It is not hard to explain. As Jeff points out, it's all about the bottom line, which takes us to the bottom of the barrel. And there you find the bottom feeders: the greediest, meanest predators of all. Animal predators are far better creatures than that: they only do it to survive. Shame, indeed!
It’s hard to explain because it’s unconscionable and an ugly misuse of funding at a time when the health care of uninsured people is already at severe risk. Shame on them!!!!
Have you ever noticed how hard our captains of industry work to prove Karl Marx' central thesis? "Capitalism has within itself the seeds of its own destruction."
Not that we have capitalism here or ever did. For starters, one essential component of capitalism is competition -- the last thing Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big You-name-it has ever wanted. See today how ABC has toadied up to the FCC (firing Jimmy Kimmel) to get its approval to absorb a competitor.
We've also been propagandized to conflate free enterprise with capitalism. Free enterprise is the privately owned production of physically real goods and services, including co-ops and worker owned businesses. In contrast, capitalism is the privileging of that abstraction known as money and its manipulation.
I do not understand how they can get away with this total BS. Both my mom and stepfather JUST got qualified for Medicaid...she has had several strokes and he is end stage Parkinsons. They need so much help and their small hospital in rural Oklahoma closed last year. Oklahoma is dead last in everything but the dead. If this is where we are all headed, I do despair.
CHI Health - a not-for-profit hospital system here in Nebraska - bought the naming rights to our (Omaha's) local convention center. Not only does it seem seedy (given some of CHI's battles to reduce costs) but it's confusing: People see the words "CHI Health Center" on a building that isn't a health center.
Weary. Spent. I am. tired of commenting on corruption, greed, criminals colluding, obnoxious and flagrant dismissing of common decency. Reactions? Discussions, rants, blogs, yada yada.
Billie, we have given some thought to your comment, and we see your point. We are all tired of the constant barrage of bad news, although Jim's in-depth information is needed and appreciated. But how do we respond? For the most part, it's negative - anger, outrage, disgust... It helps to vent to like-minded people, but we also NEED SOME BALANCE here. (Sorry about the all-caps.) We would like to challenge all Lowdowners to come up with some positives - give credit to what good is being done, and make realistic suggestions of our own. If we are weary and spent, the forces of destruction are winning. How about it, folks?
What first comes to my mind is a woman who chose (call from God, decent upbringing? who knows) to practice in a small southwest Georgia town that has no other doctors. She treats anyone who needs treatment, and if they can pay, fine. If not, also fine. Clearly she is not raking in big bucks, but she is a lifeline for rural people who have no hospital, no other doctors, no options if they are sick. I found her story immensely uplifting, and have made a small contribution to her clinic. There is good in the world, even among doctors and lawyers. (I know--play laugh track here.)
Thank you, Edith. We had heard of this doctor,, and her story is an inspiration indeed. And there are so many more like her who never get in the headlines!
We want to lift up the work of our church, Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Stone Mountain, GA. Founded in 1966, ROA has undergone many changes and faced many challenges. It is a small but active congregation, with multiple missions among addicts, the homeless, the poor and -until recently- refugees. We are not focused on saving our own souls, or converting others, but on being servants to all. For those who do not know who Lutherans are, look it up on Wikipedia. We follow the teachings of Jesus, and those of Dr. Martin Luther, the reformer who lived over 500 years ago and so inspired a Black Baptist preacher that he changed his name to Martin Luther King, and named his son Martin Luther King, Jr. The work goes on as the need grows.
I love Mr. Hightower. I read everything he posts. I never disagree with him on account of him only being capable of uttering the god’s-honest-truth. Guess I just wanted to express the fact that my comment tank is empty right now.
My first suggestion as a low down common tater was to mandate padded headboards. But no one ever listens to me and millions of people are still banging their heads on the wall expecting to get pleasure from it.
Crime in the suites proof of superiority to those lauding themselves as fittest. Ignoring how without us workers, nothing gets done. And how the natural world is predominantly symbiotic. By law, profit is the only aim; devastation of communities and ecosystems defined away as externalities. If these manipulators were judged by the same standards as the common criminals we're supposed to fear constantly, we'd see CEOs and banksters as the anti-social psychopaths they really are.
As long as citizens remain ignorant or resistant to the responsibility of GOVERNMENT to REGULATE and CONTROL such Greedy and Inappropriate behavior by corporations hiding under the false claim of "non-profit", this abuse of the tax system will continue. They should either be forced to relinquish their fake "non-profit" status or be forced to redirect these resources toward real health care needs of low and moderate income people. American rise up: we have nothing to lose but the CHAINS of Corporate control of our lives, of our governments (state and federal..)
Much about the American "health system" is hard to explain. I have lived in civilized countries what have national health, and the professionalism and expertise are excellent--AND the bills are tiny. Meanwhile, a doctor we have never seen billed Medicare for some $22,000 worth of medical supplies that my husband has never used or needed. A call to the "Report Fraud" number in the Medicare statement yielded--nothing. No one is at all interested in these bogus charges. And yet we are told the system is losing money. Wonder why???
Yes, its hard to explain the egos and greed of Hosp execs. What about the uninsured and people on the ACA. There must be better uses for this money rather than buying naming rights. Shame on them.
It is not hard to explain. As Jeff points out, it's all about the bottom line, which takes us to the bottom of the barrel. And there you find the bottom feeders: the greediest, meanest predators of all. Animal predators are far better creatures than that: they only do it to survive. Shame, indeed!
It’s hard to explain because it’s unconscionable and an ugly misuse of funding at a time when the health care of uninsured people is already at severe risk. Shame on them!!!!
