Chain E-mail About the American Flag

[Ian Gills]

But what happens if you can't pay the premium?

You've worked hard for this country, now the country should do its bit for you.

You always write the most contraversial posts Cookie . This section of the forum should be renamed Cookie's corner.

Could you do that Terry?

(if you mention his name he normally responds).

[Cookie]

I have learned a long time ago to not to live in the world of what if's.

A long time ago, my oncologist sat me down, when I had asked him, "what if this doesn't work?" My husband was with me holding my hand when the oncologist told me this, " you need to get a new mindset."

I had left that office that day saying to my husband, "I don't know what he means, what does he mean, a new mindset?" "Only you can answer that for yourself" he answered.

And, I did.

[Cookie]

That makes me laugh, no Terry, I thank yee Ian, but, Rugged already gave me a Cookie's Corner and along with it comes many hours of thinking, and wondering and working. I have had pretty decent columns in newspapers and I turn them down today for that very reason. I hide behind this mask you see with a belly-button ring.

[Gary Slusser]

I heard today that OBAMA!'s deficit for THIS year is 1.8 TRILLION AND, they are borrowing $.50 of every dollar they are spending.

IMO, we have much more to worry about than if we get socialized health care passed by the end of this year as he said today he expected congress to do.

[Redwood]

It is surely better what he is spending it on than trying to step in with an open checkbook and fix a problem that has not been solved since 622 A.D. despite all efforts of many govenments...

[Cookie]

Yeah, it doesn't make me feel so bad that my check book doesn't balance when the government can't balance theirs even with all the think tanks they got and the best of accountants at their fingertips. The baby boomers are in for a rude awakening. Their are just too many of us.

[speedbump]

Trust me, you would like free health care.

I guess you've never been a resident of Canada. Ask them how they like their government health care.

I will agree with one thing you said though (and only one so far). The fact that insurance isn't what it started out to be. As it started you pay in as does everyone else who want's health care and the insurance company pays for your illness no matter what it is and they make money in the process. Now that greed has set in and lobbyists are rampant in congress, the insurance company gets it's way no matter what it wants. Now they can kick you to the curb if you have a pre-exting illness or don't look like you can pay in thousands before they cancel you. Yup, that system is screwed up. But it still beats the hell out of letting Government get involved. You think it's screwed up now? Give Gov't a chance at it and it will be a nightmare.

[SewerRatz]

I had an Uncle that was a Vet, and he was waiting in line for his free surgery at the VA hospital. There was a 8 month waiting list, and he got bumped a few times, 16 months later, 2 weeks before he finally scheduled for the surgery he passed away due to complications. If he had any other insurance or would of paid for the surgery out of his own pocket he would be with us today. But he believed in the system. I see the same thing is going to happen to many others if we go for free medical for all in the US.

[Peanut9199]

I guess you've never been a resident of Canada. Ask them how they like their government health care.

Not sure what you mean, i love my health care.

My Mom was in the hospital last year (she was sick for 8 months) 1 time for 2 days, 1 time for 2 months, 1 time for 2 weeks and they had no idea what she had.
She had every test known to man, i can't count how many Ct and MRI scans and including 8 different specialized doctors.
She was in a semi-private suite and for an extra $40.00 a day we got her a private room.

The total bill was $90.00 for two ambulance charges

[Cookie]

What you really need to look at Peter, is the over all cost over a longer period of time. I like to think of things in longer terms. A short term will always see just that, a short term result. We,are not looking for short term results it the the long term results we are looking for in most things involving money! And, no bigger money spent than on health care. Although it is a good start to analyze with shorter stays, smaller amount of testing ordered, etc, but, what matters most, would be the patients whose stays can break the bank.

Peter, how is your mom doing? I really hope okay.

[SewerRatz]

We should let the Rats take over the world.

[Peanut9199]

Peter, how is your mom doing? I really hope okay.

Thank you yes she is doing a lot better now she's been back at work since December (couldn't hold her back). She still is weak a bit but 1000 times better than she was.
We ended up finding out she had Lupus which is rare for her age.
We went to the Dominican Republic and she got sick and on top of the Lupus she was sick for weeks, then something else happened and something else....
it just seemed to be one thing on top of another.
But we are now on top of her medication and starting to get rid of other medication she doesn't need anymore, so she and I are very happy we are starting to get back to normal.
Now she wants to go on a cruise in January anywhere but the Dominican.

[Cookie]

Oh, Peter, you got one spunky mom there! That is great. I was so glad to hear she is doing okay. My aunt had Lupus, I lost her years ago, but not to that, thank God. How old is your mother? I don't know much about Lupus, my aunt was very quiet about it. I don't know why.

