• _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    103
    ·
    edit-2
    9 months ago

    Yeah, no shit. I have a full time job, supposedly great health insurance, but I still can’t actually afford to go to the doctor (never mind an ER). You’re God damn right the healthcare system is broken!

      • na_th_an@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        21
        ·
        8 months ago

        I remember when my dad lost his job around 2002. I was a little kid and my mom told me to be careful when I’m playing outside, because if I broke my arm we could lose our house. That’s something I don’t think should ever be a reality, or something that parents or children should worry about in a functioning country.

      • Vanon@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        10
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        9 months ago

        Yes, but longer. It’s absurd. Not sure exactly when premiums really got out of control, though. There’s probably a good chart out there.

        Democrats tried to fix this almost… 15 years ago (“thanks Obama”). Critical failure: no Medicare option for all. Most civilized democracies implemented right to free care 30+ years ago, should’ve been easy to follow. (Then higher education as well.) For-profit health insurance companies and their armies of lobbyists are evil and should be burned to the ground.

        • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          6
          ·
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          Because i think you’re the thinking sort, I suggest you Google ‘how Democrats sabotaged Obamacare’ or similar, select a source or sources you trust and see what you take away from your reading.

          Edit: look… I don’t give a single shit about downvotes, what i want is for you to see… Just do it. Don’t be afraid. Do it, and see for yourself

          • Vanon@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            8
            ·
            8 months ago

            In my view it was similar to the recent Manchin / Sinema travesty. Zero Republican votes, plus some very cowardly or corrupt “centrist Democrats” that neuter or kill bill. A classic recipe for disappointment.

            • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              3
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              edit-2
              8 months ago

              You are right. It was eerily similar. There was even a single scapegoat! His name was Ben Nelson, and he was a former insurance executive.

              He joined politics for a few years, vsinglehandedly destroyed the public option, and then quit public service.

              Makes you think, huh?

    • metaStatic@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      19
      ·
      9 months ago

      all insurance is a scam but any insurance that doesn’t cover you for the only thing it’s selling is also fraud.

  • dynamojoe@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    97
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    8 months ago

    Fucking tired of people who suddenly see a problem when a) it happens to them or b) when they’re no longer relying on the problem for their income.

    • Daft_ish@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      32
      arrow-down
      12
      ·
      8 months ago

      It’s the republican way. They live in delusion land and when reality hits them in the face they get all pissy about it.

        • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          8
          ·
          8 months ago

          Most Democrat politicians are conservatives by every international standard. They are often called neoliberals.

          The reason we have a corporatocracy and do not have a legitimate healthcare system is because of conservatives, many of whom are Democrat neoliberals, unfortunately. We don’t have a progressive party. We have a conservative party and a more conservative party.

          We need progressive minded non-politicians to say “fuck it” and run for office. If Boebert, Gomert, and Santos can do it, literally ANYONE can.

          Looking for work? Run for office. The less of a politician and more of an honest progressive you are, the more needed you are! Do it! Do it now!

        • Sami_Uso@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          8 months ago

          We act like these politicians are not friendly with each other regardless of D or R. Like they aren’t getting together in DC bars just like we do after work and joking around about the bills they blocked today or the votes they were able to get. They don’t care. They’re all on the same side they just have to appease different groups of people at home.

          We have a long way to go, man.

      • Buffaloaf@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        Sometimes, it still doesn’t hit them though. They’ll get a $20,000 bill and say “thank God I don’t live in Canada or this would be even worse!”

        • ripcord@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          8 months ago

          “In shithole countries like Europe I’d just have died! Probably still waiting to see the doctor!”

    • blazeknave@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      8 months ago

      I mean… that’s kind of why we never stop ranting and raving… To force them to find new sources of compassion and to find empathy for the other which they weren’t taught by their family of origin. I’m tired of dealing with half the country being raised like thoughtless sociopathic fucking savages and eating the poor and each other.

