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Whether you like it or not, your private health care is distributed to others

Posted By: My Excellent Opinion on 2005-07-31
In Reply to: Treating private health information like a trade is wrong any way you look at it. - It's business you say? sm

Everytime you are diagnosed, have a test, go to the doctor, everytime you are billed, your information goes into a data base that all health care providers (insurance companies) have access to. I don't get the big deal over this all of a sudden. So someone in India finds out you are treated for a wart or depression. So what? What difference does it make as far as privacy goes if India MT knows this or Kansas MT knows this?

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Treating private health information like a trade is wrong any way you look at it.
Let's see how you feel when you've been violated because your private health information was distributed for any and all purposes.

MT in addition to other health care job?

I know that there are MTs out there that are MTs along with another HC job, but have never heard anything specific.

I am about to start MT school but in about 2-3 years the opportunity for me to go to school to become an RRT will present itself (it might not again for another 5 yrs past that point). It (being an RRT) is something I have wanted to do for a while, but only as PRN or part time work because of the shifts, the ages of my kids and my dh's work schedule (out of town a lot and weird hours). Because of that, I figure I could work as an IC (obviously 20hrs/wk or less) during RRT school and nights and weekends when I am not at my RRT job. We move every couple of years and IC work (for a national at home) could also serve as a steady income source while I find another RRT position (which could conceivably take a while considering my limitations regarding work hours outside my home).

Since I obviously do neither job right now, I don't know how realistic my expectations of this are. Does anyone juggle these two jobs? I know its most likely nurses that do this, but I welcome anyone's comments.

I definitely plan on going to MT school, because its available now, the work will be there, and being an MT is an excellent fit for me. Just trying to plan ahead - I know dh will want to know if I am giving up plans to go to RRT school because of this.

Thanks.

Socialized health care
http://www.liberty-page.com/issues/healthcare/socialized.html#britain

Here are some stats you might find interesting

Canadian Health Care
A 6-8 week wait time to see a gynecologist? Is that good or bad for the US. I personally have been waiting to see an endocrinologist for 1 year, 3 months...still nothing. Seriously. The wait time for any type of procedure of specialty is actually quite scary. Sometimes it feels as though we are in Russia, we just happen to pay more taxes. We "pay" for our health care with 13% tax on absolutely everything you buy. That is supposedly for health care, but it really doesn't seem to help. I personally believe the problem is in the fact there are not enough doctors. When you compare how many doctors there are in each specialty to the amount of patients that require them, that is where the wait time comes into play. Ironically, Canada is starting to implement "pay as you go" clinics for procedures because the wait time is so ridiculous. It seems that Canada is adopting the US's health system and the US is looking to adopt Canada's system. That reminds me of something...the grass is always greener on the other side (nope, same grass, different place). Take care all.

I will take canada's health care in a nanosecond
Well, I gotta tell ya, I would love to have Canada's health care, as I dont have health care..You see, if you are an SE, MQ does not offer health care. So, universal health care through the govt, IMHO, is better than paying out of my pocket.

Anyone have info on K Force Health care? nm
nm

This is an example of our mangled health care system.
So my husband smacks his elbow on something at work at the end of the day and as he is driving home notices his elbow is swelling up huge. He goes to the doctor and they say they can't do anything without his employer's consent to workers' comp and send him home without even an ice pack. The next day he goes to work and his boss gives him $100 to say it was done at home and to go get it fixed. I have taken a picture of his elbow and sent him to the doctor. He had already told them it was done at work when he went in yesterday anyway, so he is going to tell his boss that and give the $100 back. Amazing.

Aurora Health Care wiscionsin also.
xx

There needs to be a way to provide universal health care BUT sm
I don't believe that a national system is the right answer. If you look to Hawaii which has a law for universal coverage, it works pretty well.

We have had CHiPS which is the child health plan. I know something about that and had it for my own grown kids when it very first started. You get that if you don't qualify for Medicaid, and if your employer doesn't provide or if the premium of what is provided through employment is more than a given percentage of income.

This issue is one that I feel is best handled by the states, not by the feds. All you have to do is look at the No Child Left Behind to see how well that kind of thing works. States know what their demographics look like. They know what sector of the population is without health insurance and they know what funds they provide to various indigent programs to provide for the poor. It is the lower middle class woman and the lower middle class child who is most likely to be uninsured because they make too much for Medicaid and too little for any type of private insurance and most employers in this bracket can't/won't offer anything.

If you look at Medicare, which is a mess actually, and CHiPS which functions better, they are about the same idea for two different sectors of the population. There are HMOs and plans that one chooses. They are all a bit different, but you all know how this works. The companies who insure people through these plans keep costs and premiums down in order to participate.

