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A Medical provider: To my republican friends. Screw you. To my democrat friends.. screw you too

jaeger19

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As a medical provider I have to vent a little bit during my "break". I have family and friends in healthcare that are risking their lives and their families lives helping YOU. (democrat and republican).
And I hear all about how you "appreciate us".

Well... to my republican friends? Remember how you lambasted Obamacare.. and lambasted the expansion of Medicaid, and "government take over of healthcare". Well imagine the crisis without the millions and millions of people that got healthcare insurance under Obamacare. Sheesh.

And to my democrat friends.. who a month ago were telling me that I made too much money.. that doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists made to much.. that we were greedy? Well.. some of those "greedy" folks are working themselves to the bone..and even dying for you. While in many places they are getting cuts in pay while they work even more hours.

And to both the democrats and republicans who complained about the "cost of healthcare". Who complained that "its shouldn't cost so much when I go to the hospital especially for my finger to get sewn up in the emergency room?

Remember when I told you that you were not just paying for your finger to be sewn up.. but were also paying for those ventilators the hospital has and all the other equipment and staff they have in case you get really sick? Well you are seeing that now.

There is no free lunch here folks.

Now.. stay home.. and stay healthy..

God bless.
 
Has the supply of PPE increased in your workplace? Hope so.
 
Literally no Democrat has said that doctors and nurses make too much money. It's the insurance, pharmaceutical and hospital companies gouging the American people. Medical worker salaries are not the problem and you can't point to any Democratic legislation trying to reduce them. You added that hyperbole because you're a conservative that feels conflicted for criticizing Republicans.

**** Republicans for keeping our system the most expensive in the world by far yet ranked nowhere near the top in most metrics.
 
As a medical provider I have to vent a little bit during my "break". I have family and friends in healthcare that are risking their lives and their families lives helping YOU. (democrat and republican).
And I hear all about how you "appreciate us".

Well... to my republican friends? Remember how you lambasted Obamacare.. and lambasted the expansion of Medicaid, and "government take over of healthcare". Well imagine the crisis without the millions and millions of people that got healthcare insurance under Obamacare. Sheesh.

And to my democrat friends.. who a month ago were telling me that I made too much money.. that doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists made to much.. that we were greedy? Well.. some of those "greedy" folks are working themselves to the bone..and even dying for you. While in many places they are getting cuts in pay while they work even more hours.

And to both the democrats and republicans who complained about the "cost of healthcare". Who complained that "its shouldn't cost so much when I go to the hospital especially for my finger to get sewn up in the emergency room?

Remember when I told you that you were not just paying for your finger to be sewn up.. but were also paying for those ventilators the hospital has and all the other equipment and staff they have in case you get really sick? Well you are seeing that now.

There is no free lunch here folks.

Now.. stay home.. and stay healthy..

God bless.

Is the idea that medical providers are paid too much money a Democratic theme? Because that's a new one to me.
 
yeah, some people don't appreciate stuff (healthcare, insurance and healthcare workers) until they need them.


i hate to even make this comparison but it's almost like the old joke about lawyers. everyone hates them till the need one.
 
Is the OP lumping health insurance employees in with doctors and nurses?
 
As a medical provider I have to vent a little bit during my "break". I have family and friends in healthcare that are risking their lives and their families lives helping YOU. (democrat and republican).
And I hear all about how you "appreciate us". Now.. stay home.. and stay healthy..God bless.
ventilator puns, maybe too soon.

Indeed, we will all be schooled by this pandemic, and you have the right to lay down the smack.
We all bunker down, you guys run to the virus....for months.
Democrats I think mostly cared about health insurance, me at least, not so much providers, or de-privatizing providers.
 
Literally no Democrat has said that doctors and nurses make too much money. It's the insurance, pharmaceutical and hospital companies gouging the American people.

Drugs are about 10% of all healthcare spending. Health insurance companies have low margins and Obamacare imposed a minimum medical loss ratio on all health insurers.