Where does she want to go, Peter? I want one. I want to go to the Bimini Islands. That would be my choice of a vacation. The beach, the ocean. Or I would love to visit a friend in NZ and see, their black beaches.

I know that one thing after another happening, but, just take it one day at a time, it works. Try not to be discouraged, i know it is hard, but, for her you got to try. I love it, when my sons just spend time with me, instead of their girlfriends, lol. Me, lol.

I got really great new today from my check up with the onc. I was worried I had a bad node in my pelvis, where I never had anything ever wrong, so I was pretty worried. HERE I got a hernia! Imagine that.

I got something normal. I can deal with normal.

[Peanut9199]

She is 63 in 2 weeks.
They call Lupus the "The Great Imitator" desease because it looks like a lot of other deseases. The chronic complaints are fever, malaise, joint pains, myalgias, fatigue, and temporary loss of cognitive abilities, so it looks like the flu mixed with arthritis and getting old (hard remebering things).
We booked the cruise on Carnival for Jan 10 and we are going to Southern Caribbean: San Juan, Puerto Rico ; St. Thomas, USVI ; Dominica ; Barbados ; St. Lucia, WI ; Antigua ; St Kitts, WI ; San Juan, Puerto Rico, so 7 islands in 7 days which is good. My dream is Bora Bora and The French Polynesian.

I'm glad your ok it's scary when you don't know whats wrong with you. I know how your son's feel when someone you love is sick and there is really nothing you can do but be there for them.
When my Mom was in the hospital i took off work and stayed with her all day 8:00 am til they kicked me out at 8:00 pm, i just felt better being there and taking care of her because you seem to get better care if you have someone there.

It's funny i used to say if you had a choice between money and health i would pick money because you can always buy good medical, well not anymore i would choose health any day of the week.

Just went to the doctors last night for the results of a Cat scan and now i have to go back for a MRI because they seen a lot of problems with my back and hips, and i'm only 41.

Hopefully it's just herniated discs and maybe arthritis of the hips.

[Gary Slusser]

It is surely better what he is spending it on than trying to step in with an open checkbook and fix a problem that has not been solved since 622 A.D. despite all efforts of many govenments...

Really! Just what has the hundreds of billions spent already done for you, me or anyone other than the bankers? What do you believe the trillion plus to be spent this year will do? He has signed us up for more debt than all the presidents combined since 1776, and I guess you see no problem with that... I and many others, more and more everyday do.

IMO the government regs in place now have been driving up the cost of health care tremendously since they started interfering with the free market back in about 1987. Unless you or your family is involved in the operation of a hospital or in nursing, on a supervisory level, the average person has no idea of the costs generated by the paperwork and what procedures will or will not be approved etc. etc. ,and what they will or won't pay with the caps. And now again, the government is going try to take over a huge part of the US economy. Tell me, how are they doing, or how do you think they will do, in handling this very serious financial mess and failed economy and running car companies and banks they've taken over?

IMO the only thing the government does well is the military, when Republicans are in charge, and they aren't too bad with NASA but that's because of all the military personnel in the program.

Many people mistakenly think that because they have been paying insurance premiums for years that that should get them something, and it does, peace of mind for the one year contract duration.

Every year your premium is a bet by you that you or a family member are going to need coverage and the insurance company is betting you won't. Your wager/bet/premium is paid and if you didn't need the coverage, you have to bet again next year, and you are older and maybe in midlife crises and doing stupid stuff that the company is not allowed to take into account.

Would you like to run a business where you didn't actually know your expenses before you set the price of your product, like say a serious flu epidemic, hurricane, flood, fires?

All insurance companies do it every year. And frankly, they are damned good at it. The US has historically had the best health care in the world, which relates to the best standard of living, and why so damned many people want/wanted to move here. And yes, it's a fact of life that if you don't pay, you usually don't get to play. So sacrifice today, get out of debt and do away with the toys, vacations, new vehicles every couple years etc. etc. and save your own money for the future when you are not going to be making much if any and might live to 90, or go without. Life is a series of choices and consequences and the government isn't capable of providing a birth to grave safety net; and should not be attempting to do so.

Or vote for the hollow promises of someone like the current crop of politicians in all forms of our government today and go down in flames when they fail. And especially on the national level where most if not all are career types that will promise anything to get elected and then lie later saying "I didn't know that or I didn't say that, or I can't recall" or "I was misquoted and meant....".

Redwood, if you have employees, have you read anything about this nationalized health care system's requirements of employers if what happens it they don't comply?