Stupid freakin' blasted insurance companies! (a major rant)

[lizaanne]

We have a very good friend of ours who has an 80 year old father. His father was admitted to the hospital last Friday for pneumonia. He was so horribly weak he could not stand up and we had to call 911 to get him to the hospital.

They released him from the hospital today. Apparently his insurance will not cover rehab, only under very specific circumstances.

I’m sorry - but you don’t recover from pneumonia, at 80 years old, IN SIX DAYS!!! I am so blasted angry about this I can’t stand it.

When are we going to realize that there is a serious problem in this country with our health care system and do something about it!!?? And I do NOT mean socialized health care, I think that is a mistake. I don’t know exactly what the solution is, but kicking an 80 year old man out of the hospital six days after a diagnosis of pneumonia, is just insane!!


~Liza - can’t use enough of these right now

 

[ribozyme]

We have a very good friend of ours who has an 80 year old father. His father was admitted to the hospital last Friday for pneumonia. He was so horribly weak he could not stand up and we had to call 911 to get him to the hospital.

They released him from the hospital today. Apparently his insurance will not cover rehab, only under very specific circumstances.

I’m sorry - but you don’t recover from pneumonia, at 80 years old, IN SIX DAYS!!! I am so blasted angry about this I can’t stand it.

When are we going to realize that there is a serious problem in this country with our health care system and do something about it!!?? And I do NOT mean socialized health care, I think that is a mistake. I don’t know exactly what the solution is, but kicking an 80 year old man out of the hospital six days after a diagnosis of pneumonia, is just insane!!


~Liza - can’t use enough of these right now

How will the “free market” serve the weak (i.e. those without money) of society? So what’s your suggestion since you are averse to any form of “socialism?” You do need some redistributive mechanism to support the needs of those who cannot support themselves. I do not trust charity to do it since most people are NOT very charitable.

 

[mschrank]

Uh huh… now watch as (right-wing) cafeteria Catholics come on here and defend the insurance companies.

 

[Sheeniac]

I agree - how terribly unfair. But since someone called for a right-winger, I thought I would show up.

Unfortunately, such injustices occur in all systems, not just our muddled (not free market, but not socialized) system. This is a system that saves lives too. No system can cover everything. NONE.

I too can empathize with insurance coverage. My migraine meds are not covered fully. These pills are almost $30 each, and my ins covers 4 a month. 1 pill may or may not help.

To take a step back, he may be healthier being out of the hospital sooner, what with MRSA on the increase.

 

[Sheeniac]

Uh huh… now watch as (right-wing) cafeteria Catholics come on here and defend the insurance companies.

I’m a right winger, and do not consider myself a cafeteria Catholic. We can disagree on the solutions to various problems while still both being faithful to the Church.

 

[mschrank]

I shouldn’t say cafeteria Catholics, but, I really wish people would have a bit more empathy some times rather than refer to dead 18th century philosophers and their parsimonious maxims.

 

[Enoch]

Nowhere in the US Constitution does it state that social welfare is the job of the government. Because at the time it was written, social welfare (caring for the sick and the poor) was the job of the Church!

Unfortunately, we (the Body of Christ) are failing at this, because we seem to be more concerned with making our next Lexus payment than helping those in need. We make $100,000 a year and drop $1 in the offering basket.

Therefore, since we have failed to do our duty as Christians the government has decided to use it as an opportunity to raise our taxes an impose more on our lives.

If we want to know who to blame for BIG Insurance companies and BIG Government we need not go any further than the nearest mirror.

BTW… This is coming from one of your so-called “right-winged cafeteria Catholics” who spent 10 years working for those BIG nasty insurance companies

 

[ribozyme]

Nowhere in the US Constitution does it state that social welfare is the job of the government. Because at the time it was written, social welfare (caring for the sick and the poor) was the job of the Church!

Unfortunately, we (the Body of Christ) are failing at this, because we seem to be more concerned with making our next Lexus payment than helping those in need. We make $100,000 a year and drop $1 in the offering basket.

