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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:46 am
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and he's got his amp cranked and enjoying his guitars! 8)


Hehe! Now that's the BEST medicine!

Cheers - C


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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:43 am
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Chet,

Sorry to hear about your health insurances issues, it is a real bummer to have to be forced to choose between health care and a prized personnel possession. As an owner in a small professional business, we struggle mightily with providing a decent health care benefit to our employees and their families, and it continues to get harder and more expensive every year.

I came across your CS-336 on CL, it is truly a shame to have to part with such a beautiful instrument, especially given its uniqueness and the meticulous care you have given it. I know your not doing this to make a profit, but to deal with a real life situation, but I honestly think you may be undervaluing this fine guitar.


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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:57 pm
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When you hear a guitarist is having to sell his guitar, it is a sad day indeed. :(

I want you to be well and buy yourself a sweet axe down the road, friend.


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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:18 pm
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Ceri wrote:
cvilleira wrote:
The U.S. spends more on health care per person than any other nation in the world.[1] Current estimates put U.S. health care spending at approximately 15.2% of GDP, second only to the tiny Marshall Islands among all United Nations member nations.[1] The health share of GDP is expected to continue its historical upward trend, reaching 19.5 percent of GDP by 2017.[2] In 2007 the U.S. spent $2.26 trillion on health care, or $7,439 per person.


Hi cvilleira. Interesting - I wonder what that figure is if you strip out the cost of insurance company shareholder dividends, admin, and the legal expenses and consequent insurances people have been talking about on this thread?

Very tricky comparing one country to another because most of us don't have detailed experience of more than one system, and we are usually not comparing like with like. But we all do it anyway!

On a related matter: you have spoken of wanting to move to Ireland after retirement. Do you happen to know how that will work for you as regards healthcare? Will you automatically plug straight into the Irish system or are there other provisions you have to make?

That's sheer curiosity on my part and none of my business so don't reply if you don't want to. Just interested in the light of experience various American friends have had moving between the US and the UK over the years.

Cheers - C

Hi. Ceri, No we will not go into the Irish health System we will have to enter as a #4 or #3 permit that we will not be there for employment and show that have have our own means of support then in 5 to 8 years in ask for perm resident. It is not easy and even harder for a non Eu resident thats what we have been told buy a Lawyer :twisted: there and property agent. My Grandmom was Irish and my Mom had applied for dual citizenship almost two years before she past and it had not been complete so there has been talk about my option had she been complete on her dual status, Me I can not do that because my employment and goverment contracts that I worked on through the University :shock: I joke with the Wife I think they just don't want us there because of Grand Dad he was deported from Ireland back to the US. and two of his brothers were jailed by the British goverment before being deported back to the US. they were irregulars in the early 20's and agaist the the freestate treaty of the time they wanted independence.

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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:04 pm
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[quote="Miami Mike"]I'm hoping that zzdoc will chime in on this.

Well let me say this about THAAAT! As my dear wife, the former personal injury/medical malpractice attorney, would tell you: "If you have issues about lawyers, the next time someone blows a red light, broadsides the automobile you or a family member was riding in the passenger seat of, and puts him/her/them in the hospital on life support, call a plumber.

Now let me give you a little take on what made my wife such a great client advocate. She knows a little bit about living with chronic pain. Since 1989 she has undergone knee surgery as a result of being rear-ended by someone who wasn't paying attention when the traffice stopped moving on a major highway. (It also affected her shoulder and her neck.), lumbar spinal surgery for the removal of a spinal cyst, two other major procedures of familar nature,, and last but not least, two craniotomies, a year apart, one for the removal of a meningioma, and the second for the management of the MRSA infection which appeared in the site several months afterward. The last two prompted her retirement because she can't focus well any longer. She did not sue the hospital because these infections are endemic in our communities, and one of the reasons I tell Mike to take great precautions with that portacath of his.

My wife will tell you that trial attorneys, as a whole, stand between the people and wholesale abuse by government and the private sector. I will tell you that I know that for a fact. In no-fault law alone, state governments together with the insurance lobby will guarantee that by the time you genuinely appreciate the slapback from your auto injuries, you will no longer be eligible for benefits.

Now it really irks me when people cannot get quality care. But it irks me a helluva lot more when premiums pay an inordinate percentage of administrative costs, instead of getting fed pack to the insurance consumer.

Keep in mind that health care package plans are like restaurant menus. The plan administrators lay them out and explain to employers what benefits their dollars will buy. It's the employer who choses the package. And most users DO NOT understand anything about the nature of their health care plans. They expect US (the providers) to explain it all to them.

This whole crazy quilt of benefits, fees, copays etc. is a headache, and right now I am offline to watch ZZTop on RaveHD.

