From the VOMITORIUM
You thought you heard some weird sh*t during the health reform debate…..just wait it gets better….
This would be tragic if it were not so godd*mn funny…..
First, I will give a little history lesson….on 30 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina kicked the shit out of the Mississippi Gulf Coast…and then during the clean up and repair, on 26 December 2005, I was thrown from a ladder onto concrete and broke my right leg in 5 places….and until recently I have been under the care of Worker’s Comp…after 2 operations and a piece of metal the size of Rhode Island…I still have pain issues and have been under the care of a pain management doctor for about a year…in this past month I have settled with the insurance company and now I am on my own…as far as the medical care goes……I have too much for Medicaid and not old enough for Medicare….and I am a high risk patient to other insurance companies……why? Pre-existing condition…remember that from the past health reform debate?
I tell you a bit of my life to set the stage for this piece of news…..today I went for my appointment with pain management as a private citizen that will be footing the bill on my own dime….I will be paying the doctor and the medication out of my own money….cool right?
After my session with the doctor, I was told that I would need to get some sort of insurance if my doctor was going to continue to treat me…that they do NOT accept self-pay patients. I was aghast! Why I asked? He said that the possibility the an addict would come in pop down the cash and get scripts for drugs was high. I understand that he is trying to protect himself from future lawsuits…but what the Hell? He said to treat me properly he needs to have some other tests run on me, like a psych eval and others, to be sure that I am not some sort of addict or pusher in hiding…….WTF?
Just how f*cked up is American health care when you cannot pay cash for services?
I mean come on….are you trying to tell me that you do not accept cash? Hit it on the head, bubba! So now I must search for an insurance company that will cover me for my medical needs…Good luck with that, Chuq-ie boy!
Er… you could perhaps offer him chickens like that lunatic dame from wherever suggested?
Just a suggestion…
Move to Spain – you wanna pay? NO PROBLEM! Come on IN Senor! Have a seat Senor!
I am thinking seriously about it……about had enough of the total crap this country has become….
In all honesty, this is why I go on about legislation and such. I know it’s not generally the intention, but the fact is that it is the result. INEVITABLY, like day follows night, legislation produces bureaucracy, which produces litigation, which produces legislation… and on and on…
The troubles you are experiencing are the direct result of the litigation culture and that is lawyers making laws that they can then interpret for the bureaucrats and then make more money from in court and so on. It’s the whole SYSTEM that stinks and it does NOTHING for the vast majority of the electorate, but they can’t see it…
Like you, I guess, it pisses me OFF! 👿
As usual you are right as rain…..the doctor explained it as drug addicts dropping down money to get a script…..that protects them from lawsuits….well and good but that helps me NOT…..
The American healthcare system is a joke – an oligopology and all business, pure and simple. I’m so sorry for all that you’ve endured over the past 5 or so years. The current “reform” efforts by our government are just a small step. Not enough is being done and Americans should be outraged – why aren’t ALL of us outraged?
I haven’t had health insurance in over three years, and I can tell you, I’ve been driving slower and taking my vitamins as a result (that’s MY only insurance, lol). I do wish you well, Chuq… I just wish your leg would heal sooner than later…
Thanx……I was shocked to find that cash is of no use in the health system……Do not what I will do about the pain…..got 3 yrs before Medicare will kick in…ought to be a interesting time….be well my friend…..eat well….take your vits….and keep your fingers crossed….that is my plan….