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Current Mood: cranky, oh MY yes

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health stuff

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Remember that MRI scheduled for this evening? Today's snail brings News! from Anthem Blue Cross. After due consideration, they agree that an MRI is reasonable in the case and will allow the appointment to stand.

WTF? Anthem gets to decide if my knee hurts bad enough for me to Do Something About It?

Ghod, we need a health care system in this country. Please.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Be careful what you wish for!

Wishing for a health care system that works is a Bad Thing?

For a look at what the health care system would do you only have to look at the VA system where effective treatment is denied because of the expense. MRI's can fall into that category.

I am a veteran and have never had anything denied because of expense. This has indeed included an MRI to find out why my arm continued to hurt despite nothing found on xrays.
Granted, the VA hospital in Fresno, CA is probably one of the best, but that is in large part because staff worked for over twenty years to change and improve it. They also had help from various veteran's groups.
If care in your area is not the best what are you doing to improve it?

Am not "anonymous" above, but we have a single VA hospital for the entire State of Maine. I am a veteran. I don't know of any veteran who uses that VA hospital if they have a choice.

I've never been in it, so I don't know if that reflects distance or quality of care. Togus is about a two hour drive from here. The major regional hospital is about half a mile . . .

Togus is by all accounts a disgrace: it's out-moded, badly staffed and a last resort of the hopeless.

I hear that not all Veteran's Hospitals are like this. We have to remember that Maine is a third-world state.

Do we make as high as third?

Twenty-five years ago that was the situation at Fresno. It serves an area about the same size as Maine (in square miles) including the poorest county in the state.

The improvemt didn't come from above. A few stubborn, dedicated staff members, and a lot of volunteers worked hard and eventually it did percolate up so that now it has support from above as well as on location.

For models of what can be done best to look at the good, not just the failures.

Another VA hospital I have (one) experience with is in Portland, Oregon. From what I saw it is also one of the best.

The biggest difference between the VA experiences I've had and the others is that at VA I'm treated with respect.

Tap-tap

IS THIS THING ON?

*clears throat*

Wishing for a health care system THAT WORKS is a Bad Thing?

Nothing is perfect. I live in Australia which has had Medicare for yonks. One of the main issues is that most governments see Medicare as a loss and so when they need to cut costs they close beds. This leads to longer waiting times. There have been some reports of people waiting 3 or more years for elective procedures (such as knee reconstructions). For emergency procedures they are fantastic. I also have private health insurance cause as a patient I am not.

That having been said - I am soooo glad we don't have your system.

Here are a couple of links to info on the Australian system for your interest.

http://www.drs.org.au/new_doctor/75/fact_sheet_7.html

And if you disregard the political chest beating:

https://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/public_news_and_events/media_releases/nsw_hospital_waiting_list_rises_to_59000.html

Good Luck.

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Check out the VA

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