"Swingman" wrote in message
...
On 3/21/2010 7:35 PM, Han wrote:

So "effectiveness studies" should give you better care (less side
effects) and less costs. Your irrational fear of someone deciding for
you what kind of care you are going to get has warped your mind. Do your
research of what you think you need and have a good talk with someone you
trust, then with your doctor. And, please, do write down your living
will, advance directives or whatever you want to call them.

I don't mind giving you a personal, real life, less than 72 hours old,
example of the above.

Appointment at the VA for shoulder problem on this past Friday AM (believe
me, I _earned_ the VA medical care ("entitlement", if you wish), the hard
way!).

This was the third visit on this issue, taking four months to get this
far, each visit hopefully getting closer to an actual diagnoses, and
subsequent relief, based on something besides conjecture on the part of
the primary care physician, a GI specialist (but as long as I ask the
right questions, a competent health care professional).

Not enough doctors to go around in Orthopedics, so, after two and a half
hour wait, get a PA, (very accented English and hard to understand, but
very nice, attentive and obviously caring). PA ultimately makes
determination to give steroid injection in shoulder (step 5 of apparently
a 10 step procedure that must be followed, in order).

Relief is not as obvious as have been led to believe, so after a few hours
start doing some research on the expected efficacy of the injection, with
particular emphasis upon the site of the PA administered injection,
(posterior shoulder in this instance, with the main problem exhibited on
the anterior).

From a doctor friend: "A lateral injection is generally the preferred site
and best for the desired result. The posterior location is considered the
easiest place to administer the injection. It is the site that requires
the least amount of skill, and the site where it is recommended for the
unskilled to administer the procedure".

Light pops on ... basically, got a steroid injection (ouch!), in an area
of the shoulder least likely to benefit from the procedure, and by an
unskilled PA, with no doctor available.

Next possible appointment, and to then OK the escalation to the step 6 -
to see if an MRI is warranted: late July, 2010.

Don't get me wrong, this better than no care at all, but arguably "second
rate" by any medical yardstick.

That said, I accept the entirety of any blame because I failed to do my
homework beforehand. Had I done that, I could have asked the correct,
informed, questions and probably gotten a better result.

However, this anecdote is NOT partisan conjecture ... it is actual, day
before yesterday, "US government health care", in practice.

Moral: we should be damn careful what we wish for ...and, if you get
nothing else from this little anecdote, most definitely prepare yourself
to do MUCH more in managing your own health care when this bill passes.

You need to do that regardless.

I have a story similar to yours playing out over 42 months. Difference being
civilian treatment: steroid injection of lumbar spine, progressing to spinal
stenosis and surgery for fusion of lumbar vertebrae, progressing to
continued issues and an MRI of the cervical spine showing stenosis that was
Obviously there prior to the first surgery, progressing to fusion of
cervical vertabrae. ALL choreographed by The Insurance Company who
determined the allowability of the MRIs, and the initial Useless steroid
injection. Had I thought about it, I could have Faked symptoms to get the
MRI of my neck at the same time as the lumbar area and may have had both
surgeries sooner. And, of course, all the screwing around left damage ...

Not that I'm a fan of the idiotic bill being voted on as we speak.