Health Scare: 79 Million Americans Struggle to Pay = Medical Bills - DigitalJournal.com: The Power of Citizen = Journalism

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Posted Aug 23, 2008 by Chris V.=20 (cgull)
#1

Only 3 votes for an important = issue.=20 McCain will do the same continuing the Bush policies. They say = they are=20 protecting the Americans in Iraq, why can't they protect the = same the=20 local people who are suffering the most.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by Sue=20 D.
#2

See my problem with healthcare = is that I=20 worked in the industry for a while, where we paid doctors for = the=20 procedures...but, people keep mentioning the=20 "uninsured" without acknowledging that many that = are=20 insured, get turned down for treatments that are needed but = since the=20 life isn't threatened, any technicality is a reason to deny=20 service....and these people actually pay every month to feel = secure.=20

Same goes for socialized healthcare, look at the UK = where people=20 supposedly get care for free and pay to leave the country to get = procedures,because of the waiting list, forces them to wait, = sometimes=20 too long to even help.

It is easy to speak of the = uninsured, but=20 no one bothers to report about how crappy some of the care is = for those=20 that are insured.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by lensman67
#3

The three billion dollars we = piss away=20 EACH WEEK in Iraq would go a long way towards fixing our = pathetic health=20 care system, as well as help restore the national infrastructure = that=20 the Cons have let deteriorate while they passed out tax breaks = for the=20 upper two percent of the economy.

The UK, as well as = every=20 advanced country in Europe, have a vastly better health care = system than=20 we do and if we were smart we would model ours on theirs. =

Since=20 I go to the VA for my health care I know first hand what a = government=20 run health care facility is like and I will take it over any of = the for=20 profit medicine mills I have seen.

Those who think that=20 government can't do a better job than what we have now are = kidding=20 themselves and trying to deceive the rest of us. Their greatest = fear is=20 that government, not run by incompetent Conservatives, will get = the=20 chance to prove them wrong.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by Vidkun=20 Quisling
#4

Thank you David, You're = writing about my=20 pet peeve. Not as big an issue as Bill Ayers and abortion, but = it will=20 do for the time being.

As soon as the topic comes up in = this=20 nation, we get this=20 and wonder why we are the only developed nation without some = form of=20 universal health care. The spectre of "socialism" and/or a giant = bureaucracy is tossed in our face. We're told of bodies stacked = like=20 cord wood in Canada... Who could have seen that coming? =

Never=20 mind that the majority of Americans want a single payer system.= =20 Never mind that the private sector skims off about 30% of every = health=20 care dollar for overhead and profit. Never mind that we have it = in=20 Medicare and it puts about 97% of the health care dollar to work = for us.=20 Never mind that we have socialized medicine and have had it for = years.=20 Never mind that they pass the costs of treating the=20 uninsured on to the insured = (they're=20 not stupid). Are we beginning to look like a nation of idiots?=20

J= oke=20 of the day. Check the dates. crisis? What crisis? =3Do) =

Like=20 Lensman, I also use the "socialist" VA system and its=20 great. Full physical every years and it's = called=20 preventive medicine. Ask for one at your nearest emergency room = folks.=20 My family uses the "socialist" clinic at the Army War College or = Tricare=20 (if necessary) and it's great. No I don't mind calling the = doctor=20 "comrade" or the KGB checking my records.

Thank you, = thank you=20 conservative/moderate/liberal taxpayers. Please feel free to = continue=20 coughing up 8 grand a year for mediocre coverage, high = deductables, and=20 a cap on treatment, or... do as Bush/McCain says -- hit the = emergency=20 room. Never mind that by that time we're usually talking big = $$$.=20

McCain in '08, because we should leave no millionaire=20 behind

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by lensman67
#5

@ Vidkun=20 Quisling
Thank you David, You're writing = about my pet=20 peeve. Not as big an issue as Bill Ayers and abortion, but it = will do=20 for the time being.

