tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post2141032644233412374..comments2024-03-28T14:52:13.218-05:00Comments on Stonekettle Station: Healthcare Reform, Part Two: What If Sarah Palin Was A Liberal?Jim Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-57103707978956621342009-08-21T02:34:48.945-05:002009-08-21T02:34:48.945-05:00TUC, I think that we are all responsible for how w...TUC, I think that we are all responsible for <i>how</i> we deal with our circumstances - and I'd be the first to say that many folks are in dire straits because they didn't take responsibility (the personal catastrophes of the housing market collapse come to mind here - a lot of people should have read the fine print). However, I'd also be the first to point out that many, many fine hardworking people have come upon hard times in recent years through no fault of their own (the housing market collapse again comes to mind - what if you were the janitor at Merrill Lynch and you lost your job because your bosses were greedy assholes?).<br /><br />Sometimes, more than sometimes lately, good people are overcome by circumstance through no fault of their own. Certainly they have a responsibility to themselves and those around them as to how they handle it - but morally, ethically, don't we as their neighbors in the richest country in the world have <i>some</i> responsibility to help our fellows? Does not a government, a nation, have a responsibility to take care of its citizens? Otherwise, why does it exist in the first place?<br /><br />Responsibility is a two way street I think.Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-9514707605876028982009-08-20T17:53:54.533-05:002009-08-20T17:53:54.533-05:00I thought this was a great post and I have excelle...I thought this was a great post and I have excellent health care and do think it is important for everyone else to have that too.<br /><br />I just wonder though if at any point we become responsible to any degree for our own circumstances?TUChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15929114678006935831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-84656089428978001912009-08-20T09:28:25.977-05:002009-08-20T09:28:25.977-05:00Ah, yes. Thanks for that memory, NTSC.
I had my w...Ah, yes. Thanks for that memory, NTSC.<br /><br />I had my wisdom teeth pulled by a military dentist who was going through an ugly divorce and had had a very bad morning in court. She was a bit pissed at the world.<br /><br />My face was black and blue for a week.Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-77555436336998341762009-08-20T09:20:48.174-05:002009-08-20T09:20:48.174-05:00In the above comment the $12,000 should have been ...In the above comment the $12,000 should have been $13,000.ntschttp://blog.charcuteire.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-56713702147589324742009-08-20T09:18:30.964-05:002009-08-20T09:18:30.964-05:00Nathan
This paticular MD is one of the best in th...Nathan<br /><br />This paticular MD is one of the best in the world at this paticular surgery, although that isn't why I first went to him. I had broken a hand bone on a Friday afternoon and he would see me on Friday not send me to an emergency room.<br /><br />If my insurance hadn't yet again changed their payment scheme to MDs not in their network, I would have no problem.<br /><br />The $5600 that my insurance has ruled is reasonable and customary for this surgery in 2006 is utter bullhocky (in 93 they felt $12,000 was reasonable and customary), he is/was willing to acept that as payment in my case. However they have changed their share from 80% to 50%. I could deal with that, but they have also ruled that because he is not in-network, even though the hospital he practices from is in-network, they will only pay 50% not 80% of the out patient surgical costs and the $4000 anual cap does not cover that new 30% that is mine. If I can put this off 3 years until Medicare kicks in the rules change back.<br /><br />The state AG is in the process of sitting on this company very hard, but doesn't yet have a consent decree on the in plan hospital being treated as out of plan. <br /><br />I fondly remember going to an Army dentist, being told all my wisdom teeth were growing in sideways and had to go, and his carefully scheduling each extraction for my first duty day of the week and putting me off duty for the next 3 days as well. OK, I had one unpleasant afternoon, but I also had 10 consecutive days off. Four times at no cost to me.ntschttp://blog.charcuteire.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-70098311212205322412009-08-19T23:29:11.934-05:002009-08-19T23:29:11.934-05:00I'm going to predict that whatever we get out ...<i>I'm going to predict that whatever we get out of this - will be more of what we've got right now. I'm seriously doubting that they can pull any real reform off.</i><br /><br />Only bigger, costlier, and mandatory for everyone. If they cave on the "public option," anyway.<br /><br />I doubted they'd get "real reform" as soon as they let the congress start formulating the bill. Too many of them too deeply in the pockets of the insurance industry to get anything resembling a decent chance of fixing this fucking abortion we call "health care" in this country.Alesia Matsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15519487703722156234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-19046449067940118472009-08-19T19:33:12.796-05:002009-08-19T19:33:12.796-05:00*sigh* I utterly hate it that The Onion provides s...*sigh* I utterly hate it that The Onion provides such insight:<br /><br />http://www.theonion.com/content/news/congress_deadlocked_over_how_to?utm_source=a-sectionmensleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-91767032353176964082009-08-19T15:30:17.069-05:002009-08-19T15:30:17.069-05:00And Nathan makes an excellent point. And that writ...And Nathan makes an excellent point. And that write-off is yet another bill on the taxpayer. Frankly I'd rather have a system and a tax up front where I can see it.<br /><br />However, I think there are some very significant concerns. I think the GOP has some legit points. But I think any real conversation is getting lost in the noise.<br /><br />I'm going to predict that whatever we get out of this - will be more of what we've got right now. I'm seriously doubting that they can pull any real reform off.Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-57645989294176119492009-08-19T12:44:20.789-05:002009-08-19T12:44:20.789-05:00Janiece, I think he was CJCS back in the 70s under...Janiece, I think he was CJCS back in the 70s under Carter.Steve Buchheithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-19303264817558091112009-08-19T11:46:52.982-05:002009-08-19T11:46:52.982-05:00ntsc,
I wouldn't feel bad about asking for (o...ntsc,<br /><br />I wouldn't feel bad about asking for (or having received) a discount(?).<br /><br />I've noticed that doctors, hospitals and labs, regularly get paid a "discounted" rate of 50% from the insurance company (volume?) and then your percentage "share" is based on the "pre-discounted" full price. Your doctor still made out just fine. <br /><br />The "full fare" is for the poor suckers in the emergency room who can't afford it no matter what the cost eventually is. The write-off for the hospital looks better that way.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00648438549121320566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-41444283680065960482009-08-19T11:36:47.397-05:002009-08-19T11:36:47.397-05:00Circumstance.
