In an ACA Decision "Reaction" story ...
Played on NPR this morning, a "nurse" said, "
something to the effect of) Because of the ACA, I frequently wake up from a nightmare where I'm holding the hand of a dying patient as the doctor comes in to tell her that the life-saving procedure that she needs won't be performed because the Independant Board has deemed the procedure unnecessary." She said this with that "edge of tears" voice.
How I wish the reporter had asked her, "Have you been sleeping through the reality of holding the hand of a dying patient as the doctor comes in to tell her that the life-saving procedure that she needs won't be performed because the accountants of the private for-profit insurance company has deemed the procedure not cost effective and/or the payment would cause the private for-profit insurance company to miss its profit target?
Let's see ... on the one hand we have an Independant Board of disinterested physicians that determine the efficacy of procedures and whose recommendations are, by law, not to be used to deny specific procedures for specific patients ... Versus ... a flat out denial to pay for a specific medical procedure, for a specific patient, made by non-physician whose employer tracks and evaluates him/her on the resultant expeditures of his/her determinations ... Which one should be nightmare inducing?
= new reply since forum marked as read
something to the effect of) Because of the ACA, I frequently wake up from a nightmare where I'm holding the hand of a dying patient as the doctor comes in to tell her that the life-saving procedure that she needs won't be performed because the Independant Board has deemed the procedure unnecessary." She said this with that "edge of tears" voice. I was listening this morning as I drove into work and I think I had a ministroke.
Does that nurse not understand that this has been going for years - only because the Board of the Health Insurance company had to make a choice that would reap higher profits?
I get so angry with NPR sometimes . . . The fact that there was no rebuttal for that 'Death Panel Hoax' makes me want to hurl chunks.
the ones you get transferred to when you want to close an account, who are trained to try to salvage it.
She was really nice and I gave her excellent marks on the survey they sent me about the "service event" or whatever. Best of all, she knew it was all a bunch of bullshit. She tried, but at an 80% year over year increase, there was no way they were going to keep me.
I am glad you are sensitive to that. I am too, and wish more people were. SHE isn't drawing in $30 million a year by denying claims to jack profits. She's just one of us trying to make a living.
