I know there are folks older than myself here (39 years young). I mean in my own lifetime health care in this nation was different. Really different. You don't have to reference like 1300 AD to find somebody to tell you things have changed.
Name the first time you heard the phrase HMO? Those my age, how many of you went to the same doctor at 30 you went to when you were 3? What has happened?
A little story and more questions below the fold.
My grandfather was a doctor for 50 years. Heck, delivered me, which I still have to think was about the most bizarre thing in the world for my mom. From a small town, but did house calls well into the 80s.
After he passed away the lawyers told us we needed to shred many of the medical records he had in his office. We got to this one file cabinet. And just like his son and grandson it appears we (1) never throw anything away and (2) tend to be anal about writing stuff down.
There seemed to be "code" on the note cards. I asked what it meant.
I was told to recall Thanksgiving or any other holiday and the person that brought by the pie, chicken, you name it. I said, wasn't that my third aunt on my grandmothers side?
No, those were people paying off their health care debits. Your grandmother just said those things cause she didn't want to be disrespectful to the people paying off their debit with barter.
That is what those cards were. He'd never refuse service, but he did care if people did what they said they'd do. I always found that interesting on many levels. What has come of us? You walk into a docs office and you don't any insurance will a doctor not actually see you? Does that happen, well I guess it must. Exactly how does a doctor do that? Didn't they take an oath?
Any maybe my Fathers Day thing ....