Talk of East Texas

By Linda

August 16, 2008 4:46 AM | Link to this

I would be much more forgiving of GS’s situation if they were using locals for all the construction I see going on. We have very good local companies that can do more than keep big-city contractors honest. I would like to see stats on the locals that have used. Keep your money here; buying, building, whatever.

By Linda

August 16, 2008 4:46 AM | Link to this

I would be much more forgiving of GS’s situation if they were using locals for all the construction I see going on. We have very good local companies that can do more than keep big-city contractors honest. I would like to see stats on the locals that have used. Keep your money here; buying, building, whatever.

By Bob

August 11, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this

Scott,

Your comments are well said… Everyone should take preventative measures by exercising rather than hitting the all you can eat buffets around town.

By Scott

August 10, 2008 11:26 PM | Link to this

The statement about charging uninsured patients higher rates than those accepted under private insurance contracts is very important. The hospitals get to claim all this “charitable” work being done but ultimately include it as part of their costs when negotiating insured pricing.

Many Doctors seem ready to “fleece” those with insurance to improve their own profits as seems to have happened to me twice. Once I went along with the Dr.’s recommendation which wound up costing my insurance plan about $30,000 in medication for my children to avoid a possible RSV infection when they were under 1-year-old. A week in the hospital would have probably been 1/6th that amount IF it had happened. This was not a smart choice.

A second time it was recommended that I take a different child to the hospital for 3-4 days to receive breathing treatments even though blood oxygenation was in an acceptable range and the total cost of medication and a machine to deliver the medication was less than $500. I chose the home treatment and save my insurance plan and myself $$$$. After a few days, the treatments cleared the breathing and everyone was fine for less than $500.

Not all Dr.s are this way. Dr. Yu helped a friend of mine, who did not have insurance, with sleep apnea. Dr. Yu was very cost conscious and saved my friend’s health without driving up unnecessary costs.

The financial problems do not stop with the Doctors however. Patients need to learn how to watch their expenses also. Too often people think that money should not be a factor in health care. Money will always be an issue but people should watch the expenses before they get to the Dr. Lose weight, stop smoking, eat well and try to get some physical activity. If each of us do not try to take care of our health, how can we expect the Dr. to save our life for free?

By Zen Fellow

August 9, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this

Having roots in Longview, I’ve read with interest this story and the blog. It sounds as though Mr. Banos is quite a change from Mr. Adair. It also sounds as though Good Shepherd is really no different from many other not-for-profit, community hospitals. These hospitals bear the burden of healthcare for the masses in their communities, are not financially supported by county funds, and have very slim profit margins. In fact, a recent study cited in the Wall Street Journal stated that more than 50% of all not-for-profit community hospitals operate in the red.

For those who keep up with such things, hospitals in the United States are closing at an alarming rate. In the state of New Jersey, with which I am now intimately familiar, State financial shenanigans that have gone unaddressed for years are causing hospitals (similar to Good Shepherd) to close their doors because the State lacks money to support the NJ Medicaid program. If left to operate with only the Medicare and private insurance reimbursement, hospitals cannot make it. The proportion of self-pay or no-pay patients as a result of the Medicaid crisis makes it impossible for hospitals to operate very long without financial losses and, in some cases, ultimate closure.

Imagine life in Longview, or any other community, if the largest provider of healthcare there was forced to close. Do you believe access to care would improve? Do you believe that for-profit facilities would lower their prices or accept a larger proportion of uninsured patients out of the goodness of their hearts? Do you believe this would be good for retaining expert healthcare providers such as physicians, nurses, physical therapists, etc. whose lifeblood is a hospital? From my experience, the answers are no, no, and no.

As I witness the carnage that is healthcare in my State, I encourage all of you back home to find ways to improve the situation there. There are many ideas with potential to begin changing healthcare delivery in Longview. Expansion of low-cost clinics, philanthropic giving to establish free-medical clinics for those who are uninsured but need access to non-emergent care or primary care management of diseases such as diabetes, and personal accountability to pay your own medical care bills are just a few ways to positively impact your hospitals’ ability to continue to provide care. There are certainly a multitude of others.

I challenge you all to tackle these issues head on. Don’t just reserve your comments for a blog on your local paper’s website. Get up and get out. Find out where the presidential candidates stand on healthcare, encourage your friends and family to use your ER’s only for emergent injuries and illnesses, establish yourself with a family practice clinic to manage your routine healthcare needs, and join your local health club to lose weight and be heart healthier. The easy path is to sit back and gripe (or blog). What you need, as so many other communities do, is for people to get up, get out, and get involved. Longview is too good a place for anything but that to happen.

By Michelle

August 8, 2008 11:26 PM | Link to this

In replying to RN too’s comment, I must say 140 million is a lot in uncompensated care.

However, what your not telling these fine folks on this Discussion Board is the amount your figuring is BILLED charges, which is over inflated to begin with; therefore, it’s not a realistic number.

Perhaps,take all the bills not paid, then instead of totaling that as a whole, add the loss from the hospitals potential contracted rate; meaning the amount they would have accepted if the patient was insured.