I am in favor of the federal government figuring out a capitation rate along the lines of Medicare or Medicaid and paying this to the states, but more broadly to cover more people. Then, the states can figure out what they can contribute. If they eliminate funding for indigent services to cover these people under a statewide plan, that can go into the kitty. Every person in every state WITHOUT employer provided insurance, will be required to contribute to the state plan in some way, based on income. Employees with company provided insurance can opt to participate in the state program. The idea is to recoup the money wasted on county, city and state indigent programs and put it to the greater good. With having not to cover unpaid medical bills because there aren't any, anymore, it should help to raise the amount that states and other agencies have to pay into the system. Insurance companies will have to bid lower to participate in this, because I think it is best that they are the ones who administrate, private sector always does better...

well now I am boring you, but I see what I mean! LOL

A husband to take care of the bills and the health
nm

Soon it will be the government, Universal Health Care, nm
xxx

United Health Care medical insurance

Well, I am about to use my vision coverage insurance for United Health Care. Eye Exam 2000 said they only covered 15-20% of the exam, 20% of cost of lens/glasses. I have never heard of such a low amount covered. I guess I have the wrong plan. Anyone else disappointed with United Health Care benefits besides me? I work for a large national.

Thanks. I guess I am hoping someone will tell me I am wrong and that 80% of the bill is covered. That this is all a mistake.

Signed,

Squinting

you can't insure your body, just paying for health care for it.
x

off shoring tests for health care professionals

Below is an ad I found were they are offshoring the devlopement of questions now this is scary Title: Healthcare Exam Question Writing

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The client is based in the United States that is providing training and education to health care professionals.
The client is looking to outsource the process to outsource agents who can write exam questions from the source material (source material can come from journal articles, books, etc.)
1. The client will provide the source material either by email or by providing the web address.
2. The outsource agent will write multiple choice questions from the source material provided. Each question will only have 4 possible answers, with only one answer being correct.
3. The client will designate the number of questions required per course.
4. The outsource agent will format the questions in a format that will be provided.
5. The outsource agent will email the questions to the client for review and editing.
6. The client will email the edited questions back to the outsource agent.
7. The outsource agent will upload the edited questions to the client website.

The client will pay one dollar US ($1) for each question written.

We believe that for a typical set of question will require 15 questions and will most likely take about 3 hours to complete. This equals about $5 US per hour. We anticipate rejecting some of the questions that are developed, though the client will consider paying for the development. The client will work with the selected agents in the future to assist with question development.

No Project Files

IL Health Care Worker Background Check Act

Type "225 ILCS 46/" in your search engine. It should give you the Health Care Worker Background Check Act for Illinois. There are several proposed amendments regarding non-fingerprint-based ID before the legislature for the 2007-2008 session. I hope this is what you seek.

OOps meant best health care in the world
x

If you think that's bad, just wait 'til we get "free" health care. NM
xxx

My take on a big part of the high cost of health care and why we are

Do y'all know how much nurses get paid? My sister is a nurse and gets around $40 an hour, where she works no weekends, no evenings, occasional call for which they get paid very well, OT if they happen to have to go in on the weekend, DOUBLE PAY if they work on their birthday, etc., etc. And then there's the pension, and the great insurance and on and on. Sometimes all they have to do is make phone calls to make their dough, and I am not talking OR nurse. And then we get thrown to the dogs. And no, I am not going to go into nursing because I am too old. I am just disgusted.

Good for you. You're a wise woman. Take care of your health first. nm
x

51yo female, divorced, 20yo son, 35 yrs in health care

Excuse me, but who was the health care worker who then disclosed the HIV status?
Ashe's HIV status and career decline. had nothing to do with a healthcare worker disclosing it.

Govt is promoting EMR to reduce health care costs.
Major cuts taking place in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. See Bush's Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, billions of dollars being cut. Word is that private insurance will follow suit, with higher deductibles among other things. You can thank the

I think it's important to note why health care costs are so high, first of all, SM
one big problem is govt involvement, just like with college, the more the govt is involved, the more the cost goes up. Secondly, laywers run up the cost by frivolous lawsuits and docs have to pay higher premiums for their malpractice insurance. Third, we are paying for illegals, people using emergency rooms for care and not paying, the list goes on and on. Hospitals charge people with insurance more to make up for some of this, because they know the insurance will pay for it, so people who do pay cash really end up paying inflated prices too.

It's complicated, but that is the root problem.

Here's another reason why health care is so high people can't afford it and ...SM

A while back I had to go to the ER for a particularly bad Meniere's episode. I asked for an itemized bill, and you know what they charged me for 4 mg of ondansetron?

$544.

