Is the US health system collapsing?

[Anonymous]

Medical system has become like public school. Everybody has a right to it. Anybody can just walk in for free. Can't kick anybody out. There is no discipline regarding earning care.

People of means escape to concierge system and leave the delusional and childish to their public hell hole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny, I just returned from GW where I was scheduled to get an MRI to follow up on a mammogram and ultrasound. GW told me that I needed an MRI for further diagnosis. I ended up having to reschedule because they needed an order from my doctor, and the doctor's assistant sent in the wrong order. Nevermind that no one told me that I needed to get an order or that GW never provided the report to my doctor. Paid the co-pay. So I have a few more weeks to wonder if I have cancer. Great!

It was like being at the Mad Hatter's table. And I have excellent insurance.

I am going through the same ridiculous hoop jumping. Most recent is that I saw my PCP to get her to write the order for the MRI but she told me I have to get blood work done first to check kidney function. So I have to do the labs and then she’ll write the order, after which I finally can schedule the MRI. Meanwhile who knows what is happening with my actual health. Now tell me one good reason why the doctor who found the lump on my mammo and ultrasound couldn’t have sent me down to the lab the very same day and written the order for the MRI a few days later when the results came back!

Hoop jumping here too, and I have military healthcare, which is as close to the UK and Canadian system as you get. It's amazing to not really pay for it (we are prime so no co-pays), and I've been very happy with the quality of military doctors once I can actually get in to see them, but it's such a long wait for every appointment. And as you shift around to different specialties you have to wait 2 days for the referral to schedule, then at least a month for an initial appointment, then who knows how long for the actual fix.
Example:
Pain in knee - see primary care physician who prescribes rest for two weeks
Still pain - primary care physician refers to sports medicine and PT
PT takes 6 weeks to get an initial appointment
Sports medicine is a 4 month wait so kicked out to civilian care
Civilian referral takes 3.5 weeks for an appointment
MRI ordered after 6 weeks of pain
MRI takes 3 weeks to get an appointment
4 days for the MRI report
another week for a follow up appointment with sports med
Cyst found that needs surgical removal
Referral back to military orthopedist
4 week wait for initial appointment
Additional 3 weeks to schedule the out patient surgery

So about 4-5 months to diagnose and schedule a fairly simple out patient procedure. I'm active duty, so this took me away from a large portion of my work for that entire time. There's just so much run around and jumping from doctor to doctor and every one starts from scratch. It's really not working.

How do you get an mri that quickly. I have to wait 2-3 months for an mri or ct or ultra sound. I waited 9 months for one specialist, normal is 2-4 months and after years I finally have a diagnosis but no one is qualified to treat it. They gave me a referral but did not code it right so the outside specialist will not see me and it’s been a nightmare. I rarely see the same doctor twice except my primary care who I keep changing and they put me back to them. They are terrible.

In this instance I was referred to a civilian provider for the MRI. If you have to wait longer than 90 days within the military system, they are supposed to provide a referral to a civilian.
Are you in the DMV? It’s so hard to navigate healthcare here.

Is this just in the military an issue? I just had a health issue and was able to get an MRI the very next day after my doctor ordered it. I’m in the DMV. Medicare.

Recently? I'm in the military and got a referral out recently. Even in the civilian facilities it took 10 days to get in. And the one most people recommended to me (Fairfax Radiology) with multiple locations was a 3.5 week wait. Probably if your doctor is attached to a hospital with MRI services it's different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The other thing that's stunning is the cost of medication in the USA. I know people who go on trips abroad just to stock up on their regular medicines that are 1/20 of the price in other countries.

If the cost of medication was the same globally only the us could afford it

You know that companies are often paid NOT to bring new pharmaceutical products to market, so that there’s no competition that would bring costs down? Learn about pay-not-to-play and patent abuses. It’s appalling.

It is, to be clear, perfectly logical in a system where the entire purpose of medicine is to maximize shareholder growth. But it is appalling.

Provide links and sources and not just a headline you saw.

