4 ms·

Tying the healthcare system into this mess was shockingly shortsighted, in retrospect.

by 001sky 12y ago

_delirium 12y ago
My experience (fortunately relatively brief) of the American healthcare system's IT was that it could hardly get worse, although perhaps tempting fate is unwise. Lost records, insurance filings never coded or processed correctly; the only way anything got done was waiting on the phone for hours to get claims fixed, and photocopying records myself to have a copy I could physically carry somewhere. My favorite almost-worked-but-not-quite case was when an ophthalmologist managed (after 4 weeks) to get a copy of a retinal scan from my previous doctor in another city... but the photograph was sent as a completely unreadable fax, in the year 2010.
- marincounty 12y ago
  Yes, the system is an embarrassment, but Obama knew the Only possible way to provide Americans with Insurance was to use for for profit insurance companies. I have huge concerns over health care, but at least I know I won't end up in Superior Court and lose my house if I get sick. I didn't have insurance when the Obama administration was trying to provide a Universal Healthcare Plan--the Republicans and even some Democrates were ruthless, and beyond dogmatic at attacking him. Obama knew if he didn't do something; we would have nothing! So Yes, Health Care is a mess and we need to fix it. I feel we need some drastic changes; We need tort reform for Doctors. We need to build more medical schools, and offer a free education to the best applicants. Many drugs should be OTC.(If people abuse the system--they would lose the privilege). Use of fingerprints could weed out the Narco pill poppers? Patients on long term, daily medication should be able to refill their prescriptions--up to a year.(This would include long term pain management drugs). I could go on and on, but we need to drastically change the system, or at least do pilot trials? I don't have all the answers; I'm just tired of doctors dragging me into office visits for no real reason--other than to take my money, or charge the Insurance companies. The next time your refills run out and you have to schedule an office visit you will know my frustration. I'm a Nobody, and basically just venting. Sorry about the lenght of this post.
  - ars 12y ago
    > but at least I know I won't end up in Superior Court and lose my house if I get sick That would not have happened anyway. If you can't pay a medical bill then don't. Just ignore it. Absolutely nothing will happen. They might send you letters or call, but why subject yourself to that? Don't open the mail and don't answer the phone (they are required to use caller ID). People are worried about credit rating but medical bills are excluded from that.
    - eli 12y ago
      Medical debt is, in fact, the most common type of overdue collection account on American credit reports. Ignoring bills you owe is not good advice.
      - ars 12y ago
        If you can't pay then you can't pay. Don't make yourself crazy over it, and you'll certainly not lose your house. Even if recorded on a credit report it does not adversely affect your credit score.
        imroot 12y ago
        That's not completely true. I have personal knowledge of a Children's Hospital taking the home of the parents of a 13 month old infant who received a liver transplant and had ran up at 3 million dollar bill in the hospital. A little backstory -- I love to volunteer. Fire/EMS, STEM, Kids, you name it, if it's a cause that I support, I'll generally be there with a bell if I've got the free time. One of my non profits that I do a fair amount of technical and 'feel-good' work is a foundation that caters to small children who have terminal or other serious illnesses and helps their family out. One night in 2013, a rather distraught woman came in saying that Children's had placed a lien on her home because of the unpaid medical bills; apparently, they had moved, civil service sucks in Ohio, and had a default judgement against them. New collections company comes in, finds this family, and then places a lien on her homes, car, and gets a court order to garnish their bank account. Ultimately, it took a pro-bono attorney about 80 hours to get the entire mess cleaned up. Today, the little guy is almost 4 and the family has a clean title on their home and car, and as long as she keeps less than $2K in her checking account at all times and only has the one home and one car, Children's will never come after her for the money that is owed, and in 3 years, they'll wipe away the debt.

Tying the healthcare system into this mess was shockingly shortsighted, in retrospect.

by 001sky 12y ago

Tying the healthcare system into this mess was shockingly shortsighted, in retrospect.

My experience (fortunately relatively brief) of the American healthcare system's IT was that it could hardly get worse, although perhaps tempting fate is unwise. Lost records, insurance filings never coded or processed correctly; the only way anything got done was waiting on the phone for hours to get claims fixed, and photocopying records myself to have a copy I could physically carry somewhere. My favorite almost-worked-but-not-quite case was when an ophthalmologist managed (after 4 weeks) to get a copy of a retinal scan from my previous doctor in another city... but the photograph was sent as a completely unreadable fax, in the year 2010.

marincounty 12y ago
Yes, the system is an embarrassment, but Obama knew the Only possible way to provide Americans with Insurance was to use for for profit insurance companies. I have huge concerns over health care, but at least I know I won't end up in Superior Court and lose my house if I get sick. I didn't have insurance when the Obama administration was trying to provide a Universal Healthcare Plan--the Republicans and even some Democrates were ruthless, and beyond dogmatic at attacking him. Obama knew if he didn't do something; we would have nothing! So Yes, Health Care is a mess and we need to fix it. I feel we need some drastic changes; We need tort reform for Doctors. We need to build more medical schools, and offer a free education to the best applicants. Many drugs should be OTC.(If people abuse the system--they would lose the privilege). Use of fingerprints could weed out the Narco pill poppers? Patients on long term, daily medication should be able to refill their prescriptions--up to a year.(This would include long term pain management drugs). I could go on and on, but we need to drastically change the system, or at least do pilot trials? I don't have all the answers; I'm just tired of doctors dragging me into office visits for no real reason--other than to take my money, or charge the Insurance companies. The next time your refills run out and you have to schedule an office visit you will know my frustration. I'm a Nobody, and basically just venting. Sorry about the lenght of this post.
- ars 12y ago
  > but at least I know I won't end up in Superior Court and lose my house if I get sick That would not have happened anyway. If you can't pay a medical bill then don't. Just ignore it. Absolutely nothing will happen. They might send you letters or call, but why subject yourself to that? Don't open the mail and don't answer the phone (they are required to use caller ID). People are worried about credit rating but medical bills are excluded from that.
  - eli 12y ago
    Medical debt is, in fact, the most common type of overdue collection account on American credit reports. Ignoring bills you owe is not good advice.
    - ars 12y ago
      If you can't pay then you can't pay. Don't make yourself crazy over it, and you'll certainly not lose your house. Even if recorded on a credit report it does not adversely affect your credit score.
      - imroot 12y ago
        That's not completely true. I have personal knowledge of a Children's Hospital taking the home of the parents of a 13 month old infant who received a liver transplant and had ran up at 3 million dollar bill in the hospital. A little backstory -- I love to volunteer. Fire/EMS, STEM, Kids, you name it, if it's a cause that I support, I'll generally be there with a bell if I've got the free time. One of my non profits that I do a fair amount of technical and 'feel-good' work is a foundation that caters to small children who have terminal or other serious illnesses and helps their family out. One night in 2013, a rather distraught woman came in saying that Children's had placed a lien on her home because of the unpaid medical bills; apparently, they had moved, civil service sucks in Ohio, and had a default judgement against them. New collections company comes in, finds this family, and then places a lien on her homes, car, and gets a court order to garnish their bank account. Ultimately, it took a pro-bono attorney about 80 hours to get the entire mess cleaned up. Today, the little guy is almost 4 and the family has a clean title on their home and car, and as long as she keeps less than $2K in her checking account at all times and only has the one home and one car, Children's will never come after her for the money that is owed, and in 3 years, they'll wipe away the debt.