HOSPITAL ER DUMPS INSURED PATIENTS

I guess by now most everyone has heard about Patient Dumping. Typically, it happens when an uninsured person shows up in the hospital with no insurance—not even Medicare or Medicaid. This person is taking up a bed that could be used by a paying customer, and therefore, the hospital wants that dead beat out. Supposedly, they have to keep these patients if they receive government funds from the Hill Burton Act. But apparently, it’s not enough. On the other hand, I am a fully insured patient, having both Medicare and Supplemental Insurance. Nevertheless, they decided I had to leave the emergency room last week even though I could hardly stand up, overcome with dizziness and nausea. So now you know. You may pay huge premiums for health insurance , but it wont do you a lot of good. Because the Hospital ER Dumps Insured Patients.

Here’s what happened. With a skyrocketing blood pressure, I was admitted to the ER for a myriad of tests, all of which cost my insurance providers plenty and made a tidy profit for the hospital. But here’s the thing: Say the hospital is going to get paid a certain amount of money for my condition, no matter how many days I stay. So, it makes sense for them to make extra money by talking me into leaving early. Which makes room for another patient who will get the same treatment as I did. Meanwhile, have you ever looked into the astronomical salaries that hospital executives are making? The more they squeeze out of the patients, the bigger the house they can buy out in the towns fanciest suburbs.

At any rate, the ER doctor came to tell me that since my tests had all come out with normal results, I would have to leave. I protested that I was even more dizzy and nauseas than ever, but by then they’d managed to get my blood pressure down, so it appeared I had no excuse to stay. The moment he walked away, the beautiful blonde nurse– who’d seemed so sweet– shape shifted into a snarly mafia bouncer. She told me I had ten minutes to find a ride home, and started putting on my socks. Before I knew it she’d found my jeans and pulled then up. Off came the hospital gown and on went my top and undershirt. A wheel chair appeared and I was instructed to hop aboard. Luckily, my stepson hadn’t left yet for vacation, so he was able to pick me up as I waited helplessly by myself in the Emergency Room until he arrived half an hour later. (I have a disabled husband)

Later , I looked at my discharge sheet and saw that he’d told me to see an ENT within two weeks. Just so happens that doctor is retiring and leaving town. After numerous doctor visits and a trip to one of Indianapolis top ENT’S , it still hasn’t been determined what’s wrong. However, , that physician said the ER should have admitted me for neurological testing. They’re now thinking I’ve had some weird reaction to cortisone shots back in June. Actually, I’m one of the lucky ones. At least they didn’t dump me on a street corner.

Hospital ER’s dump insured patients and it’s a national disgrace. Worse yet, our two local hospital are merging, which means they will have no competition and no incentive to improve the quality of patient care.

August 4, 2023August 4, 2023

NAKED IN THE 40’S WITHOUT AC

There probably aren’t many people In the USA who remember the days before air conditioning. However, the recent storms that caused power outages were an uncomfortable reminder of those days when there wasn’t any. What in the world did people do during heat waves ? How did they ever make it through the notorious summer of 1936, for example. I was a baby then, and the depression had sent sent us scurrying back to Grandpa’s Indiana farm from New York City. Some people went naked in the 40’s without AC.

NAKED IN THE 40'S WITHOUT During a heat wave, some didn't wear clothes. — NAKED IN THE 40’S WITHOUT AC. Having a heat wave called for shedding one’s clothes.

A lot of people walked around in their undies if they were in a place where they wouldn’t be arrested for indecent exposure. In the early 1940’s 30% of people lived on farms. Some farmers stripped naked when coming in from the fields on a sweltering day. The wife might show a little more modesty by stripping down to her underpants. Most city people didn’t go quite that far. They closed their shades and turned on their fans. But the women wore halter tops that showed as much as a pin up girl on a WWII poster. And men who went bare chested while mowing the lawn weren’t considered indecent.

