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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   The Trailer Park (https://britishexpats.com/forum/trailer-park-96/)
-   -   2020 Election (https://britishexpats.com/forum/trailer-park-96/2020-election-919243/)

scrubbedexpat099 Feb 23rd 2019 6:53 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Well I quickly looked up SF General and the one thing I do not not understand is why in SF of all places this happens, seems that the policies etc are set and controlled by the Politicians, so why have they not set this up as an example of how things should be run?

There is a lot to be said for leading by example.

Giantaxe Feb 23rd 2019 6:57 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Originally Posted by Boiler (Post 12642479)
Well I quickly looked up SF General and the one thing I do not not understand is why in SF of all places this happens, seems that the policies etc are set and controlled by the Politicians, so why have they not set this up as an example of how things should be run?

There is a lot to be said for leading by example.
I believe the hospital charter gives it a certain amount of autonomy, but ultimately, the city should be doing something about this. And hopefully is:

https://sfist.com/2019/02/22/sf-gene...ured-patients/

"Nicki Pogue said that she she spent five hours at the hospital for a “viral syndrome” after running a high altitude race. She recovered within a few days, but was flabbergasted when she received a bill for $13,000, of which her insurance covered just over $3,000."

Ha, exactly my situation...

http://www.sfexaminer.com/zsfgh-cap-...ing-practices/

None of this is going to help me though.

scrubbedexpat099 Feb 23rd 2019 7:06 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
So these rates have been approved by the Politicians.

Giantaxe Feb 23rd 2019 7:10 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Originally Posted by Boiler (Post 12642489)
So these rates have been approved by the Politicians.
Yes. The claim is these rates are no different from what other hospitals charge. The difference is that SF General hasn't negotiated rates with any insurance company, so is "out of network" for everyone with insurance. I am going to bet that SF supervisors were - and perhaps are - ignorant of the consequences of what this hospital is doing. Of course, that doesn't make them less culpable.

scrubbedexpat099 Feb 23rd 2019 7:19 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Begs the question how you can not be aware of the situation.

scrubbedexpat099 Feb 23rd 2019 7:24 am
Re: 2020 Election
 

Klobuchar ate salad with comb, told staffer to clean it

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/...k-in-politics/

Call me cynical but feels like the Dem Party is have a clearing out of non approved candidates.

Giantaxe Feb 23rd 2019 7:28 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Originally Posted by Boiler (Post 12642497)
Begs the question how you can not be aware of the situation.
Not really. You'd have to know, for example, that people covered by employer self-insured plans could be balance billed in emergency room situations, despite the California prohibition on emergency room balance billing. That's a pretty esoteric distinction.

scrubbedexpat099 Feb 23rd 2019 7:30 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Well the article if true said that they approved the rates being charged. Sounded like it was something they do annually.

Giantaxe Feb 23rd 2019 7:35 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Originally Posted by Boiler (Post 12642502)
Well the article if true said that they approved the rates being charged. Sounded like it was something they do annually.
Right, but if the rates are the same as any other hospital's rates, on what basis wouldn't they approve them? It's other parts of the equation - out of network to everyone, balance billing in the circumstances I describe - that are the problematic behaviour.

scrubbedexpat099 Feb 23rd 2019 7:39 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
I find it very difficult to believe that they would not know, one quick google suggested that one of them had been impacted by this many years ago.

How can you not look down those numbers and know that they are outlandish? $100 for an aspirin whatever. If I was asked to approve them I would ask a simple question whether these charges were reasonable or normal US gouging.

Giantaxe Feb 23rd 2019 7:47 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Originally Posted by Boiler (Post 12642506)
I find it very difficult to believe that they would not know, one quick google suggested that one of them had been impacted by this many years ago.

How can you not look down those numbers and know that they are outlandish? $100 for an aspirin whatever. If I was asked to approve them I would ask a simple question whether these charges were reasonable or normal US gouging.
Essentially, it is gouging of a subset of insured patients to pay for all those that are indigent. What is even more galling is that this is SF's one designated trauma center, so some patients don't even have the option of going elsewhere in the city even if they try:

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-polit...neral-hospital

scrubbedexpat099 Feb 23rd 2019 7:50 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
That makes more sense, so they knew what they were doing but been caught and are trying to cover up.

Giantaxe Feb 23rd 2019 7:53 am
Re: 2020 Election
 
Originally Posted by Boiler (Post 12642513)
That makes more sense, so they knew what they were doing but been caught and are trying to cover up.
I certainly hold that view about the hospital. It's clearly a very deliberate practice. Of course, it's also the policy of pretty much any medical provider to a lesser or greater extent:- stick as much as possible on those they can legally stick it to.

A better question to ask is why the city is not requiring the hospital to negotiate contracts with insurers.

Leslie Feb 23rd 2019 12:18 pm
Re: 2020 Election
 
Originally Posted by Giantaxe (Post 12641813)
In Texas, you should be able to vote in any party's primary.

Some states are also partially open. For example, as a "decline to state" party preference voter, I can vote in the Democratic primary in California, but not the Republican. If a decent Republican (ok, maybe that's an oxymoron...) runs against Trump, I will change my party preference to Republican so I can vote against Trump in the primary.

EDit: that link is actually for state primaries, not presidential primaries. There are some differences and you have to follow the link to the pdf at the bottom of the page for them.
I'm glad that I reread these posts because I caught your EDIT. Thanks for that, I feel slightly less crazy now. :kiss: As it turns out, after viewing the PDF at the bottom of the page, I was correct in my belief that I cannot vote in the presidential primaries. It is new information to me that I am able to vote in state primaries and I like knowing that. This has been a great civics lesson for me.

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 12641814)
Thanks, Leslie.

Now if only there was someone worthy of running that was up for the primary.
Rete,

I checked Mississippi on the PDF and it looks like you're good-to-go for voting in all primaries, you lucky devil!

Steerpike Feb 23rd 2019 1:49 pm
Re: 2020 Election
 
Did anyone catch Bill Maher's commentary last night regarding Amazon? I've stopped watching his show in general because I find it just too depressing, but I happened to flick through the channels and saw him. Basically, he was giving Amazon (deserved) sh*t for their choice of NY for their second HQ, saying that all the 'good'/cool companies are in the blue states, and all the crap companies are in the red states, and we need to spread some of the 'wealth' around a bit if we want to win elections. Quite a good hit job really ...

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/vi...e_america.html


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