1434: Fix It!

[punk'n]

Originally Posted by Medium Brumski

I love the discussion's of these crazy reality shows, (Toddlers & Tiaras, Hoarders, Teen Mom). I'll never watch them myself, but I enjoy a funny KATG blurb about them.

Agreed, it's some of my favorite stuff.

Originally Posted by Medium Brumski

Coming soon, Groomzillas, hosted by Ronnie from the Jersey Shore.

BAAHAHAHAHAHAH!

[Curt]

Originally Posted by Blitzgal

I see what you did there, but the issue is SO much more complicated than that.

I agree. The last statement was a total jab for the fuck of it but the screaming that it could never cost that much just grated on me.

If you'd been paying attention to the whole healthcare debate two years ago you would have seen a lot of examples of crazy shit just like this. The number one cause of bankruptcy in the US prior to the economic downfall was medical bills.

The American healthcare system is screwed up for the following reasons:

-The Hippocratic oath requires treatment for everyone.
-There is no mandate, right now, for everyone to have or be provided with insurance.
-When people get really sick and don't have insurance, they go to the hospital to get treatment in the mostly costly manner (ie the ER) and then they can't afford it.
-All of the rates for medical services go up to cover these costs.
-Those of us with insurance end up paying for everyone who doesn't have insurance.

This is why we need a single payer system in the US. It would be cheaper for everyone and a $9.2 million dollar bill would be crazy.

[Kimberly]

that picture of Keith with the clown makeup is scary as shit

[WittyReference]

Originally Posted by mcbane89

The $9million is definitely legal maneuvering. This becomes apparent when you first consider this is pretty much the largest sum anyone has ever heard of (and in true douche fashion the author contacted Guiness to see if it broke a world record, but Guiness doesn't have a category for largest medical bill, which is unfortunate because Keith would easily be on his way to breaking his first record, as the cost to treat his ear will soon eclipse the $9million mark) and secondly you see the mom has accused the hospital of not doing the little things in the treatment of her daughter...like, say, feeding her. I'm guessing about 30 seconds after the mom first made this accusation, the legal papers were drawn up.The hospital knows this sum is bullshit as they're only entitled to what the insurance wouldn't cover, which I highly doubt is $9million... or maybe the sum is legit and it's just some Obamacare thing. I don't know.

What makes this story even worse is the mom. Why would any mom keep her kid at a place she thought wasn't feeding her, to the extent of refusing to move her to other facilities that would take her (which probably proves she had insurance), deny the hosptial's attempts to discharge her (repeated attempts), and firing any doctors that tried since she was her daughters medical proxy (which the court removed her from eventually for unspecified reasons)? Basically, the more you look at it, the more it seems to be a pissing match between the hospital and the mother over who would dictate care and who got what money, as the daughter slowly died. This isn't the case of a hospital just trying to recoup lost monies to survive, it's the case of them trying to stick it to the mom (they never billed her, they only filed suit) who may or may not be an asshole (I wonder her reason for rejecting the hospitals plans for treatment) in such a grand way that they may as well have written under dollar amount sought "Fuck You".

Sorry, but at what point in the episode did Keith give all this back ground info about the story before he started yelling at anyone that didn't agree with him?

Again, I'm thankful to live in a country with universal health care.

[mcbane89]

The part where he said doctors were assholes, and $9million dollars is fucking ridiculous and the hospital knows it. That part. The post you cite were my reasons I agree with Keith beyond just looking at the ridiculous headline, and never once did I say "well, Keith clearly said this on the show". No. I just went a little deeper in response to Hitler (something i never thought I'd say) who had the idea that the hospital actually accrued these charges, and if they didn't get this money a precedent would be started that would take us down a slippery slope of health care until only Jews could afford it (he said that right? Well, he had to at some point. I mean it is Hitler).

I'm guessing your real issue is that "Keith yelled at someone who didn't agree with him". Well, I can't speak for Keith and won't try, but it seemed Hitler was trying to poke the bear a little and... well, he got the bears attention. And I wouldn't call it "not agreeing" but trying to be contrary, as Keith hadn't said at that point doctors shouldn't get paid, he simply marveled at the balls they had to charge these bills, ignore patients, and generally act like assholes.

To sum up, I agree with Keith that $9million is fucking ridiculous, and apparently you agree with fucking Hitler that $9million hospital bills and mass genocide are ok. I'm cool with my side of argument.

[MrBurger]

When Keith goes to the doctor, he is treated for respiratory problems.

(geddit? ear-air? no? beer-bear? no?)

[Bucho]

Goddammit Mathew!

For six loooooong years I've toiled to earn our fair nation the respect of all and you go and blow it with one misjudged feedback.

Then again, this episode was superhilarious because of that feedback, so I'll allow it.

[Cretaceous Bob]

I don't think New Zealand has much of a problem in that regard. You guys call yourselves Kiwis, and that's fuckin' adorable. Y'all are the cheek-pinchiest nation ever, especially next to your weird brother, Australia.

[Medium Brumski]

The hospital's suing the estate of the dead woman, was she rich enough that her estate could possibly pay this off? She's dead, I don't see why her family can't just shrug and ignore it. Are there laws the prevent that sort of thing?

[Blitzgal]

Everyone has an "estate." It's just the legal term for your assets. She's dead, so they can't sue her. They have to sue her estate. I see that her mother was also removed as her guardian by court order, however that doesn't always mean that the mother was a terrible person. She was an agitator and making claims that they were mistreating her daughter, so they were probably already irritated by her on that front. I agree with Keith; they billed her this outrageous fee to scare the pants off her so she doesn't sue for malpractice.

There've been other cases where hospitals use the courts to strip someone of the right to make medical decisions. Happens with pregnant women more often than it should: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burton_v._Florida).