Trump/GOP still trying to kill us through "healthcare"

[Simon Dog]

Where does all of that money come from?

It is an attempt to attract the well insured top dollar patient who can choose hospitals.

One of the big Boston hospitals put up a new building, and then reallocated services.  All the discretionary services (as in "choose what hospital will do your bypass" and "choose your kidney installer") were moved to the new building with all private rooms.  All the services that attract the "can't pay but we have to treat you anyhow" services like burn and trauma were moved to the older section with double rooms. 

There are lots of expensive treatments that people do not get unless they can pay (think bypass, cancer treatment - anything non-acute).   The atriums are reserved for attracting these people.

[PrimeTimer]

Where does all of that money come from?

It is an attempt to attract the well insured top dollar patient who can choose hospitals.

One of the big Boston hospitals put up a new building, and then reallocated services.  All the discretionary services (as in "choose what hospital will do your bypass" and "choose your kidney installer") were moved to the new building with all private rooms.  All the services that attract the "can't pay but we have to treat you anyhow" services like burn and trauma were moved to the older section with double rooms. 

There are lots of expensive treatments that people do not get unless they can pay (think bypass, cancer treatment - anything non-acute).   The atriums are reserved for attracting these people.

Thanks for answering MM's question because I was wondering the same thing. This practice seems to be commonplace these days. Might also explain why someone I knew was told by the fancy new place to go across the street to the "can't pay but we have to treat you anyhow" place.   

[PrimeTimer]

I don't know if I'm a Republican anymore. I am Conservative but don't know about being a Repub anymore. Any time Paul Ryan, McShame and McConnell get excited makes me nervous. Congress in general gives me a sick feeling. I feel we are about to be given a crap sandwich and all we wanted was some reform....want insurance companies to compete across state lines and for them to keep their paws off our Medicare/Medicaid. Poor sickly people need coverage, rich fat cats don't need more riches in their pockets, doctors deserve to be paid well, pharma is out of control as are the insurance companies telling us "what's-what" and bossing us around like we have no choice...and we don't! I am literally sick over it. If we don't die from disease and illness we will die from stress and anxiety of fighting the big medical beast of beasts. And I am absolutely sick of doing it. Work your whole life since you were kid only to end up being told "NO" you can't have this and you can't have that...but if I had sat on my rear end and cried out for someone to help me, I may just be sitting pretty with all the help afforded to me. But no...work you tail off and pay your insurance premiums and deductables and copayments so you can be owned and bossed around by the insurance companies and Big Govt. And Trump? Does he seriously understand this stuff? I've seen signs that he does but I've seen signs that perhaps he doesn't really get it. Is he a One Worlder? I doubt it but sometimes....well...All I know is that our healthcare situation is a mess, no one seems happy with it and it causes more letdowns that it causes anything healthy. I'm beginning to think it is one giant corrupt cesspool. Egads!

[LorinnPKD]

Exactly.  I veer pretty far left.  And like you, I wanted reform -- I wanted all of us to have good services, healthcare, and infrastructure without waste, fraud, and abuse.  And this is what I've been afraid of -- that politicians would use the cover of fraud, waste, and abuse not for reform, but to make radical changes that help big insurance companies and kill everyday Americans. 

I think a hard right on reforms might actually work if healthcare costs in our country weren't through the roof -- lots of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, and even if you are fortunate to find good work and manage to save for retirement, something like kidney failure will wipe you out in a matter of months. That's why conservative ideas like HSAs don't work -- they will absolutely work for something like appendicitis or a broken leg, but get a bout of cancer or kidney disease and there's no way a whole lifetime of saving can help you.  I wiped out my HSA on just deductibles alone.

This kind of heartless deregulation combined with outrageous healthcare costs is going to make people bankrupt and cost actual lives.

[Simon Dog]

I knew was told by the fancy new place to go across the street to the "can't pay but we have to treat you anyhow" place.   

This is called "patient dumping" and is frowned upon.   Some hospitals choose not to offer certain services which makes it possible to dump patients needing those treatments.