    • EnderMB@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      To be fair to him, it seems to be a common thread with many in the medical profession, probably because they dedicate themselves to a system that is fundamentally broken. Even the likes of Doctor Mike (Medical YouTuber, whose content I really enjoy) have painted things like universal healthcare in a way that highlights the problems without painting the full picture of why (systemic underfunding to push privatisation).

      I don’t want to excuse it, but it’s a very common problem that few want to address in the field.

      • Ranvier@sopuli.xyz
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        I think doctors know as much if not more than anyone how broken the system is and how it constantly fails people, disagreements more about what to do about it and fears about change.

        And there’s certainly some physicians organizing in support of single payer.

        Physicians for a National Health Program

        A lot of doctors are concerned about how much say or influence they would have in such a health system, but hey not like they have much as it is as everything has become giant conglomerates run by MBAs and private equity, so not much to lose. At least government is theoretically beholden to the people.

      • Tamo240@programming.dev
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        8 months ago

        Doctor Mike lost any respect I had for him after his behaviour during the pandemic. He is a content creator far above being an actual medical professional.

          • Tamo240@programming.dev
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            9
            ·
            8 months ago

            From wiki:

            On November 12, 2020,[20] for his 31st birthday, Varshavski traveled to Miami to attend a beach party that was also attended by a number of other people without masks, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Footage of the event was posted on Instagram and went viral, particularly on Reddit.[21] On November 18, Varshavski apologized for his actions in a YouTube video,[22] saying he “messed up” and he needed “to do better”.[23] His attendance of the party was criticized by medical professionals. Bioethicist Arthur Caplan, director of the division of medical ethics at NYU Langone Health, said Varshavski “fails completely in being an appropriate role model and he should be called out, and he deserves even more criticism than he’s getting so far.”[23]

      • STOMPYI@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        13
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        9 months ago

        It’s the rich running this country. The political system is there to make the masses feel represented.

      • metaStatic@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        edit-2
        9 months ago

        I think you mean

        Working as intended
        -The owning class

        plenty of working class people could be considered rich and a medical bill would still upend their lives.

  • Underwaterbob@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    57
    ·
    8 months ago

    A couple years ago, I ended up in an ambulance due to what turned out to be a small urethra stone. At the hospital, I had an x-ray. When that didn’t find the problem, they gave me a CT scan. Once they found the stone, they called in a urologist. I got a consultation, prescription, passed the stone later that day (it was tiny), and recovered very quickly. My total bill was 243’000 Korean won - just about $200 USD. I only had the mandatory insurance that was paid for by my employer. Something to the tune of $50 a month that they are legally required to pay.

    The US’s system is completely fucked. Broken beyond repair. I wish them luck.

  • ExtraordinaryJoe@reddthat.com
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    54
    ·
    9 months ago

    On February 14 I met my max out of pocket for the year. I had an upper and lower GI taken which is the bulk of the cost. My insurance is already refusing to cover some of my diabetes medication, because some people use it to lose weight (Mounjaro). I need it to keep my A1C levels under 10. I already weigh the ideal weight for my height. Because it’s so expensive and insurance doesn’t cover it, I will end up going without for the rest of the year. My old insurance covered it, but my company switched insurance in January. New insurance has never equaled better insurance. I’m so tired of insurance being tied to my job.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      18
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      9 months ago

      I just want to make sure one of the options you tried was a different medicine. Doctors can be pretty good about playing the insurance game sometimes

      • JasonDJ@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        8 months ago

        I love how it’s some bureaucrats job to decide what medication is best for his needs. Not OP, who had been having desired results prior to his employer switching insurance, and not his PCP, who is more closely tied to his outcomes than anyone else.

    • Dozzi92@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      25
      ·
      8 months ago

      They live on a different planet. Our representatives are completely out of touch and there’s no bringing them back. For the few good ones there are 99 career polticians out there carving out a niche for themselves and their families.

      • FontMasterFlex@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        3
        ·
        8 months ago

        99% agreed. I don’t believe there are currently any “good ones”. Everyone thinks “their guy” is going good and the rest suck and it’s why we never have change in the guard.

  • FReddit@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    47
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    If he thinks five grand is a big hospital bill, he’s not living in the real world.

