Worst part of our health system?

[indiana22native]

The system is all about $$$.
Most doctors have some incentives with a Pharmaceutical company to push/use some drug. I remember a few years back someone at where I used to work and I were talking about seeing our doctors at lunch on day and we both realized that we both were told we needed exact same drugs. Other than being males nothing else was the same nor was the reasons we were in the doctor's offices.
There is also the thing that a lot of time we do not get a cause and cure but just a drug to mask the pain.
Why is a naturalist not covered by insurance so if you try an use one of them as not to have to do meds it is on your dime.
Then there is the fact that your rehab is not done when you are better it is done when your insurance runs out and instead to having a therapist and machines you are giving stupid rubber bands and told to do it at home on your own.

Hell it takes months just to see a doctor now and having a .gov health system is not the answer as what goes on now would be 1000 times worse.

It reminds me of those pharmacy ads you see on tv ALL the time . Not even r sure what they’re for just the side effects are always thinks like baldness (already have that thanks), impotency and death. And still after those are listed, no clue what the drugs are used for.

 

[indiana22native]

The poor and illegals get healthcare with $0 co-pay for everything: office visits, surgeries, prescriptions, etc.

I'm not sure how you consider them penalized since that is the healthcare system you want.

Yeah that was probably not my best point. I guess I was just pissed about my $1800 bill and imagined they must get the same bill too. But welfare system probably pays them to go to the doctor and the illegals probably don’t give two looks to the bill.

It still just makes me mad. I feel like we get the white, firm on our gender, employed (but no where Rich) penalty. And the doctor demanding these tests, office called to let me know that despite needing this $1800 out of pocket test he can’t see me to “explain” the results to me for 4 months (and I have to take time off of work)

Also frustrating is that since I’m in that above category it means that my isnjrnace company negotiates with the hospital to determine my (higher) rates and forcing me to pay out of pocket then if I don’t have insurance and have to pay out of pocket. Which I have to pay out of pocket for the difference anyway. And hospitals i feel like just play dumb if you call in advance to ask price, they don’t know until after procedure and then they can determine what insurance will reimburse them for is BS to me. If we operated like that at work, we would have no orders.

 

[thompal]

Hell it takes months just to see a doctor now and having a .gov health system is not the answer as what goes on now would be 1000 times worse.

As anyone who has ever had to deal with VA/Medicare/Medicaid will confirm.

 

[Leo]

I agree with the OP, the system is broken.

I am loosing the private coverage that was "only" costing me $700/month because it was group plan. It also left me with $6000 to $7000 out of pocket per year. Now the Part B, and the supplemental is going to cost us $760 per month. We will see how that works out.

The Pharmacy bills have been crazy for years. When generics are costing $300/month something is wrong. I don't mind competent Drs making a comfortable living, but the overheads for their insurance, the hospital administration, and other non care costs are crazy, and it all is on the shoulders of the middle class.

I had a stent and a week later they put in another one. Same Doctor, same hospital same hole in groin, pretty much the same experience. The first one was $100,000 and the 2nd was $140,000. No one could tell me why.

Three years ago, I had an Angiogram. $38,000. In the hospital at 0800, took my wife to her favorite place for lunch at noon. Last April I had another Angiogram. Same hospital, same time, same prep nurse, same Dr, same tech, same anesthesiologist, and still took my wife to lunch at noon. This time it was $70,000 for the test. No amount of effort on my part gets any answers or price adjustments. I guess IU Health needs the money. This was just a routine test, it was not some life saving procedure.

The system is broken.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

Having just experienced my first serious foray into the medical world, I'll offer my two cents. First off, the doctors, rehab staff and most of the nurses were great. It's after the fact, when I was home, that I learned the dark secret of healthcare. The system is designed to get your money and the staff is trained to NOT be helpful, NOT give you pertinent information (or really ANY information) and it's all a huge money grab. The only people in the medical field that want to help are the actual people fixing your physical body-EVERYONE ELSE IS THERE TO GET AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE.

