Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
A friend’s husband needed hospital care. He had double pneumonia and possibly a serious cardiac problem. She took him to the ER, where they gave him enough care to stabilize him until a doctor could see him.
They waited for an entire day in the ER, and then gained entry to a room. The first person they saw was a member of the billing office. She informed these good people that the hospital charged $262.00 per day for a room. Then, with her glasses balanced on the end of her nose, she asked them how much they would like to pay right then. The man had not seen a doctor, nor had he eaten a meal, and he was not in a room for as long as an hour.
These people had terrific health insurance. Normally, a hospital bills the insurance company before billing the patient. And even if it was necessary to collect some or all of the money up front, certainly going to the as yet untreated patient’s room like a scavenger prowling for road kill, is not a procedure that should be followed in any American hospital. Or is it? Well, obviously it is what is done in at least this one facility.
To the physician’s credit, he was outraged to learn of what this billing vulture had done.
Why is this allowed to happen? What would’ve been the result if this man’s wife couldn’t write a check for $262.00 while this scavenger stood waiting with her hand out?
We allow this to happen for 3 reasons. One, we’re afraid to speak out. If we do, we might be denied care from his facility in the future. Two, not enough of us face this type of horror show daily for it to cause pain to enough Americans for them to demand it end. Three, healthcare in the USA is a for-profit industry first and foremost.
Health Insurance Corporation CEOs try to collect a billion dollar retirement package. I wonder how many lives a billion dollars would save.
The result, if the wife had been unable to pay the $262.00 might have been seeing her husband released without the care he needed. If not, the stress on an as yet untreated patient could cause severe damage.
This happened in the middle of the Bible Belt. This happened in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where most people consider themselves devout Christians, including, I imagine the vulture with her eyeglasses balanced on the end of her nose.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Lowes Home Improvment Stoops To a New Low
Lowe’s Home Improvement Center, Coram, New York
It seems that Lowe’s has a policy whereby local management can fire employees who qualify as disabled under the Americans with a Disability Act.
I am aware of a situation that happened at Lowe’s in Coram, New York. The employee had, still has, Crohn’s disease. When a person with this disability has what is known as a flare-up, they can become bedridden for days, or even weeks.
When the employee was hired by Lowe’s, management knew of the disability. Yet, when the employee had two flare-ups within three months, they fired the employee. They disobeyed federal law.
Apparently, Corporate management either is unaware of this practice, or doesn‘t give a damn. After learning what took place at Wal-Mart board of director meetings through recently released videos of corporate board meetings, I suspect that Lowe’s CEO may have been aware, and did nothing to stop this illegal and unethical practice.
The out-of-work employee lost health coverage and without intervention from family, would have suffered extreme and disabling physical pain and suffering. Fortunately, the employee had family to help out, but what of those who do not? Who intervenes on their behalf? Healthcare providers? Not likely.
It seems that Lowe’s has a policy whereby local management can fire employees who qualify as disabled under the Americans with a Disability Act.
I am aware of a situation that happened at Lowe’s in Coram, New York. The employee had, still has, Crohn’s disease. When a person with this disability has what is known as a flare-up, they can become bedridden for days, or even weeks.
When the employee was hired by Lowe’s, management knew of the disability. Yet, when the employee had two flare-ups within three months, they fired the employee. They disobeyed federal law.
Apparently, Corporate management either is unaware of this practice, or doesn‘t give a damn. After learning what took place at Wal-Mart board of director meetings through recently released videos of corporate board meetings, I suspect that Lowe’s CEO may have been aware, and did nothing to stop this illegal and unethical practice.
The out-of-work employee lost health coverage and without intervention from family, would have suffered extreme and disabling physical pain and suffering. Fortunately, the employee had family to help out, but what of those who do not? Who intervenes on their behalf? Healthcare providers? Not likely.
Friendly's and Verbal Sexual Abuse - Is It Okay?
It seems apparent that the management team at the Friendly’s Restaurant in Stony Brook, Long Island, New York is unaware of state and federal law regarding sexual harassment of employees by customers.
Recently, a female member of their wait staff had a customer who thought it was not only okay to steal her pen, but when she protested the theft, called her a term that qualifies as unlawful sexual harassment. I will not include the complete spelling of the word, but it is a four letter word beginning with C.
When management learned of the incident, they did nothing to uphold the law against sexual harassment, but did think the best move was to fire the waitress.
In my mind, this makes the management of this particular Friendly’s complicit and therefore liable for punishment due to their ignoring both a state and federal law against sexual harassment.
What can you do? Boycott Friendly’s Restaurants until they educate management to comply with the law and ban customers who sexually, or in any way, verbally assault their wait staff.
Recently, a female member of their wait staff had a customer who thought it was not only okay to steal her pen, but when she protested the theft, called her a term that qualifies as unlawful sexual harassment. I will not include the complete spelling of the word, but it is a four letter word beginning with C.
When management learned of the incident, they did nothing to uphold the law against sexual harassment, but did think the best move was to fire the waitress.
In my mind, this makes the management of this particular Friendly’s complicit and therefore liable for punishment due to their ignoring both a state and federal law against sexual harassment.
What can you do? Boycott Friendly’s Restaurants until they educate management to comply with the law and ban customers who sexually, or in any way, verbally assault their wait staff.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Trillion Dollar Debt
Total deficit since the founding of America is $9 Trillion. Half was incurred when a Bush was president and 20% more was added by President Reagan. 70% was incurred by REPUBLICAN administrations! The 3 of them submitted 19 budgets, but only 2 of the 19 were balanced!
Senator McCain has Phil Gramm, the once Texas Senator turned lobbyist for Swiss bank USB, a corporation that wrote down $37 billion in bad mortgage loans over the past six months, for his domestic advisor (think Treasury Secretary if McCain gets elected).
Got debt? Want even more? Gas prices too high? Want them higher? Food costs escalating? Want more? Health care costs keeping you from visiting the doctor? Want it higher? More American jobs in China? Count on it. Counting on SSI? Don’t count on it, but count on all of the former if you vote for McCain come November -- or should we say McBush, for more of the same and less of the middle class.
Senator McCain has Phil Gramm, the once Texas Senator turned lobbyist for Swiss bank USB, a corporation that wrote down $37 billion in bad mortgage loans over the past six months, for his domestic advisor (think Treasury Secretary if McCain gets elected).
Got debt? Want even more? Gas prices too high? Want them higher? Food costs escalating? Want more? Health care costs keeping you from visiting the doctor? Want it higher? More American jobs in China? Count on it. Counting on SSI? Don’t count on it, but count on all of the former if you vote for McCain come November -- or should we say McBush, for more of the same and less of the middle class.
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