Kids had an easier time keeping cool. They could run outside in their bathing suits and turn on the hose. And if it began to thunder, they didn’t worry about getting struck by lightening. They played in the rain, and it wasn’t considered negligence on the part of the parent. I would imagine there were some bad accidents that took place, but I didn’t know a single kid who got struck by lightening. Even more fun was floating homemade “boats” of twigs and leaves in the rainwater flowing down the gutters on the side of the street.

The ice man came every few days , and we kids rode the back of his truck to sneak slivers of ice. Electric refrigerators were a luxury so the average homeowner had an ice box. Most everyone had large window fans , maybe blowing over a bowl of ice. Almost every house had a front porch. You could sit outside and enjoy the cool evening breezes as the sun went down. Close neighbors would talk and visit, while others parked their bicycles to stop by for a chat.

If you lived anywhere near a creek, lake, or ocean, you headed to the beach hoping for enough privacy to skinny dip. Many people spent the night sleeping on the sand. Not sure if they had bug spray then, so mosquito bites must have been a problem.

So now , If your power goes out, just remember all of your ancestors from the beginning of time who didn’t have air conditioning. If they could make it through, so can you.

We having a heat wave

July 19, 2023July 18, 2023

DUKE ENERGY DIDN’T LOCK THE BARN

Our city has just experienced a massive power outage cause by a major storm. Many folks were without power for a week. Obviously, no electric company can prevent storms and falling trees. However, there are ways to mitigate the potential damage caused by the forces of nature. Homeowners should be held responsible for trimming tree limbs that are in contact with electrical wires. This does not happen in our city. However, now that the crisis is over, Duke has trucks out frantically trimming trees in public and suburban areas. Conventional wisdom calls for locking the barn before the horse is gone. But it looks like Duke Energy didn’t lock the barn in time.

At our house , our electrical power line radiates from a pole in the yard of the next door neighbor. Those electrical wires are intertwined with the leaves and branches of numerous trees on his property. Several years ago, I notified the electrical company that this dangerous situation existed. Weeks later, they sent out a truck to see what I was talking about. The electrician drove into our driveway, stepped out and briefly glanced at the wires in the trees next door, then drove away. When I called several weeks later to ask what they were planning to do about it, they rudely replied, “we don’t trim trees and we can’t ask a homeowner to trim his tree.”

When I called the city engineer, I hit the same brick wall. He said, ‘the electric company is a private entity, over which the city has no control.”

In the case of our recent power outage, the company spokesperson explained to our local newspaper that prolonged power outages occurred in suburban neighborhoods away from the main power lines. Meaning that homeowners in those leafy neighborhoods had not been advised or required to trim their trees and bushes resting on power lines, even though they represented a disaster waiting to happen..

So what I’m hearing is that no one controls the electric utility company service in our city. They can do what they please, and get away with it. Which begs the question: Who is responsible for removing trees touching power lines?

According to the National Electrical Safety Code”, it is the responsibility of electric utility companies to trim trees touching power lines. Although, if the tree is on residential property, the homeowner has to assume the costs of trimming trees around power lines. Electric utility companies should conduct such maintenance during their yearly rounds (every 6 to 12 months). However, if the tree is touching a power line, the homeowner is responsible for its removal.”

Last week, Duke Energy and the City both paid the price for neglecting their responsibility of keeping power lines from touching tree limbs. . Actually, the people who really paid the price were the citizens who threw out rotted food, couldn’t shower or cook , turn on air conditioning or charge their cell phones.

It’s time for Duke Energy to start locking the barn before the horse gets stolen, not after. If they can’t handle that responsibility, the city needs a contract with a new electric utility company.

July 5, 2023July 5, 2023

TORTURE ON THE X-RAY TABLE

Most of us have avoided seeing the doctor as much as possible since COVID. Didn’t want to sit in an office with sick patients or be guilted into taking vaccines we didn’t like. Unfortunately, our bodies sometimes betray us. Our hinges get rusty. We have accidents and falls. We do stupid things that strain backs. Sooner or later, we have to submit ourselves to an exam and/or procedure in a health care clinic. We’re confident that the administrators of these facilities are masters in pain management. But sometimes they seem totally clueless. For example, if you need a back x ray, you’re forced to lie face down on a narrow table. After they get the needed pictures, pain intervenes, and you can’t get up off the table. At that point, the technician has no recourse but to yank you up to make room for the next patient. That’s when you experience torture on the X Ray table.

