"The (MEDICAL) Industrial Complex"

[reconeil]

"The American (MEDICAL) Industrial Comlex"
by N.R. Filidei (Presidential Inauguration Day - January 20, 2005)

Believe it was the late President Eisenhaur that coined the phrase of: "Beware of The American Military Industrial Complex", about a-half-century ago? The Man sure-as-hell knew of what he spoke, and especially since proven so with America's many COSTLY ( both financially and physically) international involvements, over the years.

Well then, and since then was then and now is now: "Pilgrims", it can't help but be noticed from today's news that New Jersey based Mercks, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies worldwide,... IS ALSO closing down all operations and facilities in Canada. WOW!!!,...Fellow Americans stuffing-it-to Fellow Americans.

That's very troubling, and if: "Ike" were still around today, it's more than likely he too would say: "Beware of America's MEDICAL Industrial Complex",...and quite sensibly and quite rightfully so. Americans once getting reasonably priced prescription drugs from Canada are now being officially sabotaged by The American Government,...in collusion with the large Drug Companies.
Just WHOM does our government ACTUALLY "SERVE", anyway?

After all, only government, politicians, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, HMOs, drug companies and insurance companies see nothing wrong with America's Medical status quo and/or perverted REVERSE NAFTA,...ONLY benefitting (and BIG TIME) all alluded to ALONE. Truly A National Shame. How about some: "REPRESENTATION" & CARING for; "The UN-Connected" and sick or elderly....ALSO?

What's even worse about the current reality that many millions of sick, invalid and hospitalized Americans are being perpetually ripped-off by Fellow Americans, is that such has been going on for so many years. Believe such a despicable collusion (some believe: "Criminal collusion") of price-rigging Medical Care and Drugs out of the reach of MANY, MANY, MANY Americans, first came to light about, around or during The Reagan Years?

Truly a sick situation (no pun intended). Still, one can't help but see the sadly-sick irony of it all.

The American People and/or The American Taxpayer having shelled-out (governments have no money whatsoever) BILLION$ & BILLION$ over the years for needed Drug Reseach,...are the only people on earth being SO-DAMN-ROYALLY-SCREWED-OVER,...by their very own home-based Pharmaceutical Companies and very own government.

Absolutely amazing!!!,...even though absolutely sick.
Bring back the guillotine,...CITIZENS! I know that's an old French (YUK!) Revolution solution for an overall Cavalier, Lordly or Royal disregarde over the well being (or not) of Their Citizenry .
But Hey(?),...WHATEVER WORKS.

The End


Neil


Author's Note:
It's too bad I'm so politically-incorrect TO-THE-MAX and/or basically not mainstream-printable. Otherwise, there might end up being millions on crutches, walkers and wheelchairs gathered outside The Capitol Building, all in unison screaming the line from some movie: "WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE"!!!

[reconeil]

Did a little editing, and since: "Fellow Americans stuffin-it-to Fellow Americans" has been pretty-much shoved-under-the-rug by The Press/Media (given all The Pomp and Circumstance lately),...thought I'd do a little resurrecting here.

After all, there must be some OTHER unhappy prescription drug purchasers out there whom don't like being: "SO-SCREWED-OVER",...also?

Neil

[1CAVCCO15MED]

Nurses? Nurses overwhelmingly voted for Clinton the first time because he promised to do something about the health care mess. We all know how that turned out. This issue transcends the liberal vs. conservative mold. They are both guilty as hell.

Whoa up there Neil!Your basic premise that our national heath care system is down the toilet is 100% correct.What is going on is ideed a crime.But-like in other crimes-if you want to find the culpret follow the money.It sure as hell AIN'T going to the folks who actually provide the hands-on health care.The folks that are bustin butt 24/7,weekends and holidays included,keeping your loved one alive are makeing about the same money as the guy who changes the spark plugs on your car.

Most folks would consider me a conservative but I don't believe there's any fixin the mess we've got.I have to believe that looking at sick and hurt folks and seeing a bussiness opportunity is itself sick.I think nationalized medicine is the only way to go from here.We tried free-market medicine and it's failed miserably.Time to scrap it and save the lives of a bunch of Americans.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

One of the more wierd things about health care is competition tends to raise prices. If you buy a million dollar piece of equipment such as an MRI or CT scanner you better damn well use it enough to pay for it. You do it by using it instead of cheaper technology when you can. The more health care facilities in the area, the more you have to use them for nonessential exams. BUT, you can't compete without them.

