RE: [Futurework] RE: End of a dream?

[Cordell, Arthur: ECOM]

So what you are saying is that all US citizens should factor in a health care provider and pay the monthly charge as part of the monthly budget.  Further that those who are "in trouble" have not done so.   But Harry what about those who were offered health plans as part of their employment and when the job was terminated and so was the health plan.  Seems a bit of a problem, especially if there is a pre-existing health issue which was OK with the previous plan (now terminated) but will only be OK with the new one---but at a price.    So should people just sign up for health care in the US regardless of whether it is offered as part of the job, since when the job is over the need for health care goes on.   arthur -----Original Message----- From: Harry Pollard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 4:02 AM To: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM; 'Ed Weick'; futurework@fes.uwaterloo.ca Subject: RE: [Futurework] RE: End of a dream? Arthur,   That’s interesting isn’t it?   The patient went in for treatment, but they didn’t like the results of the tests so they hauled him in. They immediately put him on an antibiotic IV and gave him the full battery of tests. He had a kidney infection so they attached the right kidney to a bag.   The bagful of prescriptions he took away with him were free.   It is certainly available to all.   If you come in off the street, you are triaged. If you have a minor injury, or if emergency treatment won’t help, you are likely to wait for hours. Those who have real problems and can benefit from treatment are seen first. If you have a fever (and one or two other symptoms I’ve forgotten) you are  told to see the nurse immediately.   As I’ve mentioned before, more than 75% of the people coming for treatment are Hispanics. There are not a lot of blacks. The rest are whites. However, some of those I count as white are probably light-skinned Hispanics. My other observation is how few read while they are waiting – sometimes for 2-3 hours.   The “illegal Hispanics” flooding the emergency rooms are choice fodder for the anti-(insert your choice).   You’ll recall the Classical Business Cycle argument. Rising speculative land prices create an unstable economic system. Yet, everything appears to be booming. Any event may then be the trigger to push us over the edge.   The triggers have been endlessly pawed over as if they are responsible for the crash, but they aren’t.   This argument is, I think, analogous to those bankrupted by medical costs. These people are already in trouble and the onset of a severe medical problem is the trigger that sends them over the edge.   As I said earlier, apartments in Tujunga – not a high rent area – cost from $800 to $1,000 a month for not much. Why not say medical costs are easy to pay – the problem is the $12,000 a year for a small apartment?   I found the Kaiser Hospital system – that’s the one I’m in – cost $299 a month for a single patient. Can’t remember how much for a family.  When my family arrived in Canada and later in Southern California, the first thing I did was to insure their health. That was a priority, before movie visits, or going to Vegas, or anything else.   People who are trying to save the world don’t get a lot of pay, but I managed.   Medical cost is like lawyer cost – the rich can afford it, the poor get it free, those in the middle may have to go without.   I heard a 68 year old man on radio last week whining that he could not afford medical care. Yet, with social security comes Medicare. They take about $80 a month out of SS for Medicare. Then you pay a small amount to your local insurer. Kaiser costs nothing and indeed they pay $15 a month toward the Medicare cost.   (I suspect that will change next year when the new Medicare “reforms” are instituted.)   Largest problem is prescription drug cost. Except for some special deals they have made, Kaiser will no longer pay for the ones that cannot be “genericked”. Their cost is a killer to an HMO. However, they have a collateral of (I think) $4000-5000. At that point they begin to pay.   Bush’s foremost criterion is that the drug companies will not lower prices. His new idea is to keep prices high – but the taxpayer will pay. Bloody nonsense – their right to copyright and patent should be removed. Also, there should be free trade for drugs – and of course everything else.   When the Demos get back to power we’ll see if they hit the drug companies hard – or take their money. I suspect the latter.   Overall, there is little reason for most people in the US to go without medical care when they need it.   Harry   ******************************* Henry George School of Social Science of Los Angeles Box 655  Tujunga  CA 91042 818 352-4141 *******************************   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Cordell, Arthur: ECOM Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2005 3:12 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Ed Weick; futurework@fes.uwaterloo.ca Subject: RE: [Futurework] RE: End of a dream? Harry said,   In our county system, which is where people go who have no health insurance, a patient in trouble was admitted one evening and given an antibiotic IV. Next morning, he had the works - Cat scan, Ultrasound, MRI, and X-Ray to begin his treatment  - and an operation.   Arthur asks,   Does this only apply to emergencies? If not, if this is available to all, then why is lack of health care insurance the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US?    ------------------------------------     Arthur,   As always, Ed's little essay was excellent.   But don't be despondent about the "dream".   As I have mentioned before, all health services are subject to rationing and perhaps a triage system.   When the British NHS began, in an excess of socialist enthusiasm, it even supplied wigs - beg pardon toupees - to the citizens.   Under any system, the demands are always going to exceed supply. If by law they are required to satisfy every demand - trouble will began.   With regard to Ed's remark about the long wait for specialists, the Brits made specialization a high paying job. This produced a large number of specialists but probably (still) long lines at the GPs.   In our county system, which is where people go who have no health insurance, a patient in trouble was admitted one evening and given an antibiotic IV. Next morning, he had the works - Cat scan, Ultrasound, MRI, and X-Ray to begin his treatment  - and an operation.   Cost?   Nothing.   Yet, we don't have a Canadian or British Health system.   When he was released several days later, he was given a large bag of prescriptions and several appointment dates.   Now, if you are out on the Canadian prairies, or in the middle of our deserts, I can imagine treatment being less available. Also, I'm sure in the depths of our urban ghettos, hospitals overburdened with knife and gun shot emergencies are unable to give such immediate and costly treatment.   However, it can be found in the US.   Harry   ******************************** Henry George School of Social Science of Los Angeles Box 655  Tujunga  CA 91042 818 352-4141 ********************************

_______________________________________________
Futurework mailing list
Futurework@fes.uwaterloo.ca
http://fes.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework