[PLUG-TALK] You snooze, you lose: Insurers make the old adage literally true

[Keith Lofstrom]

On Wed, Nov 21, 2018 at 08:51:35AM -0800, Galen Seitz wrote:
> I know there are some CPAP users here.  You might find this interesting.
> 
> <https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/11/you-snooze-you-lose-insurers-make-the-old-adage-literally-true/>

Aluminum foil shielding, and self-pay.  I void warranties.

In recent decades, we've conflated health care ("don't
eat that shit") with medical care ("I ate shit and now
I'm sick, fix me").  Health care is like changing your
car's oil, medical care is like tow trucks.  There will
never be enough "tow trucks" to replace health care.

Tow trucks go to the high income zip codes first.  Duh.

Indeed, if you break yourself, what most doctors do is
break something else so you sorta-kinda balance again.
Sooner or later, you run out of stuff to break. 
So, don't break yourself.

Learn to repair yourself.  That's a lot slower and more
difficult.  Most patients demand quick drug and procedure
fixes, and avoid doctors (like my wife) who teach people
to improve their health.  She learned a lot in medical
school, even more from her father, now 100 years old and
outperforming most 70 year olds.

And remember, if you are getting something for free
("Insurance is paying for it"), you are the product.

Keith

P.S. The back cover of the November 6 JAMA is a camouflaged
advertisement for neural growth factor suppression drugs
to "control chronic pain".  So, damage yourself, damage
the nerves that tell you about it.  Making it easier to
damage yourself more.  "Camouflaged" because the ad (and
the webpage it points to, keypaindrivers.com ) doesn't
tell you what the drugs are, though Pfizer/Lilly's drug
reps would be glad to visit your clinic with free samples.

-- 
Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com