MissConstrue6d ago

Alright, this is absolutely first world problems, but holy mother of healthcare, am I furious.

So, I saw a doctor in the #Baylor system (who have purchased most medical practices in the area), a few weeks ago. I paid the doctor at the time of the visit. ($165 after insurance). I knew there was a facility fee, but refused to pay it, because it's egregious.

I got an email this morning from Baylor saying I owed another $300 for facility fees. (I was waiting for the bill, so I could talk to someone about it.)

So I called and said "Hey, this charge is unreasonable, and well outside usual and customary fees."

And their response, as Bob is my witless was, "Our fees are defensible." Which means they had lawyers sitting up figuring out to the last penny what they think they can get away with.

Those lawyers never met me.

#medicalDebt #USHeathcare #profiteering

Show threadKevin Russell5d ago

@MissConstrue

Only America, not first world.

My immediate family has had 5 heart attacks, liver cancer, open heart survey, multiple eye surgeries, broken spine, a dozen broken bones, a handful of diseases and not one hospital bill.

America throws half a million families into bankruptcy every year, from medical bills. Bankruptcy.

No one in Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Italy has had that fate.

Universal healthcare is a right.

Show threadMissConstrue
@kevinrns Yeah, a couple of people have called me out on that, and it’s a fair cop. I should stop associating the USA with the first world, because we aren’t.
Mar 31 at 3:41pmWeb
Show threadKevin Russell5d ago

@MissConstrue

The callout is to the deceivers who steal from Americans their healthcare, their wages and trying to take democracy. Stolen from a first world nation.

But America can and will build better, soon. Good luck.

Show threadMissConstrue5d ago

@kevinrns I recognize that I’m so old I grew up with the same propaganda as the boomers. (Front line genx). And I recognize that I am deeply programmed by that indoctrination to believe in things that never really existed, like truth and freedom and the American Way (think Sam Eagle from Muppets)

And I know I’m an optimist, sometimes at my own peril, but I truly believe in Americans as people. Our government is failing, our empire will be reduced, and there is going to be a reckoning in this country that I haven’t seen the shape of yet, but I believe in the inherent goodness of (most) people.

I just hope I live long enough to see the people break the chains of late stage capitalist oppression, and join the free world as free people. Unfortunately, I think that will happen because of Luigi / guillotine type activity more than the capitalists being smart enough to realize they’ve gone too far.