Then you will probally have a more acurate loss number. Which, my guess may only be pennies on the dollar.

That’s another thing an insured walks in and is charged 10,000; however the contract rate (amount accepted is 1,750)..if the patients deductable is paid, the hospitals writes off the remaining $8,250.00.

Now, an uninsured walks in—and is charged 10,000-they still owe 10,000.

What’s wrong with this picture?

By RN too

August 8, 2008 7:11 PM | Link to this

That is a very common misconception, Good SHEPHERD is NOT a county hospital and therefore is not finicialy supported by the taxpaying the citizens of Gregg County. Yet, Good SHEPHERD provides 140 Million in uncompensated care to the citizens of the East Texas Area. That says a lot about the vision and mission of Good SHEPHERD and their dedication to the people of East Texas.

By Jb

August 8, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this

This man needs to get in touch with the local hard working people without insurance. If you do not have ins you will get in and be told to go see a doctor tomorrow. The main reason people come to the emergency room is because they cannot afford the “new patient” fees that ALL doctors require before they will even look at you, and so far, Good Shepard is a county hospital that does receive help for those that cannot pay their HIGH UNFAIR fees. Healthcare in East Texas is nothing more than a money game, people do not become physicians to help others, they do it to get rich. Without ins, they do not care what is wrong with you or if you get well or not.

By Brandi

August 8, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

I am a hard working mother of two me and my husband both work.But cant not afford helth care with the cost of daycare, gas, and the other costs of living these days. My children recive medicaid but there is no medical help for the parents. I also recive a very small amount of food stamps a month. but you people who say you are tired of people living for free you are wrong. The state has it backwards, they will help those who arent willing to help themselfes befor they will help families like mine. Who are trying to better them selves and just need a little help along the way. And no we are not ridding around town in a new car.

By Lynn

August 8, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this

Wow! I hope Mr. Banos reads these comments and pays attention. Healthcare IS a hot button in our society today, especially with a increasingly elder population.

I agree with most all comments - yes, I think that our ER should start turning away non-emergencies, as there are many in the waiting rooms with the “flu”, while it’s probably just the sniffles. And yes, we do need more low-cost clinics.

However, I can say, that as a daughter of a nurse, I can vouch for the LONG hours referred to by “RN”. My Mom, now retired, has the worn out knees and chronic back pain from lifting, supporting and taking care of patients hours on end. She has been spit on, cursed at and yes, threatened by patients and she still had to smile, turn the other cheek and give them the best care possible - so please don’t judge until you’ve been a nurse. And the pay…well, they damn sure work for it! We weren’t wealthy, but it paid the bills. I’m with you RN!

Although I do still stand by my original comment that the cost of healthcare is grossly overpriced, I can say that our healthcare here in East Texas (Tyler & Longview) is some of the best around. My father suffered a stroke himself over a year ago and received the BEST care at GSMC with wonderful doctors and nurses. No, everything wasn’t roses everyday, but in the month he spent in the hospital and on the rehab floor, they did the very best they could do for him. And, regardless of the bill (which was the price of a small home AFTER insurance), my father is alive and here with us. That, in my mind, is PRICELESS.

Yes, the price of healthcare is outrageous and needs fixing, so I hope Mr. Banos comes up with a solution that’s workable the entire community, insured and uninsured.

By RN

August 8, 2008 7:18 AM | Link to this

Mike, Patients are brought back to the treatment area based on the severity of the emergency. The system is called triage. The Nurses that serve as the gatekeepers, if you will, are very experienced and trained in what to look for and assign a numerical value (1,2,3) based on their assessment and the patients story. Often times the patients’ idea of an ‘emergency’ and a true emergency are very different. As far as the pay issue goes, the money is good but the services we provide goes beyond ‘take this pill, heres a shot.’ We wear many different hats and must have many hours of continuing education to keep up on the everchanging medical advances.

By David Smith

August 8, 2008 12:31 AM | Link to this

RN,

Why isn’t your hospital handling the patients on a priority basis? It is very poor practice to run an emergency room on a first in first out basis.

As for standing up for 12 hours - lots of people do that and quite a few of them do not get nearly the pay that a RN does.

By David Smith

August 8, 2008 12:17 AM | Link to this

It doesn’t help matters with Good Shepard charges the most expensive rates to those with out insurance.

A procedure that costs an insurance company 1,000 dollars might cost a non-insured person 3,000 - 6,000 dollars.

Tricks like charging 5.75 for 2 OTC pain killers do not help matter either.

By Barbara

August 7, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this

The care provided is less than adequate. I arrived in an ambulance with symptoms of a stroke, was put in the hallway because of lack of rooms, forgotten twice at mealtimes, someone else was hooked to my machines when I went to the bathroom to give a urine sample. I got so frustrated that I told them just to release me. Very bad care.