Medical worker salaries are not the problem

They are definitely the problem. Healthcare is a service, it's all labor.

and you can't point to any Democratic legislation trying to reduce them.

If you want universal healthcare, you're going to have to reduce them. Either that or bankrupt the country.
 
As a medical provider I have to vent a little bit during my "break". I have family and friends in healthcare that are risking their lives and their families lives helping YOU. (democrat and republican).
And I hear all about how you "appreciate us".

Well... to my republican friends? Remember how you lambasted Obamacare.. and lambasted the expansion of Medicaid, and "government take over of healthcare". Well imagine the crisis without the millions and millions of people that got healthcare insurance under Obamacare. Sheesh.

And to my democrat friends.. who a month ago were telling me that I made too much money.. that doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists made to much.. that we were greedy? Well.. some of those "greedy" folks are working themselves to the bone..and even dying for you. While in many places they are getting cuts in pay while they work even more hours.

And to both the democrats and republicans who complained about the "cost of healthcare". Who complained that "its shouldn't cost so much when I go to the hospital especially for my finger to get sewn up in the emergency room?

Remember when I told you that you were not just paying for your finger to be sewn up.. but were also paying for those ventilators the hospital has and all the other equipment and staff they have in case you get really sick? Well you are seeing that now.

There is no free lunch here folks.

Now.. stay home.. and stay healthy..

God bless.



"that doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists made to much."

The only thing I've heard that one can infer doctors are paid too much is that under UH, as in Europe, doctors are paid less than here in the US relative to COL and thus is one of the reasons why UH cost is a little over half that of the US. Depending on the specialty, they have the same or better ratio of doctors to patients, which might mean doctors in the US have to work more hrs to handle patients.

Regarding the costs you point out of equipment, that is one of the higher cost factors in health care that equipment dealers enjoy. Though the most joyous is the pharmaceutical industry. Then, the cost savings of single admin and related costs (even differing forms) is saved through a single-body UH.

I hope the above makes sense to you. It seems people don't appreciate medical staff as much until they become a patient in great medical distress or are in imminent fear of same in the form of a virus of pandemic, deadly proportion. Personally, I've been hospitalized many times and never had a justified complaint and currently am quite happy with all my doctors and medical staff I'm experiencing. I appreciate the medical community as much as ever during this pandemic as I expected their performance to be nothing less.

Wishing you good health...
 
Is the idea that medical providers are paid too much money a Democratic theme? Because that's a new one to me.

It seems obvious that if total US medical care costs are going to be reduced (from 18% of GDP to 12%?) that someone is going to end up being paid quite a bit less. I guess it boils down to who, exactly, is considered to be a medical care provider.
 
It seems obvious that if total US medical care costs are going to be reduced (from 18% of GDP to 12%?) that someone is going to end up being paid quite a bit less. I guess it boils down to who, exactly, is considered to be a medical care provider.

I'm thinking that the OP is applying a larger umbrella to the term "medical care provider" than I am.
 
I'm thinking that the OP is applying a larger umbrella to the term "medical care provider" than I am.

That is often the case, but it takes more than just doctors and nurses to run a hospital or clinic. There is simply not 33% (or more) of "unnecessary overhead" in the current medical care provider system. It is also a fact that US doctors are among the highest paid in the world.
 
That is often the case, but it takes more than just doctors and nurses to run a hospital or clinic. There is simply not 33% (or more) of "unnecessary overhead" in the current medical care provider system. It is also a fact that US doctors are among the highest paid in the world.

If you want to throw hospital administrators into the pile, that's fine by me. I still think, even beyond that, the OP is applying a larger umbrella to the term "medical care provider."
 
Has the supply of PPE increased in your workplace? Hope so.

So far we are okay but most of my facilities are just in the beginnings of the crest. I have one facility that is in a "hotspot".. and we are diverting PPE toward it.

but thanks. The bigger worry is ventilators and capacity being mostly rural facilities.

