[fameintatenly]

Awww snap.

I guess imma have to chime in here. Fuck.

It's a two edged sword for someone like, uh, well, me. Reasons being..

One. I'd love for free healthcare, it does work just fine for those who appropriately use the system. So, for someone like me who may go to the doctor once or twice a year, and who has no meds to pay for. I could care less if I have to maybe pay $80 or $90 for an office visit. I just don't. Now, someone who has $300-500 dollars worth of meds every month, and a long list of chronic issues that they don't have control over(cancer, diabetes, COPD, CHF etc.) Shit, then it makes perfect sense, couldn't be better, especially in the crowd that tends to develop those disease processes later in life when they may no longer have the insurance to pay for the problems they must deal with. On this standpoint, I'm all for it. I say hell yes.

Now, the flipside is this.

Those who abuse the system, those who choose to not take care of themselves, those who decide on their own to not take the meds they are prescribed for the problems they have, or not eat properly, or drink large amounts of ETOH when they are a diabetic, or what the fuck ever...these people should NOT be supported within a "free healthcare system"

Sorry, but there is no reason that my tax dollars should go to pay for your dumb drunk ass, to get a 1200 dolar ambo ride, round of D50, bi-carb, a foley cath(even though it's puishment), fluids, labs, a CT, and a fucking meal when you sober up. No, get fucked, you drink, you go unconcious, you are fucked. You did it to yourself, I will not help you stay alive to do it again in 24 hours, I'd rather throw you into Lake Michigan you drunk asshole.

Chronic abusers? They already don't get much love. Due to the rampant abuse within the County of Milwaukee. 10 of the 13 hospitals have entered into agreements to share records. So no matter where you go, except for Childrens/Froedert/Community Memorial. Your recent visit history can be viewed by your RN, Social Worker and MD/DO/PA. So, an example.

Tynesha says she has abdominal pains. She calls 911 because she thinks she is about to die, as she has vomited twice now after eating chickn wings that have been sitting out for over 24 hours. Fine, whatever. I'll take you to the ED. So, now Tynesha gets into the rig, being the drama queen she is. Screaming, crying and carrying on about how the pain is excruciating, and how she can't handle it, and "oh lord jesus don't let me die." So, Tynesha now has made enough of a scene that she gets an ED room instead of heading to triage, maybe it's because she was smart enough to say "chest pain" or maybe the ED has space..who cares. Now we bring her in, transfer care to the RN who may know her, or may not. We know this is a BS call, and she will be discharged shortly after getting reglan, a 1000cc bag of NS and some compazine for a prescription. My end is finished now..BUT wait theres more.

Once Tynesha is all settled and comfortable in the ED, she will bitch and cry and ask for water, air, and warm blankets. Once those are provided, and you leave the room. She will get comfy and sleep, watch TV, or make phone calls. Then comes time for the IV. So, when you walk back into the room with a 20G angiocath(it's tiny, then next smaller size is used on infants ) and IV fluids, she bitches, and says OMG I can't do needles, I'm scared...neverminding the tattoo's on her neck.

So you start the IV, she cries and screams the whole time, and now she wants pain meds. She will beg for pain meds, but only the good stuff. She will have allergies to Morphine, Tylenol, Codine and Ibuprofen. So now you get a few choices. Oral percocet/vicodin or IV Dilauded or Toradol. Well, she wll make herself throw up the vicodin or percocet. So that rules that out. Then we get to choose the Toradol, or Dilauded. Well, the Toradol is weaker than Morphine, but lasts longer. The dilauded is just as strong as morphine, but is shorter acting. Well, fuck it, lets give her 2mg of toradol, and we please her. She quits bitching for now. About 30min goes by, you go back in to check, and she is just bitching freely and says the pain meds didn't work. Now the doc wants Dilauded. But wait....you get smart and go and check her records....

You see that she was at Sinai and St. Mary's 6 times in the last two weeks for abdoninal pain, and got Dilauded every single time. Well....shit. Now we know why she wants it. Shes hooked and needs her fix. HA! Fuck that...you get 1mg more of Toradol, and are out the door mofo! So, now she will repeat this as many times as needed until she is busted out, and realizes she only will ge Toradol which is what she doesn't want. Then her abuse will stop for some time. Eventually it will start again.

So, lets look at a basic brakdown of cost.

Ambulance ride. $600 bas rate
Milage $10 per mile-10 mile transport $100
EMS supplies- about $150
2 EMT basics- $45 per person (this is not my wage)

Prehospital total... $940


In hospital-
RN cost about $35 per hour, min 3 hour ED stay. $105 for 3 hrs
MD cost is unknown but we will figure $150 for just looking at you
ED supplies will be about $500-900
Labs will be around $200
Meds will be about $500

Total ED cost. About 1900.

Total cost. About 2850. Nearly $3000 for what is probably going to be a minor, will resolve itself type complaint.

Oh, did I forget to tell you that she is on state assistance and we the taxpayer are paying for a 22 year old, able bodied female to just live off of us, and abuse the system? Guess not. Fact is, we already have a system where it can't be controlled and the taxpayer takes care of everything. It's called Title 19. Before we do universal healthcare, we need to decide who deserves it. And who can eat a fucking 7.62mm round.