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Obviously this wouldn't work everywhere but it could be a solution in cities and larger towns. Unless of course you are fine with people continuing to take up space in the ER for ear infections and then stick you with the bill. Offer some suggestions if you have any. There are 24/7 Urgent Care offices where I live. It's not impossible in cities.
Would you go to the ER for an ear infection knowing how much it cost? I wouldn't.
I'm sorry but when did I say go to the ER for an ear infection? And unless the government is going to pay for all these 24/7 urgent care centers in low population density areas, then who is and for them to be a viable option to an ER they would need to be open 24/7 Who will pay for that? If you need proof of what I am saying go look at the geographic distribution and hours of CVS "minute clinics" they aren't open 24/7 and they are only available in large population centers.
"Newly approved cancer drugs cost an average of $10,000 per month, with some therapies topping $30,000 per month, according to ASCO, which discussed the costs of cancer care at a recent meeting. Just a decade ago, the average cost per month of new drugs was about $4,500. Patients typically pay 20 to 30 percent out of pocket for drugs, so an average year's worth of new drugs would cost $24,000 to $36,000 in addition to health insurance premiums." Oncologists Worry About Rising Costs of Cancer Treatment | For Better | US News
Or...The new drug would never be developed, as that can take one huge investment. And if going to cash for HC means that there will only be few future potential buyers at some low price, then it could too easily be a losing business proposition.
I'm sorry but when did I say go to the ER for an ear infection?
You didn't. That was a question that I asked hence the question mark at the end of the sentence. I'm guessing that your answer would be no because you have to consider the cost.
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And unless the government is going to pay for all these 24/7 urgent care centers in low population density areas, then who is? You're all about free market which means that businesses have the right to position themselves in areas where they will have adequate numbers of customers, right..so are you suggesting we mandate them to open these urgent care centers in places where they might have two patients every 3 days.
I just said this could work in large towns and cities and stated clearly that it wouldn't work everywhere (rural, low population density areas) so why argue that point?
Where I live lawyers who take jobs for the state as public defenders upon graduation work for a much lower rate for a total of five years in exchange for student loan forgiveness. I have often wondered if this type of arrangement could work for doctors who give five years to a sliding scale, county or state run clinic.
You didn't. That was a question that I asked hence the question mark at the end of the sentence. I'm guessing that your answer would be no because you have to consider the cost.
I just said this could work in large towns and cities and stated clearly that it wouldn't work everywhere (rural, low population density areas) so why argue that point?
Where I live lawyers who take jobs for the state as public defenders upon graduation work for a much lower rate for a total of five years in exchange for student loan forgiveness. I have often wondered if this type of arrangement could work for doctors who give five years to a sliding scale, county or state run clinic.
To answer your question, if I have a two year old with an ear infection and a 104 temp and I can't get hold of my pediatrician, since I am with Kaiser I would call the advice nurse, if I didn't have that luxury, and if I couldn't get his temp down I might take him to the ER, particularly if he had a history of having febrile seizures.
The problem seems to be that there aren't enough students from rural areas going into medicine, and of those who do, most do not want to return to the area they came from. It's hard to make a living as a doctor in a rural area in Alaska or West Virigina and it's going to get much worse if they block grant medicaid and end expanded medicaid, maybe Hoonose who is a physician can weigh in on that.
And in case you didn't notice, there already are large numbers of urgent care facilities in urban areas, but for the most part they aren't open at night, and ER's have no financial incentive to refer patients to them. Insurers have attempted to encourage people to seek care in urgent care facilities by charging a lower co-pay than for the ER, but if you're sick at 10pm and all the urgent care facilities close at 9pm then guess where you are going if you are sick?
Or...The new drug would never be developed, as that can take one huge investment. And if going to cash for HC means that there will only be few future potential buyers at some low price, then it could too easily be a losing business proposition.
That's absolutely correct, so a dialysis patient who might have a dialysis center 5 miles away could very well end up driving 50 or 100 miles for care if this 'cash for care' put the local center out of business.
To answer your question, if I have a two year old with an ear infection and a 104 temp and I can't get hold of my pediatrician, since I am with Kaiser I would call the advice nurse, if I didn't have that luxury, and if I couldn't get his temp down I might take him to the ER, particularly if he had a history of having febrile seizures.
The problem seems to be that there aren't enough students from rural areas going into medicine, and of those who do, most do not want to return to the area they came from. It's hard to make a living as a doctor in a rural area in Alaska or West Virigina and it's going to get much worse if they block grant medicaid and end expanded medicaid, maybe Hoonose who is a physician can weigh in on that.
And in case you didn't notice, there already are large numbers of urgent care facilities in urban areas, but for the most part they aren't open at night, and ER's have no financial incentive to refer patients to them. Insurers have attempted to encourage people to seek care in urgent care facilities by charging a lower co-pay than for the ER, but if you're sick at 10pm and all the urgent care facilities close at 9pm then guess where you are going if you are sick?
Good luck with getting either party to pass UHC. That seems to be the only thing you're willing to even discuss or think about. There seems to be zero room for innovative thinking or the exchange of ideas. Thinking outside of the current way we do things seems to be an off limits topic to most who want UHC so I will quit wasting my time. Neither party is going to step up to the UHC plate anytime soon since both parties' politicians are in bed with the industries that will prevent it. So please don't hold your breath, you may end up in the ER. We got screwed by Obamacare and will soon get screwed again by Trumpcare, like it or not.
The only way out is with innovative doctors and healthcare professionals willing to step outside of the system and patients willing to do the same. Good luck!
Good luck with getting either party to pass UHC. That seems to be the only thing you're willing to even discuss or think about. There seems to be zero room for innovative thinking or the exchange of ideas. Thinking outside of the current way we do things seems to be an off limits topic to most who want UHC so I will quit wasting my time. Neither party is going to step up to the UHC plate anytime soon since both parties' politicians are in bed with the industries that will prevent it. So please don't hold your breath, you may end up in the ER. We got screwed by Obamacare and will soon get screwed again by Trumpcare, like it or not.
The only way out is with innovative doctors and healthcare professionals willing to step outside of the system and patients willing to do the same. Good luck!
Universal Heath Care will be just as stupid as a universal car manufacturer would be.
If the thought of nameless, faceless bureaucrats designing your car choice for you, is viewed as a great thing, then by all means, jump on the UHC bandwagon. After all, having the state design cars worked out great for customers in the former Soviet Union.
This does not address the biggest problem. People going to the E.R. for regular health care needs because they can not afford the co-pays and deductibles.
That's something that needs to be addressed then. Another issue that needs to be addressed is that fact that if you can't afford it, you get the care anyway.
If it's NOT an emergency, then you don't get care. Period. If it is an emergency, then you must pay for it. Make payments, pay cash or use insurance.
It's NEVER going to happen. We are NOT going to do that. That would result in people walking out and dying in the streets. You might think that cute on a message board but we are not going to do that.
How do you know what they came in for before diagnosing them? Hospital Clinic, E.R. what's the difference?
Why not? And why would the assumption be that people would die in the streets (which is a ridiculous claim). Why could we not assume that those people instead purchase insurance? How is up to them. Or make payments to the hospital for their care? It's called being an adult with a sense of personal responsibility.
We've seen the result of people having children they can't afford, and spending money on anything they want instead of health insurance, because they know the taxpayer will foot the bill. More and more people use that taxpayer as their safety net. This taxpayer is tired of that. I do without to afford health insurance. I'm sick of paying for others that don't do the same.
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