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Date Posted: 06:33:32 09/11/09 Fri
Author: DizzyDeb
Subject: I don't have much time this morning......
because I'm due for my brainwashing session. Like any loyal Lib Dem, I have to go pledge my life to our leader, Barack The Evil. But in case anyone has time today, and I'm sure there are many who have not been indoctrinated into the cult yet, I thought you might like to read a great editorial. I'm sure it's just from one of "our" pinko columnists, but I thought it was very interesting. Okay, gotta run before I'm dropped from the cult!
We're sick; the system's even sicker
By CARL HIAASEN
It's easy to get distracted by the vaudevillian aspects of the health-care debate.
My favorites are the few beet-faced droolers who show up at town-hall meetings to rail against government involvement, while simultaneously warning President Obama to ``keep your hands off my Medicare'' -- the biggest, costliest, most socialistic government program in U.S. history.
It's also a program that happens to work, although not nearly as efficiently as it could.
Nobody with an I.Q. higher than emergency-room temperature could ever believe that ``death panels'' would be appointed to nudge the elderly toward euthanasia. Yet for idle entertainment, it's hard to beat Sarah Palin's ignorant nattering on the subject.
Informed opponents of Obama's healthcare initiative have expressed dismay at the lowly level of discourse. John Goodman, president of the conservative National Center for Policy Analysis, told The New York Times:
``I think the critics have approached this in the wrong way; saying there's to be a death panel is not the right way. The right way to approach it is to put the burden of proof on the administration -- tell us how you're going to do [reform] without denying care to people who are really in need.''
Once the volume is turned down at the town halls, you can hear plenty of smart, hard questions about the direction of healthcare reform, and the implications for families, businesses and medical providers.
Anyone who's been in a hospital knows the cost of care is so insanely high that, without some form of coverage, many people would find themselves pauperized by a health crisis.
A close member of my family recently had an accident in which she suffered multiple bone fractures and a partially collapsed lung -- painful, but not life-threatening.
She was taken to the nearest hospital, where she was monitored for a few hours in the intensive-care unit before being sent to a private room. The next day, she was transferred to a hospital closer to home.
In all, she spent barely 24 hours as a patient in the first hospital. Yet the cost for that overnight stay -- not including doctor fees -- was $11,392.56.
The bill, which wasn't itemized, didn't arrive for two months. It had first been sent to our insurance company, which covered most of it. The remaining balance was, relatively speaking, small change.
I called the insurance company and said that, while we greatly appreciated the bill being paid, it was difficultto comprehend how those particular 24 hours of medicalcare could cost more than 11 grand.
The woman taking my call patiently checked over the bill on her computer. She said the hospital room itself was ``only'' $750. The bulk of the charge was for two CAT scans, totaling more than $6,000.
I couldn't resist mentioning that my family member had suffered a broken fibula which, despite all the tests, had somehow escaped detection at the hospital.
``They didn't even X-ray her leg,'' I pointed out.
Hoping to make me feel better, the woman at the insurance company said, ``Well, we didn't pay out the full $11,392.'' The hospital bill had been adjusted downward, she said, to slightly less than $10,000.
Such formidable sums are no shock to those with experience on either end of the health-care delivery system. Our family is fortunate because the company I work for offers a pretty good insurance package at a reasonable cost.
Nobody knows for sure how many Americans don't have medical coverage, but the most frequent estimates range from 43 million to 47 million. Some carry no insurance by choice, but the majority simply cannot afford it.
We've already spent more on Iraq than the Democrats' current healthcare plans are projected to cost over the next decade. Yet some of the same bright bulbs in Congress who were excited to bankroll that foolish invasion are now huffing indignantly about the price tag for insuring our own citizens.
Reform can't work without including the uninsured, not just because it's humane but because it will ultimately save taxpayers a fortune. The public cost of treating uninsured patients, who often don't see a doctor until there's an emergency,is boggling.
If a single day in the hospital can cost 11 grand (or more), the tab for staying a week or a month could crush an average family. Whether a patient is uninsured or underinsured, if he or she can't write the check, the rest of us will.
That's one reason hospital expenses are so astronomical -- we're subsidizing a sick, bloated system. It would be far cheaper to make sure everybody had a decent health plan.
