Joe.Chamberlain@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.org (Joe Chamberlain) (10/18/90)
Index Number: 11185 JC>> Health care costs in America are nearly eight times that of our JC>> international competitors. By not having the internal discipline JC>> to say no to the excesses America is adding yet another nail to JC>> its economic coffin. JO> If our economy ever collapses, excessive health care will be the JO> probable cause. It's a greater threat than the international JO> balance of payments. Maybe we will wake up before it is too late. JO> I saw a short spot on TV yesterday calling attention to this JO> (I believe it was sponsored by AFL/CIO). Exactly. Medicare was introduced as a system which would have a monthly fee that would pay at least half of the cost. At the present time the fee covers less than 25 percent of the cost. The buget increases and cuts were intended to solve this lopsidedness. Since the budget was defeated then the next best thing is to leave the benefits and increase the monthly fees. We could pay for the benefits by cutting aide to Israel. -=joe=- -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!150!140!Joe.Chamberlain Internet: Joe.Chamberlain@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.org
Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe) (10/30/90)
Index Number: 11365 We've had some discussions here about the escalating costs of healthcare and the imminent collapse of the system. A current article in the Pittsburgh Press sheds a bit of light on some of the underlying conditions. It seems the Central Blood Bank of Pittsburgh has lost its tax exempt status as a non-profit public service institution. Among the reasons for withdrawing the tax exemption were the following: The blood bank made a profit of $2.4 million in its 1989-90 fiscal year. The president of the blood bank is paid $140,000 a year, given a Lexus automobile, and membership in several exclusive (and expensive) clubs. A senior vice president of the blood bank is paid $100,000 a year. He doesn't get a Lexus, has to get by with a mere Lincoln, but he does get the club memberships. All the revenues supporting this profit and lifestyle are derived from charges to hospitals for blood and blood products collected and distributed by the blood bank. Blood money? Naturally the hospitals pass this cost on to the healthcare consumers after adding an appropriate markup. After all, they need those Lincolns and Lexuses too. I remember back when they made do with Cadillacs and BMWs. ... Caveat Emptor! -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Jack.O'keeffe Internet: Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org
Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker) (11/02/90)
Index Number: 11452 > We've had some discussions here about the escalating costs > of healthcare and the imminent collapse of the system. A > current article in the Pittsburgh press sheds a bit of > light on some of the underlying conditions. It seems the > Central Blood Bank of Pittsburgh has lost its tax exempt > status as a non-profit public service institution. Jack, you know this very same thing happened to the Goodwill Industries. I know this is a tacky thing to say - but, I hate the way Goodwill operates and treats the employees that work for them. Most of them are disabled but they sure make them feel so degrading and the majority of them only make $2.50 an hour! At one time, Goodwill Industries here in LawtonLand purchased a new van, fully equipped with lifts and so forth. They decided to charge each passenger anywhere from $4.00 on up per trip and ran only 3 days a week. You had to call way in advance to be guaranteed a ride. Boy - did they lose out on this! They ended up turning the vehicle over to the city. However, our city is operating on such a tight budget that the van just sits in the parking lot of the transportation site. > I remember back when they made do with Cadillacs and BMWs. I believe you and I could run some of these institutions and be perfectly happy with a Caddy! (grin) -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org
Bill.Higgins@p17.f9.n249.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Higgins) (11/06/90)
Index Number: 11549
Hi Ann,
Allow me to quote the letter you mailed on 29-Oct-90
AS> Jack, you know this very same thing happened to the Goodwill
AS> Industries. I know this is a tacky thing to say - but, I hate the way
AS> Goodwill operates and treats the employees that work for them. Most
AS> of them are disabled but they sure make them feel so degrading and the
AS> majority of them only make $2.50 an hour!
$2.50!!!! I was part of a March of Dimes Program and all we got was
$0.10/hr. It seems that they have some sort of an exemption from the
Provincial Labour Laws. I too was exploited, and at the time too irate
to think of hauling them up before the authorities and bleeding them
dry!.
AS> At one time, Goodwill
AS> Industries here in LawtonLand purchased a new van, fully equipped with
AS> lifts and so forth. They decided to charge each passenger anywhere
AS> from $4.00 on up per trip and ran only 3 days a week. You had to call
AS> way in advance to be guaranteed a ride. Boy - did they lose out on
AS> this! They ended up turning the vehicle over to the city. However,
AS> our city is operating on such a tight budget that the van just sits in
AS> the parking lot of the transportation site.
We have a half decent system here but it still has room for
improvement. Of course, it may always have room for improvement even
though they get better hardware and other infrastructure items added. I
guess it's a viscous (SP?) circle.
>> I remember back when they made do with Cadillacs and BMWs.
AS> I believe you and I could run some of these institutions and be
AS> perfectly happy with a Caddy! (grin)
<GRIN> I'll take two. (Ducking tire iron being swung)
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!249!9.17!Bill.Higgins
Internet: Bill.Higgins@p17.f9.n249.z1.fidonet.org