the random musings not worthy of new thread thread

[Rome]

Haha.  Yes you were.  Now gimme a hug, you big galloot. 

[Cerevant]

The cost of health care is attributable to one thing: the false economy created by health care insurance. If everybody had to actually pay out-of-pocket for the services they received, the entire health care industry would find a way to manage their bottom line other than by gouging the consumers because the deep pockets in the insurance biz will pay up.

Winner.  Ironically, the insurance companies don't pay that much - they negotiate rates with the doctors that the average guy can't get.  Of course, the doctor's rates are inflated to improve their bargaining position, and so the Ins. Co. negotiators can get their incentives (Look boss, I talked him down to 30% of his per-visit rate!)

In Canada the government fixes the rates and puts a ceiling on the number of visits they will pay for.  Further, they pay specialists more than they pay GPs.  This effectively caps doctors salaries and drives doctors to the specialties, causing a shortage of doctors for GP care.  This is further exacerbated by the fact that it costs zero for a doctor visit - people go to the doctor for any damn thing.  Good things in the Canadian system: only "necessary" care is covered, along with limited drug coverage.  Employers provide supplemental coverage (full drug, dental, vision, chiro, etc) to make up the difference.

I think the US should have a basic health care plan, that works similar to how care insurance works in states that mandate it: each insurance company is assigned insurees and the price and coverage of this plan is fixed.  You want better coverage?  Pay for it.  You don't like the company?  If you aren't a high risk, the companies can compete for your dollars.  I think a co-pay should be required for routine visits, and a much higher co-pay for visits to the ER for non emergency situations.

I think government price-fixing is less effective than insurance company price negotiation, because price fixing eliminates the competition.  I don't believe in patient / visit caps, because the patients have the freedom to choose another doctor if they don't think they are getting quality care.

[Phanatic]

Yeah we need healthcare. Should it be a more socialistic offering paid for by the government like Canada? Well they have there problems too. Canadian citizens drive to the US and pay out of pocket for procedures sometimes because they can't wait till someone gets around to scheduling the operation. At least everyone's covered.

The US system is more flawed. First off the Insurance companies decide which procedure you're going to get based on their bottom line. They do this because they pay for all of the lawsuits' that this sue happy society generates and their in the business of making a profit. Is there a way to make the free market capitalistic model work for something as selfless as healthcare?

Why are there only two choices? Large government programs with slow moving bureaucratic process or free market companies with no accountability screwing the little guy for the bottom line. Pick whichever flawed system appeals to you most.

[Yeti]

I won't pretend to know much about the health care system, but I do know that I go across the border and see a Canadian doctor for $10 a visit.  If doctors would charge rates like that I don't think there would be a health care problem. 

[Rome]

I don't begrudge doctors making whatever they can in terms of income.  After all, they're the ones who spent eight years in college and medical school as well as several hundred thousand dollars to become doctors.

Abuse, red tape and waste are what drives health care costs through the roof, not necessarily what Dr. Smith charges at his local office for a visit.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

I won't pretend to know much about the health care system, but I do know that I go across the border and see a Canadian doctor for $10 a visit.  If doctors would charge rates like that I don't think there would be a health care problem. 

Two things Yeti:

1) He's most likely not a real doctor

2) You're not supposed to be getting a prostate exam every visit, and if you are, you should be charging him.

[SunMo]

3) when he gives you a prostate exam, his finger isn't supposed to be throbbing at the tip

[SD_Eagle5]

anyone know if the new batman trailer has been released? i know its being revealed today at some comic book convention out in san diego and i believe they said 9am. now i dont know if that is 9am eastern time or pacific. prolly pacific...but if its out and anyone has a link to a youtube version i would appreciate.

the only 2 sites my work server allows is concretefield and youtube for some odd reason.

Comic con

The trailer is being shown prior to the Simpsons movie - meaning it should be pirated onto youtube sometime today

[Susquehanna Birder]

Abuse, red tape and waste are what drives health care costs through the roof, not necessarily what Dr. Smith charges at his local office for a visit.

That's the root of the problem. But it's hidden because the system sets "acceptable" levels for services, and the waste just gets buried in the process. To cover all that cost, the insurance companies raise rates. That includes rates for malpractice, which causes the doctors to pass on the costs, which just feeds into the vicious cycle.

It's obvious to me that the current system is based - and thrives - on corruption and waste. But I'm no socialized medicine fan by any stretch, and I shudder to think what The Government would do to it at this point.

[mussa]

anyone know if the new batman trailer has been released? i know its being revealed today at some comic book convention out in san diego and i believe they said 9am. now i dont know if that is 9am eastern time or pacific. prolly pacific...but if its out and anyone has a link to a youtube version i would appreciate.

the only 2 sites my work server allows is concretefield and youtube for some odd reason.

Comic con

The trailer is being shown prior to the Simpsons movie - meaning it should be pirated onto youtube sometime today

call this number:

800-395-9646

its part of the ad campaign going for the new Batman movie. i did, its weird

[Cerevant]

I won't pretend to know much about the health care system, but I do know that I go across the border and see a Canadian doctor for $10 a visit.  If doctors would charge rates like that I don't think there would be a health care problem. 

Two things Yeti:

1) He's most likely not a real doctor

Joking aside, my son needed a vaccination before our 90 day waiting period was up.  Figuring it would be more than $100, I grumped to my boss who agreed to reimburse me, and took the boy to the doctor.  Once the office staff got it through there heads that I didn't have coverage, they charged me the outrageous sum of $40 for the visit & vaccination.

[SunMo]

http://www.kpho.com/news/13770683/detail.html

PHOENIX -- Two television station helicopters tracking a high-speed police pursuit collided in midair crashed Friday killing at least three people.

The helicopters collided in mid-air over Steele Indian School Park while filming the pursuit for Channels 3 and 15.

KNXV-TV Channel 15 reported that one of the choppers belonged to the station. The other chopper was from KTVK Channel 3 in Phoenix.

Video from the scene showed flames and thick black smoke from where both helicopters cashed.

Just before the crashes, the driver of the truck police had been chasing had jumped out of the nearly disabled flatbed pickup and carjacked another truck.

The truck was riding on rims because it had run over police stop sticks.

"I was driving and heard a bang," one witness told CBS 5 News.

"I was standing out on Central Avenue and I was looking over to the park and saw the helicopters get close," Jerry Fender said. "The blue one split and went down. The red or orange one went right after it."

Stay with KPHO.com for late-breaking details

[mussa]

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x1578449844

hbionic in town?

[Seabiscuit36]

http://www.kpho.com/news/13770683/detail.html

PHOENIX -- Two television station helicopters tracking a high-speed police pursuit collided in midair crashed Friday killing at least three people.

The helicopters collided in mid-air over Steele Indian School Park while filming the pursuit for Channels 3 and 15.

KNXV-TV Channel 15 reported that one of the choppers belonged to the station. The other chopper was from KTVK Channel 3 in Phoenix.

Video from the scene showed flames and thick black smoke from where both helicopters cashed.

Just before the crashes, the driver of the truck police had been chasing had jumped out of the nearly disabled flatbed pickup and carjacked another truck.

The truck was riding on rims because it had run over police stop sticks.

"I was driving and heard a bang," one witness told CBS 5 News.

"I was standing out on Central Avenue and I was looking over to the park and saw the helicopters get close," Jerry Fender said. "The blue one split and went down. The red or orange one went right after it."

Stay with KPHO.com for late-breaking details

Everyday last week i was driving back and forth past where they crashed, i'm pissed i missed it

[Sgt PSN]

And we're pissed they missed you.