Examples from my job - why the health care plan is BS

[xrated]

Hospitals are out of control. I had an emergency appendectomy last year (in the middle of sled season) and was in the hospital for less than 20 hrs. My final tally was just over 20K...... that seems a bit much to me. Granted, at the time I was in so much pain I would have given them my left nut.

At a minimum, they should stop covering the illegals for free. That would help a TON!!!!!!! Oh, and while were at it, kick em out of the country.

not all hospitals cover them, there are for profit and non-profit hospitals. Profits can pick who gets in.

I've noticed everyone complains when they get the bill(myself included) but non of us care when we are hurting...

 

[Ex-Member]

(I wish there was a symbol for flipping the bird!)

 

[Scut Farkus]

So three patients admitted because they didn't take their insulin, two drug addicts, two drunks and one psych patient (the majority of the psych patients are drug users and "decompensate" because of the drug use and/or they quit taking their medications - they are young and they are "disabled" on SSDI for the rest of their lives, can't hold down jobs)

sounds like a nice place to live.....

 

[Ollie]

and because everyone wants the best care, the best knowledge...not to mention all the people who "know" what is wrong and what needs to be done. If peopel would just STFU and let helathcare workers do the job things would be different.

Everyone wants MRIs and CT scans(when a plain x-ray is good) and those machines cost big bucks...cost gets passed on.

Or Drs have to go with the cheaper route first and rule out basics before they can do what needs to be done(thanks to insurance companies).

Yep, you would be correct.
How many people do we know who take their kids to the doctor every time they get the sniffles because they are afraid it is the plague?

The hospitals should be able to TELL the patient what they need and will get. The sad part is, doctors and hospitals are so terrified of law suits that they will do all those costly and unneeded tests just to cover their azzes.

If someone wants to take their kids in for every little sniffle, they should be charged accordingly.
People like myself that go to the doctors when there is actually something wrong pay the standard fee.
Simple.

But it all starts with getting the law suits under control and taking your health care out of the hands of lawyers and putting it back into the hands of doctors who have the license to PRACTICE medicine. People need to be reminded that doctors arn't god.

 

[xrated]

fluff I do believe most hospitals would do an adequate job of triaging patients and rooming them correctly so that something like the 2 year old would not be turned away...the ambulance will call ahead to find out if the hospital can take a level 1 or 2 trauma like that.

 

[blue fluff]

not all hospitals cover them, there are for profit and non-profit hospitals. Profits can pick who gets in.

I've noticed everyone complains when they get the bill(myself included) but non of us care when we are hurting...

X, make sure you go over your bill with a fine-tooth comb. I've heard of men who were getting charged for menstrual pads or other such ridiculous charges like meds they were never given, services they never had, etc.

 

[blue fluff]

fluff I do believe most hospitals would do an adequate job of triaging patients and rooming them correctly so that something like the 2 year old would not be turned away...the ambulance will call ahead to find out if the hospital can take a level 1 or 2 trauma like that.

You're prolly right with something like that. They did have to tx this kid to a more specialized hospital. Although there was a guy I heard who called into a local radio show a few weeks ago who was an American visiting CANADA whose little girl did fall on a slippery floor and crack her head open (blood everywhere) and he DID have to wait HOURS for her to get help in the ER. I'll see if I can find that on-line. (Edit: OK couldn't find it online, but called the radio station KGVO and they remembered the same story and said I remembered it correctly.)

My point was that those of us with real problems already have to wait because of the noncompliant patients or those who choose drugs and alcohol and end up repeatedly in the hospital.

 

[WFO or go home]

This is exactly why universal health care will be a train wreck. If people don't have to pay for their medical care they will be at the ER every time they eat to many baked beans with their brauts and budweiser.

I am already paying directly for my families caoverage and probably indirectly for at least one other family, now they want to tax MY medical benefits as income so I can pay for ANOTHER family........when will it all end.


At this point we have people calling 911 so the paramedics will show up and talk to them, I can't imagine what people will do when warm dry hospital rooms are free to the non-working.


Give to based on their need, take from based on their ability.........I hope this is starting to hit home with the libs.

 

[xrated]

This is exactly why universal health care will be a train wreck. If people don't have to pay for their medical care they will be at the ER every time they eat to many baked beans with their brauts and budweiser.

They all ready do.

Not arguing in favor of social medicine...cause it would fug my life up big...but I think those that are whiners and go to the Dr all the time all ready do. Not that many more will come if it's "free". At least not for the stomach aches, and piddly crap like that. Sure a few more may visit the Dr but there won't be a major rush on Ers

 

[Reese]

HIPPA reminder

blue fluff- as a fellow health care professional I understand your concern re: the future of health care, however I do encourage being more carefull with the medical information you are putting out in your posts. You don't want the HIPPA police on your ***!

Although you are deleting names and dates, I don't think it would be to difficult for an observer/family member from your location, Lolo, MT, to decipher who some of these patients are. Based on pt. age, ambulance rides, admit/discharge times, medical conditions in thier hx, and conditions for which they are being treated.

It may be in your best interest to remove your location from your info. That way people can't use association to figure things out.

Not trying to be a buzz kill, just don't want to see a fellow snowester get in hot h2o.

 

[snobunny21]

I work in an ER and get to see this stupid sh!t every day.

 

[blue fluff]

Reese:
No problem. I appreciate the concern. But the hospitals I work for are not even in Montana let alone around the town I live.

 

[snowrdr]

HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS: This is a patient who had chest pain and shortness of breath...

PAST MEDICAL HISTORY: Significant for previous history of atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response rate, hypertension, dyslipidemia, depression. Patient has a history of chronic noncompliance according to Dr. ***** and patient was admitted both on *** and *** of this year with similar situations.

