Medical coverage?

An update to my cousin "Betty" (not her real name) who is ill, and her never ending saga with the N.H.S..

To refresh your memory or to introduce "Betty" to new readers, first read the last part of post #1 followed by posts number 13 and 22.

This is a copy of her latest face book comments. Only names are changed and cuss words altered. Other than "Betty", are her face book friends.

Daisy: What's up hun? Xx

Terry: What have they NOT done now

Betty: Won't do my operation until they know for sure my blood clots in my lungs have gone...But still can't get appt. with haematology almost 6 MONTHS now... F@#$ed off is an understatement

Terry: What's the problem with haematology ??? Why won't they give u an appt. grrr???

Betty: They have no bl!@dy clinic...But I spoke to the consultant who is giving me blood thinners and he is on the case..As my treatment is almost up...waiting to hear from him Xx

Daisy: Ffs well hope you get it sorted out soon Hun xxx

its a year this sunday I was cut filleted and put back together still here still healing and feel better as the weeks go by hate to think of the cost it would have been in America I often wonder why I am still here?? might be just to wind you lot up?? lol jp

John the fact that you are still with us shows that they did a good job. So just sit back and enjoy it all and keep posting.

John #52

I assume John you are over 65. You would be covered by Medicare, John. That and what is called Medigap Insurance would totally cover you and your bill would be the same as what you have in the U.K.. Nothing.

For the under 65, many have employee medical insurance. Those that do not, can take out private insurance, these two programs cover about sixty something percent of the population. A large number (about twenty million people) are covered by the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care). Those making low income get it FREE, the balance pay on a graduating scale, depending on their taxable income, ( lose your job and you drop to the free bracket). Those that earn higher income, get no assistance but the rate is lower as it is a government negotiated bulk perchase rate.

I have lived in the U.S.A. for fifty-six years. I was first covered by the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union (two children born in hospital, no charge to me except for my union dues). Insured and paid for medical paid by my employer when I was employed in management. Self insured after I took early retirement and covered by Medicare at age sixty-five.

My wife as a child was covered under her father's work insurance (policeman) and as a teacher once she left University for work, and this insurance paid her medical when she took early retirement and married me. At age sixty-five she became covered by a blend of her retired teachers and Medicare insurance. She has never received a medical bill in her life.

I have never received a bill for medical services in the United States John. I have been in hospital for two major buggered knees, big time surgery (Skiing accidents), Boating accident , punctured lung and five broken ribs and internal injuries, five days in intensive care and three weeks in hospital. Zenker's diverticulum throut surgery, fed through the chest, one month in hospital, etc. etc.. I have never shared a room with another patient, single occupant only. I have read on this site about a member sharing a room with seven other patients who didn't know how to use a British toilet. Barbaric, like something out of a Dickens novel. I repeat John, I have never received a bill for medical services in fifty-five years in the U.S., or shared a room.

I have repeated this story at least a dozen times during the six years or so I have been a member of this site, but members want to believe the b.s. stories that go around about the States, not much I can do about except get a little testy and keep repeating the same mantra. Nobody dies on the streets unless they want to, it is against the law to turn people away from a hospital for life threatening conditions, Indigents will be treated at the Emergency Room, Many illegals go to the Emergence Room for treatment of a cold, it is against the law to turn them away. That one of the reasons why Americans are pished at illegal aliens coming in, they can go to the hospital, and must not be asked if they are legally in the States or not, and not be turned away...It is against the law. They think it's free medical, it's not free, the U.S. tax payer pays it, also for the tourists who come, get sick, are treated and return to their homeland and don't pay.

Rodney a fella in the same ward as me married an American girl before he could get into America he had to have a full medical and scan. they found he had lung cancer never smoked always looked after himself anyway he went over to America and they had a welcoming party for him ? one of wife's friends has leukaemia he lives a few doors down so far it has cost him a million dollars the doctors have found a bone marrow downer but he has run out of money so he cant get the treatment he needs? I know most medical in America is costly but its not free you have free hospitals over there but I would think you get the better care if you paid for it? jp

My Local hospital is full of migrants from the Khyber regions. That is what Rodney referred to in his last post. it was disgusting at times. not the Staffs fault. they are just overloaded with migrants, legal and illegal, Blame our Politicians for that.
My only experience in a US Hospital was in the Queens Medical Centre in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii.
It was wonderful, They saved my life after being diagnosed with having less than four days left to live without treatment.
A beautiful room to myself, with a computer, TV and my own Nurse 24 hours a day , on shifts, all wearing Hawaiian shirts instead of the Nurses uniform, very nice, I had two major operations, a Cardiac arrest and they saved my life. I would not be here but for them, I went back to Honolulu last February and thanked them.
The Travel Insurance paid for it all.
Cheers
Brian

and when we met last year Brian you looked fit as a fiddle mate they did a good job on you? jp

Rodney
Your #55 makes you even more accident prone than Kong!!!!!!!
rgds
JA

John #58

I can add tennis elbow to that, plus torn groin muscle, running against the clock for the mile time trial, spike caught in a rut left by some barsteward who must have rode a bike on the track when wet. Bursitis of the shoulder, fly fishing and tennis. But the best one, I saw the inside of a Canadian hospital with surgery for a hernia...I sneezed and ruptured myself, even Kong can't top that one.

John P. #55

I have never heard of anything happening like that. There are stories on the news about, for example, an out of work mom who's child has some awful complaint, needs surgery etc. no insurance etc. and before you know it the community raise the money to cover it. And it is quite often the doctors and the hospital waive the tab for exceptional cases. As I said, it is against the law to not treat sick people because they have no insurance or money...it is also against the law to sieze someone's house or mode of transport (car) as means of payment.

I do believe Captain Kong was given a copy of his bill to turn over to his insurance company in England and I think he said the bill was in the region of $75.000.00. Had he not insurance, he would have been given the same bill, returned to England and most likely deep-sixed the bill. The Hospital would have known they were going to get stuck for the charge, but there is nothing they could do about it. I bet the hospital's accountants breathed a big sigh of relief when the check arrived from "Jolly".

On the subject of stories that get around and shipmate Kong, remember he knew of a woman, married to a New Jersey cop (just like my wife's late father) who, came back to England to have her baby because it was cheaper than paying for it in the U.S.. I explained to the Captain that all State employees have great insurance programs, medical, pensions, etc., and this for what ever reason this is the type bull s!@# that keeps coming-around.

I let The Captain's last post #56 stand as conformation to my claims John. The streets of the U.S. are not exactly covered with gold...but they sure as heck ain't covered with the bodies of sick people or tourists without insurance.