Yesterday my wife gets a call from her mom. She just had a CAT scan done and her cancer has spread from her lungs to her liver. As you recall, her emphysema is so bad that they weren't gonna bother treating the lung cancer. So, why in the fuck would they do a CAT scan of her other organs? Now you see what I mean by the importance of rationing health care. I wonder how many early mammograms that little piece of misguided modern technology would have bought?
The cost of CAT scans are all over the board, but it seems that $1,500 is in the ballpark. Cost per mammogram? About $100. I gotta believe that money would have been better spent on those additional 15 mammographies (or some other preventative treatment) than for discovering something in the body of a woman that wasn't going to get treated anyway. Whoever ordered and approved that test should be fired.
Showing posts with label health care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health care. Show all posts
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Saying No to Health Care
What person in their right mind with 6 kids would undergo fertilization treatment? Oh yeah, the dumb bitch that just had 8 more. All through in vitro. And without a partner.
Now, let's put aside her mental and financial condition for a minute. What doctor in his/her right mind would agree to this knowing her history? Or, what health plan would cover it?
This last point is important because as the government gets more and more involved in health care decisions (and with Obama as president and Daschle in his cabinet--if he pays his taxes it will), one thing they'll talk about is reigning in costs. The Prez talks about using technology to reduce costs, but at some point, someone's gonna have to talk about rationing care. Yup, doctors not treating everything.
Our country's attitude towards no limit health care does increase costs. We want every procedure, every new test (OK, that's also driven by avoiding malpractice suits), and every new drug. When Oregon tried to do this in the 90's, the health care reformers in the Clinton administration were less than happy. And it's the same folks running things now in that arena.
However, we cannot control health care costs without limits on care. Rationing care pits the interests of those who are sick with rare, but expensive to treat conditions against providing more basic care to the poor. With even more limited funds, a government funded system that is getting less revenue cannot do both. Policy decisions will have to be made as to where to draw the line.
Oregon ranked conditions and their treatments and every two years the legislature decides where to draw the line based on the state's budget. Forgetting about the scary part that politicians do this instead of doctors, someone (some group) will have to do this. And that's because we, the health care consumer, and doctors, who only get reimbursed for doing something, can't say no. But, if we want less expensive health care, we're going to have to. Even if that means not having more than 6 babies through in vitro fertilization.
Now, let's put aside her mental and financial condition for a minute. What doctor in his/her right mind would agree to this knowing her history? Or, what health plan would cover it?
This last point is important because as the government gets more and more involved in health care decisions (and with Obama as president and Daschle in his cabinet--if he pays his taxes it will), one thing they'll talk about is reigning in costs. The Prez talks about using technology to reduce costs, but at some point, someone's gonna have to talk about rationing care. Yup, doctors not treating everything.
Our country's attitude towards no limit health care does increase costs. We want every procedure, every new test (OK, that's also driven by avoiding malpractice suits), and every new drug. When Oregon tried to do this in the 90's, the health care reformers in the Clinton administration were less than happy. And it's the same folks running things now in that arena.
However, we cannot control health care costs without limits on care. Rationing care pits the interests of those who are sick with rare, but expensive to treat conditions against providing more basic care to the poor. With even more limited funds, a government funded system that is getting less revenue cannot do both. Policy decisions will have to be made as to where to draw the line.
Oregon ranked conditions and their treatments and every two years the legislature decides where to draw the line based on the state's budget. Forgetting about the scary part that politicians do this instead of doctors, someone (some group) will have to do this. And that's because we, the health care consumer, and doctors, who only get reimbursed for doing something, can't say no. But, if we want less expensive health care, we're going to have to. Even if that means not having more than 6 babies through in vitro fertilization.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Gods Who Walk Among Us
I try to stay about from posting about people who just died. It's too easy and unoriginal. But this morning I feel compelled to.
I do not believe in god, eternal spirits, life energy, or any of that stuff. I do think that we are all born with differing talents and drives to develop them. At best, most of us our abilities and determination to make the world better for those immediately around us. Michael DeBakey, who died on Friday, made a difference in the lives of untold millions.
Dr. DeBakey performed heart surgery on tens of thousands of people, but created surgical instruments and techniques that are used on almost anyone who has cardiovascular surgery. He was also one of the first researchers to link smoking to heart disease.
Because of his work, my father and several friends are alive today. Dr. DeBakey, thank you for your life.
I do not believe in god, eternal spirits, life energy, or any of that stuff. I do think that we are all born with differing talents and drives to develop them. At best, most of us our abilities and determination to make the world better for those immediately around us. Michael DeBakey, who died on Friday, made a difference in the lives of untold millions.
