tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13080538.post5801705670047391693..comments2023-10-08T07:07:36.538-04:00Comments on Search the Sea: Health Care RationingGannet Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16374279595560691174noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13080538.post-25973582473147104952009-08-26T06:08:56.558-04:002009-08-26T06:08:56.558-04:00the world and how folk respond to things will alwa...the world and how folk respond to things will always amaze me. you would think health insurance was deadly. a good friend, who already was a fan of Obama's plan, just experienced the scary and expensive life of the uninsured.Stratozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10148600260976577216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13080538.post-51935346214331634722009-08-25T16:32:35.586-04:002009-08-25T16:32:35.586-04:00I heard the Terri Gross interview-- it was fascina...I heard the Terri Gross interview-- it was fascinating.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04107175348265816279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13080538.post-88186534242197458392009-08-25T12:42:10.181-04:002009-08-25T12:42:10.181-04:00Our health care is simply survival of the wealthie...Our health care is simply survival of the wealthiest.Cynthiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641264346663533706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13080538.post-68248344848699880462009-08-25T11:34:59.633-04:002009-08-25T11:34:59.633-04:00...And when they talk about "death panels,&qu......And when they talk about "death panels," do they understand that our system already basically does to geriatric patients what any death panel would do, but it's not official and they don't come right out and call it that.Lisa :-]https://www.blogger.com/profile/02237889098638895390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13080538.post-38920975805953719972009-08-25T09:38:50.802-04:002009-08-25T09:38:50.802-04:00A friend, an MD with a masters in public health po...A friend, an MD with a masters in public health points out that even high end private plans ration - they ration by "burden". Every hoop that gets put in the way, reduces the number of people who will use that benefit and hence their costs.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12617476463347663364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13080538.post-57419434965629361862009-08-25T09:36:40.255-04:002009-08-25T09:36:40.255-04:00Funny you should post this today. I was watching ...Funny you should post this today. I was watching the news this a.m. and some segment triggered thoughts about the difference in health care systems. Here in Canada, everyone has access to health care; the problem is that we are short of doctors and waiting times can be long for important procedures or scans, etc. It may cost us more in taxes (not sure about that though as I don't know how it compares to other countries) and abuse of the system likely occurs but no one's going to go broke from a doctor's visit. <br /><br />I suspect that if we ever did end up with privatized health care, we'd still be paying the same taxes anyway. Funny how that never seems to change even when services are cut.Daisyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07074990352248493598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13080538.post-75332673406672297252009-08-25T09:04:21.161-04:002009-08-25T09:04:21.161-04:00I shouldn't get started on rationing health ca...I shouldn't get started on rationing health care. We do. Period.<br /><br />In terms of costs for cancer treatment, mine last year ran about $100,000 (after negotiated reductions by BC/BS). Surgery, four chemos (two different chemos each time). Without negotiated reduction in price, at least twice that. (My later hernia surgery the surgeon's charge was $5000, for which BC/BS negotiated down to less than $1000.)<br /><br />My wonderful coverage, paid for by people like you, is limited by the PCUSA to a lifetime total of $3million. <br /><br />I read about a woman who had gone to MD Anderson with only catastrophic coverage (I think she and her husband had a small business) and MD Anderson refused to treat her unless she paid a huge amount up front. This was in late April last yera.Joan Calvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13858394238696729686noreply@blogger.com