kbordson

Schrodinger's Or were you implying that there is NO cat.

New York Times Monday, July 20, 2009 Compiled 2 AM E.T. The money is not there. Government does NOT want to pay. THE PEOPLE either 1. Need to be self responsible 2. CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE GOVERNMENT I can personally take care of 1. I don't think any one is bold enough to do 2.... not even the current President that ran on a platform of "change."

I don't have your problems but then I don't get you paycheck either.

Right now... I'm doing quite well. (now that I'm no longer on call) But it was a long weekend of taking care of other peoples problems - 4am phone call with "my joints ache", drama with impatient baby daddy's, emergency surgeries, precipitous deliveries (babies falling out) . . . . lots of problems that needed to be dealt with. But now, it's your time, so I was just wondering, WTF is YOUR problem?

I'm blaming the babel fish.

Thank you for adding your perspective. But even with what you're describing, I am still VERY CONCERNED with the direction this is going. Here in Kansas City, we have random sobriety checkpoints where EVERY CAR IS STOPPED and EVERY DRIVER is questioned. I've been stopped on my way to deliveries, in my white coat, on the way to the hospital... (luckily I still made it there on time even with the 15min delay) But my concern is... could this forced blood draw be incorporated into the random sobriety checkpoint? It's easy to be naive and call anyone that questions it "paranoid" but HONESTLY... could this forced blood draw be incorporated into the random sobriety checkpoints?! Maybe not today... but lets say 5yrs or 10yrs, when you might not need a vial anymore, when you might just need a drop. Technology is advancing and if it gets easier to check BAC with just a finger stick, is it going to be required to have your finger stuck to "prove" that you're innocent in the checkpoints? Where is the "innocent until proven guilty"?

Nice respect for others opinions. Seems more like an arrogant bully saying "YOU HAD BETTER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY, AND GET USED TO IT." For eight years under the chimp, I had to listen to smug conservatives grinning at me and telling me to "get used to it". They don't like it when the shoe is on the other foot, and suddenly I have to care about their poor little hurt opinions. For eight years, they had full control of the legislative, executive and judicial branch. Did they care about my opinions ? Did they fuck. Well, the left is in control now. You've had your turn. For the next four years, and probably even the next eight, sit back and enjoy the ride. This socialist sure is. You're going to get health care in one form or another, so you might as well get your money's worth. As for the NHS shortage of dentists. Buggered if I know skippy. I've lived in the USA for the last 20 odd years. I've been a voting citizen here since 2001. Ya know... whether it's "them" or "you".... being an arrogant bully isn't right EITHER WAY. And the argument "but they did it too" didn't work in kindergarten and shouldn't work now.

Seriously? Damn. When my wife went into labor, she headed to the hospital armed with a stack of printouts from the NIH and a couple textbooks, so she could argue with her OB if he didn't want to let her go home after 24 hours (it's the hospital's policy to keep a mother for 48 hours after delivery). Seriously. But... in their defense, if the baby is not being discharge (jaundice, blood sugars...) they don't want to leave. But... they don't HAVE to. The hospital allows one parent to sleep in the NICU room of the infant AND there are boarding room that they can rent for $35, but it doesn't stop them from wanting to stay in the hospital room and just let the bill build.

I disagree with that statement. It's a matter of fact, not a matter of opinion. Disagree all you want, but it won't change the fact. It's a LONG stretch to argue that promote the general welfare means that the founding fathers wanted free health care for everyone.

You do realize those are two different words right? Yep. Promote has a broader definition, an can encompass provide. I disagree with that statement.

From my perspective: I worked quite hard to get an education. I got a HUGE stack of personal loans to go to medical school. I spent 4 years in residency (even before the federal work hour restictions). And now... "Everybody should get it for free." When the cry comes out like that... it comes across to me as "Karen, just do it for free." (which I kind of do with Medicaid. . . and I definitely do on my medical missions - but I personally make the choice to go on those) Also, I think parallels - Food... food is important. Everyone should get food for free (which we kind of do with WIC) And I'm sure the farmers hear "Just plow that field for me for free" And the answer comes back, "but we don't mean that you have to work for free..." but who will be paying me? The government? Lets look at that bankroll... it's going to go broke. So others say... "we pay XXXX for the military, why can't we...." BECAUSE IT'S THE GOVERNMENT. DUH! And... when you're not paying for it or having a vested interest in conserving cost, you REALLY DO NOT CARE about abuse of the system. TRUST ME ON THAT. At least once a week, I have to "kick out" a patient that doesn't NEED to be an inpatient in on post partum when the baby has to stay in the NICU. And often I hear - "But it's not MY money." Or they want an extra ultra sound to look at the sex of the baby again... and I have to tell them that I don't have a MEDICAL indication and I will not commit medicaid fraud for the sake of them knowing boy/girl. This is something that I VERY COMMONLY deal with.

For every single "bad cop" out there, there are thousands of police officers trying their absolute best to do their best to serve their community. I'm not disputing that. But the more extra-judicial authority we give to the good guys, the more chance that one bad guy has to abuse it. And that, in a nutshell, is why we need search warrants and court orders. That's my point. I'm not so very worried about the rare bad cop. It's the policies and the good cops that think they are doing the right thing as they violate my rights for the sake of public safety.

