The Thread Where We Debate About Healthcare in America

#251
#251
Septic said:
Thinning the herd.
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I believe I have read before that you are a disabled vet? First off, thank you for your service. Secondly, have you had any experience with the VA system or have you received your care in the private sector? If you have had services rendered through the VA, do you mind sharing some of your experiences; good or bad?
 
#252
#252
CABVOL said:
I believe I have read before that you are a disabled vet? First off, thank you for your service. Secondly, have you had any experience with the VA system or have you received your care in the private sector? If you have had services rendered through the VA, do you mind sharing some of your experiences; good or bad?
Click to expand...

It's been twenty five years since I last saw the inside of a VA, I bounce myself (group) between BCBS, United and Aetna depending on the contracted rates for my local system. I paid 100% of my ee's coverage until last year when I started to take $50 a pay period, which is a pittance in the grand scheme. My great grand father still uses the VA for presciptions only and has had a positive expirience.
 
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#253
#253
Septic said:
It's been twenty five years since I last saw the inside of a VA. My great grand father still uses them for presciptions only and has had a positive expirience.
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If you have a great grandfather still kicking, you are much younger than your picture.
 
#254
#254
1972 Grad said:
If you have a great grandfather still kicking, you are much younger than your picture.
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Lol, that's not my picture... Sorry, he's my grandfather, wasn't thinking... He's 87, I'm 45.
 
#257
#257
Septic said:
It's been twenty five years since I last saw the inside of a VA, I bounce myself (group) between BCBS, United and Aetna depending on the contracted rates for my local system. I paid 100% of my ee's coverage until last year when I started to take $50 a pay period, which is a pittance in the grand scheme. My great grand father still uses the VA for presciptions only and has had a positive expirience.
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I appreciate the response.
 
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#258
#258
The number of days where I wish I had died on the operating table have been growing in number lately. I have always believed in paying my way and paying what I owe, but I am now considering applying for medical financial aid just to keep from bankrupting my family. Today's phone call did me in.

The rep for my hospital who just tried to strong-arm me on the phone got more than she bargained for. I stayed kind and calm for the entire call, even when she didn't.

We have a payment plan in place with my hospital. She tried to tell me that we didn't, then when I offered to provide receipts she said the plan was no longer viable. I asked her when I received written notification of the change in payment plan, she said the phone call counted as notification and that their payment guidelines said we had to up our payments immediately. I asked for a copy of the payment guidelines and she said I was not able to see them, that they were an internal document only.Red flags started going off.

Don't EVER tell me what your payment guidelines are, then refuse to send them to me IN WRITING before I will consent to them.

Her: I can see them right here, sir. They're right in front of me on my computer screen.
Me: That's nice for you, but I can't see your screen from my phone. Could you email them to me or send them via the mail?
Her: I can't do that. They're in my system. It's not our policy to send our financial policies to patients. I'm telling you what it says.
Me: I believe you're telling me what it says, but for legal reasons I need it in my hand to examine in toto.
Her: Like I said, we can't do that. Do you consent to the new payment arrangement? The call is being recorded so we can verify your agreement.
Me: I do not provide verbal consent to a change in our previous agreement, nor will I provide implied consent until I am provided and an given a specified reasonable amount of time to review the document. I will then provide consent for an agreed upon amount.
Her: Sir, that's not how we do things. Can't you just pay the new amount?
Me: After I've reviewed the policy documents to see why our previous agreement had been nullified.
Her: You'll have to get that from the hospital, and I'm not sure they'll provide it to you. Have a nice day.

America, where dying of septic shock is cheaper long-term than surviving it.
 
#259
#259
AshG said:
The number of days where I wish I had died on the operating table have been growing in number lately. I have always believed in paying my way and paying what I owe, but I am now considering applying for medical financial aid just to keep from bankrupting my family. Today's phone call did me in.

The rep for my hospital who just tried to strong-arm me on the phone got more than she bargained for. I stayed kind and calm for the entire call, even when she didn't.

We have a payment plan in place with my hospital. She tried to tell me that we didn't, then when I offered to provide receipts she said the plan was no longer viable. I asked her when I received written notification of the change in payment plan, she said the phone call counted as notification and that their payment guidelines said we had to up our payments immediately. I asked for a copy of the payment guidelines and she said I was not able to see them, that they were an internal document only.Red flags started going off.

Don't EVER tell me what your payment guidelines are, then refuse to send them to me IN WRITING before I will consent to them.

Her: I can see them right here, sir. They're right in front of me on my computer screen.
Me: That's nice for you, but I can't see your screen from my phone. Could you email them to me or send them via the mail?
Her: I can't do that. They're in my system. It's not our policy to send our financial policies to patients. I'm telling you what it says.
Me: I believe you're telling me what it says, but for legal reasons I need it in my hand to examine in toto.
Her: Like I said, we can't do that. Do you consent to the new payment arrangement? The call is being recorded so we can verify your agreement.
Me: I do not provide verbal consent to a change in our previous agreement, nor will I provide implied consent until I am provided and an given a specified reasonable amount of time to review the document. I will then provide consent for an agreed upon amount.
Her: Sir, that's not how we do things. Can't you just pay the new amount?
Me: After I've reviewed the policy documents to see why our previous agreement had been nullified.
Her: You'll have to get that from the hospital, and I'm not sure they'll provide it to you. Have a nice day.

