Bill Moyers And Healthcare

[Mikey]

Well QoL issues are sticky. I got free plastic surgery to reduce the graft on my arm, no questions asked. When usually cosmetic issues are way down on the totem pole. Got it within a month too.

Was that different than normal because of your vet status/the fact that you received the inital injury in the service?

The really shitty thing is that if your knees or hips are shot they want you to wait until you reach a certain age (55?) because apparently they have to replace them twice if you have it done earlier.

That's not a factor of the healthcare system; such replacements typically only last 20 -25 years, and second replacements almost invariably fail.

[Aaron]

Was that different than normal because of your vet status/the fact that you received the inital injury in the service?

I was still in at the time but the original plastic surgeon (civvie) did the operation. I've been told it's because the Army basically has some civvie surgeons that they keep under contract if their needed and the docs get paid well to do it. So I suppose we're circumventing the system.

That's not a factor of the healthcare system; such replacements typically only last 20 -25 years, and second replacements almost invariably fail.

Ah, still sucks to have to go 20-30 years with bum knees though. Where's the Ad-Mech when you really need them?

[Mikey]

That's one reason why my wife still doesn't have a titanium knee. The option was basically explained as, "Wait for it until you're 55 or so; or, do it now and be in a wheelchair by then."

[Lighthawk]

That's one reason why my wife still doesn't have a titanium knee. The option was basically explained as, "Wait for it until you're 55 or so; or, do it now and be in a wheelchair by then."

Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather have a decent knee now while I'm young. Also, who's to say where med-tech might be in the next 30 years? This is entirely my own opinion, but I'd rather get the replacement now and gamble on there being a solution found before the thing wore out on me.

[Mikey]

Live with pain, or guarantee your own invalidity? I can't say I'd agree with you, 'Hawk.

[Lighthawk]

There's no guarantee involved. Possible, yes. Likely even, could be. But you're getting 20-30 years out of that replacement, and like I said, we can't know how far medicine might grow in that time. I'm not at all saying " You have to do it now or your stupid." I'm saying I would rather be a mobile and pain free as possible right now in my youth and take the risk of medical technology not having an answer for me in two or three decades.

Hell, they're already working on prototype exo-skeletons to let cripples walk again. Not that I'd want to be dependant on a machine, but it just shows what could be to come.

Edit: Correction, they've moved past prototype. There is a commercial exoskeleton for Paraplegics.

http://robotland.blogspot.com/2008/08/n ... users.html

[Mikey]

So then, a more accurate risk assessment is "live with pain now, or probably be completely immobile from my 55th birthday onward?" I'm still not buying.

[Sionnach Glic]

Yeah, I'll take the pain now over incapacitation later, thanks.

[Monroe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfFtyv4bvY4

I really hope we get health care. I'm uneasy with the progress.

[sunnyside]

See it's stuff like the recent testimony by Douglas Elmedorf before congress that's got me worried. If you don't know who that is he's the head of the Congressional Budget Office. And make no mistake he's all sorts of Democrat. But he's saying that we can't afford Obamas health plan as it is.

The main idea he and some others are batting around to make it work is taxing health benifits. Which if I understand it correctly means the middle class is in fact going to be paying more taxes along with the probably increase in wait times, which I don't like at all. Most realistic options start getting ugly.

So I'm guessing that the administrations plan is to ram it thought as is, and hope the fit doesn't hit the shan before re-election.

[Mikey]

I'm most uneasy with the extremist views on this matter on both sides of the aisle. I don't understand why there can't be a degree of regulation - including a commitment to actually enforce it - without nationalization.

[sunnyside]

I'm most uneasy with the extremist views on this matter on both sides of the aisle. I don't understand why there can't be a degree of regulation - including a commitment to actually enforce it - without nationalization.

Well, there is a degree of regulation. Hence why in the earlier interview insurance companies have to go through roundabout methods to drop people.

Personally I think there should be a bit more regulation, more requirments for paperwork reduction, and especially something that makes it a lot easier to compare plans. Both in the sense of customer satisfactions ratings, or something like consumer reports for health plans, but also transparent information on things like approval rates for different procedures and such, I think people could do a good job about pushing back against the drive for more declined procedures if clearly knew who was doing it for what procedures.

[Monroe]

See it's stuff like the recent testimony by Douglas Elmedorf before congress that's got me worried. If you don't know who that is he's the head of the Congressional Budget Office. And make no mistake he's all sorts of Democrat. But he's saying that we can't afford Obamas health plan as it is.

The main idea he and some others are batting around to make it work is taxing health benifits. Which if I understand it correctly means the middle class is in fact going to be paying more taxes along with the probably increase in wait times, which I don't like at all. Most realistic options start getting ugly.

So I'm guessing that the administrations plan is to ram it thought as is, and hope the fit doesn't hit the shan before re-election.

2/3rds of it is paid for though by cutting other programs. Just need to find that last third.

[Mikey]

Well, there is a degree of regulation. Hence why in the earlier interview insurance companies have to go through roundabout methods to drop people.

I know. I meant, as I said earlier, a degree of actual useful regulation, and regulation that in fact includes enforcement.

[Aaron]

See it's stuff like the recent testimony by Douglas Elmedorf before congress that's got me worried. If you don't know who that is he's the head of the Congressional Budget Office. And make no mistake he's all sorts of Democrat. But he's saying that we can't afford Obamas health plan as it is.

The main idea he and some others are batting around to make it work is taxing health benifits. Which if I understand it correctly means the middle class is in fact going to be paying more taxes along with the probably increase in wait times, which I don't like at all. Most realistic options start getting ugly.

So I'm guessing that the administrations plan is to ram it thought as is, and hope the fit doesn't hit the shan before re-election.

Frankly this just reeks of BS, the US can afford the Iraq War, the Afghanistan War, the bank bailouts but not this?