The day big pharma got its hooks in the government, we all got screwed. First it was tobacco companies, then oil and gas, now big pharma. I'm only sharing my personal experience, not my opinions on all the drugs they want you to take, all the specialists you get referred to for tests that are inconclusive and so on.

Lobbyists are called lobbyists because back when congressmen stayed in hotels when they'd travel to Washington to do their job, representatives from the railroad would be in the lobby with bags of cash to influence lawmakers in their company's favor. How this was ever allowed is, well, obvious, but also gut wrenching. If you think the government is here to save you or help you, well I'm sorry. It's a money grab from those of us just trying to make a little money and achieve the American dream.

And THAT'S what's wrong with the health system.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

Thank you for coming to my TED talk

 

[dagny99]

Thank you for coming to my TED talk

You are so witty! I also think medical liability has a hand and lack of Critical thinking skills. Over Testing and being afraid to say anything (even something benign like eat more vegetables) is against the esg agenda.

 

[dagny99]

I’m

I agree with the OP, the system is broken.

I am loosing the private coverage that was "only" costing me $700/month because it was group plan. It also left me with $6000 to $7000 out of pocket per year. Now the Part B, and the supplemental is going to cost us $760 per month. We will see how that works out.

The Pharmacy bills have been crazy for years. When generics are costing $300/month something is wrong. I don't mind competent Drs making a comfortable living, but the overheads for their insurance, the hospital administration, and other non care costs are crazy, and it all is on the shoulders of the middle class.

I had a stent and a week later they put in another one. Same Doctor, same hospital same hole in groin, pretty much the same experience. The first one was $100,000 and the 2nd was $140,000. No one could tell me why.

Three years ago, I had an Angiogram. $38,000. In the hospital at 0800, took my wife to her favorite place for lunch at noon. Last April I had another Angiogram. Same hospital, same time, same prep nurse, same Dr, same tech, same anesthesiologist, and still took my wife to lunch at noon. This time it was $70,000 for the test. No amount of effort on my part gets any answers or price adjustments. I guess IU Health needs the money. This was just a routine test, it was not some life saving procedure.

The system is broken

I agree with the OP, the system is broken.

I am loosing the private coverage that was "only" costing me $700/month because it was group plan. It also left me with $6000 to $7000 out of pocket per year. Now the Part B, and the supplemental is going to cost us $760 per month. We will see how that works out.

The Pharmacy bills have been crazy for years. When generics are costing $300/month something is wrong. I don't mind competent Drs making a comfortable living, but the overheads for their insurance, the hospital administration, and other non care costs are crazy, and it all is on the shoulders of the middle class.

I had a stent and a week later they put in another one. Same Doctor, same hospital same hole in groin, pretty much the same experience. The first one was $100,000 and the 2nd was $140,000. No one could tell me why.

Three years ago, I had an Angiogram. $38,000. In the hospital at 0800, took my wife to her favorite place for lunch at noon. Last April I had another Angiogram. Same hospital, same time, same prep nurse, same Dr, same tech, same anesthesiologist, and still took my wife to lunch at noon. This time it was $70,000 for the test. No amount of effort on my part gets any answers or price adjustments. I guess IU Health needs the money. This was just a routine test, it was not some life saving procedure.

The system is broken.

The response is great but the numbers just in ONE year! That’s insane and at the same time I’m not surprised. It just shows how broken the system is and that tax payers are all subsidizing the deficit.

 

[dagny99]

Yeah that was probably not my best point. I guess I was just pissed about my $1800 bill and imagined they must get the same bill too. But welfare system probably pays them to go to the doctor and the illegals probably don’t give two looks to the bill.

It still just makes me mad. I feel like we get the white, firm on our gender, employed (but no where Rich) penalty. And the doctor demanding these tests, office called to let me know that despite needing this $1800 out of pocket test he can’t see me to “explain” the results to me for 4 months (and I have to take time off of work)

Also frustrating is that since I’m in that above category it means that my isnjrnace company negotiates with the hospital to determine my (higher) rates and forcing me to pay out of pocket then if I don’t have insurance and have to pay out of pocket. Which I have to pay out of pocket for the difference anyway. And hospitals i feel like just play dumb if you call in advance to ask price, they don’t know until after procedure and then they can determine what insurance will reimburse them for is BS to me. If we operated like that at work, we would have no orders.

