http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/24/2226622.htm


"Wealthy have more hospital stays: study
Posted Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:00pm AEST

A study has found wealthy people have more stays in hospital for less serious conditions than their low earning counterparts.

The Melbourne Institute of Applied Social and Economic Research analysed several factors including overall health, economic status and the length and frequency of hospital visits.

The Health Consumers Council of Western Australia spokeswoman Michele Kosky says the research proves anecdotal evidence heard by the council.

"The research demonstrates that people are getting treated according to the capacity to pay rather than according to clinical need," she said.

"That wouldn't surprise the Health Consumers Council in Western Australia because it has been reported to us by consumers for over a decade."

That is why I have insurance.

might want to get insurance for your insurance.

That is what the good job it for.

The old joke that goes something like this says it best:



http://www.ahajokes.com/hea27.html

Meh... I've never been in hospital for more than a few hours in my life...

This really doesn't surprise me. The poor always get shafted while the rich get more. I think that the hospital bills should fit your income. The wealthier you are, the more you pay, the poorer you are, the less you pay.

Stupid rich getting special treatment. Hospital care is serious and should be based on income as Glorybebe said. I'm disgusted that many hospitals will not help you if you have no money.

I know. But, could you imagine the rich people's reactions to such a step?

Trauma centers already MUST treat critical patients regardless of whether they can pay. Granted, they might send you to a public hospital as soon as you're stable (assuming they are a private hospital). I don't really see how the "special treatment" card is warranted here. Don't you understand the concept of the original post? Hospitals are prolonging stays for rich people to pad their bills. Like mechanics finding more things "wrong" with a Mercedes than a Ford.

It's about rich people getting screwed over, not poor people. I always have a probem with the attitude that poor people deserve everything rich people do. It's like saying, "It's not fair that only rich people have their own yacht. I should have one too. Just because I can't afford one shouldn't matter."

The fact is that these differences in how people are treated based on income are the big hole in socialism, in general. Under a mostly capitalist system, some people overproduce. The reason these people who (for the most part) work very hard is that the incentives of buying a yacht, big house, sending their children to prestigious schools, and yes - staying in a private hospital exist.

Under the current system, there are people who don't produce anything for society (kids don't count). This is under a mostly capitalist system. Do you really think if you changed everything to a system where you don't reap the benefits of being extra productive, these people would suddenly have a reason to pull their own weight? I believe, if anything, the overproducers would see little reason to work themselves so hard and stop doing it.

i've never had to pay much at the hospital whenever i have surgery(i've had three sinus surgeries). I always make myself look and feel better then i really am so i can leave a few hours after surgery and not have to pay for staying there overnight. Either that or i focus whatever amount of bodily energy i have left into my damaged cellular structure to help heal a little faster

Many people are rich because they worked their butts off to get where they are. They should in no way get punished for that.

Everyone gets the required treatment. Rich or poor. Just some people have the income for an extended stay in the hospital room. That would be no different than a wealthy person hiring an independent care-giver to take care of them once they left the hospital and returned home.

I'm against giving wealthy people tax breaks. But I also don't like seeing them get screwed just for being wealthy either.

I've known this for a long time, and I can prove it.

My mum has to go into hospital at least once every year. Our health insurance covers it. And when she goes in, for a large majority of the time, she gets sicker and sicker and sicker. There was one point where she nearly died. She wasn't nearly that sick when she started. And it only happened after they started giving her large doses of medication.

One day I'm afraid they might go too far. Because each day she stays in hospital, it costs our health cover $222AUS!!!

We've even devised a minimum stay, 4 MONTHS. Seriously, it doesn't take nearly that long to get a few tablet blood levels back on track.

...I don't trust her doctor...

very lucky ...