yes, a high deductible medical plan can be difficult for many families, but the point is that a $1 million hospital bill is meaningless to them and pretty much everyone with ACA-approved insurance. The only $ that such folks have to pay is $5k (or $10k).
This!! Again, itâs not just about them. Insurance companies donât operate on losses. They are passed on to the customers, you and every other person who has health insurance.
Ask people on Medicare, their premiums are up, a 5% increase in social security isnât going to pay for the increase.
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One of Hâs coworkers is sick. Whole family has it. Iâm pretty certain she is not vaxâd, and she is 9 weeks pregnant. She currently says itâs not that bad, but her H - a VERY vocal anti-vax, covid is not big deal social media poster - asked for prayers. I hope nothing happens to her baby - it would be her first. but still⊠her H? Iâm having a hard time having sympathy. I assume the teenage step-D will fare OK.
And my locality is inching ever closer to the 1 in 200 will have died from covid. 1 or 2 more deaths should push us over. The top dog put out another email that we should be wearing masks in communal areas, etc. but I havenât seen much compliance.
I am too, esp the more I hear stories from inside the hospital and all these folks are making our health care workers endure - at least those who work with Covid. Those who donât apparently have a lot more free time on their hands now that âelectiveâ stuff is off again. Sadly, elective doesnât mean enhancement plastic surgery all the time. One person needs a pancreatic mass biopsied. Iâm told under normal circumstances an ASAP on that would have meant next day. Now theyâre told they might hear back about a date in 4-5 days.
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Not exactly true. In many places those you describe as âhave time on their handsâ in fact are being called to care for stable COVID patients.
A doc I follow in New Mexico said that there are so many COVID patients in the hospital, and staff is stretched thin, so the hospital has asked the ophthalmologists (EYE doctors) and the pathologists (doctors who look at slides in a lab)to take care of the COVID inpatients.
What a terrible spot to be in for all.
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Mine was a direct quote from my guy working in his hospital. I have no reason to disbelieve him, but he is one data point (anecdote). Elsewhere things can be different, of course.
In his own hospital theyâve created a 4th ICU team - something theyâve never had before - due to being overfull (rooms having been changed, etc). No doubt theyâve gotten that team by redirecting others, but it still doesnât negate those with time on their hands who are in different specialties.
ETA With Covid he says they have it down to a formula now. Do this, then that, then the other, etc. He said itâs really rather boring compared to other things he does, but it still irritates them (the group he works with) having to be doing it so much now when thereâs a different path folks could have followed.
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Wow, where are you? We are at about 1/400 in our county. We got hit really hard in the first wave, but not nearly so bad in the second. The third wave is just a blip right now, but I expect it to get worse.
So many hospitals are overworked and in my county two hospitals are closing. Hard to believe they canât make it work financially.
If the hospitals are overworked, but with patients who cannot pay (and do not have (enough) insurance), it may not be surprising that their finances are in trouble. Or if the COVID-19 patients take up so much space and time that the hospital is unable to do other things that normally generate more revenue (than COVID-19 patients) to pay its bills.
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I agree with you.
But small regional hospitals have been in trouble financially for a long time.
I remember smaller hospitals closing as far back as the 1990âs. They just canât compete with the large systems and if they arenât gobbled up, they just canât be profitable. Iâm sure the situation has been accelerated with Covid.
I would be hard pressed to think that ophthalmologists and pathologists are going to volunteer. Besides they have their own patient load to see.
Shocked they didnât name dermatologists 
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Maybe the pathologists are doing the Covid autopsies 
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It was mentioned that these alternative specialties were assisting with STABLE Covid patients. Iâm not doubting a doc on the front line who brings this info forth.
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I have an online friend whoâs a doctor at Vanderbilt and theyâve asked him to help cover the ER. He is not happy. He said he hasnât intubated anyone in many years and you really wouldnât want him doing it for you! Sigh.
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Southern VA. A little over 200 deceased out of a smidge over 40K. And our first death wasnât until the summer of 2020. We missed the first wave.
Thereâs a wide range of Covid patients at a hospital from those who canât be at their living facility, but donât really need medical care, to those who âjustâ need oxygen, to those who are fighting for their lives.
Iâd feel certain the first two donât really need specialized care as much as the last group. They all take up space and doctor/nurse/CNA time though.
Isnât there a provision in the Build Back better act to help regional hospitals? Itâs a basic necessity for people and for the common good/public health.
I am having a hard time with un-vaxxed people who end up in the hospital. I am irritated for all the people who have other health issues or emergencies and will not get the care they should because of all the un-vaxxed people taking up resources.
And who do you think is going to pay for all these hospital bills? Us, the general public! Our health insurance rates are going to increase. We are all, and especially our kids generation, are goong to be paying for this for decades. I could go on and on⊠Thanks for the mini rant 
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For those interested, San Diego County does tons of tracking by vaccination status.
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