The patient has at least six to seven admissions to the hospital in 2009. Patient's condition becomes uncontrolled in the hospital and then patient is discharged but does not take medications and otherwise is generally noncompliant. It is not known why the patient is doing this despite being advised by several physicians including myself. According to Dr. ****, the condition can get worse. The patient might even suffer stroke or other complications.


Well in our world of defensive medicine this is a great H+P. Until there is some sort of significant TORT reform or caps on Malpractice awards our Health Care system will be in trouble.

Complaints about hospital bills are completely warranted, as a person who works in Health Care I can say that the bills make me sick when patients show them to me. The game of billing was described very well by an above post about trying to make up for those that do not pay or those that do not have insurance. Now the above H+P describes a not if major but really significant challenge, NON COMPLIANT and 6-7 admissions in 2009 for Afib? When this patient has a massive stroke from lack of taking coumadin then guess what, we all get to pay for this patients long term care from time of stroke until the patient expires.

There is many different points of view in the debate, single payer is the wrong answer, if you want single payer then move out of the U.S and good luck having your family members breast cancer treated.

Why do we have to have car insurance?
Why do we have to have home owners insurance?
Why do people have cell phones?
Why do people buy cigarettes and alcohol?

If you can afford the cell phone, cigarettes, alcohol and direct tv and DSL then you maybe should be able to afford Health Insurance.

As Health Care providers we should be like the DMV(no coverage no license), no coverage no treatment. So watchout everyone, when the Lib's get the single payer wish they want, watch what we do as health care workers. You want to see a good doctor and be treated quick, sure hope you have a ton of cash in the bank, otherwise go ahead take a number and stand in line for 6 months for your coronary bypass surgery.

Just think the U.S. government cannot and has not been able to manage Medi-Care and it is going broke. Just imagine.

 

[Weekday Warrior]

so what happens after free health care? Besides huge taxes.


Wonder what a bag of chips will taste like when fats are outlawed
Or beer thats super low on alchol and non-fattening?

10 years down the road will we all be eating engineered mush out of a bag

Dinner time on the movie "The Matrix" comes to mind

 

[Blu Du]

blue fluff- as a fellow health care professional I understand your concern re: the future of health care, however I do encourage being more carefull with the medical information you are putting out in your posts. You don't want the HIPPA police on your ***!

Although you are deleting names and dates, I don't think it would be to difficult for an observer/family member from your location, Lolo, MT, to decipher who some of these patients are. Based on pt. age, ambulance rides, admit/discharge times, medical conditions in thier hx, and conditions for which they are being treated.

It may be in your best interest to remove your location from your info. That way people can't use association to figure things out.

Not trying to be a buzz kill, just don't want to see a fellow snowester get in hot h2o.

X2. good way to get fired.

 

[xrated]

snowrdr if you find a Dr who is willing to take cash customers and pay their help well, send me a note...I happen to be an excellent R.T.(R)

 

[snowrdr]

snowrdr if you find a Dr who is willing to take cash customers and pay their help well, send me a note...I happen to be an excellent R.T.(R)

Have 16 of them, they will be thinking like Plastic's guys from now on.

 

[Weekday Warrior]

blue fluff- as a fellow health care professional I understand your concern re: the future of health care, however I do encourage being more carefull with the medical information you are putting out in your posts. You don't want the HIPPA police on your ***!

Although you are deleting names and dates, I don't think it would be to difficult for an observer/family member from your location, Lolo, MT, to decipher who some of these patients are. Based on pt. age, ambulance rides, admit/discharge times, medical conditions in thier hx, and conditions for which they are being treated.

It may be in your best interest to remove your location from your info. That way people can't use association to figure things out.

Not trying to be a buzz kill, just don't want to see a fellow snowester get in hot h2o.

X2. good way to get fired.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/summary/index.html
What Information is Protected
Protected Health Information. The Privacy Rule protects all "individually identifiable health information" held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or ****. The Privacy Rule calls this information "protected health information (PHI)."12


“Individually identifiable health information” is information, including demographic data, that relates to:

• the individual’s past, present or future physical or mental health or condition,
• the provision of health care to the individual, or
• the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual,

and that identifies the individual or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe it can be used to identify the individual.13 Individually identifiable health information includes many common identifiers (e.g., name, address, birth date, Social Security Number).
The Privacy Rule excludes from protected health information employment records that a covered entity maintains in its capacity as an employer and education and certain other records subject to, or defined in, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. §1232g.
De-Identified Health Information. There are no restrictions on the use or disclosure of de-identified health information.14 De-identified health information neither identifies nor provides a reasonable basis to identify an individual. There are two ways to de-identify information; either: (1) a formal determination by a qualified statistician; or (2) the removal of specified identifiers of the individual and of the individual’s relatives, household members, and employers is required, and is adequate only if the covered entity has no actual knowledge that the remaining information could be used to identify the individual.15

carry on.

 

[Reese]

cash pay

Have 16 of them, they will be thinking like Plastic's guys from now on.

I'm on the rehab side of things..
From what I understand therapy practices on the east and west coast have been successfully going to cash payment by the patient for a discount at the time of service for a few years now. Unfortunately in the midwest people dont seem to be quit as willing to turn their backs on traditional insurance.

I wish people would go cash, cut out the middle man (insurance) and decrease costs for everyone.

Billing insurance is a joke, its one big game where no one wants to pay. As a provider you can do it yourself, add staff to do it or let a billing company do it for a percentage of the profit.


snowrdr, are these physicans in your area? other than plastic what types of physicians do you see successfully making this change? and how are patients responding to it?

 

[Reese]

Reese:
No problem. I appreciate the concern. But the hospitals I work for are not even in Montana let alone around the town I live.

Sorry blue fluff I was under the impression that you were referencing local records. I was thinking,"better safe than sorry".