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Random Thought Thread

Big DJ said:
I hate the state of "Healthcare" these days.
We can't get in to see our primary care doc so she sets up a "Telehealth" visit. After an hour of being on hold I just hung up.
I don't feel any better.......
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It’s a joke. My wife made a appointment yesterday for today, they call to try to reschedule today. Then her doctor calls at 2:30 and asks why she isn’t there. “Umm your office called me and rescheduled it because they said you weren’t available now.” 🤦‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

Then, she was supposed to go in this afternoon to get her final crown put on one of her teeth. They call about I shit you not, 10 minutes before she was going to walk out the door, umm someone in the office didn’t send your crown into the lab, we’ve probably known for weeks, but we decided to call you right before your dentist appointment to reschedule. 🤦‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

Excuse my French, but healthcare in this country has become a effing joke after this supposed Pandemic. It’s exactly why I don’t go to the doctor. I just call every 6 months or a year, give me more prescriptions. Someday there doing to tell me I need to come in for a office visit, we’ll see how that goes.

On another note, I’m going fishing tomorrow! Taking my buddies jetsled out to the Skagit looking for Coho! Oh I’m not looking forward to waking up at 3:30AM 😂😂
 
yoko said:
This is the aluminum f350 bed I mentioned before....the repair was at the front of the bed, manager didn't want us to repair so we're not liable

I did throw some color on it to cover the raw aluminum for the owner.... still can't believe a bed shell did this

View attachment 1971138
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"Ford tough"
 
Murphjd25 said:
It’s a joke. My wife made a appointment yesterday for today, they call to try to reschedule today. Then her doctor calls at 2:30 and asks why she isn’t there. “Umm your office called me and rescheduled it because they said you weren’t available now.” 🤦‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

Then, she was supposed to go in this afternoon to get her final crown put on one of her teeth. They call about I shit you not, 10 minutes before she was going to walk out the door, umm someone in the office didn’t send your crown into the lab, we’ve probably known for weeks, but we decided to call you right before your dentist appointment to reschedule. 🤦‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

Excuse my French, but healthcare in this country has become a effing joke after this supposed Pandemic. It’s exactly why I don’t go to the doctor. I just call every 6 months or a year, give me more prescriptions. Someday there doing to tell me I need to come in for a office visit, we’ll see how that goes.

On another note, I’m going fishing tomorrow! Taking my buddies jetsled out to the Skagit looking for Coho! Oh I’m not looking forward to waking up at 3:30AM 😂😂
Click to expand...


For as much as it costs, our health care in this country is tragic
 
Agreed. But on the other hand, my wife is Canadian and I've spent a fair bit of time in Canada. It ain't "free" up there - you just pay for it in other ways (I seriously have to try not to roll my eyes when people talk about "free" healthcare). And the Canadian system certainly has its own issues as well.

I'm really not sure what the best solution is. Maybe something hybrid that offers options between "free market" healthcare (which definitely isn't free market in the U.S.) and universal coverage. I know that in some Canadian provinces, they are now offering programs that you can pay for to increase your coverage and get better health care, shorter wait times for procedures, etc. than what the universal health care offers. But at that point, between what you are paying in taxes, and then what you are paying additionally for 'better' service, it ain't exactly cheap.
 
in Canada, there is no 'pay as you go' option for healthcare, (except for one hernia hospital in Ontario). Our system works because the federal government foots the bill, which brings the prices down, and that's especially important when we're talking about prescription drug pricing. There is no profit motive wrt the federal government, they're supposed to spend tax money on stuff and hopefully those expenses benefit the most for the least. Obviously, that isn't always the case.

It's a tiered system, so the poorest of the poor pay nothing and they're covered by everyone else. The more a person earns, the more tax they pay and a portion of that tax funds our universal system. It's a lot like the USA's socialist VA system, where drug prices are negotiated by the VA and that equals a lower cost for people. Care is provided free to military members. Socializing health care on a federal level in the USA to mirror that approach would have a major positive effect on the health of the population as a whole, but the top wealthiest would see their taxes increase, so it's unlikely it would ever happen since those individuals and corporations seem to run the show down there.

there is an element in Canada which is agitating for a free market system like the USA has, pushing for privatized health care. On the surface, a lot of people might think that's great. In reality, once the wealthiest start buying into that system then everyone that isn't wealthy loses services and coverage. As it stands, wealthy people who want to jump the line end up travelling somewhere else to pay to have their medical issues dealt with by a private system. Not a big problem since the USA has some of the best medical professionals and hospitals in the world, albeit due to that free market model.

