US Health Care - First in Spending, Last in Everything Else

[GGT]

He was your family doctor because your family chose him to be your family doctor. He also probably couldn't perform a colonoscopy or a hip replacement.

We had a family doctor, too. He even made house calls.

Young people don't generally need a colonoscopy or hip replacement. Annual physicals, immunizations, treating occasional illnesses -- was nice to have all the medical records in one place, with continuity of care.

Both my kids have had the same pediatrician since they were born. He's joined a network now and is close to retirement, but we try to make appointments during his office hours. He'll see patients until they turn 21.

Re. choice, I'm not sure I understand... why would people not have a great deal of choice, or be forced to give up their existing physician??

Required insurance networks.

[GGT]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/us...e&ref=homepage

Cuts in Home Care for elderly and disabled. Check the slide show, read the comments section. Including:

There is nothing in the US Constitution about the Government paying for elderly home care.....

The bottom line is that we started these programs on borrowed money.

And then they reared up, this and similar fraud ridden programs, and bankrupted the Nation.

The Feds should not need to care for the elderly at home. Period.

[LittleFuzzy]

Yeah, I get it. That's how I grew up. But I don't get why this is a show stopper in the face of a collapsing system.

Because three of the ten pediatricians in town are on whatever your particular plan is, Cohen, Adams, and Olsenbach. Adams is a drunk, everyone in town knows Cohen is a hound and its creepy the way he's constantly flirting with you while your daughter is in the room, and your brother's wife's cousin swears Olsenbach failed his medical boards three times and he's the worst doctor in town and you might as well go see the vet.

[EyeKhan]

Because three of the ten pediatricians in town are on whatever your particular plan is, Cohen, Adams, and Olsenbach. Adams is a drunk, everyone in town knows Cohen is a hound and its creepy the way he's constantly flirting with you while your daughter is in the room, and your brother's wife's cousin swears Olsenbach failed his medical boards three times and he's the worst doctor in town and you might as well go see the vet.

Vividly creative. Thank you.

[']['ear]

Kudos to Fuzzy's color and inventive names!