Throwing down the gauntlet

[Veneficus]

For those who think that a private payer healthcare system is so great, do you have the ability and the fortitude to look somebody's mother, brother, child, father, friend, husband or wife in the face and tell them they are not getting any medical care because they cannot pay?

If so, I invite you over here where we can put it to the test.

 

[TransportJockey]

I've had a decent amount of people tell me I'm a heartless monster who has no soul. I bet I could do it, not that I really wanna try.

 

[Veneficus]

I've had a decent amount of people tell me I'm a heartless monster who has no soul. I bet I could do it, not that I really wanna try.

How many times do you think you could do it?

 

[TransportJockey]

How many times do you think you could do it?

Probably very few. Like I said, I really don't think I ever wanna try

 

[8jimi8]

For those who think that a private payer healthcare system is so great, do you have the ability and the fortitude to look somebody's mother, brother, child, father, friend, husband or wife in the face and tell them they are not getting any medical care because they cannot pay?

If so, I invite you over here where we can put it to the test.

I don't care how barren life can become. I could never withhold care for lack of compensation. I don't understand or care about the intricacies of coming reform ( which remains unfunded, correct?) I don't quite understand what will be different except I thought they were going to tax those of us who have good benefits...

Aren't people getting all the free ambulance rides they want under the current scheme?

 

[Veneficus]

I don't care how barren life can become. I could never withhold care for lack of compensation. I don't understand or care about the intricacies of coming reform ( which remains unfunded, correct?) I don't quite understand what will be different except I thought they were going to tax those of us who have good benefits...

Aren't people getting all the free ambulance rides they want under the current scheme?

I don't think the coming reform is going to work as it is written. I also don't see how a private payer system under the current spending can have any other outcome but pay to play.

But I am not interested in arguing systems, I want to know who has the balls to tell people who cannot afford it they will not be recieving it to come over here and put their money where their mouth is. Because there is ample opportunity and quite frankly, it sucks.

 

[Hal9000]

Yes, emphatically.

I have told myself that on numerous occasions.

 

[terrible one]

Whats the alternative? Ya it sucks ***, and no I don't want to be the one that has to tell someone they cant/wont get care because they cannot afford it, however, what other choice is there under the current system? I honestly have no idea how private hospitals make any money. how can any business afford to pay all those specialists and DR salaries when in certain areas half of your customers dont pay their bills?

 

[8jimi8]

I'd be happy to trade goods or services for nursing care. heck, that's what i plan on doing during the apocalypse... why do you think i want my emt-p...

 

[Emma]

Public schools do it all the time. Not denying health care, but denying them education. We tell kids who are sick to go home and not come back until they are better. We yank them from class, sit them in the office, and make their parents leave their jobs to come get them.

If the parents (or whoever is responsible) don't have health insurance, nothing happens. They wont take the kid to the doctor because they can't afford it. A $500 bill for an ambulance ride can completely crush someone who's teetering on the edge of poverty.

End result is the kid doesn't get any medical care and misses weeks of school. It's a mess. I have at least 10 or so (of my 120) students out each week because school won't let them back in until they are well.

 

[Veneficus]

Whats the alternative? Ya it sucks ***, and no I don't want to be the one that has to tell someone they cant/wont get care because they cannot afford it, however, what other choice is there under the current system? I honestly have no idea how private hospitals make any money. how can any business afford to pay all those specialists and DR salaries when in certain areas half of your customers dont pay their bills?

The current system doesn't work. A better alternative is a matter of debate.

 

[Shishkabob]

The current system doesn't work. A better alternative is a matter of debate.

The alternative is deadbeats paying their bills and stop abusing the system.


It's a snowball-- One person doesn't pay, so the next has to pay more to recoup costs. Eventually someone else wont pay the higher fees, so the next has to pay even more.



I hope we never see federally funded universal healthcare in the states.

 

[46Young]

In the county where I work, we only bill the pt's insurance. No out of pocket payment is requested by DAB (diversified ambulance billing). If you're not a county resident, you'll be billed. Regardless of where you live, you can fill out and submit a financial hardship waiver and not have to pay. Otherwise, your bill goes to collections after three bills are sent.

I've worked for two IFT companies, and my old hospital that also does IFT. In my experience, the txp will simply not be scheduled if the company is not compensated.

At my 911 job, we don't charge if there's no transport. If the pt says they won't go because they're uninsured and can't afford it, I fully inform them of the consequences of refusing txp, and also the county's billing policies. It was the same back in NYC. The situation is what it is. I'm not going to lie to the pt. To feign ignorance as to if they'll be billed or not is also lying. I always tell them the straight story. It may come over as harsh, but lying to them isn't doing them any good. The pt (or their guardian) is an adult, and they're going to have to dealmwith the circumstances, however unfair they may be.

I won't discuss billing unless I'm asked. If I'm asked, I tell them what I believe to be true. If I think telling them off the record that (if I were them, hypothetically) I would refuse txp after the eval, and take myself to the ED or urgent care instead of getting a txp bill would benefit them, I may do so.

If someone calls 911 and thinks it's free, I have no remorse. If the pt is an immigrant, they may not realize that we charge, as they may not get billed back in their country. In that case, I'll mention that fact. Usually, the immigrant will either be insured, or not care about a bill because they have no intention of paying it anyway.

 

[46Young]

Also, if the pt is ill, and needs an ED, and refuses txp after our evaluation because of finances, they're an adult and they'll suffer the consequences of that fully informed decision. We can't kidnap them. I've had pts die on several occasions after securing a refusal. If they're that bad off, I'll have OLMC try and convince them to agree to txp before securing the refusal. With the afprementioned deaths, even the doc couldn't convince them to txp. We can't kidnap them. Again, their financial situation isn't our fault, however unfair that it might be, and we can only do so much.

 

[46Young]

The alternative is deadbeats paying their bills and stop abusing the system.


It's a snowball-- One person doesn't pay, so the next has to pay more to recoup costs. Eventually someone else wont pay the higher fees, so the next has to pay even more.

Or the deadbeat parasites eventually suck us dry, the dollar goes bust, we have a repeat of Weimar Germany type hyperinflation, and the world ceases to use the U.S. dollar as the standard, and our quality of life will be akin to that of the average third world country.

Make sure all property titles and such are on paper, and not just on electronic media, in case we lose our technological capacity. You want to be able to prove that your house is yours.

 

[Veneficus]

Society's issues and tinfoil hats aside,

the purpose of this thread is to find out who is willing and able to be the healthcare provider to tell people who cannot pay for healthcare that they can not have it at the moment of their need.

And my offer stands, you come out here and I'll make sure you get the chance so you can see what it is like and if you want to keep doing it.

 

[usafmedic45]

How many times do you think you could do it?

How much am I getting paid to do it?

Aren't people getting all the free ambulance rides they want under the current scheme?

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

 

[HeadNurseRN]

this is a real nice thread, I think I could tell someone they can't get a kidney or liver more then "No $$$ No Care." ...... That's me

 

[emt seeking first job]

Very easy to find the money:

1) legalize, regulate and tax all drugs and all gambling.

2) the tax revenue + savings from law enforcement + now legal and taxed salaries from all this trade = more than enough $ to pay for health care

3) enforce who can be in the country and who can work in the country, anyone here unlawfully gets free stabilizing care and once stabilized sent back

next problem ?

 

[HeadNurseRN]

I could see the distance future being like Escape From L.A. No smoking, no drugs, no alcohol, no women - unless you're married - no foul language, no red meat!Welcome to the human race.