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[Cookie]

Oh, Peter, you got one spunky mom there! That is great. I was so glad to hear she is doing okay. My aunt had Lupus, I lost her years ago, but not to that, thank God. How old is your mother? I don't know much about Lupus, my aunt was very quiet about it. I don't know why.

Where does she want to go, Peter? I want one. I want to go to the Bimini Islands. That would be my choice of a vacation. The beach, the ocean. Or I would love to visit a friend in NZ and see, their black beaches.

I know that one thing after another happening, but, just take it one day at a time, it works. Try not to be discouraged, i know it is hard, but, for her you got to try. I love it, when my sons just spend time with me, instead of their girlfriends, lol. Me, lol.

I got really great new today from my check up with the onc. I was worried I had a bad node in my pelvis, where I never had anything ever wrong, so I was pretty worried. HERE I got a hernia! Imagine that.

I got something normal. I can deal with normal.

 

[Peanut9199]

She is 63 in 2 weeks.
They call Lupus the "The Great Imitator" desease because it looks like a lot of other deseases. The chronic complaints are fever, malaise, joint pains, myalgias, fatigue, and temporary loss of cognitive abilities, so it looks like the flu mixed with arthritis and getting old (hard remebering things).
We booked the cruise on Carnival for Jan 10 and we are going to Southern Caribbean: San Juan, Puerto Rico ; St. Thomas, USVI ; Dominica ; Barbados ; St. Lucia, WI ; Antigua ; St Kitts, WI ; San Juan, Puerto Rico, so 7 islands in 7 days which is good. My dream is Bora Bora and The French Polynesian.

I'm glad your ok it's scary when you don't know whats wrong with you. I know how your son's feel when someone you love is sick and there is really nothing you can do but be there for them.
When my Mom was in the hospital i took off work and stayed with her all day 8:00 am til they kicked me out at 8:00 pm, i just felt better being there and taking care of her because you seem to get better care if you have someone there.

It's funny i used to say if you had a choice between money and health i would pick money because you can always buy good medical, well not anymore i would choose health any day of the week.

Just went to the doctors last night for the results of a Cat scan and now i have to go back for a MRI because they seen a lot of problems with my back and hips, and i'm only 41.

Hopefully it's just herniated discs and maybe arthritis of the hips.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Gary Slusser]

It is surely better what he is spending it on than trying to step in with an open checkbook and fix a problem that has not been solved since 622 A.D. despite all efforts of many govenments...

Really! Just what has the hundreds of billions spent already done for you, me or anyone other than the bankers? What do you believe the trillion plus to be spent this year will do? He has signed us up for more debt than all the presidents combined since 1776, and I guess you see no problem with that... I and many others, more and more everyday do.

IMO the government regs in place now have been driving up the cost of health care tremendously since they started interfering with the free market back in about 1987. Unless you or your family is involved in the operation of a hospital or in nursing, on a supervisory level, the average person has no idea of the costs generated by the paperwork and what procedures will or will not be approved etc. etc. ,and what they will or won't pay with the caps. And now again, the government is going try to take over a huge part of the US economy. Tell me, how are they doing, or how do you think they will do, in handling this very serious financial mess and failed economy and running car companies and banks they've taken over?

IMO the only thing the government does well is the military, when Republicans are in charge, and they aren't too bad with NASA but that's because of all the military personnel in the program.

Many people mistakenly think that because they have been paying insurance premiums for years that that should get them something, and it does, peace of mind for the one year contract duration.

Every year your premium is a bet by you that you or a family member are going to need coverage and the insurance company is betting you won't. Your wager/bet/premium is paid and if you didn't need the coverage, you have to bet again next year, and you are older and maybe in midlife crises and doing stupid stuff that the company is not allowed to take into account.

Would you like to run a business where you didn't actually know your expenses before you set the price of your product, like say a serious flu epidemic, hurricane, flood, fires?

All insurance companies do it every year. And frankly, they are damned good at it. The US has historically had the best health care in the world, which relates to the best standard of living, and why so damned many people want/wanted to move here. And yes, it's a fact of life that if you don't pay, you usually don't get to play. So sacrifice today, get out of debt and do away with the toys, vacations, new vehicles every couple years etc. etc. and save your own money for the future when you are not going to be making much if any and might live to 90, or go without. Life is a series of choices and consequences and the government isn't capable of providing a birth to grave safety net; and should not be attempting to do so.

