The Recession and Layoffs Thread

[Miss Neecerie]

Folks....

Arguing in circles about being careful when getting insurance ...and what it covers...is all pretty pointless to someone who -cannot- afford even minimal coverage. Period.

And telling someone to just 'make provisions' is presumptuous at best and pretty rude at worst.

 

[AmateisGal]

If you spent 10 years in school at $40k+/yr tuition, got by on stipends, and whatever you could scratch out while doing residency, then have to repay all those exhorbitant student loans and carry COSTLY malpractice insurance due to sue happy patients and idiotic jury awards, wouldn't you want to get paid accordingly?

I'd want to get paid what was fair.

In recent years, I've seen a shift of medical personnel who entered the medical profession for the money - not because they have the caring, compassionate personality that, IMO, a doctor needs. I've had plenty of doctors who have spent maybe five minutes with me, ignored my questions, and sent me on my way so they could see the next patient. I felt like a cow in a feedyard. And yes, I switched doctors after that. I love my current doctor - her office isn't fancy, she sits and talks to me about my problems, and actually listens to me. There will always be good and bad in every profession, of course.

Ideally, If you're going to invest that much of your time and money in a career, then you should be in it because you love what you're doing - not because you make a lot of money at it. Or am I way off base in this? [huh] I know for me, I don't want to spend my life being miserable working at a job I hate just so I can have a fancy car sitting in my garage.

 

[Decodence]

Folks....

Arguing in circles about being careful when getting insurance ...and what it covers...is all pretty pointless to someone who -cannot- afford even minimal coverage. Period..

Caid,Care, and other subsidised coverages are available. Many states (MD and IN come to mind from recent experience) also have REDICULOUSLY low cost programs which are for the people who fall just outside of the medicaid thresholds, but requires a small premium to keep them accountable.

 

[Decodence]

I'd want to get paid what was fair.

Don't you think the market determines that accordingly? Supply/Demand, and quality of care.

In recent years, I've seen a shift of medical personnel who entered the medical profession for the money - not because they have the caring, compassionate personality that, IMO, a doctor needs. I've had plenty of doctors who have spent maybe five minutes with me, ignored my questions, and sent me on my way so they could see the next patient. I felt like a cow in a feedyard. And yes, I switched doctors after that. I love my current doctor - her office isn't fancy, she sits and talks to me about my problems, and actually listens to me. There will always be good and bad in every profession, of course.

The days of becoming a doctor for the $ are over. Sure, they make a decent living, but the opportunity cost is huge. It isn't all that you percieve it to be. There are any number of better paying gigs out there given the time/money/workload.

Ideally, If you're going to invest that much of your time and money in a career, then you should be in it because you love what you're doing - not because you make a lot of money at it. Or am I way off base in this? [huh] I know for me, I don't want to spend my life being miserable working at a job I hate just so I can have a fancy car sitting in my garage.

I hate my job. It is stressful, I often work at it long hours, but it keeps the lights on, food on the table, some junker vehicles in the driveway, and a small roof over my family's heads. Work to live, don't live to work.

 

[Josephine]

Speaking of health issues, I'm off to get some x-rayted pics. My first mammogram ever. Gals, get one annually!

fftopic: Ha! I just had my yearly, and they aid "Hmmm, 39... 40 in May... Had a mammogram yet? No? We'll schedule you one!" Eeeep!!

 

[jgilbert]

Here's the funny thing - on the doctor's bills, they gave us a break because we didn't have insurance. They even told us that if we had HAD insurance, they would have billed insurance for the full cost.

All this talk of what insurance will or won't cover, etc., is, to me, like trying to put a band aid on a broken leg. Why do you need insurance? Because healthcare COSTS so much. Period.

That too is the thing that drives me nuts. If you do have insurance, thay bill you with the hopes of covering thoses that don't. Then next yr when your rates increase you sit there and wonder why?

We are looking at going to HRA accounts. And there I can do a $5,000.00 deductable and then full coverage to a lifetime max of $2,500,000.00. I know that is not for all, but for me it would work.

No matter where you go in this country some are doing well and others are not. And it will change with time. All you can do is enjoy the good and prepare for the bad.

 

[Decodence]

full coverage to a lifetime max of $2,500,000.00. .

That is a very nice policy. Most lifetime max are in the $1M range, which isn't but 3 or 4 serious medical problems worth of coverage.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

fftopic: Ha! I just had my yearly, and they aid "Hmmm, 39... 40 in May... Had a mammogram yet? No? We'll schedule you one!" Eeeep!!

Yup, that's what happened to me at my last visit. I think they broke my right one. lol

 

[Paisley]

My employer lets us choose an HSA (health savings account) plan. The premiums are lower, and they pay a greater portion.

Part of the reason health care is so expensive is that for years, people didn't pay for routine care and prescriptions out of pocket. It's a little like spending money with a credit card: you don't feel it. So it got to the point where some people were taking their kids to the doctor with every sniffle because it only cost them $10 and others were waiting until they were too sick to work before seeing a doctor--often in the emergency room. When you have to pay the full amount, you stop and think about whether you really need to go.

Another reason it's expensive is that insurance takes a cut. My craniofacial specialist won't even deal with medical insurance; they help their patients set up payment plans via a third party if they will have a hard time paying. This cut is why some medical offices offer their cash patients a discount.

A reason health insurance is so expensive is that over the years, legislatures have mandated that all manner of things be covered, whether you, the purchaser, want them or not.

Then there are jackpot jury awards.

Yes, we have excellent health care available, but the system of paying for it is breaking down.

 

[Mike Hammer]

Folks....

Arguing in circles about being careful when getting insurance ...and what it covers...is all pretty pointless to someone who -cannot- afford even minimal coverage. Period.

