Your Solution for Medical Care in the U.S.A. | Golden Skate

Your Solution for Medical Care in the U.S.A.

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
There are lots of intelligent people here at G.S. I would like to know some of your ideas on how best to provide medical care to the citizens of the U.S.A.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
As Bush would have it. Make a lot of money and be able to pay the doctors whether they cure you or not. It's not the Governemnt's position to help you on this. And do not sue the doctors if you are given the wrong diganosis or the wrong leg was amputated.

Joe
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
And for those living in the real world?

Bush bragging about his prescription drug makes me so angry I can't see straight. If I chose to participate in it a drug that now costs me $25.00 for 84 tablets under Bush's plan would cost me $98.00 for 30 tablets because the plan does not cover generics of this medication. No one can tell me why. My guess, someone on the committee who made the rules owns stock in the Eli Lilly Co.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I don't have a solution to contribute, Piel. I wish I -- or somebody -- did. I am very pessimistic about the future of affordable health care.

IMHO there are two problems that are not going to go away, and would not go away even if all the politicians suddenly saw the light and all the insurance companies, drug companies, hospitals, etc. suddenly repealed the profit motive and became Mother Teressa.

First, we have an aging population. Back in the cave-man days people conveniently died at age thirty or so. Now we hope to live on to 80 or 90 or 100, thanks to progress in medicine (especially finding cures for many infectious diseases in the Twentieth Century), and advances in nutrition and sanitation. Older people incur high medical costs. Last year I spent over $70,000 in diagnostic tests, mostly covered by insurance. I am grateful that all the healthy young people in my insurance group paid all this for me. But as time goes by, there are more of me to run up the bills and less of them to pay it. As in the case of Social Security, I do not see any solution to this dilemma.

Second, medical care is just expensive period. A hundred years ago, if your kidneys failed, you died. Cost to your family or to society: $50 to bury you.

Nowadays, if your kidneys fail you go on dialysis for $30,000 a month for the next twenty years. Well, it's wonderful that modern medical science has made such extraordinary advances. But it's expensive.

To me -- hoping to be wrong -- it looks like we are about to revert to the system of medical care delivery that the human race used for 99.9% of its history. You get sick, you die.

Mathman :\
 

sk8m8

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
great question

the solution I offer will most likely NEVER be implented. That would be that some part of every insurance premium be allocated to heath/wellness education. I think students ought to study it, employees ought to be required to attend and study it just like skill sets for improving their jobs, I think anyone on any kind of public assistance ought to have the opportunity to be able to learn how to better care for themselves. I also believe we need to put lots more money into research, not only research on a "medical model", but also research of herbs, suppliments, alternative therapies.

The only way to save the health care system is to ingrain a sense of what health is and how to promote/preserve it. This means that we may have to wait an entire generation to see the beginnings of long term effectiveness, however if we don't start now, when do we start???
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I would like to see unhealthy practices taxed and the money going toward providing health care. Want to live dangerously, or smoke'em then be prepared to PAY big time, same for junk food, fast food that isn't healthy, even alcohol........ The Supersize Me, BBQ Ribs, Alfredo Sauce, Biscuit and Sausage Gravy, Haagan Daaz, Extra Buttered Popcorn, 4 Wheeler Ridin', Smokin', Chewin', Rubbin', and Drinkin' Tax. I personally don't mind paying more for things that aren't a necessity. Of course those employed in the industries that provide these items will complain. But if we really believe that prevention and a healthy lifestyle are part of the solution then we have to be willing to accept that not everyone is going to be happy. There could be tax credits or perks of some kind for those who exercise regularly, get their yearly flu shots, mammograms, colonoscopy, prostate check. Kind of like your homeowners insurance does for smoke alarms, CO2 detectors, and security systems.

BTW is the flu shot shortage effecting any of you?
 

guinevere

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Personally, I wish we had socialized medicine. I totally hate insurance.

I haven't been to a doctor for years (other than to treat specific minor injuries). I finally got insurance through work after going without it for about 6 or 7 years, but I can't find a doctor who's on my plan who is accepting new patients! To be fair, I don't spend several hours every day trying to track one down, but whenever I steel myself for the 'great doctor hunt', I get so frustrated after an hour on the phone I drop it for a while.
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
A lot of doctors will not accept new patients that have chronic medical problems.
 

Grgranny

Da' Spellin' Homegirl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm so mad at me. I had an appointment at the clinic today and completely forgot to ask for a flu shot. :cry:
 

bleuchick

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Piel - allow me to say something in this topic....

as long as there is $$$ to be made....medicare will be messed up. And there is alot of cash

My suggestion is increase competition in the pharma market by increasing the number of small companies making generic drugs. For example, instead of having one thyroid drug on the market that cost $100...there should be another or two generic types.

Yes, the government is not there to "care" for people BUT it can help by cutting down the red tape that is preventing smaller business/entrepreurs from making generic medicines. The easier it is these companies the less expensive the medicine.


OT:

Dad took a flu shot and my mom[a nurse] got so upset at him! :sheesh:

why - she is so skeptical of the "contents" in these flu shot. To this date, she says no doctor/nurse can really tell you what is in a flu shot or where it comes from. Plus, one of her colleague tested positive for HIV after taking the shot...:eek:
 
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Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Regarding flu shots. Due to the shortage and dependng on a particular provider's source a lot of people can not get them from their usual provider. Around here several Kroger's and a local pharmacy gave the shots on a first come first serve basis. They asked that only those in the high risk groups take the shots but refused to turn anyone away. How stupid is that? :confused: :mad: :rolleye:
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
The present power in Washington does not want the government to interfere with the free enterprise system Big business wants the right to cheat the public without the government preventing them by any regulatory laws or agencies.

