83% of US doctors considering quitting because of Obamacare

[Core Imposter]

I was told by a doctor that new medical technologies are on the horizon that will be able to do extrodardinary things to prolong life and the utility of life. This, he said, presents a terrible ethical problem because the cost would be out of reach of all but the most obscenely rich.

Then he said, "Obviously they want to control who gets these treatments and who doesn't.

I adjusted my tin foil hat to better sense if he was out of his mind.

 

[Askthepizzaguy]

I was told by a doctor that new medical technologies are on the horizon that will be able to do extrodardinary things to prolong life and the utility of life. This, he said, presents a terrible ethical problem because the cost would be out of reach of all but the most obscenely rich.

Did he tell you that a century ago? The poor can't see a doctor unless they're dying as it is, and if they survive, they can't pay squat.

 

[Ailedhoo]

I was told by a doctor that new medical technologies are on the horizon that will be able to do extrodardinary things to prolong life and the utility of life. This, he said, presents a terrible ethical problem because the cost would be out of reach of all but the most obscenely rich.

Then he said, "Obviously they want to control who gets these treatments and who doesn't.

I adjusted my tin foil hat to better sense if he was out of his mind.

Is that a confession of your conspiracy theory "logic?"

 

[BvBPL]

Then he said, "Obviously they want to control who gets these treatments and who doesn't.

Well, yeah. Big Pharma wants to control access to these things to that they can ensure it goes for top dollar.

In many ways, these sorts of drugs already exist. Look at steroids. A commonly available, albeit illegal, drug is available to the rich in the form of customized hormone treatments. Same thing, same result, but as long as anabolic steroids remain illegal, the dudes slinging those customized hormone treatments can keep making money

 

[kochman]

Did he tell you that a century ago? The poor can't see a doctor unless they're dying as it is, and if they survive, they can't pay squat.

Where is this the poor can't see a doctor unless they are dying?

When I worked in NYC, my employees were poor... making $8/hr in the big apple. They got a cold, they went to the emergency room (because they couldn't afford the insurance plans offered by the company), and saw a doctor... for a cold.
They didn't have to pay.

 

[JollyRoger]

Where is this the poor can't see a doctor unless they are dying?

When I worked in NYC, my employees were poor... making $8/hr in the big apple. They got a cold, they went to the emergency room (because they couldn't afford the insurance plans offered by the company), and saw a doctor... for a cold.
They didn't have to pay.

Somebody is paying for that though.

 

[Save_Ferris]

Consider me skeptical. As long as they have good salaries (and, I should add, a job), 83% wouldn't quit if there was a zombie apocalypse.

 

[kochman]

Somebody is paying for that though.

Yes, those with insurance...
A lot of it is written off...
And, of course, debt collectors are pursuing payment from the patient first.

 

[Formaldehyde]

No ER in the US gives free medical care for non-emergency conditions, and even then they have to be an EMTALA participant. That is usually a quite expensive mistake in lieu of going to a low-cost, or even free, clinic like the one in Greenwich Village. But those which are EMTALA-compliant are required to stabilize those who are suffering from emergency conditions with no ability to pay.

But even then, they can still try to bill you for it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Medical_Treatment_and_Active_Labor_Act

Billing of EMTALA mandated treatment

EMTALA does not preclude the hospital from attempting to bill a patient for their care once the emergency care has been delivered[7]. In practice, hospitals may be unable to recover funds from indigent patients, who they are still required to treat. However for patients who can be identified and traced, billing is normal, contrary to common myth. Indeed, hospitals are mostly federally-funded and mostly not-for-profit, both of which stipulate the emphasis on making care accessible to all populations.

 

[kochman]

No ER in the US gives free medical care for non-emergency conditions, and even then they have to be an EMTALA participant. That is usually a quite expensive mistake in lieu of going to a low-cost, or even free, clinic like the one in Greenwich Village. But those which are EMTALA-compliant are required to stabilize those who are suffering from emergency conditions with no ability to pay.

But even then, they can still try to bill you for it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Medical_Treatment_and_Active_Labor_Act

Whatever hospital, it was in Brooklyn, so probably King County General...
I don't know the exact billing in his case, but that's kind of beside the point. PizzaGuy once again made an outrageous claim that poor can't see the doctor unless they are "dying".

Emergency =/= dying... loss of limb or eyesight will definitely get you in.

And, I acknowledged they can try to bill you when I said bill collectors would be the first step...

Anyhow, I wish we'd just go UHC at this point. It's the direction we're headed, and there is an element among us trying to stop it, but all they will do is slow it in the end. It's obnoxious.

 

[JollyRoger]

Yes, those with insurance...
A lot of it is written off...
And, of course, debt collectors are pursuing payment from the patient first.

Thus the mandsate . . .to address the free rider problem.

 

[kochman]

Thus the mandsate . . .to address the free rider problem.

Except, the majority of the free riders are exempt from paying, due to low income.

 

[emzie]

Which is why you should stop this nonsense patchwork approach and just go single payer like medicare is.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Which is why you should stop this nonsense patchwork approach and just go single payer like medicare is.

Thread over.

 

[Askthepizzaguy]

Which is why you should stop this nonsense patchwork approach and just go single payer like medicare is.

That's the point.

I realize, folks, that the guv'mint is big and scary to you, but private companies are not providing for the needs of most people, particularly folks who aren't part of the workforce. It won't change. The free market is not going to fix it.

This is an area, like providing education to kids, where having money or not having money should not exclude you from having a basic necessity. I'm sorry but medical care and education are necessities. Particularly if we're supposedly "the greatest" country.

Most of the economy can be free, and there's no guarantee you get a flat screen television set. But seeing a doctor... this is just stupid that it's not a guarantee.

 

[kramerfan86]

Really, let the US government run everyone's healthcare? They cant effectively fund medicare, the VA system is an utter and complete trainwreck, and medicaid repeatedly cuts pay to doctors. I have no problem with the idea of single payer in basic principle, this isnt some sort of stereotypical conservative "WOOOO FREE MARKET WINS" thing, I just am not particularly interested in the US government attempting one due to their proven track record of utter failure.

 

[Cutlass]

Their alleged record of utter failure is still heads and shoulders better than the private sector does. And large parts of the government doing things poorly cannot be separated from the intent of elected officials to make the government doing things poorly.

 

[kochman]

That's the point.

I realize, folks, that the guv'mint is big and scary to you, but private companies are not providing for the needs of most people, particularly folks who aren't part of the workforce. It won't change. The free market is not going to fix it.

This is an area, like providing education to kids, where having money or not having money should not exclude you from having a basic necessity. I'm sorry but medical care and education are necessities. Particularly if we're supposedly "the greatest" country.

Most of the economy can be free, and there's no guarantee you get a flat screen television set. But seeing a doctor... this is just stupid that it's not a guarantee.

Tell Obama to stop wasting money on pointless wars in the Middle East so we can fund it.

 

[kochman]

Their alleged record of utter failure is still heads and shoulders better than the private sector does. And large parts of the government doing things poorly cannot be separated from the intent of elected officials to make the government doing things poorly.

Nothing more than opinion in your statement of course... with no way to back it up.
Par for the course.

 

[Traitorfish]

Quick, Cutlass, say you find this conversation pointless! You don't have to back up anything you say if you don't feel like it!