Comments on: Need “Entirely Free Health Care?” Go to the ER! http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/ A blog from inside the emergency department Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:19:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dana http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17799 Dana Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:22:26 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17799 Well, the good thing about MA universal coverage is that it isn't forced. It just means there are some hefty-ish tax fees if you don't bother to get health insurance. The bad thing is that it misses people who make plenty but don't want to pay in and don't have lump sum to pay fees. Happily, we do have plenty of insurance options for those without money to get connected to doctors (in Boston, home of the medical schools) for better preventative care. Health insurance appears to be a lot more helpful here than in a lot of places. People will go to the ER, with or without insurance, usually. Well, the good thing about MA universal coverage is that it isn’t forced. It just means there are some hefty-ish tax fees if you don’t bother to get health insurance.
The bad thing is that it misses people who make plenty but don’t want to pay in and don’t have lump sum to pay fees.
Happily, we do have plenty of insurance options for those without money to get connected to doctors (in Boston, home of the medical schools) for better preventative care.
Health insurance appears to be a lot more helpful here than in a lot of places.
People will go to the ER, with or without insurance, usually.

]]> By: Matt http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17797 Matt Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:31:48 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17797 I said I "doubt" she collected. It is entirely possible she did, if the physician had that kind of cash which was reachable by a creditor. I'm unaware (but it's possible) that an individual physician can get an insurance policy that large. It's also likely (but not certain) that it was appealed. Often (but not always) cases are settled on appeal. So far there's only evidence of the jury finding. No idea if it was knocked down by remittur, or was overturned on appeal, or collected at all. So to date, we don't know if she's collected anything. I said I “doubt” she collected. It is entirely possible she did, if the physician had that kind of cash which was reachable by a creditor. I’m unaware (but it’s possible) that an individual physician can get an insurance policy that large. It’s also likely (but not certain) that it was appealed. Often (but not always) cases are settled on appeal.

So far there’s only evidence of the jury finding. No idea if it was knocked down by remittur, or was overturned on appeal, or collected at all. So to date, we don’t know if she’s collected anything.

]]> By: Ed http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17794 Ed Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:34:32 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17794 Matt, why is it that you demand evidence and as soon as it is provided you immediately discount it? Please provide evidence that she did not collect. Matt, why is it that you demand evidence and as soon as it is provided you immediately discount it?

Please provide evidence that she did not collect.

]]> By: Aaron http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17782 Aaron Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:36:22 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17782 I think Matt's point on this is in large part concerning how for the last several decades doctors have just been taking whatever they get handed legislatively without mounting credible resistance. A lot of Jim Plagakis's arguments about the worthlessness of pharmacy associations readily carries over to the AMA. I think Matt’s point on this is in large part concerning how for the last several decades doctors have just been taking whatever they get handed legislatively without mounting credible resistance. A lot of Jim Plagakis’s arguments about the worthlessness of pharmacy associations readily carries over to the AMA.

]]> By: Aaron http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17781 Aaron Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:32:26 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17781 I'll double down for half her award I'd give up both nuts and get neuticals with the winnings. I’ll double down for half her award I’d give up both nuts and get neuticals with the winnings.

]]> By: Matt http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17780 Matt Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:30:48 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17780 Well, you can't argue with a lady on that one. I doubt that was what was collected, though. Well, you can’t argue with a lady on that one. I doubt that was what was collected, though.

]]> By: SeaSpray http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17778 SeaSpray Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:40:18 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17778 Oh Shah..would you REALLY? No amount of money would cause me to want to go through that and be deformed. No one will see your nut and the other still works I guess. ? But deformed in that way...especially if pain is involved. I rather have my health and normalcy any day over money. 60 million does seem excessive though. On the one hand ..NO amount of money would make me happy ..on the other it seems like too much was paid out. Oh Shah..would you REALLY?

No amount of money would cause me to want to go through that and be deformed.

No one will see your nut and the other still works I guess. ?

But deformed in that way…especially if pain is involved.

I rather have my health and normalcy any day over money.

60 million does seem excessive though. On the one hand ..NO amount of money would make me happy ..on the other it seems like too much was paid out.

]]> By: Shah http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17777 Shah Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:27:27 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17777 Yeah, matt. I'd love to change positions with this lady. http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/settlements/14304/medical-malpractice-lawsuits-lawsuit.html 60 mill for a damaged labia. I'd give my left nut for 3 mill...guess that makes me a whore. Yeah, matt. I’d love to change positions with this lady.

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/settlements/14304/medical-malpractice-lawsuits-lawsuit.html

60 mill for a damaged labia. I’d give my left nut for 3 mill…guess that makes me a whore.

]]> By: Peter http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17767 Peter Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:49:00 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17767 Even frequent public speakers can mess up. "I simply misspoke." I think I've heard that a couple times from practiced public speakers with pretty good speech writers... I agree with Tom and Braden. It was just a poor choice of words. It's "entirely free" to the patients who dodge the bill (many of them if my understanding is correct)... VERY expensive for the hospital and responsible patients. He's reflecting on the Massachusetts experiment, which has driven many of the newly covered patients to the Emergency departments (there has been a documented surge in ED visits), because Primary Care physicians aren't accepting new patients. Even frequent public speakers can mess up.

“I simply misspoke.” I think I’ve heard that a couple times from practiced public speakers with pretty good speech writers…

I agree with Tom and Braden. It was just a poor choice of words. It’s “entirely free” to the patients who dodge the bill (many of them if my understanding is correct)… VERY expensive for the hospital and responsible patients.

He’s reflecting on the Massachusetts experiment, which has driven many of the newly covered patients to the Emergency departments (there has been a documented surge in ED visits), because Primary Care physicians aren’t accepting new patients.

]]> By: VA Hopeful http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/03/need-entirely-free-health-care-go-to-the-er/#comment-17766 VA Hopeful Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:37:36 +0000 http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/?p=4485#comment-17766 C'mon man, its his blog. If he wants to bitch, he can bitch. Do you never just feel the need to vent? Its very hard to try something different when there are so many rules in place telling you exactly how to do things. I don't think that's an unfair assessment. How difficult it would be to change things, I can't even begin to claim to know. Of course no one is suggesting that doctors don't defraud this system. The problem is, at least in my state, auditors check up on doctors. They don't check up on patients. C’mon man, its his blog. If he wants to bitch, he can bitch. Do you never just feel the need to vent?

Its very hard to try something different when there are so many rules in place telling you exactly how to do things. I don’t think that’s an unfair assessment. How difficult it would be to change things, I can’t even begin to claim to know.

Of course no one is suggesting that doctors don’t defraud this system. The problem is, at least in my state, auditors check up on doctors. They don’t check up on patients.

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