I'd rather pay my government in taxes to provide affordable, universal health care, than pay an insurance company whose sole motivation is profit, to negotiate my coverage with a for profit medical care provider. Of course, our system isn't perfect and can always use improvement. But the folks who always talk about improving it seem to be the same people who want to lower taxes, decrease accountability and transparency by offloading public services onto the private sector etc. The people who do improve it, work away in administration and on the front lines to ensure that people are as well taken care of as conditions allow. That's been extra hard during this very real pandemic, and cracks are starting to form everywhere. Usually due to either ignorance or cynicism, but generally a combination of the two.

but that's just my opinion as someone who thinks that adequate health care is a human right. A lot of people disagree with that. Until they find out their insurance won't cover them, they go into debt to pay their medical bills, and lose everything. Unless, of course, they can afford the premium insurance in which case they may not recognize the utter uselessness of their neighbour's suffering.
 
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Nathan the Machinist said:
For as much as it costs, our health care in this country is tragic
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It's corrupt (bi-partisan). The healthcare industry is the 3rd largest lobby in Washington if I remember right.

My last emergency call was for a kidney stone, 1h visit at night, the hospital charged the provider > 20 kUS (MRI + Dr consultation, got some Valium, no surgery).

How-Does-The-U.S%20%281%29.-Healthcare-System-Compare-To-Other-Countries-chart-1-1557387173-L.jpg


And, BTW, no Russians involved :)
 
Lorien said:
in Canada, there is no 'pay as you go' option for healthcare, (except for one hernia hospital in Ontario). Our system works because the federal government foots the bill, which brings the prices down, and that's especially important when we're talking about prescription drug pricing. There is no profit motive wrt the federal government, they're supposed to spend tax money on stuff and hopefully those expenses benefit the most for the least. Obviously, that isn't always the case.

It's a tiered system, so the poorest of the poor pay nothing and they're covered by everyone else. The more a person earns, the more tax they pay and a portion of that tax funds our universal system. It's a lot like the USA's socialist VA system, where drug prices are negotiated by the VA and that equals a lower cost for people. Care is provided free to military members. Socializing health care on a federal level in the USA to mirror that approach would have a major positive effect on the health of the population as a whole, but the top wealthiest would see their taxes increase, so it's unlikely it would ever happen since those individuals and corporations seem to run the show down there.

there is an element in Canada which is agitating for a free market system like the USA has, pushing for privatized health care. On the surface, a lot of people might think that's great. In reality, once the wealthiest start buying into that system then everyone that isn't wealthy loses services and coverage. As it stands, wealthy people who want to jump the line end up travelling somewhere else to pay to have their medical issues dealt with by a private system. Not a big problem since the USA has some of the best medical professionals and hospitals in the world, albeit due to that free market model.

I'd rather pay my government in taxes to provide affordable, universal health care, than pay an insurance company whose sole motivation is profit, to negotiate my coverage with a for profit medical care provider. Of course, our system isn't perfect and can always use improvement. But the folks who always talk about improving it seem to be the same people who want to lower taxes, decrease accountability and transparency by offloading public services onto the private sector etc. The people who do improve it, work away in administration and on the front lines to ensure that people are as well taken care of as conditions allow. That's been extra hard during this very real pandemic, and cracks are starting to form everywhere. Usually due to either ignorance or cynicism, but generally a combination of the two.

but that's just my opinion as someone who thinks that adequate health care is a human right. A lot of people disagree with that. Until they find out their insurance won't cover them, they go into debt to pay their medical bills, and lose everything. Unless, of course, they can afford the premium insurance in which case they may not recognize the utter uselessness of their neighbour's suffering.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your perspective, Lorien Lorien . :thumbsup:
 
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Lorien:

It is also much cheaper to have a set number of medications allowed instead of the smorgasbord that is available to be prescribed. Just like with the military and Native hospitals here- easy to reduce the allowed medications to decrease costs.

Many Canadian’s cross into the US for procedure’s either not covered or very long waits in Canada. I worked in MT and my ex wife is an RN from Canada.

When doctor’s charge $400 for a 10 min visit (telehealth), or $2000 for a 15” procedure, I really find it insane. When I became a provider, you had to thoroughly document exams to meet criteria to meet a higher level of charging. Nowadays it seems to be irrelevant. I don’t think we should have to pay 40-50% of our income to taxes in order to provide healthcare, but there has got to be a better way than how we are doing it now. I am glad to be out of it now.

Don’t get sick or hurt, and try to do ‘preventive maintenance’!
Stay safe!
 
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