You're entitled to rant. The system IS broke. But... I still DO NOT think that the government is the solution. And... in many cases, insurance seems like a scam. (personally... I wonder if we should go back to patient/physician contracts... or even barter) My background: Lower middle class family in rural Wisconsin, both parents worked - Dad was retired 20years military and then worked for the state, Mom worked as a secretary. Not top crust or silver spoon. But working for the state has benefits - including health care... which is one of the reasons why he applied and got that job. We only went to the ER for broken bones or significant issues (yes... I had a couple growing up) But even with insurance, it gets expensive. When my Father had his stroke, things got TIGHT. We almost lost the family house due to nursing home costs... but that was when we as a family all worked together to keep it. Should my mom have had that stress? Or should the wonderful government have stepped in and told her "It's ok, Nancy. These people over here have more money, lets just take it from them and let you not worry your pretty lil head about such things." I think that's theft. We worked for what we had. With our labor, we kept our property. Was it "luck" or determination. Had we taken what someone else had worked for... it wouldn't have been "ours." We would have been forcing another to labor at our benefit... That's theft. There's a point at which you can't get any more from the "evil rich." You can only tax and steal so much... then there's no more. There's a saying in Medicine: "All bleeding stops..... eventually"

OK... that was funny in a dark humor sort of way! But, chiming in here. As an American, and one that honestly believes that she has NEVER driven drunk. (I don't go out much... or I have a tea totaller husband that does the driving) I do NOT want to FORCIBLY give up my blood if I were innocent. (and I understand, AggieDave, that there is fine print on the license) I am innocent until proven guilty. Once arrested, than the rights are "altered." Once there is reasonable cause for search and seizure.... but not just checkpoints where they poke a needle in everybody. Am I paranoid about suggesting that? I don't think so. Here in Kansas City, they have sobriety checkpoints all over the place. 2:30am, I'm in scrubs heading to a delivery.... stopped for 15min on the side of the road, like everyone on that road that night, for a sobriety checkpoint. It's a slippery slope to just incorporate a blood test as well.

You could be right there ... but not corporate greed, is all I'm saying. I agree, Shropy, (EDIT TO ADD: can I call you Shropy? In a nice, non condescending way, of course

Nice respect for others opinions. Seems more like an arrogant bully saying "YOU HAD BETTER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY, AND GET USED TO IT."

Those around when I'm drinking rum. It seems like that is one thing that can drown out the "Now, Karen, be nice"

As the majority of my patients are medicaid at this point... that story wouldn't seem too far off for many of the American women that I treat. EXCEPT..... as the physician, the government tells me that I can't write for zofran if she is nauseated and has hyperemesis - I have to write for phenergan. Still works, but has more side effects and the government has decided that it would rather control costs by limiting options. Or if she has reflux, I can't wirte for pepcid... again, too expensive for the government to cover, so I have to write for zantac. And... to get approval for certain tests (like follow up ultrasounds) requires several calls by my nurse or office staff to get authorization. I'm not saying that Medicaid is horrible, nor that the Canadian system is bad... Just that that system DOES ALREADY exist in the US... and it has problems. Turning it all over to that? Don't know if I would like that. Is the current system perfect? Nope. But (as I've stated for several years) I do NOT trust the politicians (Democrat OR Republican). And I fear what they might be creating.

Hell... if the whole system collapses, how many doctors are going to put up with it? A lot of them "have to." What other job out there would you be required to pay 50k -100k in tail malpractice just to quit? What other job do you have to pay 100k and 8+ years of your life to perform? And then there's the fact that many tend to live at their income level and not live below it, so the become used to the "doctors" wages.... Many will "have to" BUT.... many will not. As much as I want to help people and take care of things.... I WILL NOT BE ANYONES SLAVE.

Time And Relative Dimensions In Space - Hi. My name is Karen and I'm a geek.

I want to be able to be happy with who I am. I want the clock to stop.... and a T.A.R.D.I.S would be nice.

That's probably a BIG issue right there. A lot of people that own firearms don't necessarily want to decrease their level of security by bringing in a random AND a camera crew AND to have your location and your collection on TV?! Not so very secure. Part of it is what they WANT to get for viewing audiences, part of it is what they CAN get from the selection pool.

That's my quandry too. But I can't help but think they've got so much of that sort of thing.... It's a mix that was never released, so it's actually worth more than the final master. When I see the "Moonwalk" shoes that sold for 20M and the Thriller guitar that sold for 100K, and the "rare" 45 that is selling for a small mint...it's tempting. It's just an ugly tape box, but clearly marked with Motown, artist, date, speed, title, etc. They probably do. I doubt that family is hurting to too much for want of things.... but auctions still kinda make me sad. I remember the one that we had on my grandparents farm when we had to sell everything. It just felt like vulture were swooping in and "stealing" family memories....

Sotheby's (but in reality, I would probably give it to one of the children. . . yes, I'm a sucker.)

Wait.... does that mean that I'm not cool?!