DialysisEthics2_Forum
Other => Historical Posts => Topic started by: admin on September 25, 2009, 09:05:41 PM
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Marty
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 160
Posted: Fri May 23, 2003 1:40 am Post subject: HR1004 a reason to support
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Yesterday we had our normal 4 to 5 week clinic visit. In a general converstion with our nephrologist, he told me slow nocturnal was really coming out. There was an unofficial study done of 500 dialysis patients on slow nocturnal compared to in-center. They compared apples to apples patients of all ages and patients with other health problems. The mortality rate of the in-center patients was 12% while the mortality rate of slow nocturnal was 4%. From what I have seen, read and heard I think the future of dialysis and patients rehabilitated will only come through more dialysis. Supporting bill HR1004 will help to start this movement.
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wondering
Joined: 23 May 2003
Posts: 7
Posted: Fri May 23, 2003 5:42 am Post subject: Is there.....
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Marty,<
> Are there safeguards in this bill to ensure that the money will go to patient care, dialysis options and not into the pockets of the company for their stockholders? Unless there are these type of safeguards, I will not support this kind of bill. I have worked in this industry far too long and have seen how they work their financial "magic". Just look at their quarterly financial statements! They are making MILLIONS! Sorry but I do not trust them to do the right thing unless there is a watchdog of sorts to insure that they do.
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Marty
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 160
Posted: Fri May 23, 2003 6:07 am Post subject: $$ vs Support
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Wondering, I really don't spend anytime concerning myself with the money aspect of health care be it dialysis or something else. It is my humble opinion that, that be left between the payers and payees of the services. My common sense tells me not to many centers are going to give away extra treatments per week regardless if they are making to little or to much now. I think the bill needs to be supported so all treatments are paid for be it 4,5,6 or 7. The issue of rather or not it is an overpayment or underpayment will have to be substantiated by those receiving the payment and those doing the paying. I am only concerned with the dialysis issues and I have seen the difference in patients who receive more treatments. I only pass the information along so patients can decide for themselves. If this whole ordeal is a money issue for you....that's ok too. I place my votes on what I feel is in the patient interest and I don't worry about someone elses millions.
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Taxpayer
Joined: 23 May 2003
Posts: 1
Posted: Fri May 23, 2003 10:44 am Post subject: More Money?
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As a taxpayer, I want every cent of my tax money to count for something. I can support payments for extra runs, but not a blanket payment without specific stipulations and safeguards so that the money goes only to making sure that each and every dialysis patient gets adequate dialysis in the form of dialysis options best suited to their needs. I don't feel that this bill is specific enough to prevent the companies from doing all they can to pocket that money for themselves, and as a taxpayer, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT! With the high cost of health care, it is something we should all be concerned about. We have enough people in our country who can not afford health care at all! I can not justify paying extra without the safeguards necessary to ensure that it goes to more dialysis for patients.
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To taxpayer
Joined: 23 May 2003
Posts: 1
Posted: Fri May 23, 2003 5:14 pm Post subject: More Money?
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My sentiments exactly!
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plugger
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 236
Posted: Sat May 24, 2003 12:24 am Post subject: this bill addresses one problem
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The problems in dialysis are many. You can't expect one bill to wipe away every concern you may have. This bill addresses the problem of frequency (a big problem), and I still believe dialysis will be better off with it. By not supporting the bill, you are taking away one more choice patients ought to have. The money is going directly to treatments. Not everybody in the industry is a crook, this will give a lot of good people another way to give their patients better care. You can sit around and wait for standards that may or may not come. In the mean time you are going watch a lot of patients pass on because they can't get anything more than the 3X a week.
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Marty
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 160
Posted: Sat May 24, 2003 12:43 am Post subject: Valid Points
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Plugger your points are very valid. <
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>To the taxpayers who are soooo concerned about their tax dollars, if you have been watching the news you would know the Pentagon has "lost" 1 trillion dollars. I would say if our government can afford to loose this kind of money paying for more treatments shouldn't be that big of a deal. You seem to ignore the point that the "only way" the companies can get more money if this bill is passed, is if the patients get more treatments. If you think by not supporting this bill it will have an affect on in-center treatments..you need to get your head out of the sand.<
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>However to each his own rather this bill passes or not, I don't have to worry as my father already has the advantage of more treatments and if the rest of the dialysis population isn't interest so be it. Your the ones cutting off your nose to spite your face .....not me.
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ridgerunner
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 101
Posted: Sat May 24, 2003 11:16 am Post subject: more treatments
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i am one of the first patients in the US to go on noctornal over six years so i know the benfits of proper treatment. in fact i have become employed again and pay taxes. if we think we can forget the costs we are poorly misformed. every thing the govt spends comes from taxes and it is the working man or women who are paying them. it has got until the working person can not save for their retirment like we older people were able to. any time the govt increases spending it costs the working person more. so they should have a right to know there hard earned money is being accounted for. i am for more frequent and more dialysis but we have the right to know our money is being spent right and not wasted. if the industry is being honest it would welcome standards.
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do not
Joined: 24 May 2003
Posts: 1
Posted: Sat May 24, 2003 11:34 am Post subject: assume
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the standards are far off. They must be implemented now that the Industry is being exposed more with every day.
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Marty
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 160
Posted: Sun May 25, 2003 12:27 am Post subject: Right to Know
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Ridgerunner, I don't disagree taxpayers should have a right to know but I guess in the real world this is a myth. No one is explaining how the Pentagon lost 1 trillion dollars. I can also tell you from 1st hand experience, I worked for a company that had government contracts. What cost 50 cents became worth $50.00 when it was being sold to the government. I don't know how you stop this kind of rip-off but if you figure it out let me know.
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ridgerunner
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 101
Posted: Sun May 25, 2003 5:08 am Post subject: hr1004
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first iam for longer more frequent dialysis it is cost effective. i think that the clinics that give it should be payed more. the saving for drugs and hospital stays would more than pay the different in cost besides have more healthy population who would be able to work. but first understand the majority of the patients are not going to it period for one reason or another. what i am not for is paying the same fee for 2 hour jiffey lube. which the vast majority of patients would get in fact it would increased the profitibility of the jiffy lube so as to force out home care . the reason the home care in this country has died has been the stupid regulations with the help of the industry that have been put on homw dialysis.
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