XPost: alt.autos.toyota, rec.autos.driving, alt.society.liberalism   
   XPost: alt.fan.michael-moore   
   From: me@privacy.net   
      
   "Jeff Strickland"  wrote in message   
   news:k08ng2$uso$1@dont-email.me...   
   >   
   > "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher"   
   >  wrote in message   
   > news:067d7ba7-884a-430c-aad0-c3d005e1baa4@h11g2000yqk.googlegroups.com...   
   >> It wasn't through the books, my GF was sick and you know what being   
   >> sick means in America. The medical industry itself makes you sick plus   
   >> your own sickness. But wait, someone said she could be seen by a   
   >> doctor (a real doctor) for 25 bucks! I thought it was a practical joke   
   >> or perhaps a cruel joke. We got to the place and it was a very nice! I   
   >> mean it was a trailer, but nice. The people were friendly, telling   
   >> jokes, and the doctor showed up. No long wait either. She was seen...   
   >> NEUMONIA! "C'mon, guys, where's the joke!?" I thought. Well, they are   
   >> subsidized by the government, and that means SOCIALISM.   
   >>   
   >> I always had my doubts about it --bloated bureaucracy and free   
   >> handouts-- but here it was, real socialism in the state of New York. I   
   >> played this joke on the nurse: "Listen, we can get sick in Miami, get   
   >> a plane here and keep the change!" She didn't laugh that much perhaps   
   >> that would be an abuse of the program. This is for the local people   
   >> and not for anybody else. I said, "Is this a program prevalent in NY?"   
   >> She said "no" but wouldn't elaborate that much. Best of all, my GF was   
   >> never asked if she was an indigent.   
   >>   
   >> Now I'm not afraid to be called a socialist. But notice, NOTHING FREE.   
   >> It makes sense: AFFORDABLE BUT NOT FREE. Not even Obamacare can beat   
   >> that. Simple and fair. That's my proposal at the next meeting of the   
   >> Revolutionary Committee in Exile.   
   >>   
   >> It is said the revolution is about solutions.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >   
   > You went to the county heath clinic. You paid $25, the officed billed the   
   > government $400 for the three minutes you were served. Let's give the   
   > benefit of doubt and say you were served for 12 minutes, that's $2,000 per   
   > hour in billing, 8 hours per day (or $16,000), 5 days per week. Nothing is   
   > free. Thank your neighbors for the taxes they pay to keep the clinic   
   > operating.   
   >   
   > It's simple math. I might have pulled the wrong number out of my ass, but   
   > you can be absolutely certain that the office billed government for   
   > whatever the shortfall is between the $25 you paid and the cost it takes   
   > to provide the service.   
      
   I do pro bono IT work for a few health clinics.  And no most are not county   
   operated and even if they are there is a good bit of private support.  The   
   reality is the $25 if it is collected goes into their general accounts.   
   Most don't collect even that much.  The balance is covered by donations from   
   the public and often from churches and other civic organizations.   
      
   If there is something like Medicare or Medicaid involved the cost is greatly   
   discounted.   One I just happen to have handy is for a heart ultra sound.   
   Standard bill for private insurance is around $600 and may or may not be   
   down coded.  Medicare/Medicaid pays 216.00.  If not covered by either then   
   the group gets the $25 if the patient has that and most don't.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)