    • Jax@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      21
      ·
      8 months ago

      5 grand for something that can be fixed by quite literally buying salt and distilled water (obviously give or take a month, but that doesn’t matter). Idk where you live but that shit is cheap where I am.

      It’s not that 5 grand is a big bill. It’s that they’re charging 5 grand for salt water.

      • RGB3x3@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        10
        ·
        8 months ago

        Don’t go to the ER for dehydration. If it’s really that bad, find an IV lounge that can just give you an IV bag with some vitamins and maybe some meds.

        It’s like $150-$200, which I know is still expensive, but you don’t need insurance and it’s a quick in-and-out.

        When that dehydrated, injecting liquids is way more effective than drinking them.

        • Cataphract@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          I highly doubt he just felt a little parched and decided to go to the ER. I also wouldn’t suggest to others to diagnose themselves as dehydrated and go to an IV clinic (unless they perform medical check-ups from licensed physicians as well).

          In an interview Monday with Business Insider, Adams said he went to the ER in Scottsdale, Arizona, in January after he became lightheaded while hiking on a work trip.

          From his wiki he looks like a fit military figure who’s probably not had the many health complications (is also still in his 40’s). As a doctor himself and probably his colleagues around him (work trip), I imagine the recommendation is to get checked-up asap. It’s also kind of ironic you’re calling out the former Surgeon General and a licensed doctor while giving alternative medical advice lol.

          • RGB3x3@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            arrow-down
            7
            ·
            8 months ago

            It’s not even alternative medical advice though. You go to the ER for dehydration and they’re going to give you an IV of fluids and vitamins. I know because I’ve done it several times.

            Whatever the Surgeon General’s issue was, I’m sure he knew what was best for him and of course go to the ER if you’re that bad.

            But I’ve personally been in situations where an ER visit would have been warranted. I’m not talking just parched, it’s when I’ve been frequently vomiting for 18 hours every 20 minutes and severely dehydrated because of my migraines. But instead of needing the ER, it took 10 minutes to get an IV at an IV lounge that took care of it for far cheaper and quicker. And then I’m not taking up a bed from someone who could use it more.

            There’s nothing wrong with getting IVs because the people administering them are trained nurses. It’s not “alternative medicine” because it’s literally what the ER gives you.

            • Cataphract@lemmy.ml
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              8 months ago

              lol sorry, I didn’t mean “alternative medicine”. I was referring to alternative (noun 1. One of a number of possible choices or courses of action) medical advice. Though, I haven’t looked into the claims the IV clinics make which might skew towards the “alternative medicine” side (ducked it, FTC has been going after a lot of them for false advertising). But, we’re talking strictly dehydration so that’s moot.

              I am glad that the clinics worked out for you and sympathize as well coming from a family with a history of migraines. If you have a diagnosed medical history with a common side effect and you personally decide to go treatment first without further investigation that is your personal choice (again, I have no clue what the intake is like at one of these clinics i.e. blood pressure, heart rate, etc). You are self-diagnosing though regardless in this instance, same as anyone taking some otc medicine for pain (which can be fatal like a gallbladder or mundane like some bloating). This seems like a case of a sudden-onset of symptoms which he hadn’t experienced before, which can happen as someone gets older. I took offense to your comment as the dehydration diagnosis didn’t come till after his visit, so “knowing” beforehand is a gamble in this situation and one I wouldn’t lightly pass onto others as good medical advice.

          • RGB3x3@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            8 months ago

            Yeah, it’s actually kinda wild because the first time I went in, something about it felt illegal. But nope, they’re perfectly fine and a great way to treat dehydration, hangovers, migraines, general pain, nausea, etc. Anyone can walk in and use them.

            They’ve personally saved me several times when my migraines have gotten to their 10/10 point because the meds hit so much more effectively through IV than orally.

            • Jax@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              8 months ago

              I’ve been considering starting a vitamin regiment and, after doing a little research based on the information you’ve given me, this seems perfect. How often do you go in?