Chet.......I am truly sorry for your loss, and most ecstatic about your cure.
There'll be another guitar. I faced the 'Maker' myself about twelve years ago. It's nice to wake up early everymorning, go to bed late at night, and play a Fender Stratocaster once and awhile.

Life is good :wink:

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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:30 pm
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Chet that stinks, I'm sorry that you had to sell a guitar.
Chet that's great I'm glad you're healthy

Now . . .

Fellas I agree with you that lots of insurance plans suck.
I disagree (with what seems to be a majority) that the Government should provide it. They already have a couple of Government health plans (Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Admin Hospitals) and they all suck worse than private insurance. People who choose Government jobs aren't business people. If they were any good at running a business (ie: insurance, healthcare, banking) they would be doing it instead of looking for a Government job with a pension.

I think that the reform needs to happen in both the insurance and the medical fields.

We need to cost the insurance companies less. All claims or attempts to sue for "whatever" need to be thoroughly investigated by a legal entity and people trying to sue "just to get paid" or file bogus workmans comp stuff need to do some jail time. With fewer false claims we can move on to the next step.

For insurance to cover more, the medical procedures have to cost less.

For medical procedures to cost less:
1) people need to sue less often for malpractice (sometimes bad shyte happens and it's no ones fault)
2) Doctors need to get paid less. Yes they need to make a decent living, but hundreds of thousands of dollars is ridiculous. No one NEEDS that much money.
3) Don't expect to get a heart valve replacement (or other high dollar procedure) on your insurance companies nickel if you are:
a) a big fat load (you did it to yourself stupid, PUT DOWN THE FORK)
b) 80 years old (it just ain't cost effective)
c) live a crappy lifestyle (ie:hard drinking, smoking, lots junk food etc)

Finally prescription drug costs need to go down. I think we should just storm the drug company HQ's on this one. It's all about Corporate greed here. Somebody needs an $@! kicking.
[/u]

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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:45 am
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cvilleira wrote:
Hi. Ceri, No we will not go into the Irish health System we will have to enter as a #4 or #3 permit that we will not be there for employment and show that have have our own means of support then in 5 to 8 years in ask for perm resident. It is not easy and even harder for a non Eu resident thats what we have been told buy a Lawyer :twisted: there and property agent. My Grandmom was Irish and my Mom had applied for dual citizenship almost two years before she past and it had not been complete so there has been talk about my option had she been complete on her dual status, Me I can not do that because my employment and goverment contracts that I worked on through the University :shock: I joke with the Wife I think they just don't want us there because of Grand Dad he was deported from Ireland back to the US. and two of his brothers were jailed by the British goverment before being deported back to the US. they were irregulars in the early 20's and agaist the the freestate treaty of the time they wanted independence.


Very conscious that all this is distracting from the point of the thread, to sympathise with Chet's situation. We're all feeling for you very strongly, Chet, and hoping things come right as quick as possible. Good luck!

***

...But to return to what you're saying, cvilleira: I'm most interested because of the changing experiences of American friends here in England. Some years ago a good friend of mine had a bad hernia, dragged himself to hospital (not knowing that ambulances are free here) and found himself sitting about in a waitingroom for three hours. He was just feeling that the delay confirmed all his prejudices about the NHS when he was called to be prepped for the operation. Amazed, he asked how much he'd have to pay. The surgeon said that he could pay if he wanted: then the same procedure would be done in a couple of days time by the same surgeon in the same operating theater. Or he could have it here and now under the NHS.

My friend spent weeks after expecting a big bill to arrive: it never did. At that time we just seemed to treat everyone no matter where they came from.

My understanding is that things have tightened up considerably throughout the EU recently due to "medical tourism", and I guess what you are saying confirms that. For the last two years my wife has had a young American woman working for her, and I know she had to get her work permit signed and sealed and start paying taxes here before she was entitled to medical care.

So I'm wondering what you will do for medical cover when you arrive in Ireland? Do you have to have an insurance policy to cover you for the intervening years? Do you have to wave documents about every time you go to the doctor/hospital?

On yet another different point, regarding Irish nationhood: on my father's side my grandmother was a Protestant Irish Nationalist from Southern Ireland (Cork), while my grandfather was a Catholic Unionist from Scotland. Untangle that mess if you can! Something to please or offend every taste... :lol:

Cheers - C


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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:12 pm
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Ceri wrote:
cvilleira wrote:
Hi. Ceri, No we will not go into the Irish health System we will have to enter as a #4 or #3 permit that we will not be there for employment and show that have have our own means of support then in 5 to 8 years in ask for perm resident. It is not easy and even harder for a non Eu resident thats what we have been told buy a Lawyer :twisted: there and property agent. My Grandmom was Irish and my Mom had applied for dual citizenship almost two years before she past and it had not been complete so there has been talk about my option had she been complete on her dual status, Me I can not do that because my employment and goverment contracts that I worked on through the University :shock: I joke with the Wife I think they just don't want us there because of Grand Dad he was deported from Ireland back to the US. and two of his brothers were jailed by the British goverment before being deported back to the US. they were irregulars in the early 20's and agaist the the freestate treaty of the time they wanted independence.


