Yeah, it's my fault I don't make enough to pay for my diabetes, cancer, or the injuries that resulted from an uninsured driver hitting me.

I'm such a goddamn slacker.

If they actually exist, I suspect either they either:

die lying there in the snow and are never heard from again

or: Call it in, resulting in an SAR or airlift operation to get them out of of the wilderness into the ER, amusingly resulting in a tremendous bill which the hospital will write off, as they have no ability to pay.

In an IT like field, sure. In others, probably they won't care about where you've been for 2 years, so long as you can do the tasks your position requires.

Beans are CHEAP. Where I am 5 bucks of canned beans would feed 2 or 3 people (not well, but keep them alive)

I'm glad things went well for you and your wife. If you don't mind me asking, were you at a large hospital?

I keep wondering if the difference in service is related to most of my experience being with small (rural, under 10 person) practices.

As has been said elsewhere in this discussion, the expansion of Medicaid is nothing to celebrate, unless its operation is also being reformed somehow.

To be sure, I'm not disputing a bit that Medicaid is a clusterfuck of epic proportions (My post history is littered with variations on exactly what you have to say, as I've helped my mother deal with billing them [she's a speech pathologist])

I have trouble seeing how assertions such as I mentioned are anything but fear mongering though, although not being in the industry in any capability myself I'm open to the fact that I could be missing something.

Cobra makes it possible for you to keep your insurance after losing a job. The problem is you pay the full cost, so now your rate is tripled at the least.

If it's just you, that might be bearable. With a family it's just a joke.

Technically, yes, but not practically, given the setup of nearly everywhere in the US.

I knew i was forgetting something...

Personally I don't want a doctor who's in it for the money, he is much more likely to give me my 3 minutes and kick my ass out rather than actually fixing my problem.

I think the cost of school is a separate issue really, and one that is seen in all fields. The debt incurred from getting any kind of degree is such that there are better economic choices.

I can't, cause you posted ac. ;)

Those people all are in better paying jobs than Dispatch (Unfortunately)

I hope that hurt to type ;)

I'm curious, does the sick day thing go across salaried and hourly workers?

I ask because it seems rare in the US for hourly workers to get paid sick days (beyond a couple) so at some point one must make the decision to expose all your co workers to whatever you have, or watch your paycheck get smaller.

Food in US hospitals sucks too, no loss there.