Community Chat

[Lila Belle]

On 1/3/2014 blackbirdraven said:

OP...............I think your proposal is valid.......I also think it's naive........medical facilities that stay open 24/7 with attached pharmacies are a recipe for disaster..........these facilities, I'm guessing would be more needed in lower income areas........areas where drug abuse is rampant and you just placed the "candy store" within easy reach 24/7....ever ask yourself why local pharmacies don't stay open late into the night????.....these are also areas where one would see a greater percentage of trauma cases, cases that would require more care then could be provided at a clinic environment.........people visits ER's because they have to be seen and these people that go to ER's for basic health care do so because don't have health care or the means to pay for services.......................................................raven

No, they are not in the areas you describe. Many are satellite facilities of area hospital chains or independent practices in a franchise-type company. Many pharmacies are open 24/7.

[Gooday]

On 1/3/2014 Sox2 said:

On 1/3/2014 Gooday said:

On 1/3/2014 Sox2 said:

Thanks for the information, Terrier ... this hits home because we have a PPO with BC/BS ... thought I could use it anywhere we travel. Guess I'm wrong

I would check first. A lady from our neighborhood back home works for Jewel (a grocery store). For years she went to a certain hospital. She saw her PCP who ordered a CT scan but he told her you need to go to "B" hospital (15 miles away) because A hospital (3 miles away) is no longer taking BC/BS. "B" hospital is taking BC/BS and hospital "C" a mile from B and a TRAUMA CENTER is no longer taking BC/BS. If anyone of you posters who live in the Chicagoland area on the southwest side, hospital C is well known for patients being taken by ambulance for gun shot wounds and crime victims. It is one of the best known hospitals who given excellent care due to their vast experience. They will now take United Health Care and Aetna. The public aid and Medicaid system in Il. is broke, broke, broke. So, I still can't wrap my head around who is signing up in Il. and who will cover the costs.

Know it well ... that's because it's part of the Advocate system ... blame Advocate. That's why I'll stick with Northwestern and my husband's PCP is at the University of Chicago ... both take BC/BS.

BTW, "Hospital C" (Christ Hospital) is the only Level I Trauma Center for the entire south side ... All others got out of the trauma business years ago ... too costly and not enough reimbursement funding.

Exactly! DH goes to Northwestern once a year for his post transplant visit. However, both our PCP's are at Hospital B down the street from Christ. Also, DH is Medicare with BC/BS supplement and I am covered under his insurance. I am not Medicare age. Our coverage is through the City of Chicago. Two days ago I checked our bank statement to see if DH's annual raise was on this check. To our horror, his 3% raise is now a minus by 186.00! That's how much our premiums went up. We cannot do a thing about it right now. However, I may be searching soon because of the City of Chicago not being obligated to cover retirees as of June, 2013. It was called the Korshak agreement. As I said, there is nothing I can do about it now but time will tell.

[raven-blackbird]

On 1/3/2014 Lila Belle said:

On 1/3/2014 blackbirdraven said:

OP...............I think your proposal is valid.......I also think it's naive........medical facilities that stay open 24/7 with attached pharmacies are a recipe for disaster..........these facilities, I'm guessing would be more needed in lower income areas........areas where drug abuse is rampant and you just placed the "candy store" within easy reach 24/7....ever ask yourself why local pharmacies don't stay open late into the night????.....these are also areas where one would see a greater percentage of trauma cases, cases that would require more care then could be provided at a clinic environment.........people visits ER's because they have to be seen and these people that go to ER's for basic health care do so because don't have health care or the means to pay for services.......................................................raven

No, they are not in the areas you describe. Many are satellite facilities of area hospital chains or independent practices in a franchise-type company. Many pharmacies are open 24/7.

Any pharmacy that is open 24 hours is NOT in a high crime area or in a lower income area........so I doubt sincerely that "many pharmacies are open 24/7" as you have stated....these are also the areas where the people who use ER's as basic care facilities live.........sure there are clinics associated with franchise type companies and those clinics are contracted facilities to take certain HMO's or PPO's, other insurance plans or anyone with the cash to pay for the visit BEFORE services are rendered......that kinda rules out the market share that is using those ER's for basic care services now doesn't it...you don't have insurance or the ability to pay for services and you don't get seen.........so you get in your car and head to the nearest ER where you have to be seen rather you have insurance or the ability to pay.................................................raven

[soxfan]

On 1/3/2014 terrier2 said:

On 1/3/2014 tansy said: Around here every time a good-sized building is empty an urgent-care clinic pops up. The clinics are open in the evenings and on the weekends.

When they are as lucrative as ER treatment reimbursement, they will meet the needs of neighborhoods, where transportation and weird working hours keep people from regular MD office hours.

Just think of how tough our current system is if you have to rely on bus transportation. First the doctor, then another trip to a lab...then another to the drug store.

Then try doing that at 11 PM when you get out of your shift flipping burgers!

What makes you think ER reimbursement is lucrative? lol

[Gooday]

On 1/3/2014 soxfan said:

On 1/3/2014 terrier2 said:

On 1/3/2014 tansy said: Around here every time a good-sized building is empty an urgent-care clinic pops up. The clinics are open in the evenings and on the weekends.

When they are as lucrative as ER treatment reimbursement, they will meet the needs of neighborhoods, where transportation and weird working hours keep people from regular MD office hours.

Just think of how tough our current system is if you have to rely on bus transportation. First the doctor, then another trip to a lab...then another to the drug store.

Then try doing that at 11 PM when you get out of your shift flipping burgers!

What makes you think ER reimbursement is lucrative? lol

I agree. A few hospitals in Chicago shut down completely and all were in low income areas. Patients flooded the E.R.'s in outlying areas. Hospitals are operating in the red and employees hours are being cut back.

[soxfan]

On 1/3/2014 Dagna said:

On 1/3/2014 terrier2 said:

What about not reimbursing the ambulance company for transporting people with sore throats?

That will end that misuse immediately...

Until they stop making big bucks from transporting people with minor issues...it will continue.

Oh right - set them up for lawsuits when they make a decision over the phone not to respond.

No rather than punish those trying to save lives, let's punish those abusing the system.

Exactly!

[Chalcedony]

An ambulance should be used to transport a patient involved in a medical emergency. Why should anyone expect that they would take the patient to anywhere besides the emergency room? It's not some kind of money grab, as an ambulance will not show up at your house, demanding that you let them transfer you, unless they are called. Considering that, anyone transported in an ambulance should expect to pay for it, as it is a service like any other. If you took a taxi instead, they would demand payment as soon as you reached the ER.

[SydneyH]

On 1/3/2014 soxfan said:

Exactly!

The whole hand wringing thing in this subject is silly, ambulance companies have every right to turn a profit. For the most part, nobody is forced to used their services!

[soxfan]

On 1/3/2014 LipstickDiva said:

I hesitate to ever go to the ER because I know what it's going to cost me, even with insurance. However, people on Medicaid don't have to pay a dime so our local hospitals have a huge problem with Medicaid recipients using the ER as their family physicians. That needs to stop.

Many people also know that if you are transported to the hospital via ambulance, you are taken right in whereas if you walk in, you sit in the waiting area sometimes for hours upon hours.

This is an epidemic in this country. I have first hand knowledge of this, having worked as an ER nurse for many years. I think many are overly optimistic that the ACA will magically change this behavior of abusing the system.