Therefore, since we have failed to do our duty as Christians the government has decided to use it as an opportunity to raise our taxes an impose more on our lives.

If we want to know who to blame for BIG Insurance companies and BIG Government we need not go any further than the nearest mirror.

BTW… This is coming from one of your so-called “right-winged cafeteria Catholics” who spent 10 years working for those BIG nasty insurance companies

Exactly why I do not believe the insistence on charity will solve anything. It does not seem to a pragmatic solution considering human nature. You can cite the magnanimous deeds of six sigma people such as Dorothy Day, but you have to remember that she is a “six sigma person.” I do not expect the majority to emulate a “six sigma person.”

Edit:

Maybe Day is four-five sigma… six sigma is extremely rare and hyperbole. But I hope you do receive the point I meant to convey.

 

[mschrank]

No offense, but the Constitution is a secular document with no eternal value whatsoever.

Why to people keep referring to it like it is part of the Catechism or Holy Scripture?

I agree with Ribozyme (shock!).

 

[Sheeniac]

I shouldn’t say cafeteria Catholics, but, I really wish people would have a bit more empathy some times rather than refer to dead 18th century philosophers and their parsimonious maxims.

And I am a nitpicker, so in turn I formally retract the nit. Or perhaps I am returning it to its original place.

One could take the other view - and I will put it harshly: I wish that those who are driven by emotion stop whining and crying about life being unfair. **Yep - it’s still possible to reword things and come across insulting, isn’t it? ** (My apologies to the OP for taking this thread off-topic a bit.)

We quote - you quote - it’s all shorthand for what we believe. How many times can we calmly restate our philosophy?

 

[Sheeniac]

Exactly why I do not believe the insistence on charity will solve anything. It does not seem to a pragmatic solution considering human nature. You can cite the magnanimous deeds of six sigma people such as Dorothy Day, but you have to remember that she is a “six sigma person.” I do not expect the majority to emulate a “six sigma person.”

No - but I expect Christians to emulate Christ.

 

[ALLFORHIM]

We have a very good friend of ours who has an 80 year old father. His father was admitted to the hospital last Friday for pneumonia. He was so horribly weak he could not stand up and we had to call 911 to get him to the hospital.

They released him from the hospital today. Apparently his insurance will not cover rehab, only under very specific circumstances.

I’m sorry - but you don’t recover from pneumonia, at 80 years old, IN SIX DAYS!!! I am so blasted angry about this I can’t stand it.

When are we going to realize that there is a serious problem in this country with our health care system and do something about it!!?? And I do NOT mean socialized health care, I think that is a mistake. I don’t know exactly what the solution is, but kicking an 80 year old man out of the hospital six days after a diagnosis of pneumonia, is just insane!!


~Liza - can’t use enough of these right now

I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH MY INS. CO.

Im not eighty but I had to stop physical therapy, today, until they decide if they are going to pay for it.

I think your situation is despicable(SP?)

The problem really probably starts with pharmacuetical companies and medical supply co. wanting to line their pockets with as much cash as possible. Therefore overcharging.

All of this ins. stuff comes down to greed. Since our gov. cant patrol morality–they need to somehow crackdown on the CEO’s. I dont really have a clue as how to do this.

I guess we have to pray that God intervenes with these greedy ceo’s and make them see the err of their ways.

 

[ribozyme]

Maybe Day is four-five sigma… six sigma is extremely rare and hyperbole. But I hope you do receive the point I meant to convey.

 

[Sheeniac]

No offense, but the Constitution is a secular document with no eternal value whatsoever.

Why to people keep referring to it like it is part of the Catechism or Holy Scripture?

I agree with Ribozyme (shock!).

Because you are advocating that the government, created by this secular document, muscle in on the duty and responsibility of Christians.

Political solutions in a political environment will sometimes refer back to the political documents and guidelines involved.

There’s a separation of State and Society still, isn’t there?

 

[mschrank]

No - but I expect Christians to emulate Christ.

The thing is Sheeniac, it just doesn’t happen. In theory, Communism would work- but people aren’t good enough, and the whole thing breaks down.

