DAW Users With ADD

dachay2tnr said:
This whole healthcare insurance thing is mind boggling. Here's a great example. On March 1st, as you may recall, I had cataract surgery. I just got the summary of benefits from my insurance company. The doctor's bill was $3200. They paid what I assume is their negotiated rate for this procedure - $629.13. My responsibility is $0.00. And the other $2500? Apparently simply forgotten.

My question is, who actually pays the $3200 rate??? Obviously anyone without insurance would. But anyone without insurance probably doesn't have the $3200 to begin with. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

This is quite typical. Right before my father passed away he racked up over $100,000 in hospital bills. I don't recall the exact amount, but insurance paid something around $15,000. The rest? Forgotten. Gone. Vanished.

I just don't get it. If my doctor can do the surgery (and apparently make a profit) at $629, why is his "rate" $3200??? :confused:

There is some game being played here, but it's one that I can't seem to figure out what the rules are. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
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Hmmm...... thats very interesting. I have heard of quantity discount but thats ridiculous.:(

Over here, only certain doctors and hospitals are covered under most private insurances. You want to go to a top teaching hospital? Fine, you pay the difference in fees. You want to see a Professor and he's not on the insurance company's list? Fine, you pay the difference in fees.

As you say, somone is making it somewhere.;)
 
Paul881 said:
Over here, only certain doctors and hospitals are covered under most private insurances. You want to go to a top teaching hospital? Fine, you pay the difference in fees. You want to see a Professor and he's not on the insurance company's list? Fine, you pay the difference in fees.
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That's true here as well. One of the difficulties in changing insurance carriers is determining whether your existing doctors accept the new insurance.

Even Medicare is not universally accepted by all doctors. In fact, there is a festering battle brewing whereby the government is attempting to reduce the rates it pays to doctors under Medicare, and many doctors are balking. They say that if the rates are cut further, they will stop taking Medicare patients. Many claim to lose money at the current reimbursement schedule.

That will be my luck. By the time I'm eligible (Oct 2012), no one will be left who still accepts the insurance. :)
 
A rare but appropriate political discussion in this thread

First off I've got a wait and see attitude about this whole thing.If life has taught me anything it's that things are never as good or as bad as what people would have you believe.

IF unemployment stays as high as it is the the current malaise isn't lifted this will be a pyrrhic victory for the Democrats.
Paul881 said:
The debate over this looked very strange from a European perspective; some of the Republican representitives appear to see Reds under the bed in almost any suggestion that improves the lives of citizens.
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dachay2tnr said:
There is a deep-grained part of the American culture that feels the statement "Hi, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." is an oxymoron.

And at its root, the main Republican platform is: the less government we have, the better off we are. I think it stems from a belief that having too large a safety net is a disincentive to the work ethic. Why work hard if the government is simply going to tax your money away and use it to support the guy who doesn't work at all.
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I have a different view.
I came from a much poorer background than the both of you.My dad drank every cent he made(and still does),we lived in a terrible neighborhood,we wore clothes from the second hand store and ate a lot of noodles and tomato soup for supper.When you guys were going to sports,plays and music lessons with your parents we were catching rats,exploring abandoned houses and breaking into boxcars.I thought this was normal.
As I grew up I found out there was more to life than this and I was willing to do whatever it took to get ahead.I had no education and a crappy job,so I always had to work two jobs.Finally I got into this door thing and life really started looking up.I was willing to put up with dirt,sweat,cold and injury to get ahead,and I did.I'm proud of the fact.
It's often said that no one want's to be poor and while that's true it's been my experience that many,not all,poor people are poor because they're lazy and unmotivated.I lack sympathy for them bordering on resentment.

What does this have to do with health care?

There are people on this board who think not only health care,but food and shelter are human rights.I think they are human responsibilities.Many of the same people who won't lift a finger to help themselves are screaming that the government isn't doing enough for them.Also there are people who could be buying health care but have made the decision to get cable TV,computers,drugs,alcohol and new cars instead.
Now I realize there are cases where the last few paragraphs don't apply,and I truly have empathy for these people.If this were the only problem things would've been taken care of a long time ago.
So all in all it's not so much about health care,rather the direction the country is going and a debate on rights versus responsibilities.

End of rant
 
So the latest is that the Republicans are going to try and have the health care bill repealed.

On top of everything else, they're sore losers too. :rolleyes:

I'm not sure I fully understand the bitterness and rancor over this issue. I mean this seems to have really gotten emotional.

I'm sure the Pubbies hated Medicare too, when it first came around in the '60's. Yet it was no less than Bush II who added prescription drug coverage to it.

And I understand the fiscal argument being made (and even agree with it to some degree). Yet where were all these fiscal conservatives when Bush II was dragging us into a $8 or $10 billion a month excursion into Iraq?? Funny how the outrage seems to vary depending on who's doing the spending.

Most of the civilized world has universal heath care coverage. Why is that so hard to imagine in the U.S.?

