www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Hank:

I have been addressing the topic about Limbaugh moving to Costa Rica and stated that I am not party affiliated. Opinionated ...yes.

Jassbo: You throw out this "37th in the world in delivering effective health care." Please let me know which country you would rather go to for major medical operations. Cuba, Canada or Great Britain? Have at it. Personally, I'm staying here...for now.

There are ways to amend the current health care availability situation in this country and if the politicians in Washington were honest in correcting it ....they could repair many of the problems. Not all, because there is no perfect cure for everything.

The problem is that it has become a power grab of one sixth of our economy. Once you have control of every citizens health care...you have control of them. They become subjects of the state. Bureaucrats, not doctors, are empowered with making decisions as to the health care you can receive and when.

What many people do not realize is that once the government controls health care, they can make the rules for your personal habits and how they may exempt you from coverage. The insurance companies also do that but you know what the playing field is when you buy a policy.

Problem for citizens and small business is they can be fined and/or imprisoned for not submitting to the required government mandate. Any of you have a problem with that? Duh !!!

The government wants to throw insurance companies to the curb. For many of you that have good medical coverage now....you will lose it If this bill is passed. Those insurance companies will not be able to compete with a government that dictates the rules and prints bogus money. Companies will cancel that nice insurance coverage that you have and place you on the government plan.....if they can afford either. Our President states that all of you would have the same coverage that congress has......God, what a bunch of crap. Not happening.

If you think your taxes are high now.....just wait. Now they are on schedule to also taxing capitol gains to pay for government medical coverage. For you that do not know what that envelops, just do a Google search on how that will effect your life....i.e. stocks,bonds, selling your property. NTM, the other taxes being enacted so you can pay for yours, non citizens and your neighbor's health care.

As for insurance companies covering "pre- condition" Hell, I would love that but so would millions of others. Sort of like you wrecked your car or your house burned up and then you walk into an insurance company and demanded a policy to cover the cost. Not logical. That problem can be addressed with a catastrophic rider on a policy and if drafted correctly...could be minimal in costs. Cross over state ability to get insurance is something that needs to be addressed and a person's ability to exempt certain medical coverages in a policy needs to be looked at. Tax exemptions for medical policies, medical savings accounts and many other cost effective measures.

I've had my share of insurance companies rising the costs but they are only a part of the overall problem. Damn sure would like to have tort reform, hospital and drugs reform but no one in Washington appears to have the balls to get everyone in the private sector together and work this out in a free economy.

Government is not the answer and is totally unable to run health care under any administration. They borrow, print money, give millions to congressmen/women, run up the national debt to 14 trillion yet have the audacity to tell the populace what is good for us and how we should trust them.

Sorry, I'm not buying it.

Circus

That's OK Circus. We're not buying what you're selling in this post either. (*)

Any person looking at the facts would have to point out government IS able to run or particpate in running health care and had done so for many many years now. There is fraud, abuse and what have you in public healthcare systems, but private healthcare also has fraud and abuse, plus other problems (i.e. extremely high cost, horrible coverage plans, poorly maintained facilities, incompetent or negligent providers, denial of treatment, etc.) that are just as bad (or worse).

Opponents of a public option don't seem to want to admit they are simply permitting a different bureaucracy -- the private insurance companies -- to perpetuate itself at the expense of US consumers. The myth of the "market correcting itself" in the case of health care is just that -- a myth. If the market really did function as it should, you would have decent health care at affordable rates. Where is it? The insurance companies lobby for tort reform to gloss over the fact THEY are the main drivers to rising costs.

There is no way to justify a $10,571 bill for an 8 hour stay in a private hospital emergency room.

There is no way to justify a family having to pay 1/3 of their monthly income to have private health insurance coverage through their employer.

There is no way to justify an insured person having to wait 16 hours for treatment of a broken hand at a hospital emergency room because she was deemed "not to be an emergency".

There is no way to justify the power private insurance companies have to decide who gets to live and who gets to die.

And these are just some recent examples of how our current health care system is broken of which I have personal knowledge.

Now, will a public option or a national health insurance clearing house fix these abuses? No. But IMO it will give the people an affordable OPTION. That should at the very least toss a scare into these Mafia family wannabes --the private health insurance companies and their lackeys -- which MIGHT induce them to start competing in price AND services instead of just sticking it to consumers whenever their executives feel like getting another bonus.

