[Muncle]

This one seems reasonable to me, and the gov't won't mess it up:

[Rokinronda]

:yikes: We don't have health care....... $700 per month is a bit much! I could give up eating.......Guess we will make an early exit like the gaters.... :'(

[Sidney Lanier]

I would think that the cartoon elicits nervous chuckles from those who don't have health insurance; I doubt anyone who's caught in the crossfire of needing the care and not having coverage or being able to afford it will laugh for too long.... We've become fixated on having it because medical care has become a business controlled not by government but by insurance companies. Clerks dictate what care is available and what isn't. Patients have died in emergency rooms or while being transferred to other emergency rooms because of a lack of coverage.

We've been given "Plan D" for prescription drugs that kowtows COMPLETELY to not only the insurance industry but the pharmaceutical one as well. We get to select a plan once a year during open enrollment (November 15-December 31) and can make no further changes until a year later, but the insurance companies sponsoring these plans have been given the right to change absolutely anything and everything in terms of plan benefits and what's covered as often as they like and as much as they like except for the monthly premium. In deferring to these two industries, the government made it illegal to purchase perfectly competent prescription drugs from places like Canada where they're considerably cheaper because the Canadian government REQUIRES the pharmaceutical companies to negotiate for lower costs.

I know of one blood test where the full cost of it is about $26. Insurance companies have been given the freedom to negotiate what they are willing to pay for this test: less than $3! How can the lab survive drawing the blood, transporting it for testing, doing the paperwork, and so forth on this paltry amount? And do you know who actually pays the full freight of $26? Only the uninsured!...

I am not whining and accept as part of life the reality that I have to utilize the medical "industry" far more than most. If anything, without going into details, I am grateful for what they CAN do for me. But at the same time, I know that if I did not have medical coverage, I'd probably be dead by now. IMHO, we're in deep excrement....

[jerseygirl008]

Your'e right Sidney, "deep do-do" and getting deeper in excrement every year. Something has to be done about the health care/insurance industry. Hopefully, the next presidential election . . . . . .

[redwitch]

Being one of those uninsured and being unable to find affordable coverage due to pre-existing and present health issues, that cartoon doesn't even elicit a chuckle but rather a huge sigh because it's true. Right now, I have three medical conditions that I should see a doctor for but there is no way I can afford to do so. They aren't emergencies so I have to pay for treatment up front. One of these conditions might be life threatening if not treated. One most definitely is but would be whether I had coverage or not. One is just an irritant.

I'm still negotiating the medical bills for my surgery in November (and still getting new ones!). So far, the bills have totalled $84,482 and I've gotten them down to $57,000.

I doubt a new administration is going to be able to do much of anything. Right now, America is far too deep in debt to realistically consider getting a national health care plan and the debt that will entail. Maybe after (if?) we find a way to lessen the debt we can seriously work out something that will help the uninsured, whether employed, self-employed or uninsured. It is certainly past time.

[Boomer]

OK.

I got up, flipped on the coffee pot, the television, and the computer, in that order.

I spotted the healthcare discussion that started last night.

I tried to resist it. I could not. I wanted to respond. I needed to respond.

Then I told myself that I must move forward with my life today.

Then I said to myself, "But wait."

Then I ventured back into the recesses of my own posts.

I found the one I was looking for. At first I could not find it. It was way back when the weather here was brutal and I was in the throes of writing that soap that claimed me for a few days. I can't believe that I took a political detour at all, especially during all that. It was a long, cold winter.

OK. So I found the thread. Then I spent at least 20 minutes trying to highlight just my own post so I could link it here.

I could not do just mine so I had to give up and just link the whole thread.

If you are killing time or whatever and would like to read what I wrote, please look at the 11:07 AM post. There is one that follows it, but all I am doing there is responding to someone else.

Now, let me give you a little preface here that might surprise you.

First of all, we have decent coverage for now. But it would never occur to me to embrace the what I call the "I got mine. Too bad ya don't got yours." philosophy.

Secondly, we are not old hippies. Mr. Boomer was a Green Beret for goodness sake.

Third, I have almost always voted Republican. I fear that Democrats will tax everything we have worked for into oblivion, but now the Republicans have broken my heart for many, many reasons. It's not only the war. There is a quote I heard the other day that goes something like this. "Unrestrained greed is not only bad morals, it's bad economics."

So my old post is in this link at 11:07 AM, the first of two. The second one is merely a smart :edit: reply to someone. I have not changed my mind. As a generation, there are far too many of us who are dreaming of the 65th birthday just like we dreamed of our 21st. It is not right.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/sm....html#msg32439

[Sidney Lanier]

It is not simply a matter of having a national health care plan versus not having one. For example, if we had a government thatrequired the pharmaceutical industry to negotiate on prices for meds rather than what it did when it created Part D--gave them free rein to charge whatever they wished in response to this industry's lobby and donations--that alone would enormously benefit Americans needing prescription drugs.

Many, many years ago my wife was in an accident while we traveled in Ecuador and was hospitalized in a small, privately owned (by the MDs) clinic where the care was not only excellent but incredibly compassionate in ways that I (who unfortunately have to utilize the 'med biz' very, very constantly and extensively...) have rarely seen here in the U.S. When asked what accommodations I wanted for her, I asked what was available: semi-private (3 in a room, not exactly 'semi') with shared bath for $9/day, or a private room (price uncertain), or a private two-room suite (sofa bed for me) for $35/day. I took this last option.

This in a country where a men's suit cost $140, a pair of shoes $65, a tee-shirt $8, rolls at the supermarket about 18 cents each, and an hour in the Internet cafe $2, in other words a little less than here in the U.S. but not ridiculously less as you find in some parts of the world (in a country where the circulating currency is U.S. greenbacks).

