I haven't been very active lately, largely because I've developed some sort of problem with my back. (It seizes and locks up, sometimes spasms, and sometimes it feels like sciatic nerve problem). I've been given an Ortho referral for XR and MRI, but - wait for it - I'm having trouble finding someone who takes my insurance because (wait for it) my parent company is in Tennessee, and I'm in Texas. It's uncomfortable for me to sit and type for long periods. One thing that helps is lots of water and mobility.
Now having bored you with that......
The longer I work in healthcare, the less I know what the actual answer to anything is. As you read, you'll understand why I don't disclose where I work.
Last year, I was at Cook County Health in Chicago. A government-funded, city funded hospital who takes in anyone and everyone "regardless of ability to pay" under the rubric of "healthcare is a human right." It won't surprise anyone that this is the most mismanaged mess in a city of mismanaged messes. The hospital workers are members of a union (SEIU), but their CBA explicitly forbids striking. This doesn't prevent the entire group from suddenly catching "the Blue Flu" as all the union members call in sick. They don't even need to do that, though; every damn one of them is on an FMLA of 12 weeks per year. They just call in ten minutes before work and say, "FMLA," and not a thing we can do about it. To keep the hospital functional, about 1/2 of their staffing is travel staff in the lab, nursing, etc. Indeed, my direct boss informed me they have spent $15 million PER YEAR over the last eight years on travel staffing to ensure the union can't grind the hospital to a halt. There's no annual performance review because your pay is determined by seniority and they're married to that "pension" like it's their second spouse. If you do a little searching, you'll see every time you turn around about the only solution the Chicago pols can come up with on everything is to raise a tax here or there, and the city's pension fund is ALWAYS in trouble. It's not that I even mind the concept of healthcare for everyone, I don't but seeing how it works both there and firsthand at the VA, it's not good. Chicago taxes everything. To give one example that shone brightly: the same Chick-fil-A meal that I get for about $12.25 in the South and about $12.76 in New England and maybe a tiny bit more in Denver is $20.13 in downtown Chicago. Taxes.
Now, if you've read this far, you probably think that means I'm in favor of the privately owned or "for profit" hospitals. Well, let's look at that one.
For years, I worked for HCA. Google them, they went from a pretty good family oriented company the year I began to a monstrosity of "if it looks like the patient is going to die in our hospital, discharge them so it's not on us." They are about as penny-wise and pound foolish an organization you'll ever see, and they literally don't care. When I quit after 16.5 years there in 2021, they took my salary and hired THREE $10/hour assistants to run tests but not result them and pocketed over $240/week by not filling my position - giving my tasks to other employees but not increasing their pay, either. Then there's where I am now.
There's a lot of potential where I am. Problem is, potential doesn't matter to people filing stock reports. So we are short staffed (like every other lab) and have zero continuity for that very reason. MY pay is actually quite generous for what I do, but the reality is they're trying to build a Lambo with 1973 VW parts, and it ain't gonna work. It's the same reason nobody fixes our political system: it will take 4-5 elections at a minimum, and the only thing that matters is "I have to win the next one."
And I don't even mind paying for the healthcare or deductible or whatever - but could someone just make it make sense?
See a doctor. Don't even bill me.
Send me for a lab. "Hey, this is a $700 lab and your part is $70."
Swipes card.
Days later - a bill arrives in my email that I owe them $21 more for the lab draw.
Second visit to doctor where labs are done.
"Oh, you owe $110."
I mean, again, I don't mind paying deductibles but none of this crap makes sense.
then my medicine is $54 without insurance but $18 with it.
And folks, don't tell me it's all explained in the brochure that nowadays I actually have to click some QR code and sign on to find out the details.
I got another bill from another doctor - post visit - for $112 the other day "because you haven't met your deductible." OK, I get that, but why didn't you tell me that when I was there?????
This week I'm headed to the dentist but at least that makes sense.
I don't have teeth cleaning insurance (which in all honesty is really all it is).
So I'll pay a little less than $400.
But at least I know going into the room for Pete's sake