    • systemglitch@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      8 months ago

      I’m living in the real world, most I’ve ever had to pay was parking and I guess a few bucks for meds. I remember how $100 for meds a fe years ago made me cringe.

      But I also live in a first world country, with first world problems.

      • Blackmist@feddit.uk
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        8 months ago

        Two years ago my dad had a cardiac arrest.

        Resuscitation, ambulance ride, four stents, nearly a week in a coma in intensive care, another week recovering. No charge at all. Due to Covid and them not really want everyone putting their germy hospital hands on the ticket machines, even the parking was free.

        All I paid was a few quid for a bottle of water and some biscuits from the hospital shop.

        Now there are issues with the NHS, in that anything non-urgent can take a very long time and might not get resolved at all, and it being chronically understaffed to the point of negligence (which is intentional sabotage by our government) but for emergencies, it’s amazing.

        • meliaesc@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          That sounds so… wonderful. The patient and family get to focus on health and feel like they belong to a society that values their wellbeing? 🤩

          • Blackmist@feddit.uk
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            8 months ago

            Well I wouldn’t go that far. I do live in the UK after all.

            But it’s nice to not be bankrupt, so there’s that.

  • jaschen@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    41
    ·
    8 months ago

    I paid 1200 USD a month for a family of 3 for my health insurance to have the privilege of paying more a hospital bill.

    I had to go to the ER because I slit my pinky on some glass and waited in the ER for 5 hours. They had to rip then dried blood and paper towel that was stuck on my finger because it took so long.

    After all that, I had to pay 3000usd of my own money which didn’t cover my minimum. Why DA FUCK DO I EVEN NEED INSURANCE!?!?!?

    The fucking nurse on staff that came to help me for a few minutes was not within my network. Ya fuck that hospital too.

    • june@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      8 months ago

      For small wounds like that I generally recommend an urgent care clinic over the ER. Way cheaper and they can handle that shit. Save the ER for proper trauma.

      • JasonDJ@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        11
        ·
        8 months ago

        Sure. If the urgent care is open.

        God forbid you slice your hand open outside of regular business hours.

        I used to get some random unexplained swelling in one leg. My wife has a family history of blood clots. I don’t , but that doesn’t keep her from panicking, or from inciting my own panic. Only way to know for sure that it’s not a clot, as far as anyone told me, is imaging…sonograms specifically.

        I don’t think any urgent care around me has sonograms. It’s ER, or get PCP to refer out and have an appointment in 3 weeks.

        If you Google “Ultrasound Machine” and look at the shopping listings, you’ll find more than a few entire fucking machines that cost less than half of just one of those visits. And what did I have for that time? A few hours of waiting, interspersed with 5 minutes with an ultrasound tech, and 20 seconds with a doctor telling me (in the hallway) that nothing was wrong.

        • june@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          Yes, this was general advice. If there’s no urgent care open and you need to see someone more immediately, go to the ER. For a cut that needs stitches, you can probably wait for the urgent care to open.

    • jeffw@lemmy.worldM
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      It’s illegal for them to send you a bill because a provider isn’t your network. One of the few good things passed under Trump. Lmk if you need any specific help or information in disputing that bill.

      Edit: assuming this ER visit happened on or after 1/1/2022. Or potentially earlier depending on your state.

      • jaschen@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        8 months ago

        It has been years. I actually decided to move out of the USA. Paid the bill and decided to be more careful.

    • SeaJ@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      My wife had to go to the ER and we went to a hospital that was in network. The hospital is indeed in network but the fucking ER is a separate entity and was not. I guess we should have been better informed consumers. /s

      • Styxia@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        8 months ago

        ER was in-network. The nurse and doctor was also in-network. The second nurse, who connected me to the ECG, and the person who read the ECG was not in-network. No way of knowing at the time. Balance billing was permitted in that state at that time, which out-of-network provider used to the full extent.

        I’m still salty about that.

