PS, Suela, that statistic is just angry-making. Egad.
Sometimes a thing gets broke, can't be fixed.
Kaylee ,'Out Of Gas'
Natter 58: Let's call Venezuela!
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Burrell - Apr 16, 2008 8:51:45 pm PDT #2237 of 10001
Why did Darth Vader cross the road? To get to the Dark Side!
Consuela - Apr 16, 2008 8:56:29 pm PDT #2238 of 10001
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix
So incredible. And the reporter kept asking: "So, how many people here go bankrupt because of medical bills?" --and they all looked at him like he was insane. I liked the Swiss guy the best, because he was all, "OMG no, that would be a HUGE SCANDAL!"
Actually, Switzerland was particularly interesting, because they had a system just like ours until 1994, and then voted in a referendum to change it to a mandated-insurance system (IIRC) with no profits for basic services. Of course, it just barely passed--but now it has broad support and even the right-wing types like it. So it can be done, although the Swiss have only 1/35th as many people as we do...
Kristen - Apr 16, 2008 9:26:41 pm PDT #2239 of 10001
A fact they quoted in the report: 700,000 Americans a year go bankrupt because of health-care bills. W.T.F.
I knew that hospitals were expensive but I truly didn't realize how much until the statements started rolling in from my trip last month. One night in the hospital (along with the ambulance ride and the ER visit) would have cost me more than $30k.
I was never so grateful to have insurance as when I opened that envelope.
billytea - Apr 16, 2008 9:41:30 pm PDT #2240 of 10001
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
I was utterly flabbergasted to receive a bill for $750 just to have some specialist look up my nose. (I was also more than a little pissed off to discover that my insurer had changed its mind about whether said specialist was covered.)
I am so very glad to be back home.
Laga - Apr 16, 2008 9:49:45 pm PDT #2241 of 10001
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.
the comments thread which appears to have been taken over by dadaists.
Hooray for dadaists! That was quite entertaining
Nilly - Apr 16, 2008 10:59:44 pm PDT #2242 of 10001
Swouncing
Skipping in all the mess that is pre-Pessakh to post that, according to the Buffista Calendar, today is Sheryl's birthday.
Happy birthday, Sheryl! With lots of wishes for a great day and a wonderful year!
Also, just in case I won't be able to wade my way to a working computer tomorrow, it'll be beth's birthday, so early wishes for her, as well.
Shir - Apr 16, 2008 11:16:44 pm PDT #2243 of 10001
"And that's why God Almighty gave us fire insurance and the public defender".
Happy birthday, Sheryl!
Jesse - Apr 17, 2008 3:05:49 am PDT #2244 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Happy birthday, Sheryl!
Now my TV apparently doesn't work. WTF. I'll have to deal with that later. Fucking technology.
brenda m - Apr 17, 2008 3:21:00 am PDT #2245 of 10001
If you're going through hell/keep on going/don't slow down/keep your fear from showing/you might be gone/'fore the devil even knows you're there
Sing it, Jesse. My tivo stopped connecting because the expiration date on my bank card changed, and now it's all updated but the damn thing still won't connect. "Failed while negotiating." WTF? The writers' strike would never have ended if my Tivo was involved.
Jessica - Apr 17, 2008 3:32:33 am PDT #2246 of 10001
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
Doctor's visit this morning earned us "it's just a series of colds. come back if it goes on for too long." um. ok - is "too long" a new _medical term_? and she's mostly fine for the rest of the day. Until the 6pm 104 fever hits again. ::headdesk::
Ugh, Sox, I'm so sorry. We had a similar thing with D in March, and it did eventually go away, but it sounds to me like you need a new ped. Just because it might be nothing is no reason not to take you seriously.