(*) Although I would stay at the Cardboard Inn anytime!

Mis dos cheles,

mh

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mh

In lieu of a national healthcare plan, we just need an umbrella for those who can't afford to buy it on the open market or don't get it as an employee benefit. Means test it, and offer them catastrophic healthcare coverage at a reasonable cost. A catastrophic policy would cover them from having to pay thousands of dollars.

But I'm totally against a government run healthcare program that would mandate that we all be part of it. And I'm aghast that they're going to force us to buy healthcare or be fined. That's a total overreaction to the problem when there are far less draconian options available. But the inability of congress to compromise is also a big problem.

Finally, the budget deficit is an ongoing problem that will eventually have serious impact on our economy and all our lives. A $100 billion dollar a year plan like the one they are trying to get through Congress right now would not help things unless they offset it with reductions elsewhere. If we don't get the deficit under control, we will all pay a big price - and if you don't understand you're already paying a heavy price for it, you need to brush up on economics.

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Man I'm living life like a great white shark swimming with minnows! It's all about panocha, great scotch, fine cigars, loud-ass rock music and speed, speed, speed - plus spending as much time as possible in paradise on earth, Costa Rica!

"That's OK Circus. We're not buying what you're selling in this post either."

Actually, Miamiheller, I'm not trying to sell anything to anyone. Perhaps you do not see my main point. And that is.....I do not want the government controlling my life any more than it is currently doing. Once we let the genie out of the bottle, the public option will soon kill off any private or employee health coverages that many in the U.S. currently have. That is one of things that Washington is trying to do but they dare to reveal it.

Most of these idiots in congress don't even know what is in the last or current bill. I about spit out my vodka when earlier this week Nancy Pelosi stated, "But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it."

Practically all of us would eventually be under a national health care system.....that is, except for congress. Do you know of any current member in congress that would opt out of their Cadillac coverage for this "new plan." I don't think so but the bastards would certainly have no problem in herding all of we little people into that bombastic plan.

Talk about cost, can you imagine what type of increase in our national debt would occur providing health coverage to over 250 million people. And that personal cost would rapidly become much higher than your politician will reveal.

Between the I.R.S. and national health coverage, which would work hand in hand, our freedoms would diminish drastically. Again, in case you don't understand my point......I DO NOT WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE MORE CONTROL ON MY LIFE.

It is my opinion that we should attempt to correct the problems with medical costs and the health system we currently have before we become slaves to the government. So far, I see nothing being done to do this.

And yes, if this bill is enacted.....a lot of us WILL BE staying at a Cardboard inn.....that is if we can get there by being a deck hand on a freighter.

That is my opinion and I respect opposite views also.
Time for me to go back into retirement.
Circus

Circus--Where I would rather go for major medical operations is where I am going--Costa Rica.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

amen circus. name one program the US government has been able to successfully enact and control. sure they create the programs... but the end result is always behemoth money sucking waste. and all they do is grow in size. viva la revolution

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im way deep into nothing special
riding the crest of a wave breaking just west of hollywood

The Feds enacted and well control the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan...and damn am I appreciative. The reason they don't control larger programs is because the hunter gets captured by the game--the regulated target the regulator so as to shape the agenda...and make sure they buy the appropriate oversight Legislators. This is not cynicism, but verifiable fact. The sole exception I'm aware of is the way Native Americans have been sadly treated and their Trust Funds looted. This is not the exception that proves the rule--Native Americans were too poor (and kept that way) to buy influence...at least until some tribes got casinos and thus money.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Ok fine lets get the government out of health care, this is the first thing we can do is. Before any ambulance picks you up, or any one is admitted to a emergency room or clinic they must prove they can pay the FULL cost of the stay. Either insurance or proof of financial responsibility. If not leave them where they are or kick them out. That be a cheap way to get people to take care of them self’s and for hospital to reduce cost.