Funny that you assume I just saw a random headline.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/competition-enforcement/pay-delay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The other thing that's stunning is the cost of medication in the USA. I know people who go on trips abroad just to stock up on their regular medicines that are 1/20 of the price in other countries.

If the cost of medication was the same globally only the us could afford it

You know that companies are often paid NOT to bring new pharmaceutical products to market, so that there’s no competition that would bring costs down? Learn about pay-not-to-play and patent abuses. It’s appalling.

It is, to be clear, perfectly logical in a system where the entire purpose of medicine is to maximize shareholder growth. But it is appalling.

Provide links and sources and not just a headline you saw.

Funny that you assume I just saw a random headline.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/competition-enforcement/pay-delay

That’s just the beginning of the problem with the parent system. See also secondary parents and evergreening, as well as private equity buying up multiple companies in the sane therapeutic space and then holding back products to stifle competition.

Want links for those, too? Here you are:

https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/52-6-billion-extra-cost-to-consumers-of-add-on-drug-patents/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X22002483

That’s probably enough to get you started. Good luck

[Anonymous]

Get private equity out of health care, stat.

A bipartisan report:

https://www.budget.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/profits_over_patients_the_harmful_effects_of_private_equity_on_the_ushealthcaresystem1.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Medical system has become like public school. Everybody has a right to it. Anybody can just walk in for free. Can't kick anybody out. There is no discipline regarding earning care.

People of means escape to concierge system and leave the delusional and childish to their public hell hole.

Everybody should have a right to it. Any population needs education and health to thrive. These are basic needs. But I’m sure you’re a Trumper.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the US healthcare system is collapsing but is probably going to be worse for people in the lower half of the economic hunger games. This is a feature, not a bug, of the long-standing Republican party agenda.

On the other side, the Democrats have failed to present a plan that provides decent healthcare for the lower half while assuring the ownership class that they will simultaneously make ever higher profits. To be fair, it's a tall task.

Most DCUMers have nothing to worry about. The upper middle class and, especially, the 1%ers will do fine and probably better than before.

[Anonymous]

universal healthcare does not work. people have huge wait times to see anyone, regardless of if they have pain or not. look it up. dont fall for the BS the dems are telling you. they just want votes.

[Anonymous]

It’s only going to get worse republicans and project 2025 get ready for major increases in cost

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:universal healthcare does not work. people have huge wait times to see anyone, regardless of if they have pain or not. look it up. dont fall for the BS the dems are telling you. they just want votes.

Yeah it only works in terms of increasing life expectancy and reducing things like maternal mortality, who GAF about that, amirite?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:universal healthcare does not work. people have huge wait times to see anyone, regardless of if they have pain or not. look it up. dont fall for the BS the dems are telling you. they just want votes.

The whole point of this thread is that our current system doesn’t work so scaremongering about wait times and difficulties seeing a doctor aren’t going to be enough.

I’m due for a colonscopy and it’s a four month just to meet with the doctor, not even to schedule the procedure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny, I just returned from GW where I was scheduled to get an MRI to follow up on a mammogram and ultrasound. GW told me that I needed an MRI for further diagnosis. I ended up having to reschedule because they needed an order from my doctor, and the doctor's assistant sent in the wrong order. Nevermind that no one told me that I needed to get an order or that GW never provided the report to my doctor. Paid the co-pay. So I have a few more weeks to wonder if I have cancer. Great!

It was like being at the Mad Hatter's table. And I have excellent insurance.

I am going through the same ridiculous hoop jumping. Most recent is that I saw my PCP to get her to write the order for the MRI but she told me I have to get blood work done first to check kidney function. So I have to do the labs and then she’ll write the order, after which I finally can schedule the MRI. Meanwhile who knows what is happening with my actual health. Now tell me one good reason why the doctor who found the lump on my mammo and ultrasound couldn’t have sent me down to the lab the very same day and written the order for the MRI a few days later when the results came back!