If everyone would be like Christ, heck, we’d have no need for the police, the military, lawyers, everything would just run perfectly.

It’s just not reality. I’m not sure how a conservative can condemn communism as being unrealistic, then insist that we should have a system based on everyone being good and Christlike.

 

[Sheeniac]

Maybe Day is four-five sigma… six sigma is extremely rare and hyperbole. But I hope you do receive the point I meant to convey.

I don’t frequent these forums as much as I used to, but now I recall when you first came around. I interacted with you a bit. Now I remember that we spoke different languages, and I think even exist on different planets.

Best wishes to you, rib, but our conversation is done…

 

[Enoch]

Exactly why I do not believe the insistence on charity will solve anything. It does not seem to a pragmatic solution considering human nature. You can cite the magnanimous deeds of six sigma people such as Dorothy Day, but you have to remember that she is a “six sigma person.” I do not expect the majority to emulate a “six sigma person.”

I do not support socialized medicine. If you think the insurance companies are rigid, heartless, and full of red tape, just try the Government on for size.

My family is from Canada and I’ve witnessed the horrors of socialized medicine first hand. I almost lost an aunt and DID loose a cousin because of the Canadian system. Sent him home too early just like lizanne’s father and he dropped dead from internal bleeding at age 40. So don’t think for one second that the government is the answer to this. The body count is high enough.

None of my relatives in Canada have anything good to say about socialized medicine. Over half of your paycheck goes to the government to pay for it and you drop dead at age 40.

Believe me you don’t want to go there. I’ll take the blasted freakin’ insurance companies any day.

 

[Sheeniac]

The thing is Sheeniac, it just doesn’t happen. In theory, Communism would work- but people aren’t good enough, and the whole thing breaks down.

If everyone would be like Christ, heck, we’d have no need for the police, the military, lawyers, everything would just run perfectly.

It’s just not reality. I’m not sure how a conservative can condemn communism as being unrealistic, then insist that we should have a system based on everyone being good and Christlike.

My apologies, I was replying to the competely unChristian post by ribo. My point was a counterpoint against its “point”, and not really germane to the conversation.

I wouldn’t disagree with you in general, except that Communism and Christianity aren’t even on the same plane. One is spiritual, and of God, and the other is an economic approach (based on a complete and forced change of human nature).

 

[ribozyme]

I don’t frequent these forums as much as I used to, but now I recall when you first came around. I interacted with you a bit. Now I remember that we spoke different languages, and I think even exist on different planets.

Best wishes to you, rib, but our conversation is done…

It is a reference to the extreme tails of the normal distribution. Such a person is quite extraordinary by definition.

 

[CentralFLJames]

There is a dirty little secret that the Democrats and all those in favor of large social spending programs don’t want you knowing. The secret? We already have free health care for the indigent and poor. Doctors and hospital administrators all over the country complain about it but right now if you have no insurance and no money and are ill all you need to do is get somone to drop you off in the emergency room of the local hospital. It is against the law to turn away medical care for those in an emergency situation and needing care.

I learned this first hand when I had a bad wound in my foot from an accident with a sting-ray while fishing in the local river. Since my brother wanted to continue fishing I talked my sister in law into driving me to the emergency room where I stood there bleeding all over the place as I filled out a clipboard full of paperwork - even with full insurance (a seperate complaint of mine). I finally was treated and hobbled down the corridor to check out and arrange for final invoicing and deductible and co-pays. The clerk asked me if it was an insurance claim or an indigent claim (I guess I probably looked like hell from sunburn and bloody clothes). Being curious I asked her if I was indigent would it cost less? And she told me it would be free. Then it finally hit me that all of us who are buying insurance are ALREADY underwriting the indigent and working poor who have no health insurance with higher rates. So I shrugged, tossed her my insurance card and learned something.

*When doctors talk about “fixing insurance” they are talking about getting rid of the paperwork and getting rid of the freeloaders who do not pay them one penny of their regular rates or their special insurance adjusted rate. *So be careful what you ask for when one asks for insurance for all - since they allready have it and will likely get less than they already get if government gets involved.

James