Next lets let’s let the Health care profession operate like a free economy and do away with licensing Doctors. License’s are a restriction of on available labor. If any one who wants to be a Doctor then let them. I know have a friend who after graduation from medical school was, just because of where he studied was denied a chance to be a doctor. In addition most states allow for a doctor to serve a apprenticeship in order to qualify to be a doctor ( also for lawyers), however this is has not happened for a long time, because think of how it would destroy the controlled labor market the MDA UNION now has .

As long as we are at it, lets do away with those TAX subsided government run medical schools. As has been stated the government can not run any program right, so they must be turning out nothing but stupid docs. And stupid docs are driving up the insurance premiums for good doc.

Then lets close all the public TAX support public hospitals, this should then allow the private hospitals to charge what they need to make a profit and provide good cheap care for every one based on the free market doctine.

Lets then do away with the Government ambulance services. Again a tax subsidized operation that is waste full ( and they bring uninsured people to hospitals for free services). Think of the TAX money that can be saved by local governments by doing away with the ambulance services . Call 911 and they can refer you to a phone book or to a Goggle search for a private company, because we know people want to shop around for the best price as they or a love one is dying.

Me, despite having one of those gold plated insurance policies,I already go out of the county to CR and Columbia for my medical help as much as I can . After a long list of medical screw ups I have been left with a messed up shoulder after 9 operations, 200 plus miss read x-rays and MRI’s, steel I my eye, 3 botched surgeries to repair a gun shot wound leaving me a huge bulge on my side, 15 yeas of refusal too look at a bad ankle , I am betting 50/50 will cost my foot in a few years, told I am ok when after being hit with a beer bottle there was glass in my scalp, they left it there for me to pick out. Then lets see, bleeding out my ass, told to wipe better, bumps moving around on my skins and growing- see some one else, but some one else would not see me till he looked at me. Anther doc freaked out and cut out every thing the second she saw them, got lucky was benign, no cancer, Having my insurance canceled despite being paid 3 months in advance and required by law by my employer, that’s only took 6 months to get fixed and the help of a top government official in my state- Insurance company tried to settle by sending me ¼ of what they owed the clinic. Needing test to be see by the next doctor in line up the food chain , but then being told the test that got me to see that Doc all had to redo BECAUSE and only because the specialist DOC did not order the tests, so redo 10,000 with of test . My latest was when I was getting a preoperational look over for my next shoulder surgery on the 18th, the nurse said she thought she heard a heart murmur, so she call the Doc, he said” Your right that’s murmur, what doe the notes say about this” Nurse “ there are no notes about this “ Doc” are you sure? They has to be notes” Nurse “ NO” Doc “ call the lab and tell them they are going to do a ultra sound today, and if they say any thing your tell them to call me, kerry until we get the results of that test your shoulder op. is off” ( just in case any one wants to know I work out, 2-6 miles walks a day for the last 30 years, weight lift and very active, eat right, non smoker weight where it supposed to be, solid as a rock, bp 130/80 HR 61/m- so where did this come from in the last year ?. Last doc do physical spend 15 minutes of the 20 wanting o now why I got a vasectomy before I had a large family- I have no K*ds, or better yet no Ch*ld support payment or EX bleeding me dry, any one care to explain to this the DOC the advantage of both. Maybe if the doc had even once listened he may have found out, THIS was the second physical I have received where the doc knew my health by just asking questions, the same questions that his nurse asked, the same question that the Doc’s aid asked and the same question they mailed to me, sort of like cops keeping asking you to repeat your story , to find out if you are lying - for finding the hear murmur I told the nurse I bring her some coffee from Columbia—result of the ultra sound is that I still can have my shoulder op, but a heart doc will be present in case any problems- kind of scary )





These are only part of the highlights, list is to long for here- medical horror story, of my experience with what we call the worlds best medical profession in America. My friends go to Canada for there medical work, cheap fast appointment times for every thing. Me I can fly so I go to CR and Columbia. on any thing that can wait,

However I will make one good remake about American Medical, the DENTIST , he has never lied to me or wasted my time, when he said it was going to hurt,BOY DID IT HURT

So if you do not want the Government in Health, then lets get it totally OUT, and drop all regulation of any thing to do with health , Just think of what the Pills makers could so if they did not have to have the FDA worry about. Do away with testing, do away with the MDA UNION and then we can have BUYER BEWARE and have the free and open market driven society , with limited government of Pres. Bush and Vice Pres, Cheney dreams that Iraq is today. ( the real reason we went there as stated by a inside aid to the Pres. Sorry don’t have his name)
Get on one side of the fence or the other or at least admit you are jumping back and forth for your own personnel benefit