You said this:
“. I feel like we get the white, firm on our gender, employed (but no where Rich) penalty”

The white, male, tax-paying, straight person tax is real and saw it happening when I was in manufacturing, I see it happening everywhere.
As a female , I would be appalled if someone gave me a job just because I was a female. I would want it because I’m qualified. If you are a white tax paying straight men- and are a Christian or second amendment supporter- that’s even worse (if possible) you are suddenly wronged just for breathing.
I sympathize with you and that mindset is destroying the country.

 

[Hoosierdood]

My wife works in the medical field. Drug reps are coming in all the time buying lunch for the entire office of close to 100 people. When drug companies can pay a rep close to 6 figures, plus a company car, plus buying lunch for a different medical office daily just to peddle their wares… there is a big problem.

 

[rob63]

I just took another trip to England in April and noticed a few things about the universal health care system. These are just anecdotes, but they do provide information you won't hear in the media.

I would watch television in the evening before going to sleep and in the morning before leaving the hotel room for the day. Thus, I only saw it for short periods. Nonetheless, I was bombarded by ads for cancer insurance. Why? The average wait time within the national health care system between a cancer diagnoses and the beginning of treatment is 18 months. So people that are already paying high taxes for universal health care are also purchasing private insurance in order to get private treatment within a reasonable amount of time.

The morning news often had stories about the constantly increasing wait times for any kind of medical treatment at all.

I struck up a conversation with a lady sitting next to me on a train. She told me that they sacrificed their savings account in order to pay for a hip replacement for her husband. The wait time for the procedure was 2 years and her husband couldn't stand the pain any longer, so they had it done privately. She commented that the doctor performing the procedure at the private facility was literally the same doctor that would have done it in the government facility.

She also said that the basic problem is a huge doctor shortage in the UK. She blamed it on doctors moving to Australia to make more money, but I would suspect there is more to it than just that.

 

[Cameramonkey]

But not for every procedure. And even then, you may have to wait months to be seen.

When I was in high school, we had a German exchange student living with us. One day, he sliced his arm open. I took one look and knew it needed stitches so I drove him to the ER. He got signed in, and then had to wait, bleeding all over the floor for a half hour. They finally took him back and stitched him up and he was out in about 20 more minutes.

We got to my car, and he was amazed at the hospital. He said in Germany, he would have been waiting for 8-10 hours to get seen.

I know a girl in Sweden who needs some emergency treatment for some of her girl parts, and her appointment with the surgeon is in 8 months!

Yeah, it's "free," paid by their exorbitant taxes, but there's no sense of urgency to handle patients.

I'll recycle my socialized medicine story.

My wife's uncle is Canadian. He had a heart condition that in the 'states would have him under the knife within 24 hours or less.

Instead it took him several months to get the scan his doctor ordered.
Then the results came back and yes, indeed he needed a surgical procedure.
He was told "Your procedure is schedule for 9 months from now. If you start feeling worse, go to the ER and they'll do another scan and see if it warrants a sooner procedure."

What is even worse? He lives here. He cant just call an ambulance or have his wife drive him across town to the ER.*

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7783054,-82.6605413,13.5z

He would have to wait for one of 3 daily ferry trips that take 90 minutes, or be airlifted off the island, which would be at least an hour due to dispatch logistics. And in the winter? Air is the only option... as long as the weather isnt too bad. (like icing conditions that caused a planeload of pheasant hunters to go down in the lake)


*EDIT: The only medical facility on the island is a nurse's station to handle things like burns, strains/sprains, and MAYBE minor stitches/gluing. No doctors/hospital on the island.

