One of my relatives is currently fighting with an insurance company over an ambulance ride for my uncle. He's been in a coma since April and was being transfered from a specialty hospital to a nursing home. His insurer is claiming the ambulance ride wasn't for an emergency so they refuse to cover it. But he's in a COMA, he's also on a feeding tube!!!!! He can't be taken by car! What's his wife suppose to do?

I special place in hell awaits health insurance company execs.

The problem with the idea that it would spread rampantly at guantanamo is that nearly everyone is in solitary confinement - this particular prisoner is. It is difficult to really trust anyone talking about Guantanamo - we don't really know much about the people there and while there are many innocents, I'm sure, there are also probably many Islamic fundamentalist allies there who planned to incite terror in some form or another. Still, I trust a NPR/PRI affiliated radio program much more than any television report and more than most newspapers as well. The program was not on AM talk radio where crazies abound. But there is certainly different perceptions of the interview and similar stories to be had.

Yeah, I agree with you that Michael Moore has great editors--and he's a little too sensational for my tastes. He's going for something very sociological, and we can all sit and bask in our shock and dismay while condeming our government, and feel good about ourselves in the end. What's happened to many 9/11 workers is truly horrible, though.

M.M. was in Sacramento last Thursday for the premiere here in CA and he gave an interview to a local show here. It was almost disappointing how lethargic(?) he sounded. His presentation of his views was kind of grave and depressing! I respect what he's trying to do though because something needs to be done about the system that we've all become so accustomed to here in America.

When Bill and Hilary tried to change it, it was made into such a political clusterfuck, there was no way anything would actually be accomplished, and that was a shame. I'm not saying they had the answers, but they had their fingers pointed in the right direction at least.

Ironically, the front-page headlines came out last week re: the woman with no insurance dying on an L.A. County Hospital floor while a janitor swept around her as she spit up blood all over herself, nurses looked on, and 911 operators told her boyfriend to go fuck himself.

I used to have to go to that hospital when I waited tables and had no insurance. Everyone knows that's how it's gonna be for you there. Oh, the apathy of those who are poor and uninsured/underinsured. That's why the change needs to happen.

So, if Michael Moore can wake someone up, more power to him. The Clintons failed, but it needs doing.

On the news last night they said there is a security video of that woman on the floor with the janitors cleaning up her her blood.

My aunt once spent 10 hours in an ER examining room. She had full insurance coverage and yet they made her wait.

what health care in america?

2002: My co-pay for the doctor = $10.00
2007: Co-pay= $86.00

2002 med cost: $35.00
2007 med cost: $150.00

for the increase in cost over 5 years, I now have less access to care, longer wait times...

When you have a woman die in an ER while other people within the ER are calling 911, you don't have health care, you have a crisis.

When your insurance costs outpace your raises, you don't have a system, you have a complete rip off.

Only in this country could anyone call what we have "health care" and keep a straight face. Only in this country is a doctor's visit and medication considered a luxury and not a basic human right.

Didn't you post once saying you have a $2,000 deductable?

Two years ago my deductable was only $500 but I've had to raise it to $1,500 cause my insurance premiums were skyrocketing. I'm even considering raising again to $2,500.

Jesus fuck, that's horrible!!
Are they still not paying?
I'm speechless.
I needed an ambulance once because I was chocking to death, and I did get a letter from my insurance company to ask me if I needed it due to an accident caused by someone else so they could get the money from them.
But that wasn't the case, I filled in the form and never heard anything ever again.
But what happened with your uncle is just....ridiculous.

PLEASE, is that a joke?!?
Here you call 911 to GET to the ER, but calling 911 FROM the ER?
That's.....I'm speechless again.
Like someone said, when you have to call 911 from the ER you can't very well keep insisting you have a health care system.

The last I heard they still haven't. But other insurance issues have come up.

Things are going to get a lot worse.

Trying to get affordable medical care in the US can be a joke.

America is a nice place to live, but you wouldn't want to get sick here

^^ I feel it's the opposite here, I hate this place and a lot of it's laws, but we have the medical side of things well taken care of.
For now at least, our government took some idea's from the American health system and copied them.
Who knows where they'll stop?
But for now, I seriously can't complain.
Best of luck with your uncle, I hope things get sorted!

Thanks. I hope it gets worked out also.

This just in:

American government is not a provider of a darwinian backstage pass.

Update:

Americans are pussies. Disregard former statement.

Whatever happened to your bud ztedster? He was hilarious (and really obnoxious/offensive but mostly hilarious) the way he'd get so mad over anyone tolerating another race, sex, or different lifestyle. He was like some crazy old man who never seemed to have moved on from the 50's and everything got him all a rantin' and ravin' about how our society was going to the dogs.
He was some good entertainment. Anyone else remember his posts here?

^^Things that stood out most:
Bolsheviks
Leftists
Sodomizing gay guys destroying American society
Democratic cowards
etc.
etc.
He was quite the character.

Zted once wrote that he didn't mind spending $100 a week to fill up his big thirsty pick up truck. That was when gas was still under $3 a gallon. I'm sure his fill ups are now more like $150 a week.

$40 a week for gas hurts me big time, I can't imagine $150.

yes.

__________________

oh yes, how could anyone forget?

Here's something similar to it: YouTube - Marilyn Manson Speech