        • nybble41@programming.dev
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          8 months ago

          That part is messed up. You shouldn’t be dealing with individual contractors as a patient. All billing should go through the hospital, and be considered in-network provided the hospital is in-network, regardless of what kind of specialist sees you there. Any exception, such as bringing in someone who doesn’t normally work there to treat a rare condition, should require separate and specific authorization from the patient in advance.

          • Styxia@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            8 months ago

            Ridiculous isn’t it? I had my annual physical a few weeks back, which for me is filling an online form and having my blood pressure read and a few blood tests. $550, insurance pays for everything.

            Well. Almost. Turns out 2 of my blood tests were not covered by some healthcare bill passed in 2007. $267. And the mole I asked to be checked, billing code wasn’t covered as standard checkup, and so that question was $240. Mole was benign, and surprisingly didn’t result in some convenience fee.

      • jaschen@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        8 months ago

        That is seriously fucked up.

        For me, I called my insurance on the phone while bleeding profusely and wanted to make sure I went to the right hospital. I still got hit with out of network bills.

      • Billiam@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        16
        ·
        8 months ago

        We have waits for specialists too. To get my vasectomy, I had to wait six weeks from my referral to my first consult, then another month from the consult to the actual surgery.

        And then I got a bill from the surgical center, a bill from the urologist, and a bill from the anesthesiologist, despite only going to one office for the whole thing.

        • PaleRider@feddit.uk
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          10
          ·
          8 months ago

          I’m in the UK. From my first enquiry to the operation was about the same…

          … but I didn’t get any bills after.

      • SeaJ@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        10
        ·
        8 months ago

        Where the fuck are you in the US that you do not have to wait for specialists? You living in Fantasy Land? Even a simple specialist like a dermatologist is a 2-3 month wait.

        • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          Yeah I know, it was a cruel joke. But if you talk to a con about this, you’re sure to find this in their argument salad

        • jaschen@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          He said UK. We only wish we only needed to wait 2 weeks for a specialist.

      • jeffw@lemmy.worldM
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        OECD data shows that wait times don’t significantly vary based on how a system is funded. The USA is just plain bad at wait times. That being said, the UK’s system is not the best example.

      • jaschen@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        8 months ago

        Lol, we wish we could wait 2 weeks. My wife needed a tumor removed in her stomach and took 6 months.

      • june@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        8 months ago

        I just scheduled and appointment for my PCP. His next available is in June. Fucking 4 months for primary care.

        I’ll take wait times in the UK with no bill over this bullshit any day.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      Nonsense. Greed Is Good.

      Capitalists are constantly telling me that if the Mayo Clinic wasn’t charging $5000 for saline drips, the service simply wouldn’t exist and he’d have died. This is what happens all the time in Communist Countries.

      Besides, $5000 is a small price to pay for your life. If anything, he should have been charged extra. The hospital could have extorted him for five figures, easily, if they’d just twisted the screws a little tighter.

  • rusticus@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    40
    arrow-down
    8
    ·
    9 months ago

    Fuck this joker. He’s the IDIOT that said, as the SURGEON GENERAL, “Seriously people - STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!” (Tweet was then deleted). He should lose his medical license and be imprisoned for the excessive number of deaths his lies caused.

    • El Barto@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      20
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      When exactly did he say this? At the beginning of the pandemic when things were still uncertain?

      I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with you if he said that at the beginning. To be clear, I know masks were an effective protection against the coronavirus. But at that time there was a lot of uncertainty, first, and second, he was half-right: there was a shortage of masks, and medical professionals needed them at a very critical time. I followed that advice. Then when the CDC said “oops, no actually DO wear masks!” I started wearing them.

      So… I’m not saying he was right. I’m just saying we should judge people in context. Don’t pile him up with the true idiot anti-mask bundle.

    • Duamerthrax@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      7
      ·
      8 months ago

      They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching

      That’s technically true, but the correct answer is more nuanced then the average adult has the attention span to understand or the character limit of twitter.

      Masks are better at stopping the wearer from spreading it to other people, but a lot of people were getting infected through spit going into their eyes. Did this post occur during the mask shortage were even surgeons couldn’t get the masks they needed to do their work? The quote you gave said to stop buying masks, not to stop wearing them. Best practice was to use a reusable mask and face shield.