I have to admit that I embarrassed everyone at that point, because I heard a loud yell coming from my own throat. Excuse me, but this is not acceptable in a clinic where many patients can hear you. Bad optics. After all, it’s not like you’re having a baby. Except, it hurts every bit as much, although maybe for a shorter period of time. Quickly, they ushered me back into the patient waiting room and firmly shut the door.

The doctor was cheerful and friendly. He listened carefully and treated me successfully for the bad shoulder and back joints I’d originally come in to complain about. He did the best he could for the back sprain I’d just recently acquired. . But now it was too late , because I had a new pain caused by the rough treatment of the x ray technician. And it still hurts.

Should I blame the technician involved ?. Not really. Because if the facility administrators had cared to make the investment, there are x ray machines designed for patients with back injuries. I suppose they’re a bit pricey, but I would have paid for the contraption myself to avoid that pain. No, it wasn’t the quality of patient care that I objected to. It was torture on the X Ray Table.

June 19, 2023June 18, 2023

HELP! HOSPITALS MAY GHOST YOU.

Most nonagenarians have important doctor appointments on a regular basis. Perhaps that’s why they’re still alive. My husband saves all of his appointment cards, even though the hospital usually calls or texts to remind him of the date and time. Last Monday, as his son arrived to drive him to the doctor, we realized he hadn’t received a reminder. Called the office just to be sure, and they informed him there was no use coming in, because his doctor had retired and left town. He asked if they had arranged for him to see someone else. No. Had they set up another appointment? Again, no. Why hadn’t they notified him that he had apparently been dropped by their system? They said they had been too busy. Help! Hospitals may ghost you.

Getting an elderly person to his doctor appointments is often a time intensive effort. A friend, child, caregiver or spouse has to get him showered and dressed before escorting him to the car or van. Hopefully, they will find a handicapped parking space near the door. Carefully, they get him out of the car, into the building, and up the elevator. But let’s say that when they arrive, they’re informed they don’t have an appointment after all. In this case, numerous scheduled patients and their caregivers will have spent precious energy and time getting them there. Worse yet, no other provider is willing or able to see him. He could go home and expire, for all they care.

How in the world has the quality of patient care deteriorated so drastically in the past few years? Apparently, it’s because most doctors have left private practice to work for managed care in hospital systems. Their contract is based on generating a certain amount of revenue. The more patients they see per day, the more “productive” they’re seen by the powers that be. Doctors who spend too much time with their patients may not get their contracts renewed and have to move on.

HELP! hOSPITALS MAY GHOST YOU because they can't afford enough doctors. — HELP1 HOSPITALS MAY GHOST YOU because they can’t attract enough doctors for good patient care.

The average specialist sees between 15 to 20 patients per day. However, there are some hardworking physicians who may see up to 60 patients a day. If they work a 50 hour week, how much time do they have to spend with individual patients? Six minutes, maybe. Do they like it? No. But the hospital that employs them is pleased as punch, because they’re making more money on that doctor.

Some hospital systems expect more from their physicians than others. Those that demand higher productivity often don’t have enough doctors on staff. In fact, they may get to the point where few doctors want to work for them. When that happens, the patient gets a poor quality of care, or maybe no care at all.

Help! Hospitals may ghost you.

May 24, 2023May 23, 2023

BIDEN & TRUMP FOOLING YOUNG VOTERS

It looks like two elderly men are determined to get themselves elected President of the USA in 2024. Their respective political parties seem willing to support them. However, In this divided country, there are a lot of die-hard partisans. Most Democrats and Republicans would rather elect a wooden chair than either Donald Trump or Joe Biden. The candidates themselves seem eager to prove themselves not only young at heart , but able and hardy as a 25 year old. While Trump is younger than Biden, both of them would be octogenarians by the time they finish out their term, if elected. Unfortunately, Trump & Biden are fooling young voters, who haven’t the faintest idea how it feels to be 80 years old.