The other worry is having money. The money making side is largely done.. because no elective surgeries for the last month. Because at the end of the day.. we have to have money to buy that PPE.. and buy ventilators and equipment.

Its basically not being "given" to us at this point.
 
yeah, some people don't appreciate stuff (healthcare, insurance and healthcare workers) until they need them.


i hate to even make this comparison but it's almost like the old joke about lawyers. everyone hates them till the need one.

It's a little like the success of vaccinations. People don't remember the bad old days when children died routinely of measles and got crippled by polio. Now they make up stuff about the vaccination/autism link and want to give kids all-natural herbal tea or something.

Healthcare is not a commodity. It is a basic human right.
 
Literally no Democrat has said that doctors and nurses make too much money. It's the insurance, pharmaceutical and hospital companies gouging the American people. Medical worker salaries are not the problem and you can't point to any Democratic legislation trying to reduce them. You added that hyperbole because you're a conservative that feels conflicted for criticizing Republicans.

**** Republicans for keeping our system the most expensive in the world by far yet ranked nowhere near the top in most metrics.

Literally EVERY democrat has said that doctors and nurses make too much money. Maybe they have NO CLUE.. what they are saying when they lambast "the high price of healthcare". But the facts are.. a large portion of the cost in the US vs other countries.. is the cost in staff.

And I can absolutely point to democrat legislation that reduces pay. Obamacare had many "cost cutting".. provisions in it that lowered reimbursement for procedures. Well WHO DO YOU THINK PROVIDES THOSE PROCEDURES? How obtuse do you have to be to not understand that lowering reimbursement.. has an effect on what providers get paid!!!!.. Sheesh.
 
Is the idea that medical providers are paid too much money a Democratic theme? Because that's a new one to me.

Yes. It is.

They might try to be obtuse in not realizing that lowering the cost of healthcare.. means lowering what providers get paid... (because staff cost is the major reason that we cost more than other countries)..
But that's just the facts. Lowering reimbursement to medical providers.. puts downward pressure on the number of providers and salaries.
 
That is often the case, but it takes more than just doctors and nurses to run a hospital or clinic. There is simply not 33% (or more) of "unnecessary overhead" in the current medical care provider system. It is also a fact that US doctors are among the highest paid in the world.

They would be making even more in a completely free market.

I hear sometimes how liberterians tell us that if left to the free market, healthcare costs would go down. But look at the cosmetic surgery/LASIK market: it is completely on the free market, with no government intervention and no third-party payors. The cost of such cosmetic procedures is logarithmically higher than the reimbursement for medically necessary procedures of similar difficulty/risk for the surgeon.

Ditto for veterinarians. Did you know that a veterinary ophthalmologist gets paid twice as much to do cataract surgery on the family dog than Medicare pays a human ophthalmologist to do the same on grandma's cataracts? And that's not to mention that the malpractice liability for grandma's cataract is much higher.
 
As a medical provider I have to vent a little bit during my "break". I have family and friends in healthcare that are risking their lives and their families lives helping YOU. (democrat and republican).
And I hear all about how you "appreciate us".

Well... to my republican friends? Remember how you lambasted Obamacare.. and lambasted the expansion of Medicaid, and "government take over of healthcare". Well imagine the crisis without the millions and millions of people that got healthcare insurance under Obamacare. Sheesh.

And to my democrat friends.. who a month ago were telling me that I made too much money.. that doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists made to much.. that we were greedy? Well.. some of those "greedy" folks are working themselves to the bone..and even dying for you. While in many places they are getting cuts in pay while they work even more hours.

And to both the democrats and republicans who complained about the "cost of healthcare". Who complained that "its shouldn't cost so much when I go to the hospital especially for my finger to get sewn up in the emergency room?