By RN

August 7, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this

The Emergency Room is just for that, EMERGENCIES. Too many use it as a free clinic. There are several clinics around town to take care of the nonemergent issues. Many will help with getting assistance from the gov’t. I agree with Lynn, health care is expensive and the system is in need of an overhaul but there is not going to be a quick, easy or painless fix. The public has been conditioned to believe that medical care is a right and expect it free of cost like Karen said. Mike, you try working 12hr at a time and get yelled at by angry pateints, threatned with bodily harm by family members who have been waiting for hours on end behind nonemergent sniffles, stumped toes and ant bites and see how your capicity for compassion holds up. Violence aganist Nurses has been on the increase in the last few years and is not letting up any. Walk a mile in my shoes and then see if you opinion doesn’t change. I think Mr. Banos is on to something down at GSMC. Hopefully the us vs. them mentality died with Mr. Adair.

By Michelle

August 7, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this

First, I will start by saying the medical care received in the U.S., is hands down, the absolute best. On the other hand the medical industry is very “For Profit.” Hospital and Urgent care charges- is one of absurdity. I don’t feel sorry for the hospitals, or doctors who whine about “not getting paid.” Physicians, make choices, mostly from greed; thereby, locking into doctorial contract with a hospital.

When, hospitals charge extortionists fees, many varying according to their contracts, it is the physicians that most likely suffer; however, the physician MUST be responsible for their own greedy actions and consequences of those actions, or the actions implemented by the holder of the contract. Granted, ripping off insurances’ is big business; then again, I believe more is collected from our government; Medicaid-Medical in Calif.-Medicare programs, of whom contracted rates are with at next-to-nothing fees.

Perhaps, those who whine about not making enough….Charge less, refuse service to illegals, and those who refuse to speak English. Furthermore, print medical forms in English only. Besides, did the medical oath mentioned greed? Other than that—cancel your contracts which got you in this mess, start a private practice, and pray the greed that binds you is lost. Possibly, once the focus is placed back on medicine and medical attention—“caring for people”—blessing can come including money.

By Karen

August 7, 2008 8:02 PM | Link to this

I am tired of seeing ‘these people’ get free assistance, free money, free groceries, free care, while they ride around town in their new Cadillacs. I work, go to school, and pay for everything I have, with zero assistance. I don’t get it! I may never get it!

By Candace

August 7, 2008 7:45 PM | Link to this

The last time I entered Good Shepard’s ER, I was in dire need of medical attention. It’s sad to say that because of other’s actions (coming to the ER for non-emergency issues), people, who are in REAL pain get neglected or looked down upon. Don’t provide free service, and see the increase of unpaid debts decrease. It’s the people that don’t pay that jack up our insurance rates!!! I’m tired of people lining up in our country for free care, free money, and free this and that…while we, hard-working citizens, suffer because of their abuse.

By MAllen

August 7, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this

There are two divisions of Good Shepherd, a for profit and a non-profit part. Which division are they talking about?

We need community health clinics, the waiting room is usually full of people with the “flu”.

Longview Regional and Good Shepherd should work together and open a clinic with a low cost doctor visit $25 to $40.

Don’t rip the insured people off to pay for the uninsured, but work on a viable solution.

By Scotty

August 7, 2008 5:40 PM | Link to this

It’s hard to feel sorry for Good Shepherd when I drive by the facility being built behind Home Depot and know that it will be paid for by myself and others whose insurance keeps going up! Maybe if they trimmed some fat they would see more profit. Although it looks like they are doing pretty good as it is.

By Bill

August 7, 2008 5:32 PM | Link to this

Health care is high because the people who are actually paying their bills are paying everyone else’s as well. There are about 30 or so “regulars”(in this city alone, thousands more accross the country) who frequently abuse the system for lack of anything better to do. They complain of just the right things to get expensive tests. they cant be refused because of the liability involved if one time in a million they actually are sick. Personally I wish they could all be rounded up and shipped to china to drain their economy. Imagine if 40% of walmart’s inventory were stolen daily, do you think they could still be the low price leader and stay in buisness?

By Lynn

August 7, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this

Maybe he should address the high cost of health care all together. Maybe if hospitals didn’t charge so much for their services, people would actually be able to pay their bills. I have only had to visit the ER once, thank goodness, for what was thought to be a real emergency. I spent only 4 hours, they ran tests, gave me medicine and sent me on my way. Had it not been the middle of the night and had I not been in dire pain, I wouldn’t have gone. When I got my bill, after my insurance paid their portion, my part was still almost $3,000! I am still paying…

Again, the cost of care is grossly overpriced. I do agree that most people who visit the ER have non-life threatening emergencies and that should be addressed as well, however, I feel that the ordinary “Joe” who has insurance and goes in for care shouldn’t also have to pick up the tab for those who do not pay or are unable to pay, which is why we are paying so much.

Like they say, “You can’t afford to get sick”, how true it is.

By Mike

August 7, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this

Patients not paying isn’t the only problem going on in that emergency room.

I brought a family member there a few weeks ago with a broken hip and the staff didn’t even want to believe that my loved one was in pain until the x-rays were done about three hours later. No compassion from the staff at all. Address that issue too Banos.