I sincerely think the time has come for term limits on these bozos in Washington. I think I would increase the House or Representatives term to 4 years, leave the Senate term at 6 years, and then limit all of them to serving one term only. This might allow them to actually do something constructive while in office, rather than simply worry about being reelected. :mad:
 
Yes, well said Mike; we spunk away $millions fighting a war that no one understands and no-one flinches but increase spending somewhere else and armageddon breaks out.

Guy, I didn't have the childhood you describe - but it was definitely better than yours! And although if I had carried on my trajectory prescribed by my background and education I would have been an electrician at a steel plant (before they all got closed down:(), this was still not what I wanted for myself. I knew there was a better world out there and it was down to me to grab it and the key to that was education, application and work. So that's when I started to work hard at my job (no jokes here please;))

Like you, I have little or no sympathy for people who complain; I have them in my family. Not that we have anyone that you could remotely call "poor" in our family. But I have teachers as in-laws who see what I have got and my lifestyle and moan. Even worse that they remember me as a brash young salesman with no qualifications whilst they went to University and got a degree paid for by the state (they were the days - now long gone). And now, what has really get em p****d off even more is that I got a Masters degree that I did by myself. It took me 10 years of hard work to get but I did it.

But I also know that we cannot keep eroding jobs and providing no hope to people in large numbers. Having increasing numbers of people working for the local council is no answer either. And there are sections of the community who are old and infirm that we need to look after.

As Guy states, there is a balance between Responsibilities and Rights; I always had a fear of no money and worked for what I wanted in life. No one ever gave me anything. When I was hard up, I got a job in a bar, working two jobs, day and night. In my time I have also worked in a market stall, butchers shop, bar, restaurant, hotel, car plant as a labourer etc.

So I have little sympathy for people who think the state should provide them housing, food, clothing, TVs, fridges, freezers and that's what happens if you are a young, single mother here; the state provides you everything and yet they still complain that its not enough.:mad: That's what I object to. The people who "milk" the system.

In many ways, I admire the immigrants more than my own fellow countryman because at least they work hard for everything, pay taxes and only become a burden if they have an accident or fall ill.

I see good health care as a right, same as education. And if you ain't satisfied with that service level, then the private sector is open for business.

So why health care for all is so repugnant to Republicans when education isn't is a mystery to me.:confused:
 
Got the check from my insurance co. for the squirrel damage. Looks like they covered it all, less my $100 deductible. :) This certainly didn't turn out as bad as it could have.

However, I'm still concerned about how to prevent it from happening again. I've been looking under the hood every day since I got the car back, and so far no signs of anything. Of course that will probably lull me into a false sense of security, and the minute I stop looking, the bastard will probably set up camp again. :mad: :mad:

I did sprinkle some cayenne pepper around under the hood. It's supposed to be a squirrel repellent. My luck it will probably keep the squirrel away, but cause some kind of mechanical problem. :o :o

What's wrong with your car this time, Mike?
Pepper in the fuel line.
How did that happen?
Don't ask. :rolleyes:
 
It's Friday
For me anyways.:cool:

My Dad is having his 70 birthday party Saturday at a bar of course.:DIt should be a pretty good time,I'll be getting a ride both ways so I'm free to indulge.:drunk::drunk::drunk:

Other than that nuttin'

Prices so low....
You can't afford not to buy a garage door!
My boss lowered our prices so low I can't believe it.It should keep us working,I doubt it'll make the other companies happy.:rolleyes:

The one thing about a bad economy,if you've got money spend it.


LATER!!!
 
dachay2tnr said:
Got the check from my insurance co. for the squirrel damage. Looks like they covered it all, less my $100 deductible. :) This certainly didn't turn out as bad as it could have.

However, I'm still concerned about how to prevent it from happening again. I've been looking under the hood every day since I got the car back, and so far no signs of anything. Of course that will probably lull me into a false sense of security, and the minute I stop looking, the bastard will probably set up camp again. :mad: :mad:

I did sprinkle some cayenne pepper around under the hood. It's supposed to be a squirrel repellent. My luck it will probably keep the squirrel away, but cause some kind of mechanical problem. :o :o

What's wrong with your car this time, Mike?
Pepper in the fuel line.
How did that happen?
Don't ask. :rolleyes:
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Personally, I always keep my nuts with me at all times and NEVER put them under the hood of a car :D

You never know who or what might nibble em:laughings:
 
Hey, Paul, from your postings here I don't gather that you're a Scotch drinker. However, if I'm mistaken on that, have you ever had a Scotch called Compass Box Asyla?

It's a blend, not a single malt, but I've read pretty good reviews on it. Just curious if you might have had some first hand experience.


Personally, I always keep my nuts with me at all times
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Seems to me that more likely they are actually kept under lock and key in your wife's purse. :p :p
 
dachay2tnr said:
Hey, Paul, from your postings here I don't gather that you're a Scotch drinker. However, if I'm mistaken on that, have you ever had a Scotch called Compass Box Asyla?

It's a blend, not a single malt, but I've read pretty good reviews on it. Just curious if you might have had some first hand experience.