Exactly.
How is this so difficult?...Circumstance.<br /><br />Exactly.<br /><br />How is this so difficult?Phialahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05604909119508288912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-55551476044280837382009-08-19T11:26:57.165-05:002009-08-19T11:26:57.165-05:00The discussion about this particular issue is gett...The discussion about this particular issue is getting to be as bad as abortion or gay marriage.<br /><br />I'm not usually a big Barney Frank fan (Rep. D-Mass), but his recent 'outburst' at a 'Town Hall Meeting' was right on the money. There can be no serious discussion about this (or nearly ANY other politicially charged topic) until there is calm discussion. I won't ask for rational discussion, because feelings have their place in the discussion as well, but for the sake of all our sanity, CALM would be nice.<br /><br />Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090819/ap_on_re_us/us_health_care_frank<br /><br />n.b.: the use of quotes in this comment is because I'm using other people's words.<br /><br />'outburst' here is a real answer to a really flagarant distortion.<br /><br />'Town Hall Meeting': this one comes the closest to the moniker of any of the recent highly choreographed 'Public Discussion.'wanderingwinonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-6816426311852220952009-08-19T11:21:58.707-05:002009-08-19T11:21:58.707-05:00Steve, what is this general welfare of which you s...Steve, what is this <em>general welfare</em> of which you speak?<br /><br />Thanks, Jim. Excellent post. I've started the Digg parade, if anyone wants to jump on the bandwagon.Janiecehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14190655869710465713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-89733067134040019582009-08-19T11:03:33.354-05:002009-08-19T11:03:33.354-05:00Hard to argue with the plain truth, Jim.
Well, un...Hard to argue with the plain truth, Jim.<br /><br />Well, unless you are someone who can't see the plain truth when you're shown it 4 or 5 different ways.<br /><br />Or if you can't hear the plain truth because a bunch of people who "say" they have your best interest at heart (but are the ones making a pile of money from the status quo) keep shouting at you telling you the plain truth is a bunch of lies.<br /><br />Or if you couldn't care less about the plain truth because that doesn't fit what "everybody knows is really true, not these liberal lies they keep pushing on decent folk!"<br /><br />Oh hell! The plain truth may be hard to argue with, but it never gets to that because the only ones who are paying attention to the plain truth are the ones who don't need to argue with it in the first place.<br /><br />Color me disenchanted, but ultimately hopeful. I'd rather be a disappointed optimist than a vindicated pessimist.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00273212686600552771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-2451419501148345152009-08-19T10:52:32.385-05:002009-08-19T10:52:32.385-05:00Just keep the government's hands off my wife&#...Just keep the government's hands off my wife's Medicare.<br /><br />In 93 I had to have some complex hand surgery. The surgeon charged $13,000 plus in-hospital costs. I paid a grand total of $2000.<br /><br />The last time I had this surgery in 2006, not only was I paying part of the insurance, about $2500/year, his fee had risen to $17,000 and they cut their payment to about $4500, and since it was now out-patient surgery the hospital costs were a fraction of what they had been. Fortunately for me, while he no longer accepted my insurance he agreed to accept their payment as 80% full payment, my cost was under $2000. But I really don't want to ask him again.ntschttp://blog.charcuteire.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-48720299895698702132009-08-19T10:37:26.990-05:002009-08-19T10:37:26.990-05:00It makes me wonder where people were during the Ci...It makes me wonder where people were during the Civics Class lecture on how and why governments are formed. It's like they get to the "provide for the common defense" in the preamble and then close the book. "Whelp, that's all we need to do. Screw promoting the general welfare or securing the blessing of liberty."Steve Buchheithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-44429625053081454672009-08-19T10:00:14.064-05:002009-08-19T10:00:14.064-05:00Long-time lurker, first-time commenter.
This has ...Long-time lurker, first-time commenter.<br /><br />This has become my favorite blog to follow. Not just because I agree with your opinions most of the time, but because I like your "no bullshit," common sense attitude. I wish more people had it, but unfortunately, we've descended into an age where it's perceived to be a sign of weakness to acknowledge the validity others' viewpoints, or see the value in civil discourse and compromise.Billnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-61973185077517859062009-08-19T09:17:13.284-05:002009-08-19T09:17:13.284-05:00See, I don't think it's a matter of conser...See, I don't think it's a matter of conservative or liberal. I think it's a matter of douchebag or not douchebag.<br /><br />I like to think of myself as a conservative non-douchebag. :)<br /><br />(And watch, the definition of a conservative non-douchebag is probably "liberal") ;)<br /><br />Douchebag.<br /><br /><i>I just wanted to say douchebag one more time. Ha! There's another!</i>Shawn Powershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15186686711412505957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-13558328651139064662009-08-19T06:45:54.845-05:002009-08-19T06:45:54.845-05:00Really, really good post, Jim. Thank you.
I am cu...Really, really good post, Jim. Thank you.<br /><br />I am curious about the people who think it's easy to sell a house in this market without taking a hit on it. Most places, property values are in a slump. And banks aren't exactly free and easy with loans right now. It's a pretty bizarre assertion that "If I need money I can sellmy house or borrow." Sell to who? Borrow from whom?<br /><br />Idiots.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18275812152895151542noreply@blogger.com