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So the article said he ended up with about $31,000 in debt. That is very managable! Set up a payment plan - $300/mo or so and he can pay it until he is debt free.
Why is this such a sob story? It isn't the government's responsibility to make sure this guy have managable finances!
Please read this article and then continue to tell the average worker in this country that health care reform is unnecessary.
'My jaw hit the floor'
About six months after his emergency operation, Miller was scheduled to return to St. John Macomb-Oakland to have his colostomy surgically closed so he didn't have to use a colostomy bag.
But on the morning of the scheduled surgery -- Jan. 6, 2009 -- Miller and his mother arrived at the hospital only to be told at check-in that the operation couldn't be performed because of his outstanding balance.
Miller was handed a purple piece of paper with a balance that read: $31,910,348. He was later informed the total was an error. The balance should have read: $319,103.48.
From The Detroit News: Sick, uninsured and in debt: One man's health care crisis | detnews.com | The Detroit News (http://detnews.com/article/20100315/LIFESTYLE03/3150338/Sick--uninsured-and-in-debt--One-man-s-health-care-crisis#ixzz0iFP9r4Nu - broken link)
How much was the check you sent him? Surely you have sent him some of your money to help him pay this bill. I mean you do practice what you preach right? Lead by example sending your own cash and then asking others to help pay some right
No someone comes along and suggests that a govermental run, managed, program where instead of the groteque salaries, mark ups, and pacs, we take that money invest it into care, lower the cost of drugs, and increase the pool that can afford to now pay for healthcare and spread the cost around.
My guess is most people who can "afford" to pay for health care already do so through private companies. How are you going to increase a pool to pay for healthcare with people like this guy? He can't afford private coverage, how will he magically afford premiums under BO's plan?
The RW is ever willing to deny a service needed by most because of one person's failure to fill out some paperwork. They worry that they would have to pay for someone else's care. Big News- That is what privately operated and owned insurance already does at great cost to the subscribers in executive overhead and stock holder profit. A government owned system would do exactly the same without the corporate overhead and thus would actually cost less than expanding the private system to cover everybody.
As the current bill is nothing than corporate and not individual socialism I am in opposition. We need Universal Health Care not subsidized insurance companies.
The RW is ever willing to deny a service needed by most because of one person's failure to fill out some paperwork. They worry that they would have to pay for someone else's care. Big News- That is what privately operated and owned insurance already does at great cost to the subscribers in executive overhead and stock holder profit.
I guess I am supporting all that executive overhead and stock holder profit with my insurance premiums. Some prefer I support more government civil employees and people who make poor choices as Mr Miller has done.
Why would you make such as asinine request that lacks any thought behind it??...oh, yeah to push your agenda of personal responsibility, don't get sick, I've got mine *********!! mentality.
What anyone being honest will admit is that I'm asking the conservatives who pay ever increasing premiums with lowered level of service, being kicked off when they get sick, finding it impossible to get health insurance at any cost if they have any pre-existing conditions, to stop paying money to companies where the executives make thousands of dollars a day by paying bean counters to deny and short change the service the customer is paying them for!!..but these people..(could you be one)..recite the mantra of "why should I pay for anyone else"..all the while never making a peep about the miniscule amount of your money that really goes to providing healthcare.
So when you can get pass the "socialised medicine, death panels, communism,etc.." It only makes sense that Americans understand that insurance companies WILL NOT reform themselves, lower costs, provide coverage for those that really get sick. They have no incentive to do so they have an iron clad monopoly on healthcare.
No someone comes along and suggests that a govermental run, managed, program where instead of the groteque salaries, mark ups, and pacs, we take that money invest it into care, lower the cost of drugs, and increase the pool that can afford to now pay for healthcare and spread the cost around.
Noooo...you say, life's not fair, I don't want them to have any benefits, it may costs me dollars more a year. Then you refuse to aknowledge that costs could decrease...all because Obama proposed the changes.
No I would not right the entire costs of this man's care but I would be willing to pay my premiums to help provide care for people like him and others who are sick and require medical care.
Your heart is in the right place, but you've failed to tell us how THIS reform bill will control costs. The bottom line is that it won't control costs. It will simply add 30 million people to the rolls and give insurance company's all the leverage! More people mean more opportunities to gouge the government. How you ask? Well, when the health insurance industry has a stranglehold on the entire market (ie. everyone has insurance), who do you think is going to cower the moment they cry foul over lost profits? Your Federal Government. Yes indeed. Your government will not let people go without, so they'll cower to Big Insurance when they say their losing money. And in case you haven't noticed, the Federal Government is your wallet, Mark. You're looking at the next multi-trillion dollar unfunded mandate. Surely you can acknowledge as much, right?
Please read this article and then continue to tell the average worker in this country that health care reform is unnecessary.
'My jaw hit the floor'
About six months after his emergency operation, Miller was scheduled to return to St. John Macomb-Oakland to have his colostomy surgically closed so he didn't have to use a colostomy bag.
But on the morning of the scheduled surgery -- Jan. 6, 2009 -- Miller and his mother arrived at the hospital only to be told at check-in that the operation couldn't be performed because of his outstanding balance.
Miller was handed a purple piece of paper with a balance that read: $31,910,348. He was later informed the total was an error. The balance should have read: $319,103.48.
From The Detroit News: Sick, uninsured and in debt: One man's health care crisis | detnews.com | The Detroit News (http://detnews.com/article/20100315/LIFESTYLE03/3150338/Sick--uninsured-and-in-debt--One-man-s-health-care-crisis#ixzz0iFP9r4Nu - broken link)
Send him some of your money, if it bothers you so much.
Who are these straw men who do not think our health care costs are too high, and do not believe some reforms are needed?
Please read this article and then continue to tell the average worker in this country that health care reform is unnecessary.
No, that isnt the message from the story. The message is that if you cant afford the hundreds of thousands of dollars to take care of yourself, you should
1) Be prepared to buy health insurance or
2) Be prepared to live with a colostamy bag
Your story outlines how hospitals and doctors will treat individuals and save their lives even though they know they arent going to get paid..
This does nothing to move me to support national healthcare as I know someone who lives with a colostamy bag. It of course sucks and for them because its an irreversible process.
How much was the check you sent him? Surely you have sent him some of your money to help him pay this bill. I mean you do practice what you preach right? Lead by example sending your own cash and then asking others to help pay some right
So the article said he ended up with about $31,000 in debt. That is very managable! Set up a payment plan - $300/mo or so and he can pay it until he is debt free.
Why is this such a sob story? It isn't the government's responsibility to make sure this guy have managable finances!
"..Miller estimated his medical tab at above $350,000 last fall, but he didn't know for sure. His tally included a $319,103.48 hospital bill from 2008 when he was uninsured and recovering from emergency surgery. He only recently learned that that bill was erroneous and his actual debt is closer to $30,000, but the financial pressures remain and he is considering filing for personal bankruptcy.
From The Detroit News: Sick, uninsured and in debt: One man's health care crisis | detnews.com | The Detroit News (http://detnews.com/article/20100315/LIFESTYLE03/3150338/Sick--uninsured-and-in-debt--One-man-s-health-care-crisis#ixzz0iG0uCdEu - broken link)
Re-read!!
His latest bill was in error. Take away the $31,000.00 from Feb.2008 add it to his existing bill and he owes $319,000.00.
Please advise him how you would proceed.
Last edited by reconmark; 03-15-2010 at 09:08 AM..
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