Would the good people of Puna put up w/ this

[mella l]

If you had died in Mexico... it would cost the ER there nothing... If you had died in CA. your family would have sued for millions...

No. If you died in a US hospital, the hospital would sue YOUR family for the bill and foreclose on your home if you were unable to pay the bill.

mella l

[Jon]

There is no fix for Health Care in the USA, its not broken... Everyone in the USA has access to health care. Some have to pay more than others, but its there if you want it.

Here is an idea for you....
Let patients sign a contract that they will not sue for malpractice for any reason, then let the Doctor only have to pay for normal liability insurance... Then the first patient that sues, the court fines that patient 1 million dollars for waisting everyones time.

patients under this contract would get cheaper health care, and the Dr.'s would be able to live and work with out the fear of bankruptcy all the time.


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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT

[Jon]

Not...
hospitals write off so much dept is not funny... that why a drink of water in one cost 5 bucks... because most people don't pay.

quote:

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Originally posted by mella l

If you had died in Mexico... it would cost the ER there nothing... If you had died in CA. your family would have sued for millions...

No. If you died in a US hospital, the hospital would sue YOUR family for the bill and foreclose on your home if you were unable to pay the bill.

mella l

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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT

[csgray]

Actually many hospitals are very active in collecting bills owed,and very quick to turn people over to collections, even for small amounts. The following quote is from this web site: http://www.bcsalliance.com/y_debt_medical.html

"For the years 2003 and 2004, just over 50 percent of all personal bankruptcies were the result of medical debt by those with health insurance. A significant percentage of those listing medical debt as the reason for their bankruptcy are 65 and older. Other groups disproportionately bankrupted by medical debt include single women raising children on low wages or who have been abandoned by their husbands who refuse to pay child support.

The medical debt causing these bankruptcies isn't overwhelming in many circumstances. Statistics available in 2003 are as follows: about 20% of bankruptcy filings involve a medical debt of less than $1,000; about 40% involve a medical debt of less than $5,000; and 13% of bankruptcy filings involve a medical debt of over $10,000. One would think these people could make some sort of payment arrangements to pay off the debt rather than file bankruptcy."

I personally have known several people who lost their homes in Eugene, Oregon when the local non profit Catholic Hospital (locally known as Sacred Wallet) went after them for relatively small debts and wouldn't work out a doable payment schedule. Instead they rapidly turned them over to a collection agency who where completely inflexible, and then sued to take their only real asset, their home. These were hard working, honest people who were under insured through their employer and then could not work while recovering from their illness, they just needed a little time to get back on their feet, and instead ended up living in a car after losing their house to the bill collector. Often you are better of having no insurance than inadequate insurance under the current system.

Carol

[Jon]

Must have goofy laws there...
I know Texas law, and I think Hawaii is about the same, if you homestead you house, it can not be taken for any debt except IRS. They must also have a crappy news outlet up there, otherwise every time someone lost their home that way, it would be on the news and the bad press would make sure no one went to that hospital.



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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT

[Rob Tucker]

My own experience with health care here in Hawaii is very frustrating. My wife has a chronic lung infection and after getting a referral to a specialist twelve months ago we have yet been able to get the specialist to return a call and have also been waiting for twelve months for lab results. Meanwhile her condition is getting worse.

I went into the clinic the other day and told them I feel like we need to get a lawyer involved. Suddenly calls are being made. I can't predict what the results will be but we have health insurance and pay our bills on time.

The bottom line for me is that health care here in Hawaii sucks.

I have considered sending her to Cuba. I have a former client in Malibu who is a millionaire and travels to Cuba specifically because he prefers their health care system. Despite Cuba's terrible economy and decades of economic deprivation they have a system that works for them and works for visitors. I myself benefited from socialized medicine in Denmark years ago where I required surgery. The medicine was first class and the level of care I experienced was heartfelt and appreciated.

I do not try to make any case that communism is good and capitalism is bad. But in the case of health care we have a broken system here driven by greed and excess. Medical needs seem to be last on the list of priorities. It is a shame that things are this way. We are one of the wealthiest nations on earth and health insurance and care here is a joke.

While some want to cast this in political terms the fact remains for us that the system is failing us and I am faced with considering lawsuits to enforce a minimal level or care under the terms of our insurance. What a waste. What is most cost effective for me? Lawyers or a plane ticket to Cuba for my wife?

Politically I personally am able to make distinctions between a dictator like Fidel Castro and the Cuban people. It is a shame that millions have to suffer and because we don't like one man. In this year of 2009 it is time to realize that Cuba is not a threat to us and open the doors between our two peoples. The people of the U.S. and Cuba would benefit. The clock is ticking on the Castros and their days are numbered.

I don't think opening Cuba to travel and business will affect Hawaiian tourism in a measurable way and if it did it would not be sufficient justification to continue ineffective policies which cause harm to many and benefit few.

Punaweb moderator

[Jon]

Just remember, In Cuba or Mexico, you can get things cheap, but you also have no rights, so someone decides they don't like you, you could die there and no one would care.

The State of Hawaii causes some of these problems... I had perfectly good insurance and a Doctor when I got here... once the State looked at my insurance, they told my employer they had to change it... so now I have to go to a clinic an and wait in line for a strange doctor, even thought the rest of my family goes to the old Doctor... oh, and this new insurance cost the company more also...


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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT

[mella l]

Rob very well put, in fact excellent. Sending prayers on the wind that your wife's health will improve and soon. It is a shame the lengths we must go to for reasonable and effective care, inconsionable.

Taking the profit out of health care like Europe, Denmark and Cuba will take time here, but yes this is the 21st century and this is the time. To raise the medical standards in our so called first world industrialized nation, and implement a single payer system is well beyond due. Carols statistics are correct and on the rise.



mella l

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by mella l

Rob very well put, in fact excellent. Sending prayers on the wind that your wife's health will improve and soon. It is a shame the lengths we must go to for reasonable and effective care, inconsionable.

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Rob I too hope your wifes condition improves.

Its very sad that many "Local people" that were born and raised here have left Hawaii because of Lung Infections.

There has always been a health care problem, however, since the Pu'u O'O vent started going off in the 80's... many people have had to relocate from the Big Island to the Mainland just because of Lung Infections.

I can think of three people in my family that have moved in the last 20 years.

Cuba at least does not have an active volcano spewing crap into their air.

Damon Tucker's Weblog

[Timkona]

Taking the profit out of health care is silly.

Try taking the litigation and the HMO's out of healthcare.

Going to the doctor is a CHOICE. There should be no recourse for litigation, except that a doctor should lose his license.

Liberalism thrives on the double standard.