 

[Cavman]

I blame it all. From the cost it costs to become a doctor, to the govt screwing up the insurance with obamacare, and the Republicans who had a chance to repeal Obama care but didnt. The junkies and trash who go to the hospital weekly and the illegals who go and don't get billed or pay their bills so the cost is passed on to everyone else.

 

[phylodog]

There was a reason people from other countries used to come here for medical care. The democrats made sure to remove all of the reasons for that and have replaced it with thinly veiled socialism.

Oh, you don’t like paying double for your medical care so that those who refuse to provide for themselves can receive theirs free? Doesn’t everyone snuggle themselves into bed at night feeling thoroughly virtuous for being held financially responsible for people they don’t know without their consent?

 

[Gingerbeardman]

My wife works in the medical field. Drug reps are coming in all the time buying lunch for the entire office of close to 100 people. When drug companies can pay a rep close to 6 figures, plus a company car, plus buying lunch for a different medical office daily just to peddle their wares… there is a big problem.

My brother in law is one of those guys. I'd love to have a six figure job where I didn't need to produce results to get a check LOL. Couple years ago his bonus was the same as my wife's annual salary.

 

[spencer rifle]

Our most recent staff meeting included an HR rep. All the staff had the same complaint - "No matter how many times our employer tells us how great our insurance is, all the care providers are amazed at how bad it sucks." If they have to tell us often how great it is, it isn't. And now our care providers tell us our insurance has simply stopped paying. They are months behind, and that leaves us on the hook if we don't want our credit ruined. Eventually we will get the comical "check in the mail" from the provider when insurance finally pays (if they are honest and actually refund our overpayment). I'm skeptical.
Some of you have heard about SWMBO's adventures in X-ray land. She called around to price a shoulder x-ray, and got answers from $60 to $2100. The most common answer was "we don't know." It depends on who is paying, and that's all the fault of insurance.

Makes me wonder if the insurance companies don't have some kind of back-room deal to make us all long for single payer, the Holy Grail of Dem Socialists.

 

[Hoosierdood]

Our most recent staff meeting included an HR rep. All the staff had the same complaint - "No matter how many times our employer tells us how great our insurance is, all the care providers are amazed at how bad it sucks." If they have to tell us often how great it is, it isn't. And now our care providers tell us our insurance has simply stopped paying. They are months behind, and that leaves us on the hook if we don't want our credit ruined. Eventually we will get the comical "check in the mail" from the provider when insurance finally pays (if they are honest and actually refund our overpayment). I'm skeptical.
Some of you have heard about SWMBO's adventures in X-ray land. She called around to price a shoulder x-ray, and got answers from $60 to $2100. The most common answer was "we don't know." It depends on who is paying, and that's all the fault of insurance.

Makes me wonder if the insurance companies don't have some kind of back-room deal to make us all long for single payer, the Holy Grail of Dem Socialists.

Kind of like the more someone tells me to “just trust them”, the less I trust them.

 

[tim87tr]

My wife works in the medical field. Drug reps are coming in all the time buying lunch for the entire office of close to 100 people. When drug companies can pay a rep close to 6 figures, plus a company car, plus buying lunch for a different medical office daily just to peddle their wares… there is a big problem.

Your post made me think of this guy on Rogan podcast. This guy worked 20 years ago, said he was naive, and had a $17,000 a month expense account, company car, and was getting in trouble for not using all the money per month. Money didn't roll over. Was promoting Cialis which I'm sure made a drug company Billions.

10 min clip

 

[Cameramonkey]

Another stupid story.

went to pick up my son's $20 script. Suddenly its $90 because his dose was increased by 50%. (30mg to 45mg)

Tech: "huh. This IS odd. These are capsules. I've never even SEEN this drug in capsule form before. It doesnt even exist per GoodRX. And your insurance doesnt cover this product at all. (same exact drug, just in capsule form)

Called the doc. She increased the original pill's count and told us to cut them and have him take 1.5 pills. Now the script costs $25.

 

[Ingomike]

i dont like any part of the idea that government it “protecting” us.

Well it is and this is stated like someone who never studied history to understand the bad and evil man can do.