Sicko.....GO SEE IT!

[Guest]

Well, you are hitting the nail on the head, Seth. You are doing your patriotic duty by dissenting, that is not in question at all. I wish I could have said all that so eloquently. But there is a big difference between forcing reform and going to a nationalized system. Your last post expresses that more clearly. I see the difference as government stopping abuses versus making choices for you. Unfortunately in this situation you are choosing between two "big brothers." Either choice isn't rosy but at least you have the power to choose (sometimes) with a private sector in existence. As for it being charitable, more people should choose to support low cost health care with donations, not taxes. I do believe that the pharmaceutical sector is one of the more crooked around which should be fixed. There was a 60 Minutes episode a few months back that made me absolutely furious. If I find it, I'll post it.

[RescueKujo 130]

Hospitals used to be charities. Now, there business's. How can Westchester, who's population has increased, lose several hospitals? Why does that happen?

Seth,

Here in San Diego County we've lost 8 ERs since I started in EMS in 1989. And the closings were all because they were losing money. 30 minute offload delays are becoming the norm in the county, even in some of the newer ERs that were built with the loss of those ERs in mind.

[firebuff08 29]

After reading all of the posts in this thread, one thing is abundantly clear. Manyof people posting on this subject have either never taken a course in basic economics or they flunked the course. NOTHING IN THIS WORLD IS FREE! For every service that is provided by government, without charge or that is provided by the private sector at the mandate of government, someone else MUST pay either through higher taxes or higher fees or premiums.

For example -- one post states "ambulance service has to be guaranteed....Medicare/Medicade need to start paying out an honest dollar amount for what their users utilize". Great idea! But the Federal Government will have to taken another $50 bucks a week our of YOUR pay and the pay of every other worker to cover those costs. The money has to come from somewhere. And its a proven fact that when taxes go up, to pay for more socialized services, working people at the margins leave the work force, adding to the numbers of those receiving the "free" services, thus requiring even higher taxes from those who are working.

Another example -- one post states "I think that what should be regulated is denial by insurance companies of ambulance trips to the ER". Another Great idea, but who is going to pay for it. Perhaps if the majority of stupid Americans would take the time to read their health insurance policies, they would know what is covered and what is not. Insurance companies do not deny claims just to piss people off. They do it because the claim is for a charge that is not covered in that particular policy. So let the government enact more regulations regarding health insurance and no one will have health insurance because the cost will be too high for employers and employees to bear. Right now, government mandates are a large part of the reason why health insurance premiums are so high. If insurance doesn't cover something, what ever happened to paying for the service out of your own pocket?

Another part of the cost problem is over use of health care services because most people believe it is free...either because their health insurance is paying the bill or the government is picking up the tab with only limited copays. Insurance was never meant to cover first dollar costs. An analogy would be this -- imagine what your car insurance would cost if every time you took your car in for an oil change, you paid a $5.00 co-pay and the insurance company picked up the tab. And of course, while the car was there for the oil change, the mechanic would run every test imaginable because the mechanic knew your Insurance company would pay for it! Well that is the problem with health insurance.

Yet another example ---"Hospitals used to be charities". This is correct and as charities, the portion of their operating costs not covered by payments from patients or their insurance companies was covered by DONATIONS from people in the community. When was they last time one of you gave $1,000 or $2,000 to your local hospital? Probably never and therein lies the problem. Money doesn't grow on trees. Hospitals stopped being charities when the cost of treating welfare patients outstripped the declining donations from the community. They had to find a different business model to survive.

Yes our health care system has problems -- many of them created by adopting socialist programs over the last 50 years. Adding more socialist programs is not the answer. Reducing government regulation, not increasing it and making everyone more responsible for a greater portion of their health care costs is what is needed to bring the costs down.

[Guest paramedico987]

Socialized heathcare only works in SOCIALIST governments.... Edited July 8, 2007 by paramedico987

[RescueKujo 130]

Another example -- one post states "I think that what should be regulated is denial by insurance companies of ambulance trips to the ER". Another Great idea, but who is going to pay for it. Perhaps if the majority of stupid Americans would take the time to read their health insurance policies, they would know what is covered and what is not. Insurance companies do not deny claims just to piss people off. They do it because the claim is for a charge that is not covered in that particular policy. So let the government enact more regulations regarding health insurance and no one will have health insurance because the cost will be too high for employers and employees to bear. Right now, government mandates are a large part of the reason why health insurance premiums are so high. If insurance doesn't cover something, what ever happened to paying for the service out of your own pocket?

Firebuff,

I have to admit I didn't clarify my position well enough. I should have written when the final diagnosis doesn't meet their standards. Mr. John Q Public can't tell if that upper gastric pain is just whatever he had for dinner or an oncoming MI, and he shouldn't have to. The hospital staff should be the ones to diagnose the patient. All I am saying is if the patient called in good faith with an appropriate chief complaint, the insurance company should not be able to deny the claim(s).