This way we get HIGH prices for the flu vaccine, and don't believe it is a British company. It is an American company and this shortage was planned, imo.

Joe
 

bronxgirl

Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
bleuchick said:
OT:

Dad took a flu shot and my mom[a nurse] got so upset at him! :sheesh:

why - she is so skeptical of the "contents" in these flu shot. To this date, she says no doctor/nurse can really tell you what is in a flu shot or where it comes from. Plus, one of her colleague tested positive for HIV after taking the shot...:eek:

Sorry, not true that a flu shot gives you HIV. If that colleague tested postitive there were other factors that your Mom may not be aware of (eg, personal risk behaviors or occupatinal exposure at work)
I can say the above from experience of over 9 years as an infectious didseases doctor working with HIV patients. Let's not scare people from taking flu shots who may need them!!!!
 

pennyfromheaven

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 21, 2003
Western medicine as we know it today focuses mainly on treating the symptoms of whatever is wrong. I would like to see the emphasis placed more on preventative medicine; preventing the illnesses that plague Americans today as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc. That makes more sense to me than just putting a bandaid on an infected bed sore so to speak.
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Piel said:
There are lots of intelligent people here at G.S. I would like to know some of your ideas on how best to provide medical care to the citizens of the U.S.A.

I hope you don't mind a comment or two from your "neighbour from the North." Here in Canada we have had a wonderful medical system for many years thanks to Kiefer Sutherlands' Grandfather - Tommy Douglas - a politician who fought to bring in the Medicare system here in Canada.

I am one of many Canadians who is very grateful to this man for a medical system that allows us to afford to see a dr. when needed and covers most of our medical expenses - hospital stays, surgeries, etc.

I laughed at the Bush/Kerry debate the other night when Bush made the comment that "Government run medicare systems have inferior medical professionals." I can attest to you that we here in Canada have the advantage of some of the best trained physicians in the world and are well cared for whatever our medical needs are.

It works like this:

We, the public pay a monthly fee depending on our yearly income - mine was $54.00 per month, but now I am under my husbands coverage through his employer so that cost is now picked up. I won't be paying anything, but still receiving the same care. People who are on low income pay $7.00 per month and if they are on welfare, they pay nothing.

It's true our medical system has took a bit of a beating in the last couple of years and we have lost a couple of our coverages such as free yearly eye exam and our twelve free chiropractic visits - at least here in BC - but for the most part things are still the same. Our medical system is going through some changes at the moment, but I do hope and pray it stays the same as Tommy Douglas instilled. It's a wonderful thing to have. I can't say enough about it.

Here are some sites that explain who Tommy Douglas is and his wonderful contribution to the Canadian people:

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-73-851/politics_economy/tommy_douglas/

http://www.saskndp.com/history/douglas.html
 

bleuchick

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
bronxgirl said:
Sorry, not true that a flu shot gives you HIV. If that colleague tested postitive there were other factors that your Mom may not be aware of (eg, personal risk behaviors or occupatinal exposure at work)
I can say the above from experience of over 9 years as an infectious didseases doctor working with HIV patients. Let's not scare people from taking flu shots who may need them!!!!

I agree with you that the flu does not cause HIV and that there are other factors involved in how my mom's colleague tested positive for HIV. What I do know is that HIV and Influenza do have something in common...the RNA virus. Today, there is no link between the two but who knows what might be in the future...
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
pennyfromheaven said:
Western medicine as we know it today focuses mainly on treating the symptoms of whatever is wrong. I would like to see the emphasis placed more on preventative medicine; preventing the illnesses that plague Americans today as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc. That makes more sense to me than just putting a bandaid on an infected bed sore so to speak.
Western Medicine does focus on some preventive medicine provided it makes a profit. Trouble is the side effects are very often dangerous. Recent news of arthritus drugs are now banned and how many people took them for years and finally had a heart attack? The Statins (lowering cholestrol) are coming more and more under suspicion. The depression drugs are causing suicides. The list goes on. IMO, long term use of any drug is dangerous. If a drug doesn't cure me, I refuse it.

Joe
 

bronxgirl

Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
bleuchick said:
I agree with you that the flu does not cause HIV and that there are other factors involved in how my mom's colleague tested positive for HIV. What I do know is that HIV and Influenza do have something in common...the RNA virus. Today, there is no link between the two but who knows what might be in the future...

Yes, they are both RNA viruses, but HIV is a retrovirus. There has never been any evidence that influenza virus can integrate into the human genome the way HIV can.
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
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Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
Joesitz said:
Recent news of arthritus drugs are now banned and how many people took them for years and finally had a heart attack?Joe
Joe, I took Vioxx for at least 3 years. Before the drug, I could barely walk or even climb stairs. I had asked my pharmacist what he thought and he said -- to be honest, I don’t know what to think. I then questioned whether this drug had gone through testing for many years and he said yes. He said it had to. Now, my little devious mind wonders if politics are involved here??? :sheesh:

Dee
 

bronxgirl

Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
There is a big difference in the numbers of people involved even in a large clinical trial, and the numbers of patients who eventually take the drug after it is approved (as in order of magnitude difference). Events you may not be able to see with the smaller number of paitents becomes easier to spot with the larger number afterwards.
 
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