Maryellen from Monte Rio, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
jacqueline from Occidental, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
Paula from Moss Beach, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
Nell from Moss Beach, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/98514
I am a member of Kasier in California, which I hope could be a model for healthcare insurance across the nation. Two years ago I was involve in a minor MVA; unfortunately airbag deployed, causing severe injury to my R eye. Kaiser provided excellent treatment. Their system is well integrated, gets one to best experts when necessary, has electronic storage/communication of medical records, so all MD’s are in rapid full communication. From Kaiser I got referred to a local state-funded medical center (UCSF) which is mandated to provide healthcare to all CA residents, regardless of their ability to pay. At UCSF, I observed many very young children (infants to 5 yo’s) whose parents were unable to pay for healthcare). These kids had glaucoma and other serious eye conditions; Without treatment these young children would lose vision. I was 63, could pay insurance premiums, and got terrific treatment. But my observations in the clinics really made me think What would happen to these little kids who were in danger of life-long blindness? Surely those of us who can sfford to pay should pick up some of the costs for those who are less fortunate. In the end, we all benefit, both economically and spiritually. I think that humans are basically tribal…we are joined to each other–we share each other’s sorrows and joys. Ultimately we are happier knowing that we take care of others, and when the situation demands, others will take care of us. Accessibility to basic standards of care from others in our society is a natural, tribal expectation–benefiting both the giver and receiver. Knowing that we live in a society s willing to provide care to the weakest ends up enpowering all of us. But we need to also be hard-headed and realistic. Spending huge amounts of money on healthcare for the very elderly is not only stupid but anti-life. We have to educate elderly people. Death is a natural consequence of life. We American’s have to be realistic about the natural end of life snd willing to relinquish the exorbitant costs of keeping an elderly individual “alive” for their last few days. It seems to me that all of us older people (and I’m approaching 65) need to keep ourselves as healthy as possible, but also recognize that we have been very fortunate to reap the benefits that America provided to our generation. We should gracefully accept the fact that we have been an exceptionally fortunate generation, living in an exceptionally fortunate country. Sucking America’s health care resources dry at the very end of our lives is selfish and stupid. Let’s be grown-ups. When we get into our late 70’s and 80’s, can’t we just recognize that we have been among the most fortunate humans who ever lived? Can’t we plan (and rejoice in) our cognizant, diginified and ultimately humane decision to die (hopefully in a peaceful, dignified manner) when the time has come–actually enhances our recognition of the value of life. We oldsters got a great run..,maybe we were terrifically successful, maybe we blew it. But we need to accept a graceful end that (perhaps redeems us) and opens the future to our successors. Let us older American’s be realistic, grateful for the benefits our generation received, and wo and acknowledge our obligations to younger generations, as our ancestors made way for us.
Paula from Moss Beach, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/66578
My husband and I are approaching retirement, hopefully. He is currently spending an enormous amount for basic health care. I am still working and have watched my health care plan go from a very decent employer supported plan with Kaiser Permanente here in California, to less and less coverage with increasingly higher co-payments, to, finally a ‘health care savings plan’ that I pay for every month, my employer contributes less and a doctor visit of any kind is 100.00. In other words, as a sixty year old who has worked since she was 16 years old I am now left with virtually no health care plan of any quality. My husband is now paying a good portion of what he continues to earn until retirement on medicine and doctors. This a shame in this country or any country of educated people. And we are more fortunate than many. We must pass substantial Health Care Reform now.
Mary from Guerneville, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/42331
My son is dead.. the medical system killed him. Kaiser just kept giving him drugs to mask his pain. He was not offered physical therapy, pain management, or an operation for degenerative disk disease. He just got stronger and stronger drugs until he had a seizer and died. Why help someone get better when they make more money by writing out a prescription.
Carol from Pacifica, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/52137
Please note Carol McDermott passed away 3/23/09 and did have health care with Kaiser. She went into the hospital for a hiatial hernia and due to each doctor looking at their specialty in lieu of an overall individual they caused her death. Have written three letters to them so far assuring them understand mistakes are made but asking that they institute a program whereby they will make sure procedures are set up so that this doesn’t happen to another individual. So far no response. Kaiser has the technology but they seem more into it than patient care. I hope theh Kaiser program will not be a model for the country as feel we would do better to have robots programmed with compassion as it seems to be lacking as well as common courtesy to address issues with patients and family. Wrote a letter to the Northern California Executive Director for Kaiser and sent by registered return receipt mail over a month ago and to date have not had a response. The letter was written with care so that it wouldn’t be threatening and took into consideration their program. Feel that a company that won’t even address an unnecessary death should not be considered as a model. Also found several other people who heard about Carol tell me stories of members of their family who bleed to death, given incorrect medication, etc. Feel the actual program which was the best was the old emergency centers in districts several years ago who handled the small items with interns and residents from hospitals who were getting training. This made it that emergency rooms in hospitals were not over- worked and kept costs down.