Ok bull eyes now on my back take some shots at me,

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My best friend was the clock on the wall, and he turned out not to be much of a friend in the end

Do you have the address for this clinic because I sure would like to know about it. Last year my neighbour passed out with pain from passing kidney stones. We went to emergency at the hospital where there was a long line-up. The nurse told me there was no way he would be able to get looked at for a low priority case like his. She said the doctors were busy dealing with life threatening injuries. Stories like this are not unusual by the way especially during evenings and weekends.

I don't have a dog in this fight, however I am still very concerned for my American friends. Why not simply improve your existing healthcare system? Why is Obama so insistent on making these wholesale radical changes? To be honest I really don't think its about healthcare for this administration anyway.

I know we shouldn't be discussing political issues here so my apologies to Tomas.

Devo

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The most dangerous adversaries are the ones that come with a smile instead of a sword

No one seemed to get the foolishness that dopehead was spewing

If health care passes he won't stay because more people (poor ones) will have access to it. So he wants to move to Costa Rica a place where they have universal health care

That shows he dosen't do any research

Circus great to have you back AMIGO


NYG

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Damm that water is cold!!!
And deep too!!!

This is insane. I told you to stop watching FOX

NYG

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Damm that water is cold!!!
And deep too!!!

What a great Thread! It seems to draw out extraordinary candor and utter bushwa in equal measure> I love this stuff! Let me throw this rock into the pond:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-hipp ... 81979.html

Now don't get all excited--I'm just linking for the song, nothing else. You'll note Costa Rica's rank by the WHO--though Malta looks good.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Something that each of us should really consider, whether we are in the US or Costa Rica or Canada is that physicians make mistakes. It is our responsibility as patients to speak up and be our own advocate.

A study by the Rand Corporation illustrated the dichotomy in the U.S. Health Care System:

 60 percent of the care delivered in the United States is sub-standard
 Yet, some of the world’s best hospitals and best medical care are in the United States

This is not intended to be a criticism of the medical system only a cautionary note to be aware of facts and adjust behavior accordingly. Approximately 126,000 patients die each year due to physician failure to observe evidence-based protocols. The four most common conditions are:

 Hypertension
 Heart attacks
 Pneumonia
 Colorectal Cancer

Those are the conditions which affect many of us because we are overweight, moving on in years, eat poorly, drink large quantities of alcohol, smoke fine cigars, and are under tremendous pressure at work or at home or both.

We have to pay attention to our own health and make sure we get tested regularly. A simple thing to do is to get an automated BP monitor and take your BP at least once a week.

Make sure to have the doc check your ticker once a year and get your annual poop test to make sure you don’t have colorectal cancer.

Don’t bet your life on the doc remembering to test you. Speak up and ask for the tests then make sure you see the results of the tests. They are doctors not omnipotent, omnipresent divinity.

Circus...good to see you're still alive! I miss your posts. Regarding your posts regarding this subject, I agree with you 100%. Hardly anyone is against health care reform. What the majority of the citizens do object to is a complete government takeover. For the love of God, name me one thing the government has ever done that has been a success! Anyone who trusts the government is a fool. How much will it cost?! Never mind that the taxpayers will start paying for it three or four years before it takes effect. Why the Dems insist on keeping abortion in the bill is beyond me. Idiots! And why isn't TORT REFORM and portability in the bill? Every time Pelosi speaks, it gives me the chills. As Dennis Miller said, she has a sub-reptillian intellect. If anyone thinks that health care rationing will not occur, they are sadly mistaken. Regarding Rush, I used to like him in the 90's, but came to realize he is somewhat of an a**hole, when he was espousing that anyone could find a job if they really wanted to. I wonder what he thinks about that now? It's unbelievable how the government states that the unemployment rate is 9.7%. It actually is around 18%, since it doesn't count the people that have given up looking for work, and those that are severely underemployed.
I saw a poster the other day that said "Someone give Obama a blowjob, so we can impeach him"

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"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

+1. What he said!