Greedy Ass Health Care
I had to type this rant at night and post in the morning at work because I have no DSL right now. I shall rant about that on a different day as it isn't the subject of this particular rant.
My subject today is HMOs and how much they can suck. Now, mind you, I work for an HMO, and happen to think our's is pretty decent, but I know a bit about the health care industry and it pisses me off at times when dollars become more important than people.
Case in point, Unity Health System (not the company I work for, BTW), is closing the Pediatric Development Unit they run here in Rochester. I can yell at them all I want because a) I don't work for them, and b) all of this has been in the paper so it's all public information. Plus this is my blog and I'll bitch about them if I want. Fuck them.
You see, Grasshopper and Maverick, both being diagnosed with developmental type disorders, see the specialists at this unit. It is through the Pediatric Developmental Unit that they were diagnosed with PDD NOS and ADHD (respectively). It is also though this unit they get prescribed their medication that keeps us from killng them (and also allows them to be in control enough to function and learn). I cannot say enough good things about the Pedicatric Developmental Unit. Their doctors and nurses are awesome and they have been instrumental in helping our kids.
So what's the problem, you ask? Unity Health, which owns and runs the Pediatric Developmental Unit is closing the unit. Why? They stated in their letter and press release that the unit is losing money and that it didn't fit into their core values/business (can't remember the exact quote and have no internet to get it). The bottom line is that the unit lost $250,000 last year. Unity Health posted a surplus (their not for profit) of $2.5 million. That's right people, the Pediatric Developmental Unit is losing chump change in the world of big business and the company still made money.
Did Unity Health try and address the issue and find ways to make the unit profitable? They stated HMOs weren't reimbursing as much as they used to. Did they ask parents if they could raise co-pays or were willing to make up the difference? Did they even warn anyone it was coming? None of the above. We first found out about it on the local news. Unity Health had mailed out letters to all the patients but I didn't check the mail that day.
Now we have no idea what we're supposed to do. Unity says that other pediatric units in town will have to absorb the patients. There are 1500 patients to absorb. Of the two other pediatric units in town, one has room for 300 and the other has room for ZERO. So tell me where the fuck these kids are going to be absorbed. There have been many letters to the editor in our local paper bitching about this. We have an appointment for Grasshopper to see his Pediatric specialist this week so maybe we'll find out.
What pisses me off the most is Unity's attidude. It's obvious to me that they don't give a shit about kids with developmental issues. Cause they cost too much to take care of and help. It's not "good business" for them. So what the fuck is good business for them? Healthy people that don't need to see the doctor? What are those parents who are less fortunate than us finanically and have children with even more severe issues than our boys? That's right, not Unity's problem. I've got some words for them but I would be a poor Christian if I used them. I'll just say they suck and I hope they go under. Bastards.
My subject today is HMOs and how much they can suck. Now, mind you, I work for an HMO, and happen to think our's is pretty decent, but I know a bit about the health care industry and it pisses me off at times when dollars become more important than people.
Case in point, Unity Health System (not the company I work for, BTW), is closing the Pediatric Development Unit they run here in Rochester. I can yell at them all I want because a) I don't work for them, and b) all of this has been in the paper so it's all public information. Plus this is my blog and I'll bitch about them if I want. Fuck them.
You see, Grasshopper and Maverick, both being diagnosed with developmental type disorders, see the specialists at this unit. It is through the Pediatric Developmental Unit that they were diagnosed with PDD NOS and ADHD (respectively). It is also though this unit they get prescribed their medication that keeps us from killng them (and also allows them to be in control enough to function and learn). I cannot say enough good things about the Pedicatric Developmental Unit. Their doctors and nurses are awesome and they have been instrumental in helping our kids.
So what's the problem, you ask? Unity Health, which owns and runs the Pediatric Developmental Unit is closing the unit. Why? They stated in their letter and press release that the unit is losing money and that it didn't fit into their core values/business (can't remember the exact quote and have no internet to get it). The bottom line is that the unit lost $250,000 last year. Unity Health posted a surplus (their not for profit) of $2.5 million. That's right people, the Pediatric Developmental Unit is losing chump change in the world of big business and the company still made money.
Did Unity Health try and address the issue and find ways to make the unit profitable? They stated HMOs weren't reimbursing as much as they used to. Did they ask parents if they could raise co-pays or were willing to make up the difference? Did they even warn anyone it was coming? None of the above. We first found out about it on the local news. Unity Health had mailed out letters to all the patients but I didn't check the mail that day.
Now we have no idea what we're supposed to do. Unity says that other pediatric units in town will have to absorb the patients. There are 1500 patients to absorb. Of the two other pediatric units in town, one has room for 300 and the other has room for ZERO. So tell me where the fuck these kids are going to be absorbed. There have been many letters to the editor in our local paper bitching about this. We have an appointment for Grasshopper to see his Pediatric specialist this week so maybe we'll find out.
What pisses me off the most is Unity's attidude. It's obvious to me that they don't give a shit about kids with developmental issues. Cause they cost too much to take care of and help. It's not "good business" for them. So what the fuck is good business for them? Healthy people that don't need to see the doctor? What are those parents who are less fortunate than us finanically and have children with even more severe issues than our boys? That's right, not Unity's problem. I've got some words for them but I would be a poor Christian if I used them. I'll just say they suck and I hope they go under. Bastards.
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