Dr. DeBakey performed heart surgery on tens of thousands of people, but created surgical instruments and techniques that are used on almost anyone who has cardiovascular surgery. He was also one of the first researchers to link smoking to heart disease.
Because of his work, my father and several friends are alive today. Dr. DeBakey, thank you for your life.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Going Under the Knife
I did hear from my HMO and I'm going to get the Mohs procedure done on 2/29. I LOVE that day. This year it's a bit inconvenient as I have a charity fund raiser to go to that night, but I guess I'll do so with a (hopefully) small band-aid on my face.
It's scheduled for 11 am. It will be under a local anesthetic, so I don't have to starve myself before going in, which is great because the hosptial is near one of my fave burger places. The burger place is an LA institution. The one downtown is like the Times Square of LA in that people from all over the city (punks, frat boys, gang bangers, music industry types, kids from the 'burbs, etc) go there at all hours of the night without fights breaking out. The one I'll hit before the surgery is near what used to be a great concert club. In fact, I was at that club the night before mine and my wife's first date seeing Metallica, Megadeth and Armored Saint (awwwwwwwww).
I hope that you have a great Valentine's Day. I'll be spending most of the day at was used to be called the LA Open. Then wine, cheese, etc. with the wife.
I hope that you have a great Valentine's Day. I'll be spending most of the day at was used to be called the LA Open. Then wine, cheese, etc. with the wife.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Slice of Life
I had this bump right next to my right nostril. It wasn't a big deal to me, but my wife said it was getting bigger (I hadn't noticed), so when I went to the doc a couple of weeks ago I got a referral to a dermatologist. I go the appointment and the guy takes a look. He doesn't know what it is, but he's not worried either. So, he decides to do a biopsy, which is fine because I just wanted it gone.
One of the great thing about HMOs is that the doctors who do this kind of stuff, like the HB's ear tubes and my vasectomy, do hundreds of them a year. We spent more time talking about whether the FF browser works on the HMO's updated website than it took him to do the procedure. And, except for that first needle of whatever-caine, it was (and still is) pretty painless. The wife's happy, so that must be worth something.
One of the great thing about HMOs is that the doctors who do this kind of stuff, like the HB's ear tubes and my vasectomy, do hundreds of them a year. We spent more time talking about whether the FF browser works on the HMO's updated website than it took him to do the procedure. And, except for that first needle of whatever-caine, it was (and still is) pretty painless. The wife's happy, so that must be worth something.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
MLK Hospital Shuts Down
The shutting down of the MLK ER (and soon, the hospital) should be a cautionary tale for those who want the government more involved in our health care system. The hospital was created in the aftermath of the 1965 Watts riots so there would be a first class health care facility for the people who live in south LA. Read the LA Times' the Pulitzer Prize winning series here (requires a free login that will not add to your spam).
The hospital is overseen by the LA county board of supervisors (B)S). The BOS is made up of 5 people who represent more than 2 million people each (but that's for a different conversation). Because it was conceived as a 'black' hospital (forget that now south LA is populated by far more Hispanics) politicians and journalists were loathe to criticize how it's been run. It receives more money per patient than any public hospital in CA, but delivers the poorest care.
The hospital was opened with politics and race in mind (although the area desperately needed it) and it was run with little oversight from the BOS because they didn't want to be seen as questioning the black leadership of the hospital. Even to this day, some black politicians scream that the hospital is being picked on due to racism. Uh, what about the racism of providing this minority community substandard care? Now an area that needs more hospital beds and more emergency services will have less. Why? Because politics trumped health care.
Now when I hear/see more people arguing for more government run health care, I can't think of MLK's troubles and the cluster-fuck at the veteran's administration. Just two examples of how big government is incapable of delivering good health care on a large scale.
The hospital is overseen by the LA county board of supervisors (B)S). The BOS is made up of 5 people who represent more than 2 million people each (but that's for a different conversation). Because it was conceived as a 'black' hospital (forget that now south LA is populated by far more Hispanics) politicians and journalists were loathe to criticize how it's been run. It receives more money per patient than any public hospital in CA, but delivers the poorest care.
The hospital was opened with politics and race in mind (although the area desperately needed it) and it was run with little oversight from the BOS because they didn't want to be seen as questioning the black leadership of the hospital. Even to this day, some black politicians scream that the hospital is being picked on due to racism. Uh, what about the racism of providing this minority community substandard care? Now an area that needs more hospital beds and more emergency services will have less. Why? Because politics trumped health care.
Now when I hear/see more people arguing for more government run health care, I can't think of MLK's troubles and the cluster-fuck at the veteran's administration. Just two examples of how big government is incapable of delivering good health care on a large scale.
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