Health Care Issues

Its funny how the Health Care Provider industry suddenly has the ability to reduce their rates and their "take" in the face of a "public option". How is it possible that now hospitals and other providers are willing to negotiate what once was a type of price fixing? If this were any other business, they would be investigated for racketeering. I believe the necessities of life: housing, health care, food, clothing should be carefully guarded from the prospect of greed.

I guess I shouldn't complain since I am a beneficiary of generous donors who have paid off my medical bills which started with a little back pain last year. (see January 6, 2009). I bring this up to ask who knows what it really costs to rent a room for a night at a hospital? What does it really cost to dispense a Tylenol tablet? How much is it to lease an operating room? Who decides how much a small piece of metal to fit in an artery costs? Of course there is also the bigger question once you determine what it truly costs to do these things: What is the cost-benefit analysis?

The escalating cost of health care and the diminishing return leads me to reiterate: Have a Living Will, Health care Directive and/or Proper Power of Attorney. Let your family and anyone else who may be asked by medical professionals, what your wishes are in the event of catastrophic illness or injury.

A Heart...What?

So on December 1, 2008, at the ancient age of 51 I had a heart attack. Of course, that is not the technical medical term. However, that is what it is commonly called.

I was dumbfounded. How could this happen? There is no family history of heart disease. I have good cholesterol levels, better than most, thanks to good genes. I have low-moderate blood pressure when I am not ticked. So how? And why didn't I know it was so common at this age? Why didn't I recognize the symptoms? And why, as life seemed to be ebbing away, did I not experience some spiritual consolation? These and other questions ravage my brain 18/7. I mostly don't think about them or dream about them the other 6 hours of the day.

It started with a nagging back ache between the shoulder blades. I blamed it on the train ride home from Kansas City after being caught in a cold rain. The pain lasted through the day and the weekend. However by December 1st, the pain was growing in intensity. I was trying to determine if I should seek medical attention for a pinched nerve, or whatever it was. Suddenly it became unbearable. The pain seemed to be both in my back and like heartburn in my chest. I took a Pepcid...no relief. I called Teka, who said she was busy and would call me back. I had an uneasiness in the back of my brain, so I took two aspirin and chewed them...just in case. Teka called back and we determined I should go to the hospital.

Saint Louis University Hospital is the closest, so we went there. Upon arriving in the ER, the registration personnel were very determined to get insurance information or the signature of a financially responsible party before they would ask me about my condition. In addition, the guard insisted Teka move the car. I was in no condition to sign. By this time, I was hunched over in pain. Fortunately a doctor passed by who said: "This guy looks like he's having a heart attack. Get him on an EKG!" From there it is about an hour blur. They ran the EKG, put me on a gurney and rushed me through hallways, Cieling lights bliding me along the way, up elevators down more hallways, to an operating room. All the while they asked me questions and were injecting me with a relaxant--Valium, I think. How long had I been in pain? Did I take any medication? Why don't I have health insurance...? Once in the room, two doctors explained what they were going to do: Angiogram, Balloon Angioplasty and possibly a Stent placement. And that is exactly what they did, while I was awake!

After the procedure, one of the doctors looking down at me said, "That aspirin saved your life!", then, the other doctor said (three times), "We saved your life!"

...to be continued.