Hi All,
I wonder how many of us have had any experience with any of these hospitals - I think I recall seeing one or two of them being mentioned on the board:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/ ... 4911.shtml
Tex
America's 50 "Best" Hospitals
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
America's 50 "Best" Hospitals
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce, Fla.
WOW, that's VERY close to where I live. Unfortunately, I chose Doctors that are associated with Indian River Hospital which is just a little closer.
Love, Shirley
WOW, that's VERY close to where I live. Unfortunately, I chose Doctors that are associated with Indian River Hospital which is just a little closer.
Love, Shirley
When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber"
-- Winston Churchill
-- Winston Churchill
Interesting however, I did note in the comments section a reader stated the following;
'This list is based on Medicare data surrounding 27 specific diagnosis and surgeries ONLY'
I would like to see a list of the diagnosis this was based on. I am sure we have list like this in the UK on some government web page lol more official stats! As you are no doubt aware we do not have a private health care system (although many people pay private insurance for this option) but the National Health Service for which the cost is covered within our tax.
Although our National Health Service is often known as 'the post code lottery care'!. I guess we should be thankful we do still have this system, I have heard some horror stories from people in the US who do not carry private insurance and recently watched a documentary on this subject. But, I wonder and would like to ask you on the forum, is your health care insurance very expensive, and if not why do people take the risk of not having insurance? From what I understand the US system of health care insurance is very complex as to what the insurance company will pay for and this can include some medication.
Thanks guys
'This list is based on Medicare data surrounding 27 specific diagnosis and surgeries ONLY'
I would like to see a list of the diagnosis this was based on. I am sure we have list like this in the UK on some government web page lol more official stats! As you are no doubt aware we do not have a private health care system (although many people pay private insurance for this option) but the National Health Service for which the cost is covered within our tax.
Although our National Health Service is often known as 'the post code lottery care'!. I guess we should be thankful we do still have this system, I have heard some horror stories from people in the US who do not carry private insurance and recently watched a documentary on this subject. But, I wonder and would like to ask you on the forum, is your health care insurance very expensive, and if not why do people take the risk of not having insurance? From what I understand the US system of health care insurance is very complex as to what the insurance company will pay for and this can include some medication.
Thanks guys
Three of the hospitals are within 15 miles of me, though I've never gone to any of them.
To answer your question about insurance in the U.S:
Group insurance through an employer can be pretty reasonable. My husband pays about $166 a month through his company for medical insurance. Dental insurance costs $11. Insurance through my school would cost twice as much for the two of us because it's a smaller pool of employees. There are different options, such as an HMO (pretty restricted with range of doctors), PPO (more choices for doctors), etc., which can effect the rates. Prescription coverage is usually included in these rates. For example, I recently got 360 pills of Entocort for $40 through our prescription service.
People who are self-employed or unemployed face a different situation because they don't benefit from the large group bargaining power that employers have. Their rates are considerably higher. I'm not familiar with the cost of Medicare coverage provided by the government for the elderly. I don't think it's too expensive, but many people supplement it with private insurance.
To answer your question about insurance in the U.S:
Group insurance through an employer can be pretty reasonable. My husband pays about $166 a month through his company for medical insurance. Dental insurance costs $11. Insurance through my school would cost twice as much for the two of us because it's a smaller pool of employees. There are different options, such as an HMO (pretty restricted with range of doctors), PPO (more choices for doctors), etc., which can effect the rates. Prescription coverage is usually included in these rates. For example, I recently got 360 pills of Entocort for $40 through our prescription service.
People who are self-employed or unemployed face a different situation because they don't benefit from the large group bargaining power that employers have. Their rates are considerably higher. I'm not familiar with the cost of Medicare coverage provided by the government for the elderly. I don't think it's too expensive, but many people supplement it with private insurance.
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Gloria
Thank you ah now I understand how the system works, the cost you have quoted is about the same for private medical cover in the UK although one of my GP's tries to discourage using private services he believes if too many people take up this option we could lose our National Health Service.
Thanks once again
Thank you ah now I understand how the system works, the cost you have quoted is about the same for private medical cover in the UK although one of my GP's tries to discourage using private services he believes if too many people take up this option we could lose our National Health Service.
Thanks once again
It's fantastic that there are 7 hospitals in the state of Ohio!
"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." -- Buddha
Something I found interesting-
I've heard from various people about some nightmare healthcare experiences in Florida....several of the hospitals on the list were in FL.
My MIL (a nurse with a Mayo-affiliated surgery center in MN) says the joke in Florida is "If you get sick - don't go to the hospital, go to the airport!" (They are snowbirds...)
In CA the only one I recognized was Cedars-Sinai, which isn't known for much except the place where celebrities give birth or receive psychiatric care
I'd be interested to know on what this is based (I guess I could figure it out if I was so inclined!)
Mary
I've heard from various people about some nightmare healthcare experiences in Florida....several of the hospitals on the list were in FL.
My MIL (a nurse with a Mayo-affiliated surgery center in MN) says the joke in Florida is "If you get sick - don't go to the hospital, go to the airport!" (They are snowbirds...)
In CA the only one I recognized was Cedars-Sinai, which isn't known for much except the place where celebrities give birth or receive psychiatric care
I'd be interested to know on what this is based (I guess I could figure it out if I was so inclined!)
Mary
If you will go to the site that actually compiles that data, you can select your state, (where it says "Research Hospitals"), and choose one of many procedures/diagnoses, and then select an area of your state. You can then see how the various hospitals rate, listed form best to worst. You can even enter the name of your own hospital, and see how it compares.
For example, mine appears to be so-so, for abdominal surgeries, (I guess I was lucky to come out as well as I did, when I had surgery there a couple of years ago). LOL.
Here's the site link:
http://www.healthgrades.com/
Tex
For example, mine appears to be so-so, for abdominal surgeries, (I guess I was lucky to come out as well as I did, when I had surgery there a couple of years ago). LOL.
Here's the site link:
http://www.healthgrades.com/
Tex
Mornin'!
Many of the best hospitals listed are communtiy hospitals. Keep in mind that their patient mix is very different from the university hospitals. IOW, it is usually the most difficult and severe cases that are referred to the "major" medical/university institutions, so it follows that their resullts will not be as good. If I had a serious medical problem or needed one of the more unusual surgeries, there is no question that I would have it done at a university institution and not a community hospital.
Have a great day!
Polly
Many of the best hospitals listed are communtiy hospitals. Keep in mind that their patient mix is very different from the university hospitals. IOW, it is usually the most difficult and severe cases that are referred to the "major" medical/university institutions, so it follows that their resullts will not be as good. If I had a serious medical problem or needed one of the more unusual surgeries, there is no question that I would have it done at a university institution and not a community hospital.
Have a great day!
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Regarding Mini's question about the cost of health insurance--it is VERY HIGH for those (like me) who are retired but not yet on Medicare. It is our biggest expense, yet we have a high co-pay if we were to use any medical services or buy any prescription drugs. Also we have a limited choice of physicians and hospitals. I just paid $186 for a mammogram because the insurance company had dropped the provider that I'd used for years but I didn't know it. Thank goodness my husband gets on Medicare this year, and me next year. Although I suppose Medicare provides its own headaches....
kathy
I have to agree with Kathy - if someone is self-employed, (or retired, without medicare), or for whatever reason, not a member of a large employer-based plan, health insurance in this country is a very, very expensive item, and insurance companies pretty much have you at their mercy, in terms of restrictions, exclusions, copayments, etc. It's enough to boggle the mind at times, (to say nothing of boggling your finances).
Tex
Tex