Lelia from Pacifica, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/near?query=Pacifica%2C+CA
As a person with diabetes AND as president of my own small business, healthcare reform is very important to me. We cover our employees and their partners. As an S-corp, we pay taxes on the cost of coverage. That cost has tripled over the past several years. I know that Kaiser has been modernizing their records and earthquake-retrofitting their hospitals, which is very expensive, but these increases can’t just escalate forever. I can’t charge my clients enough to keep up.
Bobbie from Kenwood, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/151460
I am a medically damaged California Special Educator, single female, age fifty-one. I was mutilated, disabled, and left to die after an unnecessary Thoracic Outlet Surgery paid for by Medicare and done by Dr. G. James Avery II at California Pacific Medical Center. Dr. Avery and Medicare never required any medical tests be performed prior to surgery to see if this very invasive procedure was warranted. Instead, Dr. Avery used taxpayers money to cut out my first rib, and cut out much of my neck for no reason, damaging precious nerves, blood vessels, and tissues as he went, including collapsing my lung and paralyzing my main breathing nerve. Since surgery, I struggle to breathe every night and most days without treatment. Patients cannot sue in California due to the Capitation on pain and suffering called MICRA. So I live very disabled now, in pain, supported by a small disability pension paid for by taxpayers. No doctors assess my surgical damage or help me live longer or better. All are afraid of diagnosing on paper a surgically damaged patient due to ruthless malpractice companies who could legally threaten them if they do. Please see my website at www.tossurgerynightmare.com and www.sonic.net/bjj
Dina Citrus from Heights, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/190100
I went to work for kasier in 1985, was fired after being injured on the job-3-89. I returned in 8-89 and was injured again and fired again by kaiser in 7-93. I was promised healthcare as part of my wage package and after getting fired the 2nd time, I was sent a COBRA FORM FOR 500.00 for a family of four. I could not afford and have had to rely on my husbands’s PPO since 1993. I cannot afford to pay for medicare as a disability insurance because thanks to kaiser, I only receive a small amount of social security. This is where I ended up after getting injured at kaiser. Many of their employees ended up the same way. Injured at work, fired and on medicare and social security. Kaiser got away without paying for the injuries they caused their employees, the medical care owed to the employees after decades of working there, their pensions and other benefits like eyecare, dental and life insurance. In essence, injured employees like me are paying for our work related injuries and other necessary medical care out of the money we paid out of our paychecks, like medicare and social security.
Cathleen from Prineville, OR
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/184346
I am 59 years old, and am concerned about being able to afford health insurance. As my insurance stands now, it increases about $60.00 dollars a month each year. So each year it goes up about &720.00. I live in Oregon, but started with Kaiser in California years ago, and because of health issues now I don’t want to try and change insurance providers. For major health care I have to travel back and forth between Oregon and California.
David from Kaneohe, HI
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
charlene from HON, HI
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
Mary from Centerville, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
I have been a member at Kaiser Permanente for about 20 years. During the Clinton admin. my employer’s costs for me were stable for 8 years and increased only from $400 to $436. The insurance companies are brilliantly evil. They know that union employees negotiate annual wage increases and they have entitled themselves to every raise that every union employee should have received and each year THEY are guaranteed my raise because it all goes to health care. How dare they. Will you please stop them President Obama? My employer pays $800 a month and I have to pay an additional $400 from my check. My husband retired in 2003 and paid $200/month. He now has to pay $900 from his pension check. That’s $2100 a month! $25,200 a year for 2 people. Kaiser came to my employer recently and wants another 17% increase! We can no longer afford this will have to drop my husband’s coverage so we will now have large co-pays. This is crazy and disgusting to have to do this at a time in our life when we need it the most.
Ronald from Clovis, CA
Posted on 5 July 2009 | No responses
My story is not spectacular, but it sure reveals problems to me personally. My healthy Son turned 23 so my insurance coverage stops for him. We can get Cobra for him, but it is very expensive. We applied for Blue Cross, Blue Shield, and Kaiser for non-cobra insurance. They all turned him down because he is being treated for acne (almost gone) and he had a minor stomach problem that is almost gone. We’re hoping that his Cobra application goes through and if so, we hope that all of his treatment ends while on Cobra and he has no other treatments in progress when Cobra expires. It seems that health insurance companies only want to deal with healthy people so they can collect premiums and never pay claims. Greed. We need to change this.