Very conscious that all this is distracting from the point of the thread, to sympathise with Chet's situation. We're all feeling for you very strongly, Chet, and hoping things come right as quick as possible. Good luck!

***

...But to return to what you're saying, cvilleira: I'm most interested because of the changing experiences of American friends here in England. Some years ago a good friend of mine had a bad hernia, dragged himself to hospital (not knowing that ambulances are free here) and found himself sitting about in a waitingroom for three hours. He was just feeling that the delay confirmed all his prejudices about the NHS when he was called to be prepped for the operation. Amazed, he asked how much he'd have to pay. The surgeon said that he could pay if he wanted: then the same procedure would be done in a couple of days time by the same surgeon in the same operating theater. Or he could have it here and now under the NHS.

My friend spent weeks after expecting a big bill to arrive: it never did. At that time we just seemed to treat everyone no matter where they came from.

My understanding is that things have tightened up considerably throughout the EU recently due to "medical tourism", and I guess what you are saying confirms that. For the last two years my wife has had a young American woman working for her, and I know she had to get her work permit signed and sealed and start paying taxes here before she was entitled to medical care.

So I'm wondering what you will do for medical cover when you arrive in Ireland? Do you have to have an insurance policy to cover you for the intervening years? Do you have to wave documents about every time you go to the doctor/hospital?

On yet another different point, regarding Irish nationhood: on my father's side my grandmother was a Protestant Irish Nationalist from Southern Ireland (Cork), while my grandfather was a Catholic Unionist from Scotland. Untangle that mess if you can! Something to please or offend every taste... :lol:

Cheers - C

That sounds kind of like what we were told if we were going to go to Ireland to work and who no but you do have to get a permit to do so and pay taxes as a citizen does the I believe you do have access. I got the idea they do not want people to come there and just retire and go into the system/ They way it is now the wife and I are cover anywhere in the world and if all goes as planned we will remand one her Ins for she will have plenty enough years that the tab will be pickup I say hers for I just found myself now looking for employment because upon my Medical leave I was asked to go on a trip oversea's for what they said 30 days or so and I told them that I was not doing that at this time an it did not go over well. I had been working for one of the largest University Systems in the U.S. on Military contracts. Shall I say been there done that and to old now. I had found myself fighting with a staph infection for months and months that came home with me from the Middle east. Talk about sick that was one of the worst things I have had happen to me and that out of being shot at 3 different times hit once, and back injury with 2 months traction after a fall from a tower they were all bad and scary but not like that dam infection that was nasty.

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:31 pm
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First off, my apologies to Chet for bringing this thread back up. I don't mean to open old wounds, I just felt compelled to back Ceri up here. I've just spent the past few days in hospital, I slipped in to a diabetic coma here at home. Fortunately a friend who was trying to get me on the phone, called round to my place and found me on the floor unconscious. The treatment I received from the NHS, was nothing short of outstanding. I can't praise these people highly enough, from the cleaning staff right up to the specialist's I saw. I should still be there to be honest, but they were very, very understanding about my feelings about being in hospital ( I'm not a very good patient). The care doesn't stop here, no sireee..... Appointments have been set up with diabetic nurses, and doctors for next week. I really can't believe I'm posting this on an open forum, but...... I now know where Ceri was coming from, credit where it's due.


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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:52 pm
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Snowy,
That's a frightening story, glad to hear you are doing better and are back at home, and that system took good care of you. Take care and keep us posted.

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:53 pm
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Snowy72 wrote:
First off, my apologies to Chet for bringing this thread back up. I don't mean to open old wounds, I just felt compelled to back Ceri up here. I've just spent the past few days in hospital, I slipped in to a diabetic coma here at home. Fortunately a friend who was trying to get me on the phone, called round to my place and found me on the floor unconscious. The treatment I received from the NHS, was nothing short of outstanding. I can't praise these people highly enough, from the cleaning staff right up to the specialist's I saw. I should still be there to be honest, but they were very, very understanding about my feelings about being in hospital ( I'm not a very good patient). The care doesn't stop here, no sireee..... Appointments have been set up with diabetic nurses, and doctors for next week. I really can't believe I'm posting this on an open forum, but...... I now know where Ceri was coming from, credit where it's due.

Snowy I am glad you are at least able to go home and hope that you are feeling better.

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 3:43 pm
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Thank you guys, I mean it. :)


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