Update to my post #57. Just found out that my Jan INR was being billed by the hopital @$33.00. That's a 388% increase from what my Cardio clinic billed in Dec., 2010:tongue2:.......and just happens to be identical with my PCP(who is also owned by another hospital):angel:. The big problem in our "out of control" system has been outrageous billing by hopitals, not doctors. Now that the hospitals are buying up the doctors, I wonder if that is about to change:eek2:.
Pragmatic look at OHS
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Update to my post #57. Just found out that my Jan INR was being billed by the hopital @$33.00. That's a 388% increase from what my Cardio clinic billed in Dec., 2010:tongue2:.......and just happens to be identical with my PCP(who is also owned by another hospital):angel:. The big problem in our "out of control" system has been outrageous billing by hopitals, not doctors. Now that the hospitals are buying up the doctors, I wonder if that is about to change:eek2:.
I guess where I get lost in these "chats" is the constant reeral to "dealing with the government" ....while health care in Canada is funded by the Government I, as a patient NEVER deal with any bureaucracy ALL of my doctors and health care professionals bill the Provincial plan directly and I never see a bill so there are no intermediates profiting from my health
recent changes have called for us to pay optometry costs ourselves BUT in my case I still don't pay as I am Diabetic
It appears that a University education falls to the same fate
recent changes have called for us to pay optometry costs ourselves BUT in my case I still don't pay as I am Diabetic
It appears that a University education falls to the same fate
Kathy McCain
Well-known member
It would seem that there is a very large billing discrepancy among hospitals, for the same procedures and treatments. Obviously, that needs to be addressed.
Also, if our current system is unsustainable, how is Universal Health Care going to be any different? Do we really want our taxes to go "through the roof", so to speak? I believe in small government, and low taxes. Once the government gets complete hold of the health care industry, what is to prevent them from taking control of other free market business? Will we be like France? I understand the French government regulates, and controls the salary of it's physicians? I don't think that would go over to big here with ours.
Also, if our current system is unsustainable, how is Universal Health Care going to be any different? Do we really want our taxes to go "through the roof", so to speak? I believe in small government, and low taxes. Once the government gets complete hold of the health care industry, what is to prevent them from taking control of other free market business? Will we be like France? I understand the French government regulates, and controls the salary of it's physicians? I don't think that would go over to big here with ours.
Greg - I'm curious..
So you just swipe that healthcare debit card and you're on your way? Wow, how simple is that.. Question: approximately what percentage of a person's income goes toward the taxes that pay for your universal healthcare? How is that figured - if there's a simple answer..
Do you have any idea that all your surgery would have most likely cost upwards of $2,000,000.00 here in the USofA? I read your history and what a trip..
What would have happened in Canada if there wouldn't have been national healthcare? If you wouldn't have had insurance here, you would have lost the farm, to put it mildly.
Whoa Dick.......I hope your income is also going up 388% this year.:wink2: I subscribe to the same notion as Dick ~~ healthcare is a right, not a privilege..:thumbup:
John (Lionheart) - thanks for those links. Astounding, isn't it how we're last on the totum pole of healthcare costs and controlling them and last in the quality of healthcare verses the other countries in the graph.
Kathy - did you know that Medicaid pays doctors more than Medicare does..? My cardio group opted out of my private insurance plan as of Dec 31st, so boy oh boy am I glad I changed to Medicare. ALL my doctors take Medicare as FULL PAYMENT for services rendered. The odd doctor will charge you a co-pay, but most don't.. Could it be because they don't want to mess with the supplemental policy insurance companies?:wink2:
So you just swipe that healthcare debit card and you're on your way? Wow, how simple is that.. Question: approximately what percentage of a person's income goes toward the taxes that pay for your universal healthcare? How is that figured - if there's a simple answer..
Do you have any idea that all your surgery would have most likely cost upwards of $2,000,000.00 here in the USofA? I read your history and what a trip..
What would have happened in Canada if there wouldn't have been national healthcare? If you wouldn't have had insurance here, you would have lost the farm, to put it mildly.
Whoa Dick.......I hope your income is also going up 388% this year.:wink2: I subscribe to the same notion as Dick ~~ healthcare is a right, not a privilege..:thumbup:
John (Lionheart) - thanks for those links. Astounding, isn't it how we're last on the totum pole of healthcare costs and controlling them and last in the quality of healthcare verses the other countries in the graph.