As soon as the topic comes up in = this=20 nation, we get=20 this and wonder why we are the only developed nation = without some=20 form of universal health care. The spectre of "socialism" = and/or a=20 giant bureaucracy is tossed in our face. We're told of bodies = stacked=20 like cord wood in Canada... Who could have seen that coming?=20

Never mind that the majority of Americans want a = single payer=20 system.= =20 Never mind that the private sector skims off about 30% of = every health=20 care dollar for overhead and profit. Never mind that we have = it in=20 Medicare and it puts about 97% of the health care dollar to = work for=20 us. Never mind that we have socialized medicine and have had = it for=20 years. Never mind that they pass the costs of treating the=20 uninsured on to the insured = (they're=20 not stupid). Are we beginning to look like a nation of idiots? =

J= oke=20 of the day. Check the dates. crisis? What crisis? =3Do) =

Like=20 Lensman, I also use the "socialist" VA system and its=20 great. Full physical every years and it's = called=20 preventive medicine. Ask for one at your nearest emergency = room folks.=20 My family uses the "socialist" clinic at the Army War College = or=20 Tricare (if necessary) and it's great. No I don't mind calling = the=20 doctor "comrade" or the KGB checking my records.

Thank = you,=20 thank you conservative/moderate/liberal taxpayers. Please feel = free to=20 continue coughing up 8 grand a year for mediocre coverage, = high=20 deductables, and a cap on treatment, or... do as Bush/McCain = says --=20 hit the emergency room. Never mind that by that time we're = usually=20 talking big $$$.

McCain in '08, because we should = leave no=20 millionaire behind

Isn't it funny that the DJ = cons start=20 screaming "will of the people" when they have a bare 51% in = favor of off=20 shore drilling but when one points out that a much larger = percentage of=20 Americans want a single payer system at least as good as the one = enjoyed=20 by our elected representatives they start screaming "socialism" = as=20 though they actually knew what that word meant.

I go to = a=20 government run medical facility and have done so since I was = born (in a=20 military hospital). My mother died in a "for profit" hospital = and I have=20 had an excellent chance to compare the for profit hospitals with = the=20 government run ones and the government run ones beat the money = grubbers=20 by a country mile.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by RCB2875
#6

@ lensman67
Isn't it funny that the DJ = cons=20 start screaming "will of the people" when they have a bare 51% = in=20 favor of off shore drilling but when one points out that a = much larger=20 percentage of Americans want a single payer system at least as = good as=20 the one enjoyed by our elected representatives they start = screaming=20 "socialism" as though they actually knew what that word meant. =

I go to a government run medical facility and have = done so=20 since I was born (in a military hospital). My mother died in a = "for=20 profit" hospital and I have had an excellent chance to compare = the for=20 profit hospitals with the government run ones and the = government run=20 ones beat the money grubbers by a country=20 mile.

Indeed... Our VA government run hospitals = are=20 quite the envy of all. My father nearly died in a VA hospital = from those=20 twits treating Chrones disease as a parasite they thought he had = from=20 Vietnam. Only after his parents pulling him out and taking him = to=20 Oschners hospital did he get the proper diagnosis and surgery = removing=20 several feet of intestine that was ate up from the lack of = treatment and=20 diagnosis from the VA twits.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by skeptikool
#7

The sickness industry is as = venal as any,=20 but that's the Cons' language; they understand that. If you = doubt it,=20 witness the muted outrage here:

http://www.digitaljournal= .com/blog/890=20

Did I say muted? Non-existent, more like it.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by lensman67
#8

@ RCB2875
Indeed... Our VA government = run=20 hospitals are quite the envy of all. My father nearly died in = a VA=20 hospital from those twits treating Chrones disease as a = parasite they=20 thought he had from Vietnam. Only after his parents pulling = him out=20 and taking him to Oschners hospital did he get the proper = diagnosis=20 and surgery removing several feet of intestine that was ate up = from=20 the lack of treatment and diagnosis from the VA=20 twits.

Are you really claiming that the money = grubbing=20 hospitals do a better job than the VA? If you are then you are = crazy.=20

My father, a thirty year Navy vet, made the mistake of = going to=20 one of the "best" for profit hospitals in the area and was = misdiagnosed=20 on a disease (shingles) that a first year medical student would = be=20 ashamed to miss.

