True story about wait times in U.S.

[Bern80]

Had to share this having just got off the phone trying to schedule an appointment. I, like most, am not opposed to reforming the system. But doing so can't be addressed without addressing the need for a greater supply of doctors.

My personal example: My medical condition requires me to have yearly check ups from about 4 different specialists. I called to today to schedule appointments for 2, hopefully by some miracle on the same day so i don't have to take extra time off of work, The first is requiring me to see him so that before he will refill my prescription. Minor problem. I can't see him for TWO MONTHS. It gets better. The second specialist is not available for 4 MONTHS. This is something that needs to be resolved.

The problem with the plans on the table is that it is attempting to address this issue of cost, which does need to be addressed. But it doesn't focus at all on access. Two concepts that the left can't seem to differentiate between. It's basic econ folks. If all you address is reducing cost, demand goes up. That will exacerbate the issue of actual access not improve it. I wonder how long I would have to wait under Obamacare.

 

[wvpeach]

What you experienced has been a problem for at least a decade in the US.

Long waits to get into to see most doctors.

Why would you be equating something that has long been a problem with president Obama or healthcare reform? Would be the first question I would ask.

Secondly a small amount of money was put in the stimulus bill ( AKA recovery act) to provide scholarships for doctors and medical personnel.

Thirdly that is part of the medical health reform bill being proposed now to provide tuition breaks to people willing to become doctors, nurses and medical professionals.

The health care reform will take a few years to implement. The hope is that by that time we will have just started to fill the gap in the shortage of medical personnel in this nation that has long been a problem.

But let me ask you another question.

Are you saying that if you had to wait a bit longer to see a doctor because everybody in the nation had medical care that you would prefer to deny millions of people health care so you wouldn't have to wait?

If so that paints a pretty clear picture of your morality.

 

[veritas]

This is a problem in delivery. This would be better handled in a multi-specialist type of setting such as a clinic run by a hospital rather than piecemeal through private practitioners. You'd get better care going through the government.

The disjoint mess we have now is ridiculous.

 

[Bern80]

What you experienced has been a problem for at least a decade in the US.

Long waits to get into to see most doctors.

Why would you be equating something that has long been a problem with president Obama or healthcare reform? Would be the first question I would ask.

Secondly a small amount of money was put in the stimulus bill ( AKA recovery act) to provide scholarships for doctors and medical personnel.

Thirdly that is part of the medical health reform bill being proposed now to provide tuition breaks to people willing to become doctors, nurses and medical professionals.

The problem is right there. A SMALL amount of money to tackle what needs to be tackled first while a relatively small problem has been given crisis status (the uninsurred)

Are you saying that if you had to wait a bit longer to see a doctor because everybody in the nation had medical care that you would prefer to deny millions of people health care so you wouldn't have to wait?

If so that paints a pretty clear picture of your morality.

The answer in the form of of a question; what good is coverage without sufficient access?

 

[Bern80]

This is a problem in delivery. This would be better handled in a multi-specialist type of setting such as a clinic run by a hospital rather than piecemeal through private practitioners. You'd get better care going through the government.

The disjoint mess we have now is ridiculous.

You'd be right except for the fact that THAT'S EXACTLEY WHAT I'M DOING NOW. The hospital I am treated it has more specialists under one roof than you can imagine.

 

[veritas]

Where are you?

 

[Neser Boha]

The problem is right there. A SMALL amount of money to tackle what needs to be tackled first while a relatively small problem has been given crisis status (the uninsurred)

Circa 45 million uninsured is according to you a 'relatively small problem'?

Allow me to muster a bitter laugh ...

 

[Toro]

I have a question

If you have cancer and need chemo treatments but can't afford it and have no insurance, can you still get the treatments? And if so, how?

 

[veritas]

You'd do it by depleting all your assets and going on welfare and getting medicaid. So if you're homeless and don't have transportation or any visible means of support you might get treatment.

 

[Bern80]

Where are you?

Fairview University in MN.

 

[Bern80]

The problem is right there. A SMALL amount of money to tackle what needs to be tackled first while a relatively small problem has been given crisis status (the uninsurred)

Circa 45 million uninsured is according to you a 'relatively small problem'?

Allow me to muster a bitter laugh ...

The 45 million number has been debunked several times over now. Uninsured is not the same as unable to pay. You either have your head in the sand or are just plain dishonest.

 

[veritas]

The first is requiring me to see him so that before he will refill my prescription.

