Comments on: The Uninsured

By: Better Health » How To Fix Healthcare

Better Health » How To Fix Healthcare — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:19:00 +0000

[...] to Andrew Sullivan who cited my post on the uninsured, I’ve gotten a lot of new comments on that subject. While my post was just a gripe about the [...]

By: Radi

Radi — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:46:44 +0000

Second try to add this comment. If it is a duplicate, blog owner please feel free to delete the duplicate

XYZZY: I too am on PD, although for now, my insurance through work is paying for my supplies. I haven’t the faintest idea how much my dialysis costs each month (given the supplies, transportation of same, and all the medical tests that must be run each month); no doubt I cannot afford it without the insurance cover.

However, I believe Medicare covers dialysis supplies for otherwise uninsured people. If you have private insurance (through work or personal), they only have to pay for 3 years, then Medicare will pick up the cost.

I have been told that Medicare will pick up my costs of dialysis if I should lose my job (and hence, the insurance that comes with it) before those 3 years are up, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Do you know which company is going to deliver your supplies? Mine is Baxter – they have an arrangement with the Northwest Kidney Centers (Seattle). I believe there is at least one more company out there that is providing some competition to Baxter (don’t remember the name).

If you have just started, feel free to look at the first few entries in my blog (more or less, November 2007, when I started CAPD, through Feb-March 2008, when I finally got on the cycler). If you have any questions, or just want to talk about PD, you can contact me through the blog.

Good luck with your PD, Xyzzy!

- Radi

By: Since You Asked... | Musings of a Distractible Mind

Since You Asked... | Musings of a Distractible Mind — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:44:25 +0000

[...] to Andrew Sullivan who sited my post on the uninsured, I’ve gotten a lot of new comments on that subject. While my post was just a gripe about [...]

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:01:29 +0000

Joel: I can only post prices if I don’t file Medicare or Medicaid. The rules that surround Medicare and Medicaid are ludicrous.

Grondo: I am disgusted when I see the houses some docs live in. The docs you are talking about, however, are in the minority. Primary care docs are quitting because many can’t even make $100K/year. This may sound greedy to some, but with 7-8 years of training after college and an average of over $100K in debt, it’s not worth the long hours.

XYZZY: We charge what our best payor will pay us and then write off the difference for those who pay us less. This, however, means that the uninsured will be overcharged. Can we discount them? Our contracts with the insurance contracts don’t allow us.

Mark: I agree that the current system is a total mess (see lots of other posts I have written), but what is the precedent to saying that the government does things more efficiently? I really don’t have faith that politicians are the answer to our problem.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:09:24 +0000

Wait, why is it that you don’t “want to go” to the subject of guaranteed health care for all Americans? Working Americans already pay 2.9% of their income for health insurance that they don’t get to use (medicare) and the average family with private insurance pays another $12,700 for it. All working Americans are *already* paying for medical care. So why can’t they have it?

By: XYZZY

XYZZY — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:33:05 +0000

1. why not pricing transparency?

Good luck with that. I recently went on peritoneal dialysis. The center affiliated with my nephrologist is not “in network”, so my insurance will only cover part of the costs. I have been trying for over a month to find out what those costs will be. I haven’t even been able to find a person who pretends they’ll give me an answer. Even the people at the local office can’t get a contact out of corporate.

I’ve followed the bills that have been submitted and covered by insurance. The difference between what an insurance company pays and what an uninsured individual gets charged is often several hundred percent, so I’m expecting to take a major hit. I’d just like to be given some kind of clue how much it will be.

By: Grondo

Grondo — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:30:25 +0000

I, and I suspect most others also, am happy to see providers compensated for their services. I have no problem paying the garage to fix my car, and I think any skilled professional should be paid for the work they do.

That said, my car doesn’t cost $1,000,000 to fix. And I don’t run the risk of impoverishing my family, losing my savings and house, and saddling myself and my wife with debt for the rest of our lives, just to fix my car.

The mechanic works hard and is paid pretty well. However, I don’t see the garage’s owner living in a $10M mansion, flying on a private jet, and lobbying Congress to change laws to benefit his garage business.

What I do see is the University Hospital here going on a building spree, erecting multiple lavish “clinics” of 10-12 storeys, covering full city blocks, complete with lavish decor and, I’m sure, fabulous executive office suites.

Take PROFIT out of the system and see what happens…

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:09:12 +0000

1. why not pricing transparency? (i.e. why don’t patients know how much their care costs?)
2. why not competition for these tests? they’re extraordinarily simple to execute, by and large, and an actual market should reduce the costs. i mean, how hard is it to run a strep culture?

just some thoughts.

By: JAI Aussie Nurse

JAI Aussie Nurse — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:00:19 +0000

Hello just read your post through a link because I find it interesting how your (North American ) health system works as opposed to our Tax Payer funded free hospital system in Australia. We do have private hospitals as well, but its optional to insure and most people don’t like the gap payment in private, especially when you get similar service and same Doctors for “free”…..
The hospital system here I believe has the up side and down side of being tax payer funded. Firstly, socially, it’s a great leveler as the person who is financially disadvantaged can get access to the same treatment as the upper middle class Aussie who could probably afford private health. … (but won’t insure as I mentioned above).
On the down side, chronic health abusers and patients who make no attempt to manage their ongoing issues continue to wrought the system by becoming repeat admissions just on the basis of lazy neglect. And take for granted the ‘free’ medical care and in fact become critical and blas’e in the system.
BUT…. in these economic times when your average family is put under financial stress the fact they don’t have to worry about insurance is one less drama to contend with… that all of us taxpayers put in the kitty to keep the hospitals running is a godsend.

I feel sorry for those in environments where hospital and health care is not possible, easy or available.. and warts and all … I like our system. (Okay this is from a Nurse’s perspective).. I’m not sure about our Docs… ! But it’s food for thought -
cheers

By: grindcm

grindcm — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:51:31 +0000

Pattie, RN I do not believe that I stated anywhere in my post that the right to healthcare was not at the center of this debate. Maybe we have conflicting ideas of what a “right” is to be considered. A “right” is part of the supposed Social Contract, whether hypothetical or consented and I believe your only stating the broader umbrella of which public education happens to fall under, along with the many other “rights”. By being an American citizen, I believe, you become a part of that social contract.