Kathy - did you know that Medicaid pays doctors more than Medicare does..? My cardio group opted out of my private insurance plan as of Dec 31st, so boy oh boy am I glad I changed to Medicare. ALL my doctors take Medicare as FULL PAYMENT for services rendered. The odd doctor will charge you a co-pay, but most don't.. Could it be because they don't want to mess with the supplemental policy insurance companies?:wink2:
Nope, my Social Security hasn't increased for two years because "inflation" has not gone up:confused2:. Fortunately I can adjust my savings withdrawals to meet the shortfall, but 388%:tongue2:...I don't think so. However, on the plus side my Medicare Part B premium hasn't gone up either.....but my co-pays(drugs, specialists, tests, hospital expenses, etc., etc.:eek2
have. I have had a long time....43+ years, working with our system. I have also been a part of the system. There HAS to be a better way. The more I read and understand, the more I believe in a "single payer system". With its faults, Medicare is still the "best game in town".....at least, in my opinion, both personally and professionally:smile2:.
Regarding the Canadian Universal health system which I have used in Quebec and Ontario for 52 years:
---Doctor/hospital visits, surgeries, etc. all need the patient to have a provincial health card. To get this health
card a person needs to be a permanent resident of Canada and supply an original birth certificate and/or passport.
---NO government paperwork to use medical services, it is a health card swipe only.
---Hospital ER visits do have a triage (rating system) where a nurse will assess the severity of your situation and
place you in the waiting area accordingly. I have walked in with chest pain and been admitted immediately,
whereas my daughter was taken to a busy ER with her broken arm (she didn't complain) and she waited 5 hours
to have it set in a cast.
---We don't know what percentage of our taxes goes to fund health care as it varies from province to province,
and year to year. I'm fine with that, but it does get frustrating when the people making a career out of being
unemployed take advantage of the services without a second thought.
---Doctor/hospital visits, surgeries, etc. all need the patient to have a provincial health card. To get this health
card a person needs to be a permanent resident of Canada and supply an original birth certificate and/or passport.
---NO government paperwork to use medical services, it is a health card swipe only.
---Hospital ER visits do have a triage (rating system) where a nurse will assess the severity of your situation and
place you in the waiting area accordingly. I have walked in with chest pain and been admitted immediately,
whereas my daughter was taken to a busy ER with her broken arm (she didn't complain) and she waited 5 hours
to have it set in a cast.
---We don't know what percentage of our taxes goes to fund health care as it varies from province to province,
and year to year. I'm fine with that, but it does get frustrating when the people making a career out of being
unemployed take advantage of the services without a second thought.
wow after reading all your posts i realise how lucky i am living in the uk,everthing was paid for by the nhs,must be a big worry for you guys
Kathy McCain
Well-known member
Janie, yes I was aware that Medicaid paid more than Medicare. As I am understanding it (please correct me if I'm wrong) Medicaid is for the poor, and Medicare is for our (pardon the expression you seem pretty young to me) senior citizens?
Kathy McCain
Well-known member
Hi Neil,
It all depends on who you ask. I must admit our system here in the US, unfortunately, is a bit too complicated. I belieive it doesn't need to be that way.
The "OHIP card is an identity card as described above by the lovely and eloquent Bina
Our provincial health is funded by a % tax levied on employers on the total payroll and by federal transfer payments to the provinces ...in other words I pay nothing as I am still too ill to return and even had I been unemplyed I would have gotten the same treatment
As to wait times here is a link http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/waittimes/
I still am being treated for CHF and Kidney failure and attend a diabetic clinic, a heart function clinicand an implant clinic on a regular basis ......whether I am going to my GP, my podiatrist, my nephrologist, my endocronologist, my cardiologist, my cardio rehab clinic (another cardiologist there) or at any of the clinics mentioned all that is done is they swipe the card and ask if I still live at XXXX street and if my phone number has changed to which I respond "same unless my wife finally changed the locks" then sit down and read old dog eared magazines or ask other patients if they have applied for their disability tax credit ....you see here EVERYONE can earn the first 10k tax free and those of us that recieve a disability tax credit can earn another 7k tax free so as a result I am no longer paying taxes at all
Every day I thank God for where I live and and am still alive
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:rolleyes2:
Ouch:redface2:.
Ouch:redface2:.
