tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11609234.post626130007313331148..comments2023-10-20T07:42:47.536-07:00Comments on Don't Ask Me; I'm Making This Up As I Go Along: Some hard numbers on health care reform you haven't heard beforeJohn Hedtkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14971999501208413242noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11609234.post-24963853442434250302010-04-09T14:19:42.123-07:002010-04-09T14:19:42.123-07:00don;t forget about those other socialist services ...don;t forget about those other socialist services - police and fire.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11609234.post-34443688672171433982010-02-01T17:42:04.069-08:002010-02-01T17:42:04.069-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11609234.post-15540610057141248552009-10-25T21:07:10.059-07:002009-10-25T21:07:10.059-07:00Anecdotes aren't evidence but here's one a...Anecdotes aren't evidence but here's one anyway.<br /><br />I have health insurance. Not great health insurance, but OK health insurance.<br /><br />About a month ago, one of my fingers turned, red, started swelling, and hurt to the touch. Previous experience (30 years ago) made me think I had an infected hangnail, which the college nurse had had me treat by soaking it in hot salt water, which had worked.<br /><br />Well, I didn't remember the specifics. So that Friday morning at work I looked up first aid for infected fingers on the internet. The first three sites I found all said the same thing - run, don't walk, to your doctor. I called my doctor's office got an appt (on a Friday - lucky me!) and hustled over there.<br /><br />During the course of the appt two things came up - one was that Friday seemed to be the day for finger infections - I was the second one she'd seen, and two - if I hadn't seen her that day, I would've certainly been in the emergency room that weekend, and possibly in the hospital.<br /><br />So, I paid $40 for this (co-pay & drugs) and my insurance company paid something in the neighborhood of $140, for a total of $180.<br /><br />If I'd had to go the emergency room, my co-pay would've been $150, and the insurance company would've owed (at a guess) about $350, for a total of $500, assuming no further complications from waiting too long.<br /><br />Did I mention I'm an artist? Losing that finger could easily have been a career killer for me.<br /><br />Sigh. Didn't these people ever hear the rhyme, "For the want of a nail..."?Margaret Organ-Keanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10575232246820332258noreply@blogger.com