[reconeil]

Regarding: "...transcends the liberal vs conservative mold",...EXACTLY!!! Both benefit BIG TIME from such a large scale rip-off of The American Public.

Re. "Nurses" or: "...government, politicians, doctors, pharmacists, HMOs and Insurance Companies" benefitting from The Public Rip-off better than most,...I wouldn't change a word, except for just noticing that I left: "Drug Companies" out of the grouping benefitting most.

After all, everyone mentioned fairs quite well, due in large part to America's absurdly high cost of Medicine in general and absurdly high (highest on earth) prescription drug costs. Can't believe that the ONLY ONES earning higher salaries than would normally be, are just Drug Company Executives and The Drug Company Workers?

The absolute truth of the matter is that the ONLY ONES getting: "SCREWED-OVER-ROYALLY" moneywise by: "The American (MEDICAL) Complex),...are MOST ALL sick or invalid Middle Class Americans, whether by higher insurance premiums or paying TRIPLE THE COST of drugs anywhere on earth,...ironically manufactured right here in America.
Now that's: "CRIMINAL".

The entire medical profession, insurance companies, and all affiliated with such,...just up "Their" costs, making for much more lucrative businesses, and with higher paid employees.
Both Rich and Poor could care less about The Rip-off,...for obvious reasons. Same for VA and/or where money is no object. "Just ask, and Ye shall receive"(except from chintzy Democrats).

Neil

If you wouldn't change a word,and if you think the poor are better off than the middle-class in re:healthcare,then I humbly submit that you need to get your head out from between your buns,wipe the brown stuff off your glasses,and take a closer look at the situation.

[reconeil]

Regarding: "The poor are better off than the middle class",...why're you getting on my case? YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT WROTE SUCH. Maybe you should get the brown stuff off of YOUR GLASSES instead? A reading class couldn't hurt either.

Maybe then YOU TOO might better understand: "The situation" and/or that Americans pay 3-4 times as much for prescription drugs, than do people ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.
Hell, only a politician or drug company executive would try excusing such,...or not see something drastically wrong about such. Which are you?

Moneywise, I hope all others understood the reality that both the Rich and Poor don't have to be concerned about suffering America's typical prescription drug ripped-off, since The Rich can afford anything, and The Poor or Welfare types have their meds payed for by The Taxpayer. Seems simple enough?

Neil

[reconeil]

Any misunderstanding about whom are effected by The Public Drug Rip-off and whom are not aside, don't believe that socialized medicine will ever fix anything,...and especially regarding the uniquely American and upsurdly high pricing of prescription drugs.
Plus, America simply does not have: "Free Market" drugs. Compared to the rest of The World, We have closer to: "Black Market drugs".

Regardless, people all over the world, and especially those in countries having socialized medicine whom can afford better, come here to America to get best medical attention possible. Don't believe that it ever works the other way around,...or that any Americans would prefer going to Socialist Countries where everyone must pick-a-number and wait their turn for medical assistance, or even operations? Naturally, only if: "UN-Connected".

Besides, and without 4-5-6 Dollar a gallon gasoline, as many freebie(???) medical nations have,...We couldn't afford such.

Still, and in fairness, I'm pretty-sure that any American Governments and Pharmacuetical Industries would just love having the prescription drugs socialized. That way, the needers of such or the consumers won't even know the absurdly unique AMERICAN pricing of drugs,...and that might sort-of: "Keep the natives from getting restless".

Hell, even: "We The (Schnooks)" and/or The Private Sector American Taxpayer and PAYER OF EVERYTHING in America,...ALSO would'nt know how badly we're being perpetually ripped-off by The Politicians and Drug Companies, if prescription drugs were socialized and passed out FREE(???). Taxes would just go up as usual, and no one would be the wiser.

Neil

[1CAVCCO15MED]

Well...Medicare and Medicaid both have told providers they will only pay so much for these services and they would just have to economize. Just check any bill to a Medicare patient. I threw my last one away but generally they pay about 1/4 what is charged. By law they have to accept that and not bill the patient further. The way they get around paying full price for drugs is they only pay for your stay in the hospital a set fee based upon what diagnosis you came in with. Say you came in the hospital to fix a broken lower leg. After it was fixed you threw a fat embolus to the lung, cardiac arrested and ended up on a ventilator where you got pneumonia and stayed in the hospital three months. They pay for the broken leg. This is a bit of an oversimplification but it does describe the thrust of how payment is made.