Canadian friends complain about their system as I have heard US friends complain about their insurance companies. The thought that we can't build a better system then Canada and the UK is crazy. Imagine the US saying we would be worse than either of those two countries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Be Good Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 How? It has gotten progressively worse since the mid 80's. I think its in green for a reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 I think its in green for a reason Don't print in those big letters it confuses me/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowerCaseRepublican Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 My favorite part about American health care is HMO's. I love when people with no medical degrees get to dictate what sort of medical procedures and such that people can have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox4lifeinPA Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 I wouldn't agree with the thought that our health care is the best. As far as having the best facilities, such as John Hopkins, I believe that there are many countries that have comperable health care facilities. My father, a PhD with over 30 years of Experience in Public and community health, is working with the US and Mexican governments to allow mexican doctors to be paid with Medicare and Medicaid. The issue is primarily price and there are migrant workers who go to mexico for comperable health coverage and medical attention, but pay half the price for it. I would think tort law and medical malpractice insurance have alot to do with the constant rising of hc prices. Why not make health care tax deductible? for businesses and normal folks. Institute a national sales tax and then use the funds to make sure every last person in america has health coverage. geez...after watching "the hulk" and realizing how many millions of tax paying dollars they spent to "destroy" him...I'm not feeling so bad about the social security or medicare taxes on my pay stub....I mean, at least I know that money goes directly to the people that need it...... oh wait......................dammit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 My favorite part about American health care is HMO's. I love when people with no medical degrees get to dictate what sort of medical procedures and such that people can have. I have lots of experience fighting with these people. They can be fought off. The fact that I'm still alive is evidence of it. Your point is very well taken however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Be Good Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 Don't print in those big letters it confuses me/ SURE it wont happen again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowerCaseRepublican Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 SI, is it scary that we have to FIGHT to get health care for procedures that we need? I'm glad that you were able to succeed in the fight with them. It's a scary prospect that people need to fight for procedures that would save their lives in the most prosperous country in the entire world. I know how many of you feel about Michael Moore, but he did a piece about the status of health care and more importantly, HMO's in America. He had been approached by a man who needed a pancreas transplant because of a disease he had. His HMO told him that they would honor all medical procedures due to the disease. When the needed transplant came up, Humana [the guy's HMO] said they wouldn't cover it. If he didn't get the transplant, simply put, he would die and leave 2 small children. So, he started fighting the HMO to no avail and contacted Moore. So they went out and tried to get Humana the nice way with phone calls and stuff but they were just pulling bureaucracy. So, after checking out caskets and putting an obituary in the paper [cause of death according to the guy: "lack of quality care from my HMO, Humana] Moore and the guy showed up and asked why his pancreas wasn't covered even though the HMO said they would cover costs of procedures due to his disease. The guy wouldn't answer, so Moore and the guy asked the Humana spokesperson what sort of casket he liked in the catalog. After a little badgering about that, the guy starts handing out "You're invited to my funeral" cards wearing a "I paid into Humana for 7 years and all I got was this lousy t-shirt...but no pancreas" shirt. They even got a hearse with a casket and his family and friends to stage a mock funeral in front of Humana's corporate HQ. After that, Humana decided to honor it's original statement that it would cover costs due to his disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox4lifeinPA Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 michael moore is a dick. "spellbound" deserved the oscar. look up the word documentary. "Presenting facts objectively without editorializing or inserting fictional matter, as in a book or film. " oh f***, that's not michael moore at all............ :fyou ***not directed at sideshowapu at all....just hatin' MM with a passion*** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 geez...after watching "the hulk" and realizing how many millions of tax paying dollars they spent to "destroy" him...I'm not feeling so bad about the social security or medicare taxes on my pay stub....I mean, at least I know that money goes directly to the people that need it...... Underestimating the importance of entertainment & leasure in our lives are we? f*** health care if there is nothing worth living for...That said, I am not wild about dollar/coolness ratio of Hulk's CGI. As far as Michael Moore haters go....Yes it's true that he is an egomaniacal satirist with a dubious grasp of morality and ethics first and foremost and only then a documentarian/activist......Yes, Bowling for Columbine isn't exactly Ophuls' Hotel Terminus (though to be fair Ophuls too did a lot of "editorializing", "juxtoposing", "editing", and was also operating from a certain moral and political vantage point, not at all a coldly impartial observer).........BUT tell me this: Who else is more suitable and ballsy enough to undertake MM's s***-stirring anti media/corporate crusade and serve as counterbalance/satirize to some of capitalism-abusing scum....Ted Koppel maybe? LOL...Yes, he is a deeply flawed human being, but his heart is in a right place, his serves a big purpose and he is funny as hell. The latter distinction is a very underrated one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hotsoxchick1 Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 lucky for me i have a great health plan from work.... had i not had it then my sons emergency apendex surgery would have cost me over 15 grand for a two day stay in the hospital, anastetic guy, surgeon, operating room, and other costs... hell they charged 10.00 a pill for a pain killer.... it was outrageous.........i feel sorry for those who need health care and cant afford it....we should have some type of socialized medical care like canada does in this country.......hell if the rich can pay cash for nose jobs and such, why shouldnt an older person or single parent be able to get their kids or themselves the basic health care they need when they need it without it costing an arm and a leg........its not fair.....think about whats gonna happen when you guys who are young get older.... there already isnt going to be any social security to speak of to help you when you retire... imagine how crappy your health care is gonna be...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox4lifeinPA Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 that still doesn't legitimize his claims to the oscar. "SpellBound" was fantastic and IS clearly the best choice....it's all rigged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowerCaseRepublican Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 His piece on HMO's wasn't in Bowling for Columbine. It was in an episode of his TV show a few years before Bowling came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 "SpellBound" was fantastic and IS clearly the best choice....it's all rigged It's not rigged...it's Oscars, baby!!!!!!!!!!!! [/lameitsnottvitshboreference] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 Humana is one of the worst HMO's, or at least it was a few years back when I attempted to look into this. I don't want to get into chapter and verse of all my dealings with my particular HMO, it would probably bore people. This is a complicated multi faceted problem that is getting worse all the time. Cost is only one factor. I would like to add a thing or two. For all the problems I do not want to see a Canadian or British style system installed here, although I believe its only a matter of time before it is. Things will get progressively worse as they are in almost all facets of daily life. Sorry for being a downer, that's just the way I see it. Pick a topic or subject on almost anything imaginable, quality is going downhill, nobody seems to notice or care. American medicine is technically awe inspiring. The technical expertise of American medicine is without compare. The diagnosis and treatment of chronic and wasting diseases is another story. Medicine is much more of an art than its practitioners would have you believe. You can accept that or not, I've come face to face with it. Another thing, I've found most doctors (with some notable exceptions) have the personality of a table top, and very poor communication skills. Medical schools are finally beginning to come to grips with this, and many curriculums are undergoing major adjustments. If you are truly sick and hospitalized you just may find that nurses are your best friends. Again I know from where I speak. Often times they know you and your situation better than your doctors and can run interference for you with them. They often times can and do get you what you need when you need it the most. If any of you know a nurse, give that person a big hug for me, they are one of the unsung heroes of todays American workplace. Lastly, BF is right, every society needs its sharpest critics. Michael Moore is still a big fat idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hotsoxchick1 Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 good thing i didnt pick humana.... its blue cross blue shield all the way for me... i have never had a problem with them and i have had them for 20 something years now........they are great... flip out that card and never see a bill.........too bad not everyone is as fortunate as me....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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