Or vote for the hollow promises of someone like the current crop of politicians in all forms of our government today and go down in flames when they fail. And especially on the national level where most if not all are career types that will promise anything to get elected and then lie later saying "I didn't know that or I didn't say that, or I can't recall" or "I was misquoted and meant....".

Redwood, if you have employees, have you read anything about this nationalized health care system's requirements of employers if what happens it they don't comply?

 

[Sparty007]

As much as I love the current status of Medical Insureance in the US, the model does need to change drasticlly.

I'm employed, have enough to pay for a decent HMO, and have little problems, it works for me (for now).

Here's the rub. Most people don't pay for the bulk of healthcare, and this removes them from the amazing things going on with costs, and they will very soon get a wake-up-call.

Most American's WITH jobs that offer benefits don't want anything to change because the currently likely only shoulder about 30% max (using fairly large corp's at the benchmark data) of the cost of their premiums in weekly or bi-wekly deductions, and have affordable deductibles and manageable out of pocket max's. So day-to-day your healthcare is good enough and cheap enough for you to not have a huge problem.

Companies on the other hand generally share the other 70+% of the cost, and are quickly realizing that offering health benefits to employees is no longer an automatic option as it was in years past.

Bottom line, I work for a large corporation (in the 6 Billion range), working in HR, and for the first time in my life I have heard mention of short-term benefit projections that are staggering, and when I say staggering I mean it. It is a very real fact that employers out there (if nothing changes) will start to drop healthcare coverage for exployees in the next few years. The variable cost model doesn't work. They'll just give each employee $1,000 and say good luck.

Healthcare in the US works great for you when you pay $300/month for good coverage, just wait until you get to stare at the REAL cost $1500/month for premium, with deductibles in the 1000's and no out of pocket MAX's.

It has to change, not sure government is the right anwser, but it can't be worse than the train coming down the tracks we are all standing on right now.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

As much as I love the current status of Medical Insureance in the US, the model does need to change drasticlly.

I'm employed, have enough to pay for a decent HMO, and have little problems, it works for me (for now).

Here's the rub. Most people don't pay for the bulk of healthcare, and this removes them from the amazing things going on with costs, and they will very soon get a wake-up-call.

Most American's WITH jobs that offer benefits don't want anything to change because the currently likely only shoulder about 30% max (using fairly large corp's at the benchmark data) of the cost of their premiums in weekly or bi-wekly deductions, and have affordable deductibles and manageable out of pocket max's. So day-to-day your healthcare is good enough and cheap enough for you to not have a huge problem.

Companies on the other hand generally share the other 70+% of the cost, and are quickly realizing that offering health benefits to employees is no longer an automatic option as it was in years past.

Bottom line, I work for a large corporation (in the 6 Billion range), working in HR, and for the first time in my life I have heard mention of short-term benefit projections that are staggering, and when I say staggering I mean it. It is a very real fact that employers out there (if nothing changes) will start to drop healthcare coverage for exployees in the next few years. The variable cost model doesn't work. They'll just give each employee $1,000 and say good luck.

Healthcare in the US works great for you when you pay $300/month for good coverage, just wait until you get to stare at the REAL cost $1500/month for premium, with deductibles in the 1000's and no out of pocket MAX's.

It has to change, not sure government is the right anwser, but it can't be worse than the train coming down the tracks we are all standing on right now.

Actually its law (here) that if they have more then 10 employees they have to provide health care coverage

 

[Gary Slusser]

Until the government gets out of the medical businesses, including insurance, the costs can not come down.

The government controls every facet from the invention of something to be sued in the medical fields, to the end user's use of it. As far as insurance companies, the state governments (all 57 or more did HE say?) have control of everything from the features/coverages of each policy to the price charged.

Can anyone imagine a company having to get a policy, which is a contract, approved in each state? And what that alone costs and how long it might take, in years? That is what is done, the process, for each life, home, auto, long term disability, health etc., etc.insurance policy sold by any insurance company in this country.

That's after jumping through many expensive hoops to become an insurance company to start with. And all that is before they can sell anything, or said another way, make a penny. Then once they are in business, there is all kinds of paperwork, inspections, audits etc. etc.. All that expense is reflected in the price of the product, in the form of the premium, or medical device or machine.

And then there are the drug companies. They spend many millions to develop a drug and then go through many years of very expensive testing before they find out if they have a failure or partial success. Partial because at any time after release, the drug may have side effects etc. that causes the government to make the company pull it off the market forever usually, and defend law suits for maybe a couple decades, and then probably pay off claims. No matter how many hundreds of thousands or millions of people may have been helped by the drug, or lives saved or improved, as few as a 100 problems can end it for everyone.

