Hey Everyone,
Well for the second time in half a year our wonderful fluffy male cat, Pepe Lemuiex got very sick and scared his daddy. I left him sitting in front of the water dish at about noon yesterday and he hadn't moved 5 and half hours later.
When Nancy brought him home to me 4 years ago for my Birthday he was barely 8 weeks old, all black except for a perfect white racing stripe starting at his forehead running staight down his back and spreading out into a silvery bushy feather duster tail that was yet black on the bottom. As you all know I am a hugh fan of the sport of hockey, he looked just like a cute little scunk much like the girl cat in the Looney Tunes Pepe Lepew, so hence his name, part French Canadian hockey player, looked like a scunk and he was really a cat. This cat is so tollerant of our kids, he is the ultimate snuggle bunny, and comes and begs for tummy scritches very morning. Nancy calls him the perfect cat. Mellow as can be.
Anyway, so there I am at the largest Animal Hospital in all of Liverpool NY, getting him an office visit, with urine and bloodwork, because he is absolutely sick to his stomack, not eating, puking and dehydrating, and like I said second time in just about a perfect 6 months. While I'm waiting for this young doc to come and see Pepe I start thinking about this kid (young man now) that I coached almost 12 years ago now when we first moved here. He is getting married this very weekend, and has a year left to become DR Adam Kane. Soon to be a graduate of the near by "Cornell School of Vet. Medicine", one of the best schools in the country. He was one of my two best, most creative and intelligent defenseman that year and possibly ever. That was a great season I had two really talented, and intelligent defenseman to put one on each pair. Nancy and I moved here with our $500 Dodge Dart and Plymouth Scamp because she was to study Medicine here at SUNY upstate....And just where are coach Paul and his wife Nancy as compared to this guy 12 years later....
Now I know I'm about to get "banged" here. The ER visit the first time at 12:30 am was over 300 bills. But this time I wanted a good workup so I would know for sure just who this cat is and does he have any lerking issues arising. Well thank goodness except for a some what high white blood count he is perfectly healthy, but dehydrated. Once again daddy takes out the Visa card and gets banged for just over 300 bucks. Twice in 6 months. Next time mommy the doctor who knows how to set up an IV and has some no less, is just gonna pump in some fluids and let him ride it out an extra day or two....
I ask you this: How many level 3 and 4 office visits would we have to do to not just charge, but to actually take in $600 Bucks!!! Think about... Now last time he got a film or two to check for blockage and this time some interesting labs, but none the less, they charged a good percentage above cost I'm sure, and recieved proper compensation for their services.
But here is my real point after the long around ground work... Leslie, you spoke about being able to remember and being luck enough to have been able to practice medicine "back in the day". Well when you think about who has it more like back then, than Vets??? The are almost 100 percent cash and carrier and nobody in the right mind begrudges them that fact or their right to be properly paid for the time, knowledge and expertise. This really smart and wonderful young man will probably be way better off than coach Paul and his wife in just about half a dozen years. he's gonna be doing cats, dogs and horses while we are all doing PEOPLE! And yet he will be treated better and with more respect, and earn a living that is on par with his knowledge and training. Now obviously I'm a sucker for my family member pets, I've got nothing against Vets or people who take good care of their animals, who do too.
But why can't my wife and all of you good folks, after all your training and studies be half as well off, and left alone to practice medicine as you know how, than the local vet right down the road from us??? People don't want to cough up a stupid co-pay or go to a doc where their insurance isn't accepted, to pay cash and carrier, and hope to get something back from their plan later, but they don't even think twice about wiping out the plastic or the checkbook for their vet, for the dog or cat.... That my friends is truly insane. Until you guys can be treated at least as well as the local vet in your own communities, I think we should all tell the world to take a hike!
That's it from now on, we all need to talk in these plain and undeniable terms and examples. The Food Stamps one I posted earlier and now the local Vet one today. Is that really asking so much? If society wants to give healthcare to the poor, great! I agree with the basic idea, I am sort of way left of center, with a common man, blue collar twist. I don't fall for the bogus half of the Liberal arguments, like open boarders and the like. But just like I said Danny Wegman of the Wegman's supermarkets gets paid the same on every food item he sells, whether it is cash, credit or food stamps. If you can pay up front for Fido or Kitty, then why won't you show the same basic economic respect to your PCP??? Get paid the same rate for the same service every time, charge your charges and get paid your charges, and have a promise of payment in full at time of service. The basic fundimentals of any other American business.
A patient of ours just got arrested for passing bad checks and her husband called because they won't give her, her meds in the county lock up. Now some other business person when they get scammed gets to call the local county sheriff and have that other party arrested for fraud. Try filling up your tank tonight and see how far you get if you try to drive off without paying. That business is well within it's rights to expect payment in full at time of service and can use our tax dollars and public servants and courts to enforce it. But stick your doc for 6 months for their $20 copay or the entire bill because of deductable and that is just fine... Tough doc. What Bull.
My wife who loves dogs so much should have been a vet. Just imagine where we would be by now. Not here that is for sure.
"She Should Have Gone to Cornell"
I'm late for dinner and I'm all pissed off and faklempt...talk among yoursleves....
Good Night and Good Luck
Paul