I'd be raising hell. I'd be asking why there isn't some other practitioner, a nurse even that could do whatever and get you handled. Tell him his set up is illogical and it sounds like he is trying to pad his account by stalling so that he see you. If your scrip is a controlled substance then tell him to get his office techs off their asses and do the necessary screening and get you in there. And if he needs tests he should write out the orders for them, forthwith. Or I'd go with another doctor.

 

[veritas]

The problem is right there. A SMALL amount of money to tackle what needs to be tackled first while a relatively small problem has been given crisis status (the uninsurred)

Circa 45 million uninsured is according to you a 'relatively small problem'?

Allow me to muster a bitter laugh ...

The 45 million number has been debunked several times over now. Uninsured is not the same as unable to pay. You either have your head in the sand or are just plain dishonest.

Uninsured and unable to pay are both uninsured. Some can pay but are unable to get insurance. The difference is moot.

 

[Ravi]

You'd do it by depleting all your assets and going on welfare and getting medicaid. So if you're homeless and don't have transportation or any visible means of support you might get treatment.

Except you'd probably die waiting for the paperwork to go through.

 

[veritas]

You'd do it by depleting all your assets and going on welfare and getting medicaid. So if you're homeless and don't have transportation or any visible means of support you might get treatment.

Except you'd probably die waiting for the paperwork to go through.

True enough.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Had to share this having just got off the phone trying to schedule an appointment. I, like most, am not opposed to reforming the system. But doing so can't be addressed without addressing the need for a greater supply of doctors.

My personal example: My medical condition requires me to have yearly check ups from about 4 different specialists. I called to today to schedule appointments for 2, hopefully by some miracle on the same day so i don't have to take extra time off of work, The first is requiring me to see him so that before he will refill my prescription. Minor problem. I can't see him for TWO MONTHS. It gets better. The second specialist is not available for 4 MONTHS. This is something that needs to be resolved.

The problem with the plans on the table is that it is attempting to address this issue of cost, which does need to be addressed. But it doesn't focus at all on access. Two concepts that the left can't seem to differentiate between. It's basic econ folks. If all you address is reducing cost, demand goes up. That will exacerbate the issue of actual access not improve it. I wonder how long I would have to wait under Obamacare.

I have a heart issue where i have to see specialists too. Up until last year I used to call for my echo and i would either get it the same week or the week after. This year i called for it in may as usual, got in last week.

Dislcosure: I live in MA and we have a universal health care that has some similarities to the proposed HR3200. We started 2 years ago and wait times have increased for specialists here, at least in my personal experience they have.

 

[veritas]

So you have universal healthcare but don't want the rest of us to have it???

That really sucks, on so many levels.

 

[wvpeach]

It shouldn't surprise you veritas. I find that most of the right wing nut cases who vote against all social programs are either on social security disability, VA disability or plain criminals who work construction under the table and never pay any taxes.

Yet they rant and rave against any social program and worse yet vote Republican. Kinda of like biting your nose off to spite your face.

When you ask a few of these people in person. ( which I have gotten to do while working the campaign trail) ask them in person: Sir or madame you just told me your on social security disability yet you plan to vote Republican? You do know that most republicans have said they would like to end social security and medicare and medicaid all together. .................... They will look at you and with a straight face say : oh they don't mean me. They mean the bums that don't deserve it.

LOL.................... These kind of people seem to live in a world where reality and facts touch them very little.

That is why I say to hell with them. After 8 years of that horrific Bush the country should have learned to ignore these people. Onward and upward and we need to keep registering voters every election. Until we finally can call that Republican , conservative , libertarian batch so marginal they are just a faint memory of our past.

 

[veritas]

Good for you WV peach, I know you must meet with a lot of opposition in WV. I know the part of WV close to here [MD, I can be in Charlestown in a half hour] is pretty progressive, but the state overall is pretty crimson.

 

[American Horse]

Where are you?

Fairview University in MN.

Which is a university teaching hospital. Don't lots of people head in there to get free treatment? This suggests the coming clog-up we'll see under Obamacare. Our own university has many free medical services for local citizens but I'd stay away from that, preferring, even as a life long independent contractor to purchase my own individual health policy; it has always seemed affordable to me. But in a city the size of Minneapolis there must be scads of other specialists who would fit you in in a timely manner, and your doc should be amenable to giving you a scrip to fill in the gap until you can make your appointment. I know that happens to me and a phone call takes care of it. They want my business enough to want not to inconvenience me.