entitlement to Free health care vs Paying for Health care

[Guest guest]

So what happend to the day when health care wasn't FREE?  My grandfather told me

of the days when you paid what you could. Many times it would be bartered

or payed out.  My grandfather told me of a time he had to have stitches when he

was 18. To pay for it he painted the halls.  To get the paint he had to do labor

for the hardware store.   Now, we think the government has to pay for our health

care and we don't pay a penny.  That's why Dr. Bledsoe, and others see patients

who feel entilted or won't do what they need to, to take care of themselves.  If

you make a patient pay for his services they are more likely to value them.  If

you they don't have to pay they aren't going to value it.  So I don't believe

everyone is entitled to all health care.  Only health care they are willing to

pay for.  Unwilling  to pay for it.  They don't need it. 

Want to make the health care better.  Make people pay for it. Bring the price to

something more inline of what we do.  Then eliminate insurance except for major

instances.

but that is just my 2cents worth.

 Tom & Marsha LeNeveu

Paramedic, Future RN; & RN

Fort Worth Texas

Email: TomMarshaLeNeveu@...

http://www.emstock.com/

RE: Councilman Proposes Payment Up Front BeforeAmbulance

Ride

Dr.Bledsoe: Healthcare is a right,our founding fathers put this in writing, in

at least the Bill Of Rights and other amendments to our constititution .State

government has followed too,with amendments specifically outlining the

protection of public health.What I see here again is an issue known as

walletectomy. We are concerned about the money.Can our patient pay? then he

deserves a ride to the hospital. We are the most afflluent county on earth right

now.We have a sizeable and shameful portion of our population uninsured and

unable to access health care. We do not need to further ration healthcare. I

find it shameful that we cannot endeavor to take care of our citizens better,and

my medics tell me they are trying to help Iraqis get a system going.They have

the right idea,take care of your people,now that Saddam is gone. I find it

shameful in our country that we decides who need s healthcare based on a

walletectomy. I don't like it when the dog and cat

hospitals in Mexico do

this and find it socially,and morally acceptable.WE Americans for one reason,we

beleive in fair play and everybody should have access to health care.This is

what sets us apart from others on this planet who don't with few

exceptions(Canada and Europe)

Respectfully, Rabbiems. P.s I am now a retired army medic who has seen combat

since Viet nam and its a touchy issue especially for Vets.

" Bledsoe, DO " <bbledsoe@earthlink . net> wrote:

It all comes down to:

Is health care a right or a privilege?

In the United States, it is a privilege. But, through unfunded mandates

(OBRA, COBRA, EMTALA) the government gives people de facto rights to

emergency health care and EMS. By making EMTALA comprehensive (very specific

definition of stabilization) , the federal government makes EMS systems,

hospitals and physicians give free care or be sanctioned. Then, the

government pays less than it costs for people to operate a hospital or

medical practice. I actually sat in on a meeting where the discussion

centered around giving every Medicare patient who needed cataract surgery

$100 and send them to Dallas because we were losing $260.00 per cataract

surgery we were doing (90% Medicare). It is the typical government way of

avoiding the pressing issue and fixing the system with a case of Band-aids.

I am not some conspiracy geek--just call it as I see it. Given the way the

US operates, a national health care system would be a cross between the

Internal Revenue Service the United States Postal service.

And people wonder why boutique hospitals and freestanding surgery centers

and freestanding emergency departments are going up everywhere. You don't

accept Medicare and then you don't have to take call!! You can turn away

who you want. Before long, the only hospitals taking care of charity hits

will be teaching and public hospitals. Money follows the surgeons and

surgeons are leaving hospitals in droves for freestanding centers. I had a

call from a recruiter today who is looking for emergency doctors to staff

freestanding surgery centers after hours. They pay as much as an average

emergency department and report that you will rarely, if ever, see a

patient. They just need a doctor in house for medical legal reasons.

BEB