My mother went to a local for profit = hospital=20 in an ambulance, unconscious and suffering from seizures and the = doctor=20 there told my father he could take her home she was doing fine. = My 85=20 year old father looked at the moron and asked him how he = proposed that=20 he get her into the car, or out of the car once he got her home = since=20 SHE WAS UNCONSCIOUS??? Three days later she was dead.

So = don't=20 give me that "government can't do anything right and business = can't do=20 anything wrong" bull. When this president, or any other = president in the=20 last fifty years, is sick he goes to a military hospital. =

The=20 thing that scares you "government can't do anything" twits is = the fear=20 that the Democrats will get in and prove what a lie that really = is.=20

In 1938 a freak hurricane hit New England and devastated = the=20 place. Within hours hundreds, and eventually thousands, of WPA = workers=20 start arriving and within months they had repaired all the = damage.=20

Compare that with the pitiful showing that the forces of = greed=20 have logged in New Orleans where two out of every three dollars = given to=20 private contractors is stolen or wasted and three years after = the storm=20 the place is still a disaster area.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by RCB2875
#9

You are going to have good and = bad in=20 anything. I can only speak of what I have witnessed. The Vets I = know=20 have to waste a full day for simple things such as simple = routine check=20 ups at the VA. The only thing good there is they give out all = sorts of=20 good dope in bulk. *rolls eyes

They also have to wait = longer=20 periods for scheduled appointments that they can get in the same = day at=20 private hospitals. Have you been to a charity(government) = hospital=20 lately. You can sit there all day before you are seen and then = you are=20 usually given a shot of some sort and sent on your way with a = scrip for=20 some watered down drug as they don't prescribe the good stuff = because=20 people come in with false claims of pain to get prescription = drugs. Why=20 not It's FREE!
Just another failure of government health = care.=20 People have to suffer because others abuse the free health care = for=20 their own habits.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by RCB2875
#10

almost forgot.. I live near = New Orleans=20 and I saw how our state political system handed out the Katrina = money to=20 anyone that walked up and claimed to be a contractor without any = checking of credentials.

That sir is a failure of = government.=20 They were handing out the cash quickly just to try and create an = image=20 of doing something. Well the were they sucessfully gave the = money out=20 freely to any con artist that would take the effort to grab = it.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by lensman67
#11

@ RCB2875
You are going to have good = and bad in=20 anything. I can only speak of what I have witnessed. The Vets = I know=20 have to waste a full day for simple things such as simple = routine=20 check ups at the VA. The only thing good there is they give = out all=20 sorts of good dope in bulk. *rolls eyes

They also have = to wait=20 longer periods for scheduled appointments that they can get in = the=20 same day at private hospitals. Have you been to a = charity(government)=20 hospital lately. You can sit there all day before you are seen = and=20 then you are usually given a shot of some sort and sent on = your way=20 with a scrip for some watered down drug as they don't = prescribe the=20 good stuff because people come in with false claims of pain to = get=20 prescription drugs. Why not It's FREE!
Just another = failure of=20 government health care. People have to suffer because others = abuse the=20 free health care for their own habits.

You = can't impress=20 me with second hand stories. I go to the VA and know just how = full of it=20 you are.

I have an appointment on Monday and know that I = will=20 not wait more than half an hour to see an outstanding doctor in = a well=20 run hospital so save your BS stories for someone who doesn't = know any=20 better.

I have also seen the health care systems of = Europe up=20 close and personal and know just what a crock your stories are. = The US=20 has one of the WORST health care systems in the world---unless = of course=20 you are rich or have really good insurance.

On any of a = hundred=20 different areas of measurement the US health system gets its = head handed=20 to it by the medical systems of the civilized world. =

Hell, I=20 have had better medical care in a Nicaraguan hospital in the = middle of=20 the US aggression against that country than I have seen the = average=20 person get in a US hospital. Even though my country was hiring=20 mercenaries to rob these people of their election I was treated = with the=20 same care that they gave their own citizens.

