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Re: Aussie Healthcare (was Guns)

To: mg@sgi.com, Ankitterer@aol.com, PilotRob@webtv.net
Subject: Re: Aussie Healthcare (was Guns)
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 10:22:44 EST
Cc: spridgets@autox.team.net
In a message dated 12/03/2002 6:15:04 PM Mountain Standard Time, mg@sgi.com 
writes:


> I'm not saying it is perfect, but it seems a lot better than the US and
> Canadian systems, and it seems to me that promoting both healthly
> public and private systems is the differentiator here. Both systems
> need to deliver quality and value
> 
> Mike
> 
> 

Very interesting.

I truly have no clue as to what should be done in the US.  I hate to see the 
government get any more involved than it is.  I've yet to see anything a 
beaurocrat couldn't screw up.

I do agree we have a problem.  I don't personally, at this time, because I 
have adequate health insurance and an employer that pays for it.  I can see 
problems for others and for me in the future when I retire and no longer have 
this coverage.

Some time ago my wife had "outpatient" sonic treatment for a kidney stone.  
It worked well but as an outpatient she still had to spend the night in the 
hospital.  The total cost was over $11,000.00!  We got one additional bill 
from the hospital for an anesthesiologist to the tune of $1500.00 (for a 
procedure that lasted less than an hour).  Our insurance indicated they would 
only pay $675.  I called the hospital in panic and they assured me they would 
settle for the $675.  Fine for me, but what if I had not had insurance?  
Would they have settled for less?  I doubt it.

We pay $5-10 for generic perscription co-pays.  $20 for non-generic.  A 
couple of times the pharmacy has screwed up and not calculated our insurance 
and perscriptions came to around $80 each!  With allergies and other 
ailments, we fill probably a dozen perscriptions a month.  How does a poor 
working stiff, making $10 an hour (thats a GOOD job around here) pay for 
$1000.00 a month in perscriptions?
Obviously he does not.

I know there are Medicare and Medicaid programs for the less fortunate 
(euphamism for poor) but some small business owner that makes $40-60,000 a 
year is in deep poo-poo.  Lord help him if he has kids.

You have no idea how hard it is for me to say that perhaps Hillary had a 
point in working for government backed health insurance, but I really can't 
think of a better way for us at this time.  Somebody out there help me! I 
just can't support Mr. Hillary.

Robert B. Houston    

Santa Teresa, NM
'74 Midget
'63 TR4
'03 Beetle

...   Deck the halls with Boston Charlie, Walla Walla, Wash, and Kalamazoo.  
Nora's freezin on the trolley, swaller doller califlower, allagaroo!

Pogo Possum

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