[Jman]

My daughter's fall onto her chin cost more than our trip to Florida. ER visit for stitches + antibiotics > a day in Disney World and six days on the beaches of Sanibel

[rachel1027]

Originally Posted by rrdogma

I love working on people. I was very surprised that all through school and even since I have been licensed, none of my friends want to be worked on.

That is only because I don't live close enough

[DSRTRDR]

Originally Posted by sisukid1975

I've seen a lot of COBRA horror stories... Hell, when I left the county, the COBRA payments would have been $1200 a month.

We're lucky that when I left the co-op that the COBRA plan was so affordable. It was the same monthly cost (within a few bucks) as my employer's plan, and it allowed us to keep seeing the same doctor where Katie was getting all of her tests done...

geez, I wonder how the hippies were so successful in negotiating an affordable plan

musta been the granola mix

[Jman]

Originally Posted by DSRTRDR

geez, I wonder how the hippies were so successful in negotiating an affordable plan

musta been the granola mix

Bulk cashew butter--it is irresistible.

[NaterGator]

Originally Posted by sisukid1975

Hey TUT.

So, check out my employer's abso-fucking-lutely craptastic health insurance for 2009:

$400 a month
$8000 deductible.
$20 co-pay for regular doctor visits
I'm liable for 25-50% of everything other than regular doctor visits. (labs, x-rays, surgery, ER visits, etc...)
30-50% RX drug copays

Best yet, almost NONE of those copays count towards my deductible!

So, I'd be paying $4800 a year for the privilege of paying $8000 a year out of pocket for health care, so that they can pay only 50-75% of anything!

Holy fucking shit! And people wonder why Toyota would rather build plants in Canada and deal with Canadian taxes, regulations and Unions than build hereand pay our healthcare premiums!

Looks like we picked the right time to be joining them, too.

Yoop is right, shit ain't free, it's far from free. People that need critical care can have their medical bills easily reach into $200-300k range and beyond. At that point $8k+25% looks alot better than $200-300k+. And even if you took the $4600/yr and put it away it'd still take a huge amount of time to cover the expensive care.

I'm not saying your insurance doesn't bring the suck, but insurance isn't the problem. It's the insurance system that's the problem, and the litigation that it feeds.

[gladly]

Originally Posted by Jman

My daughter's fall onto her chin cost more than our trip to Florida. ER visit for stitches + antibiotics > a day in Disney World and six days on the beaches of Sanibel

That's just fucked up!

[rachel1027]

Originally Posted by surfpig

I has:

I was gonna steal some of the coasters at the bar today that had the Kona Brewing Co . on them. Wasn't sure who could use them so I didn't.

[DSRTRDR]

Originally Posted by rrdogma

I don't think they even get raided. Here at least they advertise all over the place.

why would you blame them - they perform a valuable service

if only the LEOs would understand that John identification comes free

[NaterGator]

Not to mention that saying "if we have no insurance, we can have a free $1.2trill to distribute ourselves" by not having insurance is great. However, people are stupid, and won't save for the day that they fall off their roof onto some glass and need major surgery and therapy. And then they have no money to pay the doctors, huge debt, etc.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by gladly

That's just fucked up!

The stitches were done by a plastic surgeon, but still, local anesthetic, clean the wound, stitch it up, prescribe antibiotics, and BAM, two weeks of my gross income.

I'm insured, but man, what a system. It is totally fucked.

[NaterGator]

Originally Posted by Jman

I'm insured, but man, what a system. It is totally fucked.

There is no doubt about that. Florida is one of the most fucked states Insurance wise too (and of course not just medical, but I can't complain b/c we choose to live here).

[rachel1027]

I won't even touch the subject of insurance/government sponsored insurance for low-income people. Suffice to say, I believe in the fundamental idea that providing insurance to people who might not otherwise be able to afford ANY insurance but so many of those very same people think the ER is for their primary care/non-emergent problems. Waste of money, total waste of money. On the taxpayer dime.

[rachel1027]

On that positive note, I am out. Time to put the monsters to sleep

[Mars]

Originally Posted by Jman

Airlite?

Originally Posted by thorvald

where's the pics?

Originally Posted by gladly

hey, that's cool, as long as your wife is happy with it

Yo.

Its a 442 Airweight.

16 ounces .38 +p



I'll take some pics tomorrow.

[valentine]

Originally Posted by surfpig

Troy's guitar teacher just saddled him down with a bunch of projects...

Logan is playing solo on stage at a school function Friday. He's not nervous yet.

[NaterGator]

Originally Posted by Jman

My daughter's fall onto her chin cost more than our trip to Florida. ER visit for stitches + antibiotics > a day in Disney World and six days on the beaches of Sanibel

Here's a quick life lesson. If the ER people want to do something that can be done w/ stuff from Walgreens (or whatever local pharmacy) ask them not to do it and DIY.

My dad is a Dr. and he still has us do that. If I go to the ER for a cut or whatever and the treatment can be done out of the ER, I always refuse and pay and leave.

Had a cut on my finger that was pretty severe so I went to the ER. They wanted to "clean, prep, and close" the wound. I asked if they planned to suture it and they said no, so I kindly thanked them but to them I'd handle it and paid for the visit. I think it was a total of $130, then I walked my ass to walgreens and got some superglue and new bandaids. Came home, a dash of hydrogen peroxide here a splash of superglue there and I was cured.