Could your hubs become a patient of a home health care agency and then you could work for them
s

Study found that electronic health records did not boost patient care. sm

Link to article on yahoo news stating that electronic health records fail to improve care, study says.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/records_dc;_ylt=AsT2t1nasUEaoOxgIsyoMUOs0NUE

I dont care if you stay home because ofyour kids, a health issue - sm
or because you just like to work in tne nude. The fact of the matter is, settling for a lower rate jsut for the convenience of working from home is BS. I've been doing this for 25 years and have been home since 1996 and while I know I am not making the same money I did in the haydays, I sure as he11 will not work for less. Many of these companies are bluffing if they tell you they have to lower your rate. In fact, if you hold your ground and have a decent reputation, you can even make more.

It's too bad that so many people don't believe in their abilities and worth to hold out. You should never base your decision on fear. Use logic and common sense.

Some boxes, like Mrs. Smith's pies, say distributed by
Schwann company in So. Carolina, but they are all made in Mexico (my cousin is long distance truck driver, sees them transferring the boxes from 1 truck to another.) Fig Newtons made in Mexico. Big problem with the border guards from US because their uniforms and ID badges made in Mexico and many of them are stolen or sold in Mexico which allows access of illegals into US. Nothing is made in US anymore.

Kinship care versus foster care/adoption
Having been placed in a position where I now have custody of my 3 YO granddaughter and going through the legal system, I sought an online network of relative caregivers for children. I would encourage you, especially since you are in Georgia, that if you take any children into foster care with the idea of adopting them, there is federal law that requires the state to take certain actions in a specific time frame. When a child is removed from it's bio parent(s), the state is required to investigate any possible relatives who can take the child before foster care is considered, but even before that, reunification with the parents is the priority. Once a child enters the system and is in the system for 15 out of any 22 months, the state is required to find permanent placement for the child.

The problem with this is that there are case workers who may favor a foster family and do not seek out relative care. I have a good friend in Georgia who had to fight all the way to the state level to get custody of her grandson after the child was placed from the hospital into a foster care home with the promise that the foster parents would be allowed to adopt. She has now adopted her grandson, but it was a long, hard battle to get the state to admit their own interests were placed above those of the child and/or family.

If you get a child placed through the state, please make certain there is not a relative who wants that child before you get your hopes up. The courts are now favoring return of children to relatives even after a child has spent years with a foster family who hoped to adopt them.

States get bonus federal funds by complying with the time lines and being able to close the case, so some states place children in foster care because it is easier than trying to locate relatives.

Didn't mean to go off on a tangent, but I can't imagine my sweet bella going to someone outside her family.

If it was a clinic, it might have been urgent care, but it was NOT acute care. sm
Acute care refers to work in an acute care setting, a hospital, doing at least History and Physicals, Discharge Summaries, Consultations, Surgery notes, Emergency Department notes, and much more, including GI procedures, Cardiology procedures, Neurological procedures, Pulmonary Function Studies. It goes on and on and it means and acute care hospital setting, not a clinic.

Private ins
You can get private insurance lots cheaper than MOST COBRA plans but it is up to you. Also a lot of times they only cover for so long and if I remember correctly dental and vision might only be for one year and some plans do not COBRA that over. And if your husband is self employed, then it could be a business expense to provide the insurance and with six figures could easily do it and pay less taxes. I know COBRA is easier to just kind of roll over into, but again, it only lasts for 18 to 24 months and so you will be looking eventually. However, just ask why suddenly you are not covered.

I use my private e-mail sm
and receive all my messages from my TC through my private e-mail. In fact, I never receive anything throught my I-mail, don't even hardly check it anymore. Call your TC and ask her/him what to do. This may not be the same across the board, as so much is not the same from office to office!

LOL in private, not seclusion :-) sm
like a different room in the house.

I would see about a private school.....

Your son sounds like a very bright young man... No offense to you, but can you honestly challenge him and teach him things you may not be proficient at yourself. Foreign languages, advanced math, etc. Even high school teachers only specialize in one subject. Something to consider.

Private accounts

How do you go about getting private accounts? Any MTs out there that have done this and are still doing it. If so, how much can you charge per line for a private account that you obtained yourself. I currently make 8 cents per line with an MTSO. However, I have been hearing that if you have a private account with a doctors office you can actually charge a lot more, about 12 to 13 cents per line.

Any tips on doing this. I am currently an Independent Contractor and would like to expand my horizons. Thanks for any advice.

It's how I got my private accounts....sm

I had business cards made up and every week, one day only, I went and solicited another medical building filled with offices usually next to a hospital. I brought only a couple of resumes (nobody asked me for one either) and within a month or 6 weeks, I scored 5 private mds. It's really all about self-confidence and belief in yourself and your own abilities.

