Impeding changes to our Health Care system

[classicman]

OK - I'll give you all some perspective.
3 weeks in shock trauma well over $1,000,000.
$20,000 is almost not worth having. Heck most auto insurance policies have at least $5,000 on them.

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Damm right. Hell, my one day ER visit and a follow on 3 day ICU admission smoked through 20K.

Originally Posted by classicman

OK - I'll give you all some perspective.
3 weeks in shock trauma well over $1,000,000.
$20,000 is almost not worth having. Heck most auto insurance policies have at least $5,000 on them.

Dang guys, can you imagine where you'd be if you DIDN'T have insurance?

Fucked, that's where.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Dang guys, can you imagine where you'd be if you DIDN'T have insurance?

Actually the hospital eats the bill and then overcharges the rest of us, that is why the bills are so high.

One of the biggest losers in capturing $$ is from trauma care. Our state just voted in a $10 tag fee just to feed into the care of trauma patients.

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Actually the hospital eats the bill and then overcharges the rest of us, that is why the bills are so high.

One of the biggest losers in capturing $$ is from trauma care. Our state just voted in a $10 tag fee just to feed into the care of trauma patients.

Dang guys, can you imagine where you'd be if you DIDN'T have insurance?

Fucked, that's where.

[Lamplighter]

I assume everyone complaining about the $ of trauma care is also in favor of capitalism for physicians and dentists.
That is, state-supported medical schools train med and dental students at a cost much higher than the tuition they pay,
so they can go into private practice to earn what ever the traffic will bear.
That's the capitalism part of it.

Did you know that private-practice dentists do not participate
in the trauma emergency response system... at least here in Oregon.
That's the dichotomy part of it.

Now for trauma care, we get to have a neuro-surgeon, an anesthesiologist, a full ER nursing staff,
a trained Trauma Coordinator, and their support staff either working or on-call 24/7.
We also have a emergency response team (Fire Dept ambulance) staffed with EMT's on 24/7 and a private ambulance (for transportation to the ER) to respond to the 911 calls.
That's the socialism part of it.

Did you know that private (non-specialized) physicians who are on-call (not working)
for the Central Oregon Trauma Center gets $1,000 per night, regardless of whether there is a call-in or not.
If there is a call-in (or even a phone consultation) the physician is then on his own (capitalism) clock
to be paid whatever is his "current and customary" rate will bear.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Did you know that private (non-specialized) physicians who are on-call (not working)
for the Central Oregon Trauma Center gets $1,000 per night, regardless of whether there is a call-in or not.
If there is a call-in (or even a phone consultation) the physician is then on his own (capitalism) clock
to be paid whatever is his "current and customary" rate will bear.

So what's the problem? That is how the system is set up in most places, but most places do not pay the on-call doc anything, they are just on Trauma Call and get only what they can get from the people who have insurance, the rest of the treatment they give is free. They call it Charity Call in a lot of places, and it is a condition of being a participating doc on staff and having admitting privileges for their regular patients. They have no choice but to participate. Some hospitals have docs who are employees, but that is not really the norm, and they may get paid something for call.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Dang guys, can you imagine where you'd be if you DIDN'T have insurance?
Fucked, that's where.

Yep I gots me some great insurance...Guess what?
I'm fucked anyway.