Seems to me that more likely they are actually kept under lock and key in your wife's purse. :p :p
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Scotch You are dead right, I am not a Scotch lover at all. In fact, all my friends know that no matter how drunk I get and how insistent I am, I must never, ever, ever be given Scotch, Brandy or Armagnac because it makes me so ill. The strange exception is Jack Daniel's which I love but rarely drink. In fact, as I get older I am drinking less and less. Maybe I'm getting sensible?:rolleyes::confused:

Bu I have never heard of that one. Looking at the web site on the internet, I would say that it is primarily a marketing company badged and blended Scotch. Purists would turn up their nose at it but I guess it makes a nice gift and is pretty to look at and most likely inoffensive to the palette.

Wifeys purse One thing is for sure - she has all my money is there:o
 
dachay2tnr said:
Yeah, I think I'll buy it as a gift... to myself. :D :D
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Enjoy! :D

Great weekend here - sunshine and Spring is sprung. Clocks went back one hour and the garden got some attention too. But the weather forecast this week is for rain and bitterly cold winds :(. Its a sign there's a four day weekend coming. :mad:
 
This Thread Is Actually Good for Something

My LCD monitor is on the fritz. Each day when I start up the computer, the monitor screen stays black for about 5 minutes. It also makes a clicking-like noise at the same time. After that it's fine for the rest of the day. But once I shut it down, the same thing happens next time I start it up. It's almost like it has to warm up.

In checking around it appears that the symptoms are a sign of capacitors going bad. I checked with the manufacturer's web site, and it has a 3-year warranty. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember when I bought it.

Then I remembered that I probably had mentioned buying it somewhere in this thread. So I did a search for LCD monitor, and saw a post from Sept. 2006 where I mentioned receiving a rebate check for this monitor. Obviously, the monitor must have been purchased a couple of months prior to that - which means that it's about 9 months past its warranty period. :( :(

The good news however is that this thread helped me to avoid rummaging through several years of credit card statements to find the receipt. And I can now definitively say that this thread is not a complete waste of time. :)
 
This Thread Is Actually Good for Something
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Is it me,or has the meaning of the word good been downgraded?

Good news
My tax return is much bigger than I though it would be,in fact it's the biggest one I've ever got.I forgot to ask the accountant,but I'll bet I'll be getting taxed on my tax return.I really think tax returns should be tax free,but it probably makes too much sense.
Anyways,it looks like the bathroom from hell will finally get a makeover.:cool:

The weather
Wow,wow and more wow,followed by a teensy bit of much needed precipitation and then more wow.

LATER!!!
 
acidrock said:
I forgot to ask the accountant,but I'll bet I'll be getting taxed on my tax return.I really think tax returns should be tax free,but it probably makes too much sense.
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There's no tax on a tax return (unless you're talking about a state return). Basically they are just giving you back the money you overpaid during the year. You already paid tax on the earnings, and apparently you paid too much. So they are refunding the difference.

Me, on the other hand, have to send money. :( :( :( Apparently I didn't pay them enough during the year. :rolleyes:

In the meantime, my townhome association assholes just sent us a "special snow assessment" for almost $200. Apparently they didn't budget enough for snow removal this winter, and now we have to make up the difference in one fell swoop. I should probably run for the Board of Governors... but that would require work. :cool:
 
I have been laid up for three days with a bad back:mad: All the muscles in my lower back have been in spasm. It has been twinging for a few weeks but last Saturday's gardening and Sundays DIY project (I went over to my eldest daughters place and fitted four new down lighters to their remodelled downstairs cloakroom) finally saw my back give up. I guess it was the shock of real work that did it and reminds me why I shouldn't do any.:)

Mike, good luck with the replacement monitor. Its great buying new gear :cool:

Tax - Don't get me started:mad: We have elections coming up in May and all the parties are stressing how much they are going to charge in additional taxes to pay for the banking bail-out.:mad: Seems I am going to be a prime target because I'm classified as a "high earner" - whatever that means.:(

In my view, the higher earners use less resources i.e. no social security, no public schooling, use the national health care service only when we have to, don't use the library (we use Amazon;)) etc. Do I get a rebate? Do I b******s.:mad:

Rant over.:o

Gone cold again here - just in time for the four day weekend.:(

Have fun :D
 
Paul881 said:
Mike, good luck with the replacement monitor. Its great buying new gear :cool:
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There will be NO replacement monitor! :mad:

At least not until this one completely dies. :o So long as it continues to eventually start, I'll just wait it out. It's not like I have somewhere to go anyway. :rolleyes:

G'damn electronics. Don't they realize I'm retired and living on a fixed income? :mad:


Sorry to hear about your back. I was similarly laid up about two years ago. First day I couldn't even get out of bed. Second day I could get out of bed, but literally had to crawl to go from room to room. I couldn't stand up straight for close to two weeks.

Mine was a pinched sciatic nerve. I eventually went to the doctor. He said there wasn't much he could do. I just had to wait it out. He did, however, give me a script for oxycodone. :)

I found that I could sit down or lie down without much discomfort, but I did the oxycodone anyway - for recreational purposes. I mean, c'mon, I had already paid for the stuff. ;)

Hope your feeling better soon. I know it's not fun. Let this serve as a reminder as to why manual labor should be avoided.
 
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