Take Your Health Care and Shove It - Gawker

think4yourself: abcsoupdot: southpol: jayparkinsonmd:

I did my pediatric residency at St. Vincent’s. This is reality.

40% of the patients at the hospital I practice at are uninsured. Those 40% cannot afford the $100 cost of a clinic visit. Here’s the way this thing normally works:

1) Patient comes to the ER for something simple. Let’s use an ulcerated lesion on the forearm as an example. EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) states that we are required to stabilize the patient if they are in distress. The patient is not in distress, so they are given an appointment for a dermatologist and discharged. they receive a bill for $500-$1500 (which they do not pay).

2) Patient present to dermatology clinic and is not seen because they are unable to pay the $100 clinic copayment required for those without insurance.

3) Patient does not receive further treatment. Future ER visits result in the same outcome as #1.

4) At this point, one of two things can happen. [more]

And the argument against health care/insurance reform is… what, exactly? The fact that this is not seen universally as the grave and expensive failure of a system in desperate need of repair or reconstruction is mind-boggling. Speaks to the power of the media, I suppose - talk radio and Glenn Beck and brainwashing. Makes me sick.

∞Posted on March 19, 2010

Reblogged from: think4yourself

Source: jayparkinsonmd

Notes: 73 notes

Notes

  1. cyjtsaimd reblogged this from jayparkinsonmd
  2. moonsipie reblogged this from jayparkinsonmd
  3. politicore reblogged this from abcsoupdot and added:
    40% of the patients at the hospital I practice at are uninsured. Those 40% cannot afford the $100 cost of a clinic...
  4. jhermann reblogged this from think4yourself and added:
    abcsoupdot: southpol: jayparkinsonmd:...And the argument against health care/insurance...
  5. bildungsroman reblogged this from abcsoupdot and added:
    Straight from a doctor.
  6. chrisdelarosa reblogged this from tsibugan
  7. enprincipe reblogged this from jayparkinsonmd
  8. purplegem reblogged this from think4yourself
  9. phil-time reblogged this from think4yourself and added:
    same shit in pharmacy too, just replace medical visits with prescription pickup and lack of affordable medical treatment...
  10. dreamelody reblogged this from tsibugan
  11. ghostinjules reblogged this from tsibugan and added:
    *Quick Question. THe patient couldnt get Medicaid? Man our health care system is really fucked up. I know many who...
  12. activitygrrrl reblogged this from think4yourself
  13. think4yourself reblogged this from abcsoupdot
  14. abcsoupdot reblogged this from southpol
  15. danafay reblogged this from jayparkinsonmd
  16. xelaortsac reblogged this from tsibugan
  17. itsjustmeemily reblogged this from jayparkinsonmd
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