In medicine, there's really no such thing as an unpaid bill. Somebody always get stuck.
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Who is Carl Hiaasen and why do you feel this is a great editorial? -- Hogarth, 07:29:01 09/11/09 Fri [1]
For me Mr. Hiaasen lost all creditability after I read the first 4 sentences of his editorial.
"My favorites are the few beet-faced droolers who show up at town-hall meetings to rail against government involvement"
So the protesters at the town-hall meetings exercising their rights under the Constitution are "beet-faced droolers" but the anti-war protesters (which coincidentally stopped as soon as Obama was elected) were what exactly? Oh, that was okay because they were protesting against Bush's policies?
"Nobody with an I.Q. higher than emergency-room temperature could ever believe that ``death panels'' would be appointed to nudge the elderly toward euthanasia. Yet for idle entertainment, it's hard to beat Sarah Palin's ignorant nattering on the subject."
So he finds Sarah Palin's "ignorant nattering" idle entertainment?
How does he expect to be taking seriously when he starts out his editorial with mud slinging.
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Re: Who is Carl Hiaasen and why do you feel this is a great editorial? -- DizzyDeb, 08:42:55 09/11/09 Fri [1]
I thought his editorial was an interesting discussion of the cost of those who are uninsured. And the cost of health care. He is a columnist for the Miami Herald. Sorry you were so sensitive about his opening sarcasm that you did not read the rest of the piece.
But then, us cult members are trained not to notice mud-slinging by Our Side.
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Re: Who is Carl Hiaasen and why do you feel this is a great editorial? -- Hogarth, 10:02:52 09/11/09 Fri [1]
I did read the rest of the piece but like I said, after his opening comments I couldn't take anything he said seriously.
And LOL at "But then, us cult members are trained not to notice mud-slinging by Our Side." Good one! Glad we can have a sense of humor about politics.
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I try to. -- DizzyDeb, 12:36:42 09/11/09 Fri [1]
Otherwise, I'd spend the day crying!
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We are still protesting, Hogarth -- lindalou, 11:21:51 09/11/09 Fri [1]
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Yeah, Hogie! How can you be so sensitive? -- Jeannine, 09:17:25 09/11/09 Fri [1]
It is just sarcasm! All in good fun! If you were an INFORMED opponent, you would be dismayed and accept this criticism from those who are obviously smarter than you. And, please, wipe the drool off your chin, ok?
I find that I am much more open to other peoples ideas when I am told how stupid I am before they make their point.
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However, -- DizzyDeb, 09:29:41 09/11/09 Fri [1]
I am supposed to be so non-sensitive that I don't take offense at being called robotic, cult-like, blind, socialist, etc., etc., etc.
My main point of this week is that this country will never be able to come together until the back-biting and mud-slinging comes to a stop.
But then, this post will get taken in the wrong way as well.
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hmmm.... -- Jenn, 09:47:56 09/11/09 Fri [1]
Kinda like telling people that they need to wake up? Or that a mere possibility that someone suggests might be as likely as "monkeys flying out of your ass"?
Pot. Kettle.
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Can you still use the pot and kettle thing? -- Jeannine, 13:17:50 09/11/09 Fri [1]
isn't that racist now?
I do apoligize for the ass monkey thing. It was uncalled for. Should have gone with "Isn't it pretty to think so".
I think a break is in order. Hogarth, my addy is attached. Drop me an email if you are so inclined.
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Yep, I can and I did. Racist? Not hardly. -- Jenn, 13:23:29 09/11/09 Fri [1]
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No, sounds more like troubled. -- Pam, 18:16:28 09/11/09 Fri [1]
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Troubled? -- Jenn, 18:32:15 09/11/09 Fri [1]
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I love the pot/kettle thing!! -- Katt, 20:14:33 09/13/09 Sun [1]
In fact, I just used it above in a post to JeNNiFeR before getting down here to all the good stuff. What a coinkydink!
My gosh, is everyone REALLY that sensitive? Sheesh!!
I'm sure Jeaninne was typing tongue-in-cheek about the pot/kettle being racist. But Pam? Troubled? WTF is that about?
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