Ozark
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 4012
Loc: out in the woods
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I got a call from our doctor's office just now to remind me that my wife and I are to come in for our annual checkups tomorrow morning.
My idea about doctors is to stay away from them as much as possible - I've had too many relatives and friends damaged or killed by "medical care" when they got older. My wife and I both have expired annual prescription meds to renew, blood pressure pills in my case, and that's the whole purpose of the doctor visit. Beyond that, it's my responsibility to try and stay on the sunny side of the grass for another year. Yup.
So this gal from the doctor's office called and said a phase of Obamacare kicked in on August 1 and they're jumping through hoops trying to comply with it. We can no longer have an annual "wellness visit" like we always have. "Wellness visits" were completely covered by our insurance.
Nope - now we have to choose between a "preventative care" visit and a regular office visit to the doctor. OK - what's the difference, I asked.
It seems that an annual "preventative care" visit would be fully covered by our insurance - BUT WE CAN'T TALK TO THE DOCTOR AND HE CAN'T TALK TO US about any health concerns. He can't renew prescriptions in a "preventative care" visit either. All the doctor is allowed to do in one of those is poke and prod around on us, then refer us to specialists for further tests if he thinks they're needed - blood tests, electrocardiogram, colonoscopy, mammogram, etc.
Well, since all we want is our prescriptions renewed and to be left the hell alone - a "preventative care" visit won't work.
So - we need a "regular office visit" ($25 co-pay each) in order to TALK to the doctor and get our 'scripts renewed for another year. Fine.
Ya know - it's not the $50., that's not a big deal. I figure between Medicare, Medicare Part B, and our supplemental health insurance almost $3000 a month is being paid by us and the government for health insurance premiums for the two of us. You'd think that would cover an annual prescription-renewing doctor visit if that's all we use it for, but if it doesn't, well, whatever.
Do you think, though, that people will put up with this kind of stupid micro-managing of health care by politicians as the various phases of Obamacare start to take effect? The whole thing is ridiculous and it's just not gonna work - there's lots and lots of government money going into big health and insurance corporations, though. The whole thing is so corrupt it's unbelievable.
Edited by Ozark (08/02/12 08:40 AM)
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Paul Dallas
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 1189
Loc: the corner of Bedlam & Squalor
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You're right. It sucks. Anyone who thinks increased government involvement in healthcare is going to make things better is delusional.
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Hellbender
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 3416
Loc: Taney County
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Quote:
Do you think, though, that people will put up with this kind of stupid micro-managing of health care by politicians as the various phases of Obamacare start to take effect?
Yes, because there are enough people in this country dependent on the government to make sure of it.
The Dems have built an electorate of race, public employees and unions that they have exempted from the "good ideas" they burden the rest with.
We are rapidly approaching a system where one section of the population will dictate how the other section supports them.
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A government survey has shown that 91% of illegal immigrants come to this country so that they can see their own doctor.
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SwampFox
member
Reged: 12/13/05
Posts: 7970
Loc: Mid Mo
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Ozark, Can I re-post this?
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"Being deeply learned and skilled, being well trained and using well spoken words; this is good luck."
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DjF
little buddie
Reged: 12/13/05
Posts: 5410
Loc: staring at an empty mailbox...
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I went in for my annual check-up yesterday...Docs and nurses were carrying laptops around for the first time...doc seemed distant during the check-up, then as I was leaving, they told me I wasn't going to get billed the normal $25 for my co-pay, they wanted to see how much insurance was going to pay first...
seems to me nobody knows what is going on...
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somewhere between "Hi, how can we help you?" and "Get off my lawn!"
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Paul Dallas
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 1189
Loc: the corner of Bedlam & Squalor
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We all need to fire our insurance companies and force the doctors and hospitals to compete for our business.
Edited by Paul Dallas (08/02/12 01:25 PM)
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Ozark
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 4012
Loc: out in the woods
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Quote:
SwampFox said:
Ozark, Can I re-post this?
Sure, go ahead.
And I'll tell you about the deal on my blood pressure pills also. I suddenly developed high blood pressure about 7 years ago - not a surprise I guess because my mom had that real bad. Anyway, I was lucky. The doc prescribed a once-daily generic pill that immediately reset my blood pressure to 120-something 70-something and I can still eat a lot of salt and drink beer.
Until I got on Medicare last year I paid for those pills out-of-pocket with no insurance coverage and that was a pretty good deal. They're generic - $15 for 30 pills each month. Then last year Medicare kicked in and I no longer have to pay anything for the pills. Woo-hoo.
Every month they send me a statement of what "benefits" have been paid by the Guv'mnt and by the supplemental health insurance company that the government pays premiums to. Guess what? The insurance company made me switch pharmacies and they're paying $88 every month for those same pills - almost six times as much! Wish they'd let me provide my own damn pills and pay me the $73 difference each month to put in my pocket - but no, that's going in someone else's pocket.
The whole system stinks to high heaven, there's so much waste, fraud, and corruption going on.
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Hellbender
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 3416
Loc: Taney County
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It won't be long before it will take months to see a doctor and the same if you need treatment. ER's won't change, they'll still be full of people needing an aspirin.
The "tax" is still cheaper than insurance apparently with a $695 max or so it seems.
This is all just designed to eliminate insurance companies so the socialist can install government health care. That is why they limited the administrative cost cost versus payouts. That's one of the reasons they gave pharmaceuticals a bye, they'll still need them for meds and lawyers salaries. They eliminated Advantage plans so they can expand Medicare, which will eventually become national health care and with the same negatives that plague Canadian and British health plans. All these people who say they have talked to Canadians and say they like their healthcare don't realize they need to ask how many people die on their waiting list for treatment or surgery.
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A government survey has shown that 91% of illegal immigrants come to this country so that they can see their own doctor.
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wuchang
spiritual advisor and gatekeeper to the Spirit World
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 5271
Loc: uphill
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Ask Miss Bud about the Canadian "health care system"
I think you will get confirmation about Hellbenders statement:
"they need to ask how many people die on their waiting list for treatment or surgery."
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