Someone mentioned hospital costs here in the US so I thought I would put my 2 pennies in as far as my experience goes. I had insurance when I had endocarditis and during my first OHS. Yes the charges by the hospital (and IMO the doctors too) were extremely high. But when I got my statements (I had a 1,000.00 total out of pocket co-pay so after meeting that they were statements with amount owed 0.00) the insurance company was paying about 40 cents on the dollar for charges which the hospital accepted since they were all in network. I believe Medicaid pays even less than that. Even when I had no insurance my hospital offered a 50% discount on all charges for prompt payment which including setting up a payment plan. They also have a charitable hardship program for people who do not qualify for Medicaid/Medicare but can not afford to pay and meet requirements similar to Medicaid. So the hospital rarely if ever gets the "sticker price". They are kind of like a car dealership...they mark up the price knowing that they will never sell the car at the sticker price.
Most hospitals I know are either running a slim profit or are running in the red so I would have to say they are not charging high prices out of greed but more because they know they won't actually get those high prices. I think people are feeling the pinch more because the economy is suffering right now and companies can't afford to be as generous as they were before and have passed the buck on to the employees. Just like many companies have stopped offered retirement pensions or matching employee's 401k investments. That has nothing to do with health care yet they are taking those benefits away as well. Companies are reducing all of the benefits they have given in the past, not just health care, in order to stay in business. Again I don't think it is due to greed by the companies but a matter of survival during tough times.
I agree that health care is a problem in our country and it needs to be fixed. But there are several other major problems facing us (us being those of us in the US) that need to be fixed as well and are of equal importance.
Most hospitals I know are either running a slim profit or are running in the red so I would have to say they are not charging high prices out of greed but more because they know they won't actually get those high prices. I think people are feeling the pinch more because the economy is suffering right now and companies can't afford to be as generous as they were before and have passed the buck on to the employees. Just like many companies have stopped offered retirement pensions or matching employee's 401k investments. That has nothing to do with health care yet they are taking those benefits away as well. Companies are reducing all of the benefits they have given in the past, not just health care, in order to stay in business. Again I don't think it is due to greed by the companies but a matter of survival during tough times.
I agree that health care is a problem in our country and it needs to be fixed. But there are several other major problems facing us (us being those of us in the US) that need to be fixed as well and are of equal importance.
ALCapshaw2
Well-known member
Does this mean the Canada will NOT provide Free Health Care to Non-Citizens?
(Does anyone know the percentage of Health Care Costs in USA are for non-citizens?)
Once imigration status is determined (eg the boat load of chinese that landed in Vancouver) they were treated as landed imigrants and were provided with healthcare ....... FREE care will not be provided to a tourist but those who are in the imigration process will be
I haven't gotten to the page in my "computer for dummies" book to know how to "link" someone to any articles. I found an article in the Jan. 17, 2010 New York Times, Health section that somewhat addresses the issue and indicates the cost/immigrant(legal or illegal) is lower than cost/citizen....however the article seems not to address the direct cost to our government.
I have been out of the industry for almost 14 years, but it used to be very difficult for legal/illegal immigrants AND under employed US citizens to qualify for individual health insurance....since their lower incomes and/or occupations scared many insurance companies....and these people often work in industries(construction labor, farm hand, landscaping, etc.) that do not provide group health insurance.
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Dick - Here's the link..
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/what-caring-for-illegal-immigrants-costs/
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/what-caring-for-illegal-immigrants-costs/
Thanks Janie, it must be nice to be young, pretty.....and smart.:redface2::wink2:
Ah hahahahahaha......I'm going to bed on that one..!:biggrin2:
Dick,
It's easy to link to articles.
1. Just open another window to the web address that you want to link to, say that you want to link to Google.com. Copy that complete URL address from the top of your open window.
2. Open a "Post Reply" box where you type your reply message-like the one I'm typing in now- and copy (Control-V) the link that you copied from the other window. It will automatically be formatted so that your readers can click on the link.
Like this http://www.google.com/
Did you follow all of that?
John
:redface2:
Uh?....I was with you 'till "its easy to link to an article":frown2:. However, I copied your post and I'll "git 'er dun":redface2:
Thanks John...... it's hell to get old:tongue2:.
Uh?....I was with you 'till "its easy to link to an article":frown2:. However, I copied your post and I'll "git 'er dun":redface2:
Thanks John...... it's hell to get old:tongue2:.
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