America, where dying of septic shock is cheaper long-term than surviving it.
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and you know what fixes that? another layer of government that tells you you can't receive treatment, even if you can afford it. we already spend too much. spending more wont fix the issues. removing the government would.
 
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#261
#261
LouderVol said:
and you know what fixes that? another layer of government that tells you you can't receive treatment, even if you can afford it. we already spend too much. spending more wont fix the issues. removing the government would.
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I never advocated a government system. I just provided an example of what those of us with chronic medical conditions live with. You're the one who made the leap on that one.
 
#262
#262
AshG said:
I never advocated a government system. I just provided an example of what those of us with chronic medical conditions live with. You're the one who made the leap on that one.
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and I provided an example of those of us without chronic health issues (yet) deal with.

kicking someone else in the nuts isn't a good way to make it feel better when you get kicked in the nuts.
 
#264
#264
I'm still a little raw and upset from that phone call, I'll admit.

I believe our problem right now is that we as a nation are intent on dancing around the problem and making as few people as happy as possible when it comes to health care. If you talk with an elected official about the issues we both face - and yes, I see your financial dilemma as equally frustrating and important as mine - you get yanked to the extreme of either government control or no government control.

Our elected officials have either been taught or lobbied to avoid any nuanced study or discussion that could actually lead to progress. Given that senators and representatives are appointed to committees based on their ability to fundraise for the party whether or not they fit that committee's focus, we'll continue to see the wrong people in the HHS committee and make no headway as a result.
 
#267
#267
AshG said:
I'm still a little raw and upset from that phone call, I'll admit.

I believe our problem right now is that we as a nation are intent on dancing around the problem and making as few people as happy as possible when it comes to health care. If you talk with an elected official about the issues we both face - and yes, I see your financial dilemma as equally frustrating and important as mine - you get yanked to the extreme of either government control or no government control.

Our elected officials have either been taught or lobbied to avoid any nuanced study or discussion that could actually lead to progress. Given that senators and representatives are appointed to committees based on their ability to fundraise for the party whether or not they fit that committee's focus, we'll continue to see the wrong people in the HHS committee and make no headway as a result.
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oh I agree our government doesn't want to fix it/doesn't know how. the issue is the same from either side, whether you believe the industry is the problem or the government is, both sides of that issue are in bed with each other. so asking one to fix the situation is also dragging the other party in.

I don't 100% believe this but it seems like you could do the literal opposite of what either government or industry recommends and come up with a better solution with no thought put in.
 
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#268
#268
Septic said:
It's been twenty five years since I last saw the inside of a VA, I bounce myself (group) between BCBS, United and Aetna depending on the contracted rates for my local system. I paid 100% of my ee's coverage until last year when I started to take $50 a pay period, which is a pittance in the grand scheme. My great grand father still uses the VA for presciptions only and has had a positive expirience.
Click to expand...
Risk management firm? How many employees do you have?
 
#270
#270
White House kills drug rebate rule

The Trump administration has withdrawn its sweeping proposal to eliminate rebates from government drug plans, a White House spokesperson confirmed to POLITICO.

“Based on careful analysis and thorough consideration, the president has decided to withdraw the rebate rule," spokesperson Judd Deere said in a statement. "The Trump administration is encouraged by continuing bipartisan conversations about legislation to reduce outrageous drug costs imposed on the American people, and President Trump will consider using any and all tools to ensure that prescription drug costs will continue to decline."


The proposal — a centerpiece of the Trump administration's strategy to reduce drug prices — had split HHS and the White House. HHS Secretary Alex Azar had argued that eliminating rebates would lead to lower list prices, warning in April that any policy that fails to address rebates “will simply not get list prices down.” But the proposal had faced resistance from domestic policy chief Joe Grogan and other fiscal hawks on grounds that it was too expensive — costing the government nearly $180 billion over a decade.
 
#271
#271
The problem with our healthcare system is simple.
An ER visit is billed at 21K (for insured) but if you pay cash it gets dropped to just over 3k.

Yet we wonder why premiums are outrageous...
 
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#274
#274
DynaLo said:
The problem with our healthcare system is simple.
An ER visit is billed at 21K (for insured) but if you pay cash it gets dropped to just over 3k.

Yet we wonder why premiums are outrageous...
Click to expand...

Issue is we have a hybrid system. You have government subsidized and for profit healthcare all mixed into our country, not to mention congress gets to take payouts from corporations to pass legislation that benefits them. These hospitals can vary their costs wildly, and we pay a ton more for a bag of saline compared to other countries that pay under $10.00.
 
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