When I had appendicitis as a child, I only wanted my appendix removed because it proved inconvenient. It’s not like there was any harm in letting the thing dangle there.
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The Medical Thread: We're experts on everything else; why not?
- Thread starter The Sicatoka
- Start date
When I had appendicitis as a child, I only wanted my appendix removed because it proved inconvenient. It’s not like there was any harm in letting the thing dangle there.
I didn't initially see your question.
Personally I'd see that those who really aren't capable of paying for their own medical care are covered. Children, for instance, or special needs individuals. People like that. Then, a safety net of coverage for those who might be in a more financially precarious position, like the elderly. So, in general, I support the medicare and medicaid programs as our socialized care.
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
So, like, the poor?
Jimjamesak
Already insane, UAA making it worse
Given the costs of health care, 90% of the country?
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
That just tells me we need wealth redistribution.
No, not necessarily.
Healthcare is too expensive because of the system we created for it. It's paid for, in substantial part, by third parties. Through a combination of marketing and fear we have created a system of over-treatment. And we have, through the bureaucracy of the system of payments and reporting, imposed upon healthcare providers the need to have a bloated support staff.
RaceBoarder
Waiting for the Snow to fly...
This is the main problem.
Why is it that when a procedure is done bills will show the procedure as costing $5000, but insurance gets a $3400 discount and pays $1600. It's BS. Two very different prices for the EXACT same thing.
The "over-treatment" is, by and large, a requirement by the payers. A huge percentage of hospital overhead is spent on administrative work, ensuring treatment is deemed appropriate to avoid risking claim denials. Ask a clinical case manager how much of their time is spent going between doctor and insurance company to convince the insurance company to pay for a necessary treatment?
Probably about 10 years ago or so I was having dinner at an event with a family practice doctor who is part of the Mayo Clinic system here in Minnesota. As we were talking and I learned more about his background, he told me how when he got out of medical school a number of years before with his wife (also a family practice doctor), the two of them joined with two classmates to form a small family practice clinic, something they had always wanted to do, sort of a "be your own boss" thing. He said he loved it, and he'd go back to those days in a heartbeat if he could.
I asked him why he and his wife left. He said that at the time they formed the clinic, they could operate with 2.5 back of the house employees per doctor, filling out claim forms, etc... Within about 5 or 6 years they were up to something like 7 back of the house people per doctor. It simply wasn't economically feasible.
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
Ah. Forgot they were poor by choice.
Thanks for the calcification*, Judge Smails.
( *auto correct for "clarification," but checks)
The Sicatoka
Kicizapi Cetan
100% agree.
Eye and oral health are "canaries in the coal mine" of overall health. Those should be part of general wellness exams and covered under base health insurance (and my optometrist relatives will now remove me from their Christmas card lists).
The Sicatoka
Kicizapi Cetan
Another aspect of "over-treatment"? Lawsuits. Sorry to offend the barrister-ilk that may be reading this, but many tests and procedures are CYA moves by the physician ... just in case.
We have this strange belief that medicine can fix anything. (Spoiler: No, it can't.)
Recently I was told of a friend-of-a-friend who wanted to have children but was 400+ pounds. Against advice (from three different physicians) she had gastric bypass. It went bad, as in feeding tube for rest of life, bad. She committed suicide. Her family is in the process of suing the physicians who performed the procedure (again, against medical advice). So the physicians' malpractice costs will go up. And that will also be passed along.
leswp1
New member
WHen I first started "over-treatment' was something certain amoral providers did. By the time I left I was forced to 'over-treat' multiple patients daily to meet insurance measures.
A few pages back there was a comment about single payer- All for it. There are multiple countries with models providing single payer with ability to get optional coverage. Posting this will almost always get a response saying but, but in Canada they have to wait... Yup. You might. If you eat well your gall bladder might not be an emergency. You will have to watch what you eat instead of ripping it out. But if you need an emergent treatment it will not leave you in massive debt and you will get treatment. If you have a test ordered and booked you will not be turned away because you can't pay, even when it is approved. yaddah yaddah yaddah.
I do not anticipate this will change anytime soon. We have an entire generation of medical staff, all levels, who have been brought up being taught to practice insurance, basing decisions on what they are allowed to do, not thinking of what the optimal treatment is or what the best choice is for the patient.
A few pages back there was a comment about single payer- All for it. There are multiple countries with models providing single payer with ability to get optional coverage. Posting this will almost always get a response saying but, but in Canada they have to wait... Yup. You might. If you eat well your gall bladder might not be an emergency. You will have to watch what you eat instead of ripping it out. But if you need an emergent treatment it will not leave you in massive debt and you will get treatment. If you have a test ordered and booked you will not be turned away because you can't pay, even when it is approved. yaddah yaddah yaddah.
I do not anticipate this will change anytime soon. We have an entire generation of medical staff, all levels, who have been brought up being taught to practice insurance, basing decisions on what they are allowed to do, not thinking of what the optimal treatment is or what the best choice is for the patient.
MissThundercat
Are the cis okay?
Question: I woke up this morning feeling very sleepy from one of my meds and sweating without running a fever. After lunch at work, I felt better, but is there a way I can break through that malaise sooner?
busterman62
I got a pocket full of kryptonite
Can your med be taken at bedtime?
MissThundercat
Are the cis okay?
I took it at bedtime. But when it was time to wake up at 4 AM, I was still tired.
busterman62
I got a pocket full of kryptonite
If adjusting the dosing schedule won't allow you to time the major portion of the fatigue while you are in bed (and since you were still very fatigued until lunch, I'm not sure you will be able to) your options are usually limited. You can try changing Rx if possible or hope the SE wear off or you develop a tolerance. Sorry for not being much help but, as the phrase says, it is what it is.
MissThundercat
Are the cis okay?
As for my mental health, I'm managing for the most part, but on days the depression, anxiety, bipolar, ADHD, and dysphoria all pile on: best thing to do is go home, take my shoes off, and take a3 hour long nap.
The Sicatoka
Kicizapi Cetan
Are you sure you don't have a base sleep disorder?
Waking up tired and afternoon naps just to function are sleep apnea red flags.
My pulmonologist* tells me her most severe apnea patient is ... a 5'3", 108 pound, female marathon runner! Yeah, there's a "prime apnea demographic" (males with 18" or greater shirt collar) but it hits everyone.
*I'm a CPAP, actually BiPAP, user; greatest machine in the world. I've had the 18" neck since competitive hockey (no matter what I weigh) and I come from a long line of snorers.
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