Posted on 05/19/2005 7:14:23 AM PDT by Jim Noble
LRGH sucks. I avoid taking my kids there and prefer Concord. However, I had to use the emergency room once when my son broke his arm two years ago and had to wait over two hours for the "on call" bone Doc to come in.
No, they could afford it. They dropped the coverage to redirect that money elsewhere.
That is irrelevant to this couple and their situation. They did not drop their insurance because it was too expensive and they couldn't afford it. They dropped their insurance to spend the money elsewhere.
You're a doctor in Houston?
Would you see me without involving insurance, and charge me a reasonable fee, if I paid cash?
Health insurance is NOT for catastrophic health. It is for hospitalization, doctor visits and prescriptions. They now sell catastrophic health coverage separately. Ain't that wonderful!!
Health insurance used to be called hospitalization and it ONLY covered hospitalizations and the Dr if he visited you in the hospital. If you had major medical it would cover some portion of your office calls IF you first met the deductible. Dr. offices did not used to be packed with whining...patients. And doctors did not have the huge malpractice premiums. So who can you blame for high health costs??
Any party who has won a suit against someone for owed financial compensation can place a lien on that persons home for the money owed. It doesn't have to be part of a contract or agreement earlier entered into. The attachment is often referred to as a Mechanics Lien.
I suspect the point of the story was to scare people into accepting single-payer insurance IOWs nationalized healthcare.
"The object of health insurance is not to cover the common cold or hangnail, but to cover catastrophic health problems. ....Health insurance is NOT for catastrophic health. It is for hospitalization, doctor visits and prescriptions. They now sell catastrophic health coverage separately... ."
Hmmmm, I'll rethink. But having been a licensed insurance agent, it has always been my opinion that medical insurance was for catastrophic health problems. I'll admit to having been out of the insurance industry for 10 years.
I don't know what the limits are but basically your homestead cannot be reached through judgements.
Yes, I practice Neurology here and see predominantly patients with epilepsy. I do see people without insurance. The fees my office charges are set by the government (based on procedure code) but for self pay patients I've made arrangements for a percentage of that. Most testing is performed through the hospital and they charge their own fees and can be negotiated with as well.
You aren't getting an argument from me on personal responsibility. However, I also think we need to limit the litigation business enjoyed by so many. You aren't an attorney are you ;-)
Sure, liens are placed on property as a result from judgments.
I think a Mechanic's lien would be a different animal.
Point is they were making the arranged payments. This wasn't fast enough for this hospital. Looks like this particular facility is impatient quite often.
"...... Superior Court shows the hospital filed 165 such suits last year...."
Yes, I agree that the practice of unnecessary malpractice lawsuits is damaging our health care industry. I've seen doctors go out of business because of it. I personally had to have a c-section (major surgery) rather than natural birth because the OBGYN was afraid of lawsuits.
C-section is major surgery requiring two, three or more days in the hospital. Natural birth, and you might leave the hospital the next day.
Hmmm . . . I have PLMD and RLS, so I do see a neurologist whose name I bet you'd know.
$130 office visits are just insane, even if insurance DOES cover the rest of it. Nothing happens to me in my 30 minutes in that office that costs the doctor more than $10, and that's all labor, and way jacked-up if you consider the sum total of the labor involved is to whack my knee with that little rubber axe..
>>received treatment for breast cancer at the hospital between Aug. 2, 2004 and June 28, 2004<<
????
Exactly!! That's the only way to make it these days. Jobs, Medicaid, food stamps, free legal, dental and eye coverage, etc. makes it very tempting doesn't it? LOL It's no wonder we're having an invasion.
And catastrophic insurance is a separate premium--even at the State. I am not sure the State even offers a group plan?
The Dr and the hospital make more money on C-sections not to mention the convenience. I think litigation is a scapegoat for this.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.