I'm still working for 4 private MDs all these years, one of the 5 went into *receivership*, a form of bankruptcy.

Best of luck, believe in yourself, go solicit yourself and your abilities and don't be afraid. If it worked for me, it can work for you!!

I do agree - I have many private mds...nm

THANK YOU JAM for your private email....

very kind of you. Please know that I do appreciate your help and the time you took to respond.

private accounts
anyone out there doing private accounts for docs who don't have to do operatives? just trying to get some info as to what type of reports some may do when typing for own accounts. I was thinking along the lines of internal medicine. Thank you!

If you have private coverage on yourself, you would not--sm
need workers' compensation on yourself. your private insurance would cover anything happening to you. If you have employees, they may need it, but only if you offered them employee insurance benefits. JMO.

most private doctors...
I speak to say that they went to the bigger companies because they were assured TAT - however it is explained to them that the same people working for the Nationals are the same ones that would do it as an IC, I find that my clients came around. Sometimes common sense is not the easiest thing for a busy mind. They also like the idea of not paying the rates a national charges, knowing we do not make it - so drop the rate a penny and they get a break too. They wont pay us what they pay nationals because they do not feel we are the same thing - if we cut out the middle man for us, they want it cut out for them too.

Private accounts
I am curious to know how to go about getting private accounts? I am challenged when it comes to how the work is transported back and forth. What would be a reaonable expectation in terms of costs on my end? All I have now is the computer, foot pedal and copier/scanner/fax. What else might I need? I live and Houston. Our medical center is top-notch and there are many, many hospitals, medical organizations and clinics to choose from. Any advice?

private clients
It is refreshing to see normal expected amounts given to other MT. So often I see "I would not expect less than 10.00 per page and such high line counts" I believe the misconception by many is that you can make a bundle with little effort given some of the "I won't do this" attitudes. When looking for your own private accounts, think about who they are, where they are coming form and who did them before and assess accordingly. And keep in mind you may have to negotiate and get a bit less but your first client and everyone after is your own - which is a good thing

private accounts

I haqve been working on 2 private accounts, one of them I pick up tapes twice a wk and at the second pickup I pickup a check. I have been with them for 9 years. The other one I started last year and they send me the doctors notes by mail and I overnight it and they pay me through the mail. They both pay me by the page.

I wish you the best.

I now have private insurance (sm)
Call and check into private insurance through Blue Shield. I pay $294 a month with a $750 deductible. Might save you some money meantime. I also lost benefits through a MTSO due to lack of work and could not afford the COBRA.

I have private insurance (sm)

My premium is almost $300 a month with a high deductible. My bills are now being rejected due to "pre-existing" and I believe it goes back 5 years, which is ridiculous. What is a person supposed to do? I'm willing to pay, but most of my pay is going for medical bills at this point. I'm owing about $1500 and still need my mammogram and a screening colonoscopy. I'm paying 20% after my insurance pays (if/when they pay) and it's adding up on top of my monthly medication costs, which is hundreds. AARP rejected me because I have diabetes and hypertension, so I'm stuck with the high-deductible major medical, which is basically for anything catastrophic. I don't want to put my house in jeopardy should I need to be hospitalized. I worked for a company as an employee with healthcare benefits, but when the work is low and you don't make production, there goes your benefits. It's like being between a rock and a hard place. Good luck with your decision to drop your healthcare. I'm paying an arm and a leg, but if I'm hospitalized at least I'll be covered.

private practice
Cardiology in PA, $17.00/hr, 6 weeks vacation, employer funded pension plan 10% of salary yearly, been here 15 years.... longing to be home and a full time MT.. good luck coming back to the jungle.

Private Psychiatrists
Does anyone know if private psychiatrists hire MTs and if so, would they use us for session notes etc...? I would like to transcribe private psychiatrists, but it doesn't seem like they really use MT's.

Private psychiatrists

I transcribe for a private psychologist who specializes in psychoeducational and neuropsychological evals for schools as an independent evaluator. I only type his initial and review evals. He does not have any weekly psych sessions transcribed at all. His evals are quite long; however, are infrequent. They are 10-12 pages usually, with very small font and single spacing, but I only get on average 1-2 a week. I charge $4.00 per page because of the small type.

To find docs that do these, you could contact your local school districts and have them give you a list of psych evaluators they use for independent evals for special ed students.

Another psych specialty I transcribe for is a drug/alcohol treatment center. I only type discharge summaries, and again they are quite long but not that many per week. They are pretty easy and repetitive, though.

;)

Christine

They are 2 private groups. SM
What exactly do you want to sue them for? Your post makes no sense.

I always figure if they don't care about their dictation, they probably don't care about their
nm