So unless = you=20 actually know what you are talking about I suggest you keep your = ill=20 informed rantings to yourself.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by lensman67
#12

@ RCB2875
almost forgot.. I live near = New=20 Orleans and I saw how our state political system handed out = the=20 Katrina money to anyone that walked up and claimed to be a = contractor=20 without any checking of credentials.

That sir is a = failure of=20 government. They were handing out the cash quickly just to try = and=20 create an image of doing something. Well the were they = sucessfully=20 gave the money out freely to any con artist that would take = the effort=20 to grab it.

That is the failure of Lousinia, a = third=20 world country in the middle of the US.

Oh and by the way = I was=20 born in New Orleans and have been back to that state on many = occasions.=20 When I was in the Army the good people of Baton Rouge would = cross to the=20 other side of the street rather than share the sidewalk with a = soldier=20 and when I was in New Orleans in 2003 to present a paper to a = history=20 convention I thought I was back in war torn Managua the place = was such a=20 dump.

They had grass growing on the sides of abandoned = buildings=20 only a few blocks from city hall for God's sake! With a state = like that=20 it is a wonder that anything ever gets done.

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by RCB2875
#13

@ lensman67
That is the failure of = Lousinia, a=20 third world country in the middle of the US.

Oh and by = the way=20 I was born in New Orleans and have been back to that state on = many=20 occasions. When I was in the Army the good people of Baton = Rouge would=20 cross to the other side of the street rather than share the = sidewalk=20 with a soldier and when I was in New Orleans in 2003 to = present a=20 paper to a history convention I thought I was back in war torn = Managua=20 the place was such a dump.

They had grass growing on = the sides=20 of abandoned buildings only a few blocks from city hall for = God's=20 sake! With a state like that it is a wonder that anything ever = gets=20 done.

LOL You are delusional! You must be = dreaming=20 of San Fran nutso. The people in Baton Rouge and most of the = people in=20 the state are huge supporters of the troops and military and = country=20 alike!

New Orleans is a dump! Very true. It has been the = epicenter of corrupt government aided by the federal government = for=20 decades. Mainly by the Demwi= t=20 party mind you!
And the state has been run down by the = same=20 Demwit party governors as well! Good show for your Lib party huh = Lens!=20

"Almost solidly Democratic = between=20 1877 and the 1990s"

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by RCB2875
#14

Just too add to another = argument in this=20 thread. How is it that I in a third world state like = Louisiana can I=20 support a family of 4 and I am the only one working?? Amazing = how I cant=20 find a reason nor qualify for government aid in my state of = destitute I=20 should be living in with this failed economy lol Give me a break = freaking hilarious!

quote=20

Posted Aug 23, 2008 by lensman67
#15

@ RCB2875
Just too add to another = argument in this=20 thread. How is it that I in a third world state like = Louisiana can=20 I support a family of 4 and I am the only one working?? = Amazing how I=20 cant find a reason nor qualify for government aid in my state = of=20 destitute I should be living in with this failed economy lol = Give me a=20 break freaking hilarious!

Well the standard of = living in=20 Louisiana is so low I suppose anyone could support a family = there.=20

I doubt if everything you own would by a two bedroom = condo in=20 California. Of course its cheap to live in Louisiana but then = who would=20 want to live in Louisiana?

quote=20

Posted yesterday by Vidkun=20 Quisling
#16

@ RCB2875
Indeed... Our VA government = run=20 hospitals are quite the envy of all. My father nearly died in = a VA=20 hospital from those twits treating Chrones disease as a = parasite they=20 thought he had from Vietnam. Only after his parents pulling = him out=20 and taking him to Oschners hospital did he get the proper = diagnosis=20 and surgery removing several feet of intestine that was ate up = from=20 the lack of treatment and diagnosis from the VA=20 twits.

That is a good possibility but my dad = died on=20 the operating table in one of the best private hospitals in the = Bay=20 area. Does that mean private hospitals are all bad?