Remember when I told you that you were not just paying for your finger to be sewn up.. but were also paying for those ventilators the hospital has and all the other equipment and staff they have in case you get really sick? Well you are seeing that now.

There is no free lunch here folks.

Now.. stay home.. and stay healthy..

God bless.

Since you decided to covertly bring me up, my finger was glued, not stitched. I got two out of pocket bills for almost a grand a piece from two different companies for the same services after insurance paid. That's ridiculous. However, you and I are quits on the single payer discussion, because it's hopeless.

As for you personally, thanks for what you do, and I hope that you are well.
 
Is the OP lumping health insurance employees in with doctors and nurses?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

Though it does bring up a good point. One of our fears is that the insurance companies that handle medicaid and medicare.. (a current major payer right now with elderly and disabled getting hit hard..).. will not be able to process claims expediantly and we will not have the resources to buy the materials we need.

We have already seen about a 50 % decline in our revenue due simply to no elective surgeries etc.
 
If you want to throw hospital administrators into the pile, that's fine by me. I still think, even beyond that, the OP is applying a larger umbrella to the term "medical care provider."

The folks who mow the grass around the hospital/clinic are valid medical care costs, but are they medical care providers and how much should they be paid (per hour?) and by who? Who knew that providing medical care could be so complicated? ;)
 
ventilator puns, maybe too soon.

Indeed, we will all be schooled by this pandemic, and you have the right to lay down the smack.
We all bunker down, you guys run to the virus....for months.
Democrats I think mostly cared about health insurance, me at least, not so much providers, or de-privatizing providers.

Well.. and that's part of the problem

Democrats really didn't care about health insurance. Compare how often they lament "the cost of HEALTHCARE".

And how often they lament "the cost of insurance". There is a vast difference. But the biggest focus has been on making healthcare CHEAPER.. which generally means cutting providers since we are among the largest of costs.

It means cutting supply of providers.. and of facilities.. as that also is a major increase in costs for the American healthcare system. We have been paying for more capacity than we generally use..

until now....
 
Yes. It is.

They might try to be obtuse in not realizing that lowering the cost of healthcare.. means lowering what providers get paid... (because staff cost is the major reason that we cost more than other countries)..
But that's just the facts. Lowering reimbursement to medical providers.. puts downward pressure on the number of providers and salaries.

Who are you including in the "providers" basket? If you're a hospital administrator then it's certainly possible you're aware of certain criticism that I'm not. It's just that I've never condemned hospital employees, and haven't heard anyone else on my side of the political aisle condemn them either.
 
"that doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists made to much."

The only thing I've heard that one can infer doctors are paid too much is that under UH, as in Europe, doctors are paid less than here in the US relative to COL and thus is one of the reasons why UH cost is a little over half that of the US. Depending on the specialty, they have the same or better ratio of doctors to patients, which might mean doctors in the US have to work more hrs to handle patients.

Regarding the costs you point out of equipment, that is one of the higher cost factors in health care that equipment dealers enjoy. Though the most joyous is the pharmaceutical industry. Then, the cost savings of single admin and related costs (even differing forms) is saved through a single-body UH.

I hope the above makes sense to you. It seems people don't appreciate medical staff as much until they become a patient in great medical distress or are in imminent fear of same in the form of a virus of pandemic, deadly proportion. Personally, I've been hospitalized many times and never had a justified complaint and currently am quite happy with all my doctors and medical staff I'm experiencing. I appreciate the medical community as much as ever during this pandemic as I expected their performance to be nothing less.

Wishing you good health...

The problem is the huge and erroneous assumption that a single payer system is is going to save money through less administration.

The insurances that are the most difficult to deal with..that cost the most for my facilities to handle... are GOVERNMENT insurances.. notably Medicaid and VA.. with Medicare coming in there (there are a couple of "Obamacare insurances) that are worse than medicare when it comes to cost to bill etc.

So when you tell me going to a government system that already costs me the most.. is going to save money? Don't believe you.
 
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