Article

2009-05-14 Economy

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-05-14 11:22|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 Seems to me that in the mid-80's I was paying something like $35 for a decent unhurried doctor's visit. There was one secretary handling the doctor's office. I would submit medical bills every few months to my insurance, and they would pay me back 100%. Done.

Then along came the HMOs as a misdirected overreaction to a bit of fraud here and there. Now everything is legislated up the @$$, there are two or three secretaries running around in every office, half of every doctor's time is taken up by misguided efforts designed to fend off fraud and frivolous lawsuits that is marked by unnecessary paperwork and micromanaging oversight that has turned out to be wildly successful in ballooning costs and shrinking quality and promptness of service.

Seems to me common sense responses to separating the frivolous lawsuits from the genuine and meaningful punishment for fraud has been completely sidelined here.

Gotta love the legal system that seems to be serving as a replacement for religion and common sense here in the good ol' U.S. of A.

Posted by gorb 2009-05-14 15:36|| 2009-05-14 15:36|| Front Page Top

#2 All we need to get our healthcare system costs in line is TORT REFORM and reduc medical malpractice law suits and ambulance chasing.

Here in California getting rearended in bumper thumper is like winning the lottery.

If BO wants to reduce healthcare cost he could do so with a very simple piece of legislation concerning pain and suffering and mental anguish in medical malpractice.

Otherwise, this piece of crap reform will be another payoff/welfare program for lawyers.

Posted by James Carville 2009-05-14 15:40|| 2009-05-14 15:40|| Front Page Top

#3 I have a relative who lives in southern CA who was second in line at a stop sign. The car ahead of him started to pull away and my relative moved forward to take his place in at the stop sign. Nobody else was at the intersection, but the car ahead of him slammed on the brakes. My relative avoided hitting the car ahead of him. Apparently that was just not acceptable to the car full of illegal immigrants from an unnamed country, so they put it in reverse, nailed my relatives car, and then drove away at high speed. He got a notice in the mail shortly thereafter that he was getting sued by all four occupants of the car that hit him because they all had weeplash.

They won.

First idea: In order to have a free market, the market has to be on a level playing field. Good laws would help.

Posted by gorb 2009-05-14 15:55|| 2009-05-14 15:55|| Front Page Top

#4 Enough to make you want to get a dash-cam like the cops have Gorb.

Posted by CrazyFool 2009-05-14 16:15|| 2009-05-14 16:15|| Front Page Top

#5 Good laws would help. But who is there to write them? Certainly not the current crop of legislators.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-05-14 17:27|| 2009-05-14 17:27|| Front Page Top

#6 Health care is already being rationed on an individual basis. I am in the category of people-who-might-really-benefit-from-colon-cancer-screening, but at this point I am not willing to pay for a colonoscopy. My insurance doesn't cover it. I'm not paying my money, and I'm taking my chances.
I estimate the US will default on its debt or drastically debase its currency before it launches a universal health care plan, so this discussion may be moot.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-05-14 17:35|| 2009-05-14 17:35|| Front Page Top

23:57 trailing wife
23:48 trailing wife
23:47 CrazyFool
23:41 trailing wife
23:36 trailing wife
23:18 trailing wife
23:16 trailing wife
22:30 Willy
22:04 Skunky Glins 5***
21:31 GirlThursday
21:30 James
21:14 Frank G
21:14 Frank G
21:03 49 Pan
20:55 49 Pan
20:20 NoMoreBS
19:52 Thing From Snowy Mountain
19:41 Frank G
19:40 Free Radical
19:39 hammerhead
19:36 Frank G
19:36 Deacon Blues
19:15 Besoeker
19:13 Free Radical