Constance in Freestone, CA
Posted on 2 July 2009 | No responses
My stepson had Kaiser coverage. He was ill for 3 months before they came up with a diagnosis. They speculated that he had leukemia, gave him two unsuccessful rounds of chemotherapy, with no availability in the Kaiser system for alternative supportive therapies to enhance his quality of life. Then isolated him for 7 months of chemo which so greatly reduced his platelets, ruined his teeth. His sister donated bone marrow for a transplant and then he developed graft versus host disease. He developed scleraderma in his skin, making it painful to look down, in his gut, making digestion so inadequate that he wasted away and looked like a concentration camp victim. He had constant stomach pain. Despite his being a poor candidate for surgery, his gall bladder was removed and he was transferred right away to a convalescent hospital, where the care was inadequate (RN almost gave him someone else’s insulin. Another RN told the paramedics when he was to be returned to Kaiser for further eval (he could barely tolerate the transport) that he could walk to the bathroom. He had not been able to stand on his own for 2 weeks! Obscenely inadequate nursing care!!) The pain was not resolved. He was starved and deprived of water (could not afford this in anyway) for a barium scan. I arrived, having promised to meet him there, to find he’d been wheeling around in the front hall (having been dropped off and unaccompanied by healthcare personnel) wondering what he was doing there. He had urinated in his pants (42 years old, intelligent and formerly quite capable) and hadn’t eaten/drunk anything for 12+ hours. He ultimately died of sclerederma in his lungs leading to pneumonia – his care was so troubling to me, a nurse and a midwife, that I dropped my Kaiser coverage and am currently uninsured at 62. I would be more inclined to trust alternative medecine than the profit motivated pharmaceutically controlled system. Constance Miles, LM, CPM, RN
Posted on 2 July 2009 | No responses
22 hours ago
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The parents of a 3-year-old boy who died after an Oregon doctor operated on him have agreed to settle a wrongful death lawsuit for $200,000.
The parents of Ian McClellan contended Dr. Jayant Patel perforated the boy’s bowel while attempting to place a feeding tube inside of him on Feb. 5, 1999.
They argued that Patel — now facing manslaughter charges in Australia in the deaths of three patients there — opened the boy up again the next day and found the perforation. The boy died a painful death by septic shock eight days later, the suit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court said.
Patel was working for Kaiser Permanente in Portland from 1989 to 2001, but performed the surgeries on the boy at another hospital in the city — OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. The boy’s parents, Ana Maria and Matthew McClellan, originally sought $1.55 million in their suit against all three.
A confidentiality agreement prevents any comment on the settlement, said the family’s lawyer, Robert Beatty-Walters. A judge was scheduled to consider the settlement Thursday.
It’s unclear from court records what portion of the $200,000 will by paid by Patel and the two hospitals.
The McClellans said they didn’t learn the reason for their son’s death until after April 15, 2005, when The Oregonian newspaper published the first of a series of articles about growing concern over Patel’s work in the United States and abroad.
The boy’s parents contended that Patel and the hospitals misled the McClellans by saying their son had developed a postoperative infection of unknown origin.
Patel has been reprimanded by medical boards in New York and Oregon. He was sued repeatedly for malpractice in Oregon before his license was suspended and he moved to a remote area of Australia to continue working as a surgeon.
Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g6EFp5fYfPMLBJt-phcAWbJcuVHQD9965UE00
mirrored for historical purposes at: http://nwnews.kaiserpapers.org/ian-mcclellan.html
Peter from Oakland, CA
Posted on 30 June 2009 | No responses
As an adjunct(part time) teacher at an Oakland, CA Community College, I pay hundreds of dollars a month for a Kaiser plan which limits and dictates which facilities/doctors I may use. These payments come out of a paycheck which is already stretched much too tightly. The moment the College decides not to renew my class next semester (they don’t even have to “lay me off”), even that healthcare vanishes. Get ALL insurance companies out from between me and my doctor. Single Payer NOW! Peter Brown Oakland, CA
Ken from Oakland, CA
Posted on 30 June 2009 | No responses
My health insurance has gone from ~$400 to ~$1200 during the Bush administration. I have been paying this out of pocket because all the jobs I get are “contract” and do not provide health care. This is not a gold plated policy. It is an HMO with Kaiser Permenante