Health Insurance? Some People Need - Was It Good To Raise Costs?

Discussion in 'Health & Wellness' started by Jeff Elohim, Dec 14, 2020.

  1. Jeff Elohim

    Jeff Elohim Very Well-Known Member
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    There's a lot of unknowns to consider.....
    I wonder how many people in Africa have health insurance ? Or in Russia ? China ?
    Where is the most healthy population ?

    policyadvice.net/insurance/insights/how-many-uninsured-americans/
    1. Data from the US Census Bureau indicates that a total of 27.5 million Americans had no health insurance during 2018.

    policyadvice.net/insurance/insights/how-many-uninsured-americans/
    Reducing overall spending of the health insurance and healthcare industry. Relevant statistics concerning Obamacare 6. Reports indicate that in 2016, roughly 1 out of 10 Americans did not have access to health insurance yet, meaning that roughly 91.5% of Americans were enrolled with a health insurance provider.
     
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  2. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    The other cost issue is over-delivery of services.

    Example #1
    I had a small stroke in early January. The hospital hooked me up with a cardiologist to see if I had A-Fib (which is a risk factor.) I do not have A-Fib. So the guy did his own echo-cardiogram and found "vegetative growth" on my aortic valve. This is a common thing, but he wants to do an in-hospital procedure to "make sure." We've not done this yet because of COVID. So he had me coming back every 3 months for his assistant to take my blood pressure (my blood pressure's always been fine), hook me up to an EKG machine (I do not have heart problems), and have the doctor tell me "COVID'S still around, we'll defer the procedure." For this they bill $215. $80 of that is for a 60 second EKG that is administered by an assistant who does not know the difference between blood pressure systolic and diastolic numbers.

    So when I was in there last, I told the guy "I don't need to come here every 3 months to have my normal blood pressure taken, my normal heart monitored, and you & I to tell each other that COVID is still here. I can get that by watching the news." He got a little miffed and said "Well, we wouldn't want to inconvenience you." I told him that I appreciated that, and we agreed that I would come in twice a year (which is still too often.)

    Example #2
    I've been seeing a urologist for a bladder stone, and 3 kidney stones showed up on the CT scan. When I was in last week she said "You need to come back every 3 months for an x-ray to monitor those stones." I said "Monitor them for what? I've had kidney stones for 30 years and have never had x-rays. I've never had a problem passing them. In fact, it's been years since my last one. If they break free, they break free. It's not pleasant, but they always pass relatively uneventfully. Why would we be monitoring them 4 times a year...just to tell me that I'm gonna pass one soon on the off-chance one of them breaks free?" So she says "OK. So you won't be getting the x-rays." She may as well have been trying to sell me new car fabric protection.


    A big part of this is a revenue racket. Now, I got Medicare and I got supplemental insurance. So this would cost me little-to-nothing. But it's the principle of the thing. I won't be made a party to this stuff. But you know that most insurance-covered people would not question this in the same way they would if they were writing the check.
     
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  3. Jeff Elohim

    Jeff Elohim Very Well-Known Member
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    We (family) looked and looked and looked and looked and looked for years..... in several states, going through many hospitals/clinics/drs offices/ while trying just to get an honest test/ diagnosis ..... (good part of a century ago)....
    All of them were for revenue .... (they all got paid (by someone) ) ....

    Here and there, we were helped by someone who , well, helped. Not for money. (like the doctor who used to visit his patients in exchange for a chicken , or a dozen eggs, .... at the patients home ) .... (anyone, anyone, anyone remember those days?!) ....

    They happened to be the only honest ones also, at least at the time of the visit(s). All the ones working for money, lied.

    Anyone , anyone, anyone at all, remember even one who did not lie ? :( ..........

    Yes, it was a 'miracle' ..... (or was it? is it more common than I thought - to find an honest one who worked/helped/ because it was right to do, and not for money ? )

    A few others have testified likewise - when one was needed, one was provided.... but that's not too commonly known, is it ?

    Who even looks ? (for someone honest) For someone who helps heal, and first of all, does no harm ?
     
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