      • El Barto@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        8 months ago

        We’ve already had this discussion ad nauseum since 2020. It’s 2024. Just stop with spreading information that can fuel the anti-mask bullshit.

        I understand that wearing eye protection can reduce the risk of catching the virus. But to say “masks are not effective” being technically true is irresponsible.

        • Duamerthrax@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          People only accepting simple answers are why so many people died. I never said masks aren’t effective. You reduced my comment until it lost it’s original meaning.

          • El Barto@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            8 months ago

            Yeah, sorry, man. Freaking anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers had me on edge for so long, that it was practically an automatic response.

    • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      8 months ago

      They were lying in order to get as many masks as possible to healthcare staff. Perhaps they saved more lives doing so

      • Patches@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        And perhaps they didn’t.

        I’m not putting the full blame of the Anti-Covid nonsense on him - but that decision was certainly straw on the camels back. I know I will never forget.

        • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          8 months ago

          Sure, and I agree it was a bad idea because it burned so much credibility. And secondly, I can’t imagine it making a real difference. Those who had the means to acquire masks at that time wouldn’t be dumb enough to believe it.

          And I also agree that it’s good to remind everybody every once in a while.

          But my main point is that they didn’t lie because they are bad people that were preparing the masses for a one world government - they did it because they saw hospital staff falling ill or dying at unsustainable rates and were willing to do almost anything to slow that.

        • JasonDJ@lemmy.zip
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          Smart people understand that science is fallible. As more information becomes available, science can be corrected.

          Covid denialism came out of mishandling that. People believing that since science wasn’t infallible, it can’t be trusted.

          It’s a problem with the state of education in this country. Same reason why people don’t believe in gravity because “it’s just a theory”.

          • Patches@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            edit-2
            8 months ago

            There is a distinct difference between science being fallible, and being told that Life Preserver Jackets won’t save you - while you’re on a sinking ship - and every medical professional around you goes to extreme lengths to acquire as many life preservers as possible.

            They at no-point-in-time believed masks were pointless.

            I get it. I really do. Doesn’t make it right.


            Just in case:

            Well, the reason for that is that we were concerned the public health community, and many people were saying this, were concerned that it was at a time when personal protective equipment, including the N95 masks and the surgical masks, were in very short supply. And we wanted to make sure that the people namely, the health care workers, who were brave enough to put themselves in a harm way, to take care of people who you know were infected with the coronavirus and the danger of them getting infected

            • JasonDJ@lemmy.zip
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              8 months ago

              I don’t agree with it, but I get it.

              We had a very limited supply of masks in the country. Remember, we had people volunteering to stitch cloth masks or 3D printed “straps” for face shields…to donate to doctors and nurses who couldn’t get enough masks to stay safe. Breweries and distilleries were re-tooling to make hand sanitizer.

              Meanwhile we were already at the start of the supply chain itself collapsing.

              We were at a point where Trump was hijacking intercepting shipments of masks to scalp redistribute them to the highest bidder hospitals that needed them more.

              Now, if they had said that day “everyone needs to wear a mask in public”, that would have completely toppled the supply for hospitals, and I’d say it’s significantly more critical for frontline workers to have them than people who were able to hunker down and wait until Easter when the whole thing blows over (womp womp).

              You know that any other messaging would’ve caused a rush on face masks and frontline workers, and probably made the whole thing worse.

              In retrospect it’s easy to say that they should have been transparent about the messaging. But in retrospect, we also know that most people are selfish assholes.

              • Patches@sh.itjust.works
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                2
                ·
                edit-2
                8 months ago

                You don’t get to play the Prisoners Dilemma, publicly betray the other as your opening gambit, and then foam at the mouth that everyone is refusing to cooperate for the next 3 years.

                There is no point in arguing this.

                You can believe the ends justify the means however you want.

                I watched people very-close-to-me die from COVID in front of me as an essential worker. I was told a mask would not save my life. I was a pig for the slaughter.