And telling someone to just 'make provisions' is presumptuous at best and pretty rude at worst.

Agreed.
And hey, if you think it's bad to not be able to afford private insurance?
Try having the words "Cardiac" or "Diabetes" in your medical records.
You won't get private insurance (individual) at ANY cost. They simply WILL....NOT....COVER.....YOU.


One of the reasons Medical stuff is so expensive is because insurance only pays percentages....so, to be able to actually make money, rather than simply charging what it costs, they charge what it will take to get the percentage that actually covers the cost. My wife had arthroscopic surgery on her knees a few years back. They charged our insurance $5,000 per knee. I know darn good and well that a two hour procedure consisting of one nurse, a doctor and an anesthesiologist did not actually cost the hospital $5000 per hour, especially since the procedure required no hospital space and was done outpatient. But to be paid a sufficient amount to cover expenses and profit, they had to charge those kind of prices.

 

[nobodyspecial]

I've read on numerous occasions that a very disproportionate amount of the health care dollar is spent on a patient's last two months of life. Two much life saving intervention on someone who is going to die soon anyway. Don't get me wrong, I don't have an easy solution here. It's easy to look at this in the abstract, but much harder than when it's your relavtive who's coming to the end.

By the way, I've done tax returns for doctors before and it's not nearly as lucrative as you might think. Given the raw intelligence they must have to get into medical school, the ambition they have to go to medical school and the long hours and schooling costs, they would make a lot more money going into business. I've never seen doctors with $1,000,000 W-2's, but I've seen countless business owners with them.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

America's economy risks the mother of all meltdowns

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ft/20080219/bs_ft/fto021920081334359078;_ylt=patrick.net

 

[nobodyspecial]

I think a lot of the gloom and doom predictions are possible, the question is are they likely? For the economy as a whole, as distinctly different than on a personal level, interest rates are low, the core rate of inflation is low and unemployment is low. It seems like somebody is always out saying the sky is falling. All the items in the article could happen in tandem, or not. If the prediction holds to be correct the media will hold the author up as some sort of financial genius, if the prediction is false everybody will forget about him.

Is the article outcome possible? Sure. Is it likely? I have no idea, but I would guess that it is not. Not a fun thought though if he's right.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

^ Two words: Peak Oil. And the twelve-point prediction doesn't even address that...

 

[LizzieMaine]

A good introduction to the peak-oil issue --

http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2005/11/03/simmons/

Full disclosure: I work for this gentleman: among his other investments, he owns the Strand -- and I know from talking to him personally that he is no wild eyed alarmist.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

A good introduction to the peak-oil issue --

http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2005/11/03/simmons/

Full disclosure: I work for this gentleman: among his other investments, he owns the Strand -- and I know from talking to him personally that he is no wild eyed alarmist.

Wow!! You work for Matthew Simmons. I mean, he's a legend. I'm very impressed.

I agree, he's a very solidly rooted guy. There are some alarmists in the Peak Oil movement (maybe with reason), but a lot of the books on the subject are sober (albeit frightening) analyses.

 

[Decodence]

A good introduction to the peak-oil issue --

http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2005/11/03/simmons/

Full disclosure: I work for this gentleman: among his other investments, he owns the Strand -- and I know from talking to him personally that he is no wild eyed alarmist.

That is more scary than any recession or layoffs. That is the stuff of global economic collapse.


I've been thinking about how personally this recession has affected me, and I still only keep coming back to rampant inflation as the issue. This has manifested itself in my travel plans. Had been planning a European vacation (combination honeymoon, 5-year anniversary, milestone b-day treat). That is all but out the window due to how weak the $ has become compared to the Euro/Pound. Buying power abroad has become halved in the not to distant past.

 

[dhermann1]

I'm in the middle of buying a home. My rent in Brooklyn (home of the stars!) went up another 15% and I said the hell with this, I'm moving to the Bronx. I can buy a nice co-op apt for 40% of the price of an identical place in Brooklyn. Same 5 minute walk to the subway, maybe not as many expensive sheeshee restaurants. My concern is that even tho the Bronx is grossly underpriced compared to other parts of New York, my equity may not build up like I'm hoping. I'm also hoping to nail down a really good interest rate.
Basically, I'm cutting my housing costs in half.
My last words as I leave Brooklyn will be "Die, yuppy scum!" (Not really! I LOVE Brooklyn! Just can't afford it any more.)

 

[skyvue]

What area of the Bronx are you moving to? And what type of work do you do (and where), if you don't mind my asking (if you do, just ignore me)?

I live in Manhattan and have sometimes considered moving to Brooklyn or maybe Queens, but I have to admit, the Bronx doesn't appeal to me much, if for no other reason than it's so far. Travel time would cut into my schedule so much, I fear.

But if the price is right, I can see the appeal.

 

[dhermann1]

I'm a contract employee with NY State, for 18 years now (computer systems support). I'm moving to the corner of Pelham Pkwy and Bronx Park East. I looked below Fordham Rd, and definitely felt that the area was not quite up to snuff. Nice, but not nice enough. I'll PM you the link with the listing. It's a beautiful 1939 Deco building, right across from the Park. White Plains Road is just around the corner. White Plains Road today is like Brooklyn's 5th Ave ten years ago. The 2 and the 5 are downstairs. My station is where they diverge for the East Side and the West Side. I have mixed feelings, but all in all I'm excited.
What's happening in the Bronx right now is that all the artists who went to Williamsburg in the last 15 years (after getting priced out of Soho. . . remember Soho?) have all started going to the South Bronx. Lots of big empty warehouses and work spaces. VERY cheap. The endless cycle of New York. All sorts of cool avante garde things happening in Hunts Point. (Who knew!?)