Have you ever noticed how hard our captains of industry work to prove Karl Marx' central thesis? "Capitalism has within itself the seeds of its own destruction."
Not that we have capitalism here or ever did. For starters, one essential component of capitalism is competition -- the last thing Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big You-name-it has ever wanted. See today how ABC has toadied up to the FCC (firing Jimmy Kimmel) to get its approval to absorb a competitor.
We've also been propagandized to conflate free enterprise with capitalism. Free enterprise is the privately owned production of physically real goods and services, including co-ops and worker owned businesses. In contrast, capitalism is the privileging of that abstraction known as money and its manipulation.
Big businesses want to run the show.
I believe they already do!
I do not understand how they can get away with this total BS. Both my mom and stepfather JUST got qualified for Medicaid...she has had several strokes and he is end stage Parkinsons. They need so much help and their small hospital in rural Oklahoma closed last year. Oklahoma is dead last in everything but the dead. If this is where we are all headed, I do despair.
You have my thoughts and prayers.
Just staying true to the Hypocritical Oath
Wish we had a laugh emoji option--LOVED your comment.
Not hard to explain: GREED knows no boundaries.
At least with the Moron-in-Chief and his thugs. Sigh!
CHI Health - a not-for-profit hospital system here in Nebraska - bought the naming rights to our (Omaha's) local convention center. Not only does it seem seedy (given some of CHI's battles to reduce costs) but it's confusing: People see the words "CHI Health Center" on a building that isn't a health center.
These damn Republicans and Corporate parasites are ruining our country.
They are only half the problem. The damn "Democrats" are the other half. Actually, they are one and the same.
Weary. Spent. I am. tired of commenting on corruption, greed, criminals colluding, obnoxious and flagrant dismissing of common decency. Reactions? Discussions, rants, blogs, yada yada.
Yup tired overloaded 3 1/2 years more to complain about
Billie, we have given some thought to your comment, and we see your point. We are all tired of the constant barrage of bad news, although Jim's in-depth information is needed and appreciated. But how do we respond? For the most part, it's negative - anger, outrage, disgust... It helps to vent to like-minded people, but we also NEED SOME BALANCE here. (Sorry about the all-caps.) We would like to challenge all Lowdowners to come up with some positives - give credit to what good is being done, and make realistic suggestions of our own. If we are weary and spent, the forces of destruction are winning. How about it, folks?
What first comes to my mind is a woman who chose (call from God, decent upbringing? who knows) to practice in a small southwest Georgia town that has no other doctors. She treats anyone who needs treatment, and if they can pay, fine. If not, also fine. Clearly she is not raking in big bucks, but she is a lifeline for rural people who have no hospital, no other doctors, no options if they are sick. I found her story immensely uplifting, and have made a small contribution to her clinic. There is good in the world, even among doctors and lawyers. (I know--play laugh track here.)
Thank you, Edith. We had heard of this doctor,, and her story is an inspiration indeed. And there are so many more like her who never get in the headlines!
We want to lift up the work of our church, Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Stone Mountain, GA. Founded in 1966, ROA has undergone many changes and faced many challenges. It is a small but active congregation, with multiple missions among addicts, the homeless, the poor and -until recently- refugees. We are not focused on saving our own souls, or converting others, but on being servants to all. For those who do not know who Lutherans are, look it up on Wikipedia. We follow the teachings of Jesus, and those of Dr. Martin Luther, the reformer who lived over 500 years ago and so inspired a Black Baptist preacher that he changed his name to Martin Luther King, and named his son Martin Luther King, Jr. The work goes on as the need grows.
I love Mr. Hightower. I read everything he posts. I never disagree with him on account of him only being capable of uttering the god’s-honest-truth. Guess I just wanted to express the fact that my comment tank is empty right now.
Totally understood!
My first suggestion as a low down common tater was to mandate padded headboards. But no one ever listens to me and millions of people are still banging their heads on the wall expecting to get pleasure from it.
Our criminals are in plain sight and.....rewarded.
Crime in the suites proof of superiority to those lauding themselves as fittest. Ignoring how without us workers, nothing gets done. And how the natural world is predominantly symbiotic. By law, profit is the only aim; devastation of communities and ecosystems defined away as externalities. If these manipulators were judged by the same standards as the common criminals we're supposed to fear constantly, we'd see CEOs and banksters as the anti-social psychopaths they really are.
Sports of all stripes are out of control with salaries escalating and now having betting during games.
As long as citizens remain ignorant or resistant to the responsibility of GOVERNMENT to REGULATE and CONTROL such Greedy and Inappropriate behavior by corporations hiding under the false claim of "non-profit", this abuse of the tax system will continue. They should either be forced to relinquish their fake "non-profit" status or be forced to redirect these resources toward real health care needs of low and moderate income people. American rise up: we have nothing to lose but the CHAINS of Corporate control of our lives, of our governments (state and federal..)
Much about the American "health system" is hard to explain. I have lived in civilized countries what have national health, and the professionalism and expertise are excellent--AND the bills are tiny. Meanwhile, a doctor we have never seen billed Medicare for some $22,000 worth of medical supplies that my husband has never used or needed. A call to the "Report Fraud" number in the Medicare statement yielded--nothing. No one is at all interested in these bogus charges. And yet we are told the system is losing money. Wonder why???
Yes, its hard to explain the egos and greed of Hosp execs. What about the uninsured and people on the ACA. There must be better uses for this money rather than buying naming rights. Shame on them.
Seems like the logical outcome of a system that gives corporations the right to make massive contributions to politicians of their choice.
What a waste of funds. I understand helping college sports teams, but not at the expense of people's health.