Posted on 06/07/2005 9:42:33 PM PDT by quidnunc
This is a huge thing. It is entirely possible that the $27,000 physical therapy bill could have been entirely avoided - as well as months of time and suffering - had this been part of the tool set.
In part because of the overcertification requirements to be allowed to perform medical-related tasks.
Switzerland has a better health system than ours, but I must correct you: it is not national/state. Their health care is far less advanced or hygenic then ours. But the system they have, with all but accidents removed from employers' responsibility, and every family paying their own insurance premiums to private insurance companies (in three tiers of care), is indeed superior to our attaching health care to our employers.
IMHO the lesson to take from this article is to keep yourself healthy! Granted there are things we cannot control, there are a whole lot of people in this country who need to take control of their health and stop leaving it to the rest of us to pay for their obesity etc.
Agreed about U.S nursing staff, but come on. Filthy conditions in a hospital in an, ostensibily, first world nation? Lister must be spinning in his grave.
Thanks for the ping. Great article. I had to call a hospital to get the fees for a surgery for a patient that did not have insurance. Just the OR was $10,000 per hour!! I have been in this business for 30 years and you could have picked me up off the floor.
I had no idea he had been battling this with his wife. She is fortunate to have such a champion for her cause. That's the REAL role a spouse must play in situations of life and death.
I can personally attest to the fact that hospitalization in that "socialized medicine paradise" of Sweden isn't much better. They only tend to have more available beds on which you can suffer substandard care.
I live in England (Yorkshire) for part of the 1980s. Beautiful country, wonderful people.
But it was good to come home, too.
Welcome to America.
Fascinating article and a must read.
***The surgeons are so guarded about the words they choose as they are so afraid of getting their butts sued.***
How true! I had a kidney stone removed some years ago, and when I went back to the surgeon for a six-week check up, I told him that I had the same pain as before surgery. I asked why. He looked straight at me and said, " I don't know."
So, I asked him if I should go to some other type of specialist to see what was causing the pain. He looked straight at me and said, "I don't know."
My own family doctor answered my question with simple, straight answers. He said it was NORMAL after a kidney stone was removed to feel the pain of small grains of sand still being passed. He said it would go away in a few more weeks. It did!
I don't blame doctors for being afraid of law suits, but letting a patient live with fear for months is beyond the pale.
Rose, I'm so sorry to hear about the agony you and your husband suffered. I'm praying for some healing for your horrible memories, and for your children.
Or she could have been in the 6-8% of people who get TPA and have an intracranial bleed, half of whom die from it. "Clot-buster" therapy is still controversial.
The 27K bill for PT sounds entirely bogus, I'm thinking she must have been in a rehab unit, which is a lot more than just PT. Anyway it's a great article, thanks to Howlin for posting it.
Oops, quidnunc, not Howlin, sorry about that.
Thankyou!
Thankyou. When the first anniversary of his death came along, my, then 7 year old daughter came down the stairs and asked me what we were going to do to celebrate this day. Shocked i asked her did she realise what the day was? She said "Yes, today is the anniversary of when Daddy stopped hurting and went to be with Jesus and God".
She got to see his suffering and pain, but thank the Lord she had a strong Faith, and it healed her. : )
A very good read indeed!
You, and your insurance company...paid for those who don't. Pure and simple.....Those who can pay, either private pay or insurance...pay. And pay they do..!!
ping to remind myself to read the whole thing.
Wow, what an astonishing story. I had no idea FNC's David Asman and his wife went through this. Thanks for the ping, Howlin.
I didn't either and I love this guy!
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