                Science can be infallible. People aren’t. I will never trust the CDC again.

  • boonhet@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    25
    ·
    8 months ago

    I have a little experience with the medical billing system for this fantastic country that I’m lucky and unlucky enough not to live in (yes, both lucky and unlucky; different reasons).

    It’s messed up. There are band-aids in place to keep costs down for charges billed to medicare and medicaid, but that just makes the whole thing worse because it adds a lot of extra complexity and everyone else likely gets fleeced to make up for the new overhead. The medicare 8 minute rule itself isn’t that complex, but add modifiers for activities performed by different providers (in therapy, this could be a PT and a PTA providing the same service, for different lengths of time, on the same visit)? It goes NUTS.

    Single payer healthcare with optional private coverage would solve nearly everything. The cost to the patient first and foremost, but also the cost to the government itself, due to greatly decreased complexity. And private clinics and private insurance don’t have to disappear, they can still provide more high-end services, or shorter wait times, for those who can ACTUALLY AFFORD IT.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    24
    ·
    9 months ago

    Dr. Jerome Adams, who was the nation’s top doctor from 2017 to 2021, said he was slammed with an almost $5,000 bill after being treated for dehydration at a Mayo Clinic emergency department, where he got labs and a few IV bags.

    Awesome. I’m going there at the end of March.

    • Ashyr@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      9 months ago

      Oh shoot, you’re the person who’s been having trouble eating, aren’t you. Man, I hope they’re able to help you out. So sorry for your health issues.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        13
        ·
        9 months ago

        No, but it’s the same hospital.

        If you’re curious why I’m going there, I wrote about it in Casual Conversation- https://lemmy.world/post/12194311

        Long story short: I haven’t been able to eat any solid food for over six months and no one knows why.

        (Please no medical advice, I am begging you. The general you, not you specifically.)

            • VaultBoyNewVegas@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              9
              ·
              9 months ago

              Nothing is more frustrating than people giving unsolicited medical advice. I’ve IBD and I mentioned on a post about people buying cheap frozen food why some people do it. I explained that I literally can’t do prep, cook and watch the stuff cooking due to the symptoms when having a flare up. Wouldn’t you know I got the typical reply that I should learn to cook (I know how) and eat healthily and seek medical advice (I’ve a specialist nurse I can contact at any time and it’s difficult to eat anything when in constant pain and I feel nauseous after eating) so I feel you dude with not wanting to hear it at all no matter how well meaning some people are.

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                7
                ·
                9 months ago

                And they really are well-meaning, I know that, but it’s so tiring to say “yes, we’ve been over that. It’s not that. I don’t fit those symptoms.” or whatever over and over.

                I hope you find a solution for your IBD that helps you, I’m sure that’s really awful.

                • JasonDJ@lemmy.zip
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  3
                  ·
                  8 months ago

                  Oh but armchair doctoring is so fun (for everyone else). It’s like Guess Who: House M.D. edition.

      • STUPIDVIPGUY@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        9 months ago

        The Mayo Clinic specializes in a lot of niche stuff which means people often have to fly from all over the country to visit this specific hospital in Minnesota

        • Fosheze@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          9 months ago

          I know. I count myself lucky live less than an hour away from it. My grandma has actually gotten flown in on mayo one before for an emergency (speaking of expensive bills).

          My original comment was a joke because the top post was talking about the surgeon general going to one of their emergency rooms and op was talking about planning to go there by which they meant mayo clinic but it could also be read as them meaning the ER.

        • Gork@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          9 months ago

          Like mayonnaise?

          Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

    • roguetrick@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      9 months ago

      He got more done than he said. He likely went in for syncope (since he’s a doctor and that’s one of the few things that might scare them) and they did an ECG and possibly something else (particularly if he requested it). That said, 5k is still ridiculous.

  • unphazed@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    23
    ·
    8 months ago

    Oh look at that. The sky is blue. Oh, and water is… wet! It’s wet everyone! Oh, no, not water, it’s piss being thrown at us by our government’s lack of representation, ethical apathy, and greed.