Comments on: Where sloganeering trumps dialogue

By: Sordy

Sordy — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:13:27 +0000

OK then, There are people like me. Doctors are such a waste of money or time.
First wife – Diagnosis; River Fungus… Died October 9, 2001 with fully metastasized cancer.
Second wife – Diagnosis; Migraines… Died February 17 2009 with a massive brain tumor.
Yep, I have a lot of faith in the medical profession. Enough faith to consider the third medical option viable… The trusty 9mm. I have no insurance and no desire to ever see a doctor again!

By: Shifty1

Shifty1 — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:31:26 +0000

Weasel…
Further ammo to shoot at the mouth-breathers who buh-leeve Barry Boy when he said that the bill doesn’t provide free health care to “illegals”….
Yesterday some Senate Committee on whatsitwhoosits got busy drafting a “minor change” to the bill currently being pushed. Seems like they’d always MEANT to exclude the illegal horde, but didn’t really think they needed to ACTUALLY use language that excluded them. Ace posted this yesterday.
http://minx.cc/?post=292177
OOOOPS!

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:17:19 +0000

Can’t hark my cry, I’m sorry. That would be “Oregon Health Plan”. It’s one of our Medicade varients.

By: armybrat

armybrat — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:41:41 +0000

those of us with insurance pay for the ED as PCP users. The hospital charges higher prices to those of us who pay to cover those expenses. Your insurance negotiates a rate with the hospitals and doctors, who put that in their “cost of doing business.” Many receive their drugs either free or low cost from the pharm companies themselves thru their charity care programs. And Walmart and Target pharmacies have a staggering number of drugs (last I saw they encompass ~80% of the most prescribed drugs) for $4/month, $10/3months- or roughly the price of a couple of 2 liter bottles of soda. Most of these people do not engage in regular healthcare…they operate in crisis mode, showing up for care only when they are sick. But that said, many physician offices provide low cost or no cost care on a sliding fee scale. Or there is the public health clinics available in almost every city in America…and should you think the care there inferior, I use the public health clinic where I live.

By: Can't hark my cry

Can't hark my cry — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:01:16 +0000

I have a question for Armybrat–and possibly for Bob as well.

The people who use emergency rooms as a primary physician’s office–who pays for them? (And, Bob–what is OHP?)

How would that change if they had health insurance?

And, um. . .after discharge, how do they fill their prescriptions for maintenance drugs such as blood pressure and diabetes medications? Who does followup. . .you know, like a yearly physical, all that stuff that folks with insurance take for granted?

By: David Gillies

David Gillies — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:10:26 +0000

My favourite epithet on the matter was from P. J. O’Rourke (PBUH): “if you think healthcare’s expensive now, wait until it’s free.”

By: surly ermine

surly ermine — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:56:43 +0000

Ask not how you can buy healthcare, ask how your country can buy healthcare for you.

Give me your poor, your tired, hell I’ll even take the huddled masses, just make sure they’re legal.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:20:42 +0000

What armybrat said times infinity! A guy come into the clinic last week. He flashes his OHP card like it’s a platinum Visa. He says, “Now, I know the gubberments paying you good money to take care of me, and I expect to be treated like anybody else!”

Somedays, I just want to go back to computer science.

By: S. Weasel

S. Weasel — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:53:46 +0000

OHMIGOD, weirdsister. Is it too late for me to steal that? I LOVE IT!

No, you are not the last, Andrea. Mere mention of the word “Facebook” makes Uncle B’s head spin around in 360 degrees while obscenities spew forth. Which is pretty impressive, so I say “Facebook” a real lot.

By: Andrea Harris

Andrea Harris — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:54:38 +0000

It’s official: I am the only person on the internet without a Facebook account. Well, I was one of the last members of humanity to buy an answering machine (me and some guy in the mountains of Papua New Guinea) when they were the necessary life accessory, so I’m just being true to form.