All that expense and the unknown potential future losses directly impacts the price, and the price leads to the industries being called greedy.

Health insurance premiums are reflective of overuse of the health care system. And insureds do not see or know of the costs of health care when they simply submit the doctor's or hospital bill to their insurance company and they are paid. And if the person does see the costs, they do not care! as long as they don't have to pay them. So they use the system for every little sniffle or pain etc. and merrily send the bills off to be paid by someone else. IF they had to pay the bills, they wouldn't be so quick to go sit in a waiting room with a bunch of sick people, or get a prescription for every little thing as many do today.

Well those not caring days are coming to an end because of the government's involvement which raised the costs and then the price, and still does, higher and higher.

And now, we are promised by the same government that we are going to get help because the government is going to take over the industry and reduce costs. uh huh, right, and I'll believe it when I see the costs come down and the quality and availability of heath care remains the same or actually continues to increase as it has for a hundred years.

 

[Cookie]

Until the government gets out of the medical businesses, including insurance, the costs can not come down.



Health insurance premiums are reflective of overuse of the health care system. And insureds do not see or know of the costs of health care when they simply submit the doctor's or hospital bill to their insurance company and they are paid. And if the person does see the costs, they do not care! as long as they don't have to pay them. So they use the system for every little sniffle or pain etc. and merrily send the bills off to be paid by someone else. IF they had to pay the bills, they wouldn't be so quick to go sit in a waiting room with a bunch of sick people, or get a prescription for every little thing as many do today.

downand availability of heath care remains the same or actually continues to increase as it has for a hundred years.

Gary, you need what my oncologist would say, " a new mindset."

 

[Gary Slusser]

Cookie, and maybe not. But I take it you don't agree.

 

[Cookie]

Sheesh, Gary, I think it is important for people to go to the doctor's when they feel something is wrong. You never know.

What is a sniffle to one person, could actually be something far worse. I would never make a judgment on someone like that. It could cost that person their life.

I don't know your health problems, nor do I want to, but, I have a medical background in its entirety would astound you. And, so much of it, Gary, could had been brushed off as nothing. I wouldn't be here to annoy you.

*I am always the person sitting in the oncologists office who looks like they don't belong. It isn't because usually, I am the youngest or one of the youngest, but, I look very healthy. I look like I could win a pageant, which is disturbing to some of my relatives. lol. I have had older people approach me on several occassions sitting in offices or lobby's for scans etc, say to me, " you have no idea what it is like to be sick."

It makes me wonder, if people think I am wasting insurance dollars, lol. So, in essence don't judge a book by its cover.

 

[Gary Slusser]

Cookie, I've really been sad to hear of your problems and I'm glad you went to the doctor when you first thought that something might be wrong. Or now if you think there's something wrong. Had it not been for my wife making an appointment for me, I'd be dead 11 yrs now. I'm also saddened to hear you don't care anything about mine, but that's OK because I don't talk about 'it' and this wasn't supposed to be about you or me anyway.

 

[Speedbump]

OK Guys and Gals, time for a group hug!

Everybody Ready?

 

[Cookie]

Cookie, I've really been sad to hear of your problems and I'm glad you went to the doctor when you first thought that something might be wrong. Or now if you think there's something wrong. Had it not been for my wife making an appointment for me, I'd be dead 11 yrs now. I'm also saddened to hear you don't care anything about mine, but that's OK because I don't talk about 'it' and this wasn't supposed to be about you or me anyway.

Gary, what is your problem with me? You always are rude to me, and I just about had it.

 

[Gary Slusser]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary Slusser View Post
Cookie, I've really been sad to hear of your problems and I'm glad you went to the doctor when you first thought that something might be wrong. Or now if you think there's something wrong. Had it not been for my wife making an appointment for me, I'd be dead 11 yrs now. I'm also saddened to hear you don't care anything about mine, but that's OK because I don't talk about 'it' and this wasn't supposed to be about you or me anyway.[/quote]

Gary, what is your problem with me? You always are rude to me, and I just about had it.

Sorry Cookie, I apologize for anything I said that upset you in any way, that was not my intent.

 

[Cookie]

Dont give it a thought, my relatives shit on me all the time.

 

[Redwood]

I got these in an e-mail today...
All i could think of was sharing them in this thread...