Trump & Biden fooling young voters into believing they don't feel old inside. — TRUMP & BIDEN FOOLING YOUNG VOTERS into believing their age doesn’t matter.

Trump slaps on pancake make up and plays golf. He’s overweight, but so are a lot of young men and women, so they don’t see that as a problem. Biden gets a suntan on his beachfront property, stays thin and rides a bicycle, outwardly appearing to be in as good a shape as any thirty something. What no one knows–until they actually do turn 80– is that their mind may still work, but the body is giving out.

Yes, I know. 80 year old Martha Stewart posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated in a bathing suit. Carol Burnett says that even though she’s 90, she feels 18 inside. And they look pretty good, thanks to beauticians, dermatologists, photo shoppers, fitness instructers, cosmetic surgeons and clothing designers. I’ll give Jane Fonda credit. She freely admits she’s had to quit drinking because 80 year olds don’t handle their liquor too well. We all know of oldsters who swing dance at 90, but they’re a very rare exception.

Many young people today don’t even know an octogenarian. Their parents may have grown up in a small town, but they went to college and moved far away from home. Their children seldom, if ever, see or interact with elderly grandparents.. They don’t understand the infirmities that come with old age. As someone once said, “you may look okay from the outside, but you’re not the same on the inside.” .

If Joe Biden is re elected, the country will probably be ruled by behind-the-scenes Democratic handlers. None of whom were elected. Which will satisfy those who are more interested in liberal policies than who is in the White House. Conversely if Trump were elected, the result would be unpredictable and total chaos, depending on his mood of the day. And yet, he probably would satisfy the conservatives who’ve faithfully followed him through the years.

But the fact of the matter is that both men are way too old to lead our country. Trump and Biden should stop fooling young voters, and both parties should seek younger candidates.

May 12, 2023May 11, 2023

THERE’S ALWAYS A LITTLE GLITCH

Whenever you’re striving for perfection, something usually goes wrong. As an example, King Charles of England was upset before the coronation ceremonies, because Prince William and his family were late. Which meant they couldn’t start the procession on time. According to the lip readers, Charles III got pretty upset and said “it’s always something.” He was right about that. And for a man who wants his shoe laces ironed, this was difficult to handle. The trouble is, there’s always a little glitch.

Supposing Prince Harry had spilled some coffee down the front of his morning coat and all over his beautiful white shirt. Since his outfit was provided by the French designer, Dior, I’m sure they were prepared for just such a glitch. You can bet they had a backup outfit waiting in the wings, just in case. On the other hand, queen Camilla had two ladies standing behind her as emergency backups. One was her sister, and the other, a body double. So if Camilla conked out for any reason, the other lady could take her place, and hopefully, most people wouldn’t know the difference. It pays to prepare ahead.

The trouble is, we common folk can’t always plan for a backup. What if a button comes off your blouse before a job interview? Or you get a flat tire on the way to pick up your child from daycare? There’s an old saying, whatever can go wrong, will. But instead of trying to be prepared for any emergency (back up blouse, spare tire) it’s probably best to train yourself to stay calm when things go wrong. This is so much easier said than done. Whenever my sister and I had a last minute clothing mishap, our mother would say, “It’ll never be seen on a galloping horse.”

It seems to me that the only way to get through the ups and downs in this life is by lessons learned through meditation. Note it, name it, deal with it. Say you’re angry, upset, nervous, or whatever negative emotion follows one of these little glitches. Observe those feelings, then take a few deep breaths. You may not be able to change things, but you can change the way you react to what’s gone wrong. After you’ve calmed down, you may come to the conclusion that the situation is far less catastrohpic than you thought. Did it matter if the Coronation procession was a few minutes late? Was it worth it for Charles III to get himself worked up about William and Kate not showing up on time? I would doubt if anyone in the crowd knew the difference.

Just remember, there’s always a little glitch.