I was flabbergasted! How can such quality medical care possibly cost so relatively little, so I asked questions and found out how. There is NO insurance industry, and there is no pharmaceutical lobby!!! The MDs themselves own the hospitals/clinics and charge what people can afford. I needed a prescription (non-generic) for myself which I was allowed to fill in the hospital pharmacy: $6. When my wife was taken (by ambulance: $11) to a free-standing radiology facility (such as we have here too) and the the owner/MD did complete body CAT scans checking for the possibility of broken bones (there were none, gratefully!), he apologetically handed me a bill: $85! In my fractured Spanish I explained to him that in the U.S., they might let me use the toilet for that amount!

Yes, the excrement is getting deeper.... 'Nuff said; I'll get off my soapbox!

[Sidney Lanier]

Boomer, thanks for the link to the earlier thread which somehow got past me and I'd never seen before. I will bump that one up, since the two are related in discussing a really serious issue that is only getting more 'seriouser'!

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by Sidney Lanier

It is not simply a matter of having a national health care plan versus not having one. For example, if we had a government thatrequired the pharmaceutical industry to negotiate on prices for meds rather than what it did when it created Part D--gave them free rein to charge whatever they wished in response to this industry's lobby and donations--that alone would enormously benefit Americans needing prescription drugs.

I remember how relatively quickly the new part to Medicare was approved by Republicans. It all happened so fast that who could not have known that our illustrious elected were rollin' around in bed with Big Pharma. Gee I bet the banking lobbyists were soooo jealous --- for awhile.

I made my own political history clear in a post above in this thread.

Now I am lost.

[Sidney Lanier]

While this may be a political issue, sorry, I am not addressing it as such but rather as an issue about which our government doesn't have to DO for us but should certainly be looking out for our health and welfare. Sadly it is looking out for the industries that ostensibly should be serving us but in economic ways are self-serving.

I was a Hospice volunteer for many years, and the stories I saw of people being taken advantage of by the insurance industry, which had been given carte blanche by the government to operate as it does, at a time when these people were least able to deal with it (facing death, or facing the death of a loved one) were--and still are--and worse now than then--utterly unconscionable!

I had employer prescription drug coverage at the time Part D was created, and even though my coverage was excellent, I saw what Plan D really was (again carte blanche, this time for both industries--insurance and pharmaceutical) and immediately started railing against it. Little did I know that I would 'become one,' when the employer plan opted out, again with no restrictions.

To quote Boomer (I have no idea how to do this other than to copy and paste...) and to which all I can say is ditto:

First of all, we have decent coverage for now. But it would never occur to me to embrace the what I call the "I got mine. Too bad ya don't got yours." philosophy.

We all have to live with ourselves. Some "do" unconscionable better than others--and here we are, back to 'deep excrement'....

[Boomer]

This morning, first thing, I spotted this thread and got all involved in the topic.

Twelve hours later, here I sit, holding a DVD of "Sicko" in my hand while I try to decide whether to ruin my evening by watching it. My daughter the Democrat stuffed this DVD into my purse on Sunday when we were all at Easter brunch. She had to do this in secret so the Republicans among us would not be horrified into throwing hard-boiled eggs at us.

I am so angry with the party I have voted for so many, many times. And you know what they say about Hell having no fury like a woman scorned. -- or is it a woman's scorn? I have never been quite sure. -- either way, it applies here.

But my favorite show of all, "Boston Legal" is not on so I guess I will just go watch this thing. And later perhaps, I will top off the evening by spitting nails.

[Boomer]

I will not insert a quote of myself here. That seems pretty redundant. This is Part II to what I said directly above a couple of hours ago.

We watched "Sicko." You should watch it, too. No matter what you think going in. No matter if you cannot stand Michael Moore. Just watch it. Watch it with an open mind.

[JohnM]

A question for TOTV Villagers NOT yet on Medicare and NOT lucky enough to have an employer health plan in retirement: What are the options for health care plans in FL?

We are currently with Blue Cross/Blue Shield with decent coverage and affordable rates, but will have to switch to a FL plan when we become Villagers since we cannot be "out of area" forever and with our primary care MD not in the area.

What have you folks done regarding health care plans?

TIA,

John

[Boomer]

I have been looking for this topic for the last 10 minutes because I want to answer a question that was asked here.

I just saw SteveFromNY's earlier post where he thought he had been censored. When I could not find this thread, I could not figure out why it would have been censored, but I still could not find it.

When I could not even find it in the political forum, I found myself becoming quite discombobulated. But finally a little resourcefulness kicked in and I went into my own posts and brought it up that way. It was under "Medical and Health Discussion."

So I guess I wasn't censored. I was just re-catalogued. Once something goes beyond the first two forums, I rarely look. I think Tony or somebody must be doing a little spring housekeeping today.

Anyway, this is for JohnM,

Originally Posted by JohnM

A question for TOTV Villagers NOT yet on Medicare and NOT lucky enough to have an employer health plan in retirement: What are the options for health care plans in FL?

We are currently with Blue Cross/Blue Shield with decent coverage and affordable rates, but will have to switch to a FL plan when we become Villagers since we cannot be "out of area" forever and with our primary care MD not in the area.

What have you folks done regarding health care plans?

TIA,

John

A month or so ago I posted some information here which might help you to get started on your search at least. I will go back and find it and I will bump it so it will show up again. The thread is titled "Early Retiree Health Insurance." I hope it helps.

Boomer

[bargee]

As long as we continue to allow our senators and congressmen to vote themselves free healthcare and large retirement benefits(after only 8 years served) we haven't got a chance.If it dosn't affect them they could care less.