Probably saved me about $400

[thorvald]

Originally Posted by Jman

My daughter's fall onto her chin cost more than our trip to Florida. ER visit for stitches + antibiotics > a day in Disney World and six days on the beaches of Sanibel

after insurance even?

[surfpig]

Originally Posted by Jman

My daughter's fall onto her chin cost more than our trip to Florida. ER visit for stitches + antibiotics > a day in Disney World and six days on the beaches of Sanibel

Originally Posted by Jman

The stitches were done by a plastic surgeon, but still, local anesthetic, clean the wound, stitch it up, prescribe antibiotics, and BAM, two weeks of my gross income.

I'm insured, but man, what a system. It is totally fucked.

Didn't you get a free sewing kit at the hotel?

[surfpig]

[Jman]

Originally Posted by thorvald

after insurance even?

No, total. ER costs were over $2K, and they did . . . nothing . . . other than schedule with the surgeon. Who my wife knows anyway, because she works with him. It probably won't cost us a dime (other than copay on antibiotics) but that's what they charged.

Originally Posted by surfpig

Didn't you get a free sewing kit at the hotel?

The chin accident was before our trip.

[thorvald]

Originally Posted by surfpig

Didn't you get a free sewing kit at the hotel?

he's an editor, not a seamstress

[DSRTRDR]

Originally Posted by Cube Dweller

I find it incredibly difficult to force myself to really mentally engage. It's not task driven work; it requires me to take the initiative to make progress. And that's tough for me. I envy people that can force themselves to actively care.

you will likely know this already: it's a psychological problem (as in emotional engagement), not mental (as in cognitive ability)


my brother likely will never reach his full professional and intellectual potential through his job due to the fact that some psychological factor is holding him back from fully embracing the "adventure" part in his career (or earlier in his PhD studies at University, which he never finished )

his risk tolerance is exceedingly low - not coincidentally conforming to the national German phobia against any change - that phobia developed after WWII at the latest

I can't really blame the generation of my grandparents or parents, who were affected by one or two world wars directly, for being strongly oriented towards stability, predictability and security - guess why Adenauer had such successful election campaigns - "NO EXPERIMENTS" was his motto

but WE were born more than 10-15 years after the war ended into a phase of phenomenal growth in standards of living and prosperity - with any and all educational opportunities at our disposal (even my initially lazy-ass sister would have qualified for med school by the time she finished gymnasium)



not that that gives me any insight into your particular challenges

[gladly]

Originally Posted by Jman

The commercials I saw in late August creeped me the fuck out. The one where a bunch of people say he's the greatest thing since sliced bread, then it's a shot of him looking at the floor, then at the last second he looks up at the camera with a look on his face that says "I have your son in a concrete bunker in my basement."

[Jman]

Originally Posted by thorvald

he's an editor, not a seamstress

Actually, I do sew on occasion, and I've taken out stitches many times. Just never put them in.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by gladly

You know the commercial I mean, though, yes?

[Bogo]

Originally Posted by Hugh Heifer

Tragedy in the shop today. Radiator fluid was dripping from a place that it should not be dripping from. Apparently a 30 year old radiator gets unhappy after it is boiled out, painted and filled with he fresh good stuff. I believe it has bitten the dust.

Originally Posted by srplus

I had real good luck with an old one at a local radiator shop... try that first they will be honest about the chances for a good repair and how many other problems you might have - so if it would be worth it.

Ask yourself, "do you feel lucky?". If you want the radiator to be reliable, replace it. If it corroded through in one spot, how many other spots are soon to go?

[gladly]

Originally Posted by valentine

Logan is playing solo on stage at a school function Friday. He's not nervous yet.

gladlysson has a guitar performance thing tomorrow

[Jman]

Good night, TUT!

[surfpig]

Yeah, I've taken them out, but I'm no good at teh flesh stiching...

[NaterGator]

Originally Posted by rachel1027

I won't even touch the subject of insurance/government sponsored insurance for low-income people. Suffice to say, I believe in the fundamental idea that providing insurance to people who might not otherwise be able to afford ANY insurance but so many of those very same people think the ER is for their primary care/non-emergent problems. Waste of money, total waste of money. On the taxpayer dime.

Indeed.

It is a quagmire, because you want to see the progress continue which is why the cost of so many procedures is so high, so you need people to pay. At the same time, it's hard to tell people "I'm sorry, you can't try this cancer therapy because you don't have the money. You're just going to have to die." but then again, if you don't how do you justify charging people who made their money just because they have it.

The whole system needs a major reform. I honestly believe we could accomplish respectable medical coverage for the needy with the same or less than people are currently paying for coverage and care now.

Though I'd start with adding a new verdict for juries: nuisance suit. Such a verdict would be handed out to the plantiff and his attorney(s) and equates to "not guilty" for the defendant. It would allow for the plaintiff and his attorney(s) to be responsible for both parties' legal costs. Further, an attorney who furnishes too many nuisance suits will be forbidden from taking such cases (usually PI) for a period of time TBD.


If attorneys and (to a lesser degree) plantiffs had to think twice about their validity of their case instead of just "having a shot" at seeing if the insurance company is willing to settle the case out of court (and so often they are), we wouldn't see so many of those BS "you don't pay a dime unless we win your case" ads and frivolous lawsuits that burden the insurance industry.