Comments on: The Price of Healthcare http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/2009/07/10/the-price-of-healthcare/ Digital Media Diatribes and More Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:46:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Whitney http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/2009/07/10/the-price-of-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-620 Whitney Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:24:23 +0000 http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/?p=721#comment-620 We just got back from vacation, and she is being weaned from biweekly to once a month on humira. She was a week overdue, and you could see her mobility get progressively worse every day. Seeing people deteriorate before our eyes is scary and painful. And I hope by writing blogs, articles, letters and the like, we can put a human face on what is possible- so when we do have to make cost decisions, we can take a wide angle view, not just a narrow one on whether a medication is "worth" the expense or not. We just got back from vacation, and she is being weaned from biweekly to once a month on humira. She was a week overdue, and you could see her mobility get progressively worse every day. Seeing people deteriorate before our eyes is scary and painful. And I hope by writing blogs, articles, letters and the like, we can put a human face on what is possible- so when we do have to make cost decisions, we can take a wide angle view, not just a narrow one on whether a medication is “worth” the expense or not.

]]> By: adeeba http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/2009/07/10/the-price-of-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-619 adeeba Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:15:59 +0000 http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/?p=721#comment-619 My life has changed, too, since taking Humira. My psoriasis was so bad that it was hard to get out of bed. I really can't live without it. What scares me is that with government health care, some idiot may decide that I "can" live without it. I really feel for your mother...these are scary times. It is good she has you for a daugter who may be able to help her. All we have right now are our families. My life has changed, too, since taking Humira. My psoriasis was so bad that it was hard to get out of bed. I really can’t live without it. What scares me is that with government health care, some idiot may decide that I “can” live without it. I really feel for your mother…these are scary times. It is good she has you for a daugter who may be able to help her. All we have right now are our families.

]]> By: Tim Wright http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/2009/07/10/the-price-of-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-613 Tim Wright Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:13:48 +0000 http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/?p=721#comment-613 Hi, Thanks for this. I can't imagine how emotionally draining on you and especially her. I am from the US but have lived in England for 18 years. I am a diabetic and we have thought about moving back to the US but with the health care system, we think not. But at the same time, every country in Europe is coming to term with the limits of their health system. The US is multicutural unlike any other country in Europe. Go to France, you could go days and never see an obese person in some parts of the country. Same with Denmark. The German system is really creative -everyone has to pay something out of pocket for their insurance. Their is a private system alongside a State runs system. But because they are German, they have very strict systems of accountability. If you go to a health club 4 out of 7 days and spend so many minutes on aerobic machine and then weight machine they will pay for your health insurance. But here is the german culture kicking in, each person has a swipe car every time they are on the machine and their results are sent electronically to their health insurance company and they know what you are doing. Americans wouldn't stand for it. We really have to reshape parts of our culture for this to become effective. And with euthanasia kicking in all over europe, pallative care is gone in Holland. The Dr's can over ride the families wishes and this helps the health. They use this as a justification. Hope things work out for your mom. Really enjoy your blog which I stumbledupon. Cheers Tim Hi,

Thanks for this. I can’t imagine how emotionally draining on you and especially her. I am from the US but have lived in England for 18 years. I am a diabetic and we have thought about moving back to the US but with the health care system, we think not. But at the same time, every country in Europe is coming to term with the limits of their health system. The US is multicutural unlike any other country in Europe. Go to France, you could go days and never see an obese person in some parts of the country. Same with Denmark.

The German system is really creative -everyone has to pay something out of pocket for their insurance. Their is a private system alongside a State runs system. But because they are German, they have very strict systems of accountability. If you go to a health club 4 out of 7 days and spend so many minutes on aerobic machine and then weight machine they will pay for your health insurance. But here is the german culture kicking in, each person has a swipe car every time they are on the machine and their results are sent electronically to their health insurance company and they know what you are doing. Americans wouldn’t stand for it. We really have to reshape parts of our culture for this to become effective.

And with euthanasia kicking in all over europe, pallative care is gone in Holland. The Dr’s can over ride the families wishes and this helps the health. They use this as a justification.

Hope things work out for your mom. Really enjoy your blog which I stumbledupon.

Cheers

Tim

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