Hoop jumping here too, and I have military healthcare, which is as close to the UK and Canadian system as you get. It's amazing to not really pay for it (we are prime so no co-pays), and I've been very happy with the quality of military doctors once I can actually get in to see them, but it's such a long wait for every appointment. And as you shift around to different specialties you have to wait 2 days for the referral to schedule, then at least a month for an initial appointment, then who knows how long for the actual fix.
Example:
Pain in knee - see primary care physician who prescribes rest for two weeks
Still pain - primary care physician refers to sports medicine and PT
PT takes 6 weeks to get an initial appointment
Sports medicine is a 4 month wait so kicked out to civilian care
Civilian referral takes 3.5 weeks for an appointment
MRI ordered after 6 weeks of pain
MRI takes 3 weeks to get an appointment
4 days for the MRI report
another week for a follow up appointment with sports med
Cyst found that needs surgical removal
Referral back to military orthopedist
4 week wait for initial appointment
Additional 3 weeks to schedule the out patient surgery

So about 4-5 months to diagnose and schedule a fairly simple out patient procedure. I'm active duty, so this took me away from a large portion of my work for that entire time. There's just so much run around and jumping from doctor to doctor and every one starts from scratch. It's really not working.

How do you get an mri that quickly. I have to wait 2-3 months for an mri or ct or ultra sound. I waited 9 months for one specialist, normal is 2-4 months and after years I finally have a diagnosis but no one is qualified to treat it. They gave me a referral but did not code it right so the outside specialist will not see me and it’s been a nightmare. I rarely see the same doctor twice except my primary care who I keep changing and they put me back to them. They are terrible.

In this instance I was referred to a civilian provider for the MRI. If you have to wait longer than 90 days within the military system, they are supposed to provide a referral to a civilian.
Are you in the DMV? It’s so hard to navigate healthcare here.

Is this just in the military an issue? I just had a health issue and was able to get an MRI the very next day after my doctor ordered it. I’m in the DMV. Medicare.

Recently? I'm in the military and got a referral out recently. Even in the civilian facilities it took 10 days to get in. And the one most people recommended to me (Fairfax Radiology) with multiple locations was a 3.5 week wait. Probably if your doctor is attached to a hospital with MRI services it's different?

DH had to get an MRI to check for potential cancer; had to wait for three months. In the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think the US healthcare system is collapsing but is probably going to be worse for people in the lower half of the economic hunger games. This is a feature, not a bug, of the long-standing Republican party agenda.

On the other side, the Democrats have failed to present a plan that provides decent healthcare for the lower half while assuring the ownership class that they will simultaneously make ever higher profits. To be fair, it's a tall task.

Most DCUMers have nothing to worry about. The upper middle class and, especially, the 1%ers will do fine and probably better than before.

The thing is, we’re rapidly reaching a point where everyone not in the top half-percent is considered “lower half of economic ladder.”

(Yes, obviously I know that math doesn’t work, but that’s what extreme wealth disparity does. It becomes its own gravitational force, warping everything.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^and Big Pharma

Nah, not the problem here. Try and stay off social media,dear.

[Anonymous]

Thankfully, we rarely have difficulty getting appointments (except dermatology). I had an MRI scheduled in ~ one week. Both DH and I have been in healthcare for > 30 years. And it is changing.

I don’t think waiting a week for an MRI is terrible. The US has more MRIs in one city than most countries. The MRI where I work is operational for all but maybe 6 hours in a 24 hour period.
It is also not bad to have to get preliminary tests/results before moving on to more expensive/complex tests.

Those complaining about healthcare workers, let be sure to tell you patients have changed just as much in the past 30 years. Look up the recent trends in workplace violence in hospitals. The poster than mentioned all the tests and measures- this is referred to as defensive medicine. You order all the test and measures so that when you are sued, you can refer back to said tests and measures. And of course, with all the physicians practicing defensive medicine, the wait time for those test and measures get higher.

Keep in mind, many people with chronic disease would have died only a few decades ago. There were no transplants, the average age for cystic fibrosis was 20, breast cancer was a death sentence. These are just a few of the hundreds of patients who used to die and now live with chronic issues. All of this costs a lot of $ and ongoing tests/procedures/appointments.

So many people would have better health if they would eat right, exercise, eliminate toxins (smoking, drugs), and find people/activities that bring them happiness. It certainly won’t stop everything, but it is a good start.