Now, = in=20 fairness, VA hospitals did suck years ago. = There wa a=20 saying that you had two opportunities to give your life for your = country... One was on the field of battle and the other was the = VA=20 hospital. Big change=20 over the years and they're damned good now. Google VA hospitals = best.=20

The point is, if the government can provide decent care = and the=20 cost for each person is say $4K in tax dollars, it beats $8K to = a for-=20 profit system. I'm not a smart guy so am I missing something = here?=20

What is your health plan?

quote=20

Posted yesterday by Vidkun=20 Quisling
#17

@ lensman67
Well the standard of = living in=20 Louisiana is so low I suppose anyone could support a family = there.=20

I doubt if everything you own would by a two bedroom = condo in=20 California. Of course its cheap to live in Louisiana but then = who=20 would want to live in Louisiana?

Me, = provided the=20 evangelicals kept off my porch. It is a pretty state, good = people and=20 interesting to me. It is a tad humid at times. I had a friend in = Chalmette, great neighborhood and affordable, until Katrina move = his=20 house to Puerto Rico. "Helluva job Brownie"... =3Do)

quote=20

Posted yesterday by Vidkun=20 Quisling
#18

@ skeptikool
The sickness industry is = as venal=20 as any, but that's the Cons' language; they understand that. = If you=20 doubt it, witness the muted outrage here:

http://www.digitaljournal= .com/blog/890=20

Did I say muted? Non-existent, more like=20 it.

"Muted" indeed.

Obscene was an = excellent=20 choice of words. I believe the GOP=20 guy who crafted our obscene Medicare Part D legislation was = out the=20 door and in a million dollar job with Phrma... almost before = Bush's ink=20 dried on the signed bill. Can you believe the bill included = language=20 that forbade Medicare from bargaining for a = better=20 price on drugs (as the military hospitals, VA and many foreign = countries=20 do) and the he's from RCB's home state. Sorry, couldn't = resist.

quote=20

Posted yesterday by Vidkun=20 Quisling
#19

@ RCB2875
Just too add to another = argument in this=20 thread. How is it that I in a third world state like = Louisiana can=20 I support a family of 4 and I am the only one working?? = Amazing how I=20 cant find a reason nor qualify for government aid in my state = of=20 destitute I should be living in with this failed economy lol = Give me a=20 break freaking hilarious!

You drive a = truck as many=20 southerners do. That's the beauty of trucking -- the income is=20 fairly high and drivers can live in cheaper = states. If=20 you drive OTR you put in enough hours for two people. If you = move to CT=20 or CA you would starve on your pay and would probably have to = put the=20 wife and kids to work.

A carpenter in LA (Louisiana) = probably=20 makes $10 if he's lucky where if the same guy works in LA (Los = Angeles)=20 he could $20 and still have it rough. In-N-Out burger pays $10 = in LA,=20 maybe more.

Where I live, an experienced worker, with = his own=20 tools and great references might be able to knock down $12 per = hour. If=20 he and his wife worked 160 hours per week at = that=20 level, they might be able to afford a house.

Bottom = line, the=20 Ameican Dream died. Ever notice how many people are coming from = formerly=20 good jobs to trucking?

quote=20

Posted yesterday by lensman67
#20

@ Vidkun=20 Quisling
Me, provided the evangelicals kept = off my=20 porch. It is a pretty state, good people and interesting to = me. It is=20 a tad humid at times. I had a friend in Chalmette, great = neighborhood=20 and affordable, until Katrina move his house to Puerto Rico. = "Helluva=20 job Brownie"... =3Do)

I was in New Orleans in = 2003 and it=20 reminded me of Managua Nicaragua in 1986 when the US was sending = the=20 Contra mercenaries to ravage the countryside.

I have = never seen=20 so many abandoned buildings in a major US city in my life and = the whole=20 grass growing on the sides of buildings thing was just plain = creepy. And=20 this was BEFORE Katrina!

I was stationed at Ft Polk when = I was=20 in the Army and took every opportunity to travel around the = state on the=20 weekends. Given the choice I will take Managua, at least the = streets are=20 clean and they have decent health care.

quote=20

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Health Scare: 79 Million Americans Struggle to = Pay Medical=20 Bills

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