Saturday, August 29, 2015

biofeedback

One of the many things I have learned from my broken leg experience is that the art of partial weight bearing is made to appear to be non-exact rocket science.  Although there are a few clinical devices available at a very high price, I have only been given very simple instruction such as using a bathroom scale to gauge weight on the offended appendage, or the one crutch method for my current stage of healing.  One might think that with the advent of cheap micro-controllers, a simple solution would be available by now.  Perhaps I can figure out how to use the parts from a $16 bathroom scale to implement a more precise diagnostic tool.  Then all I will need is a good healthcare lobbyist to help me suck a couple million dollars out of Obamacare to get my big piece of the affordable healthcare pie.  86,90,68,0,B

32 comments:

Dale said...

A calibrated force sensor with a threshold amplifier tied to a cattle prod should do the trick. Could be a little unsettling but you'd learn quick.

Margery Billd said...

Patience. This is what I sometimes need to work on.

Rev.jimmyleebob said...

Damn, you stole my idea. I was thinking one for the quad seat also. Just in case a silly idea enters in one's head.

Mike Silvius said...

Advice from Annemarie is that so long as it does not hurt you are within safe weight bearing range. If it hurts, you are putting too much weight on it.

rondeb said...

Did you say your were up to 75% weight bearing now?

rondeb said...

I was thinking about your accident the other day. I believe it was in December or maybe January. This has been a very long haul for you especially with your way of life there on the TFL. You have had way more patience than I can ever imagine LOL. I know you had no choice, but you have made the best of a very difficult situation. Glad you have brought us along for the ride.

JC said...
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JC said...

John - please contact me through private message.

Unknown said...

Or ... a few pebbles in your shoe ... but that might be hard to patent. ;-)

Larry G said...

well - each person is different so the 75% is not intended to be precise rocket science anyhow, I suspect.

the thing is that putting weight on - is what stimulates the body to respond in muscle/bone growth.

just don't want to overdo it .. obviously pain is a warning..

anyone remember this guy : http://www.eviltwin.velvetsofa.com/Curtis/text.html

HordeHey said...

I'm still curious as to why its called affordable health care. My kid had a broken leg 40 grand later its all better.

I was told years ago medical is so expensive because of all the uninsured people. OK check

So why is medical still so expensive in fact why is medical more expensive today with everyone insured

I guess its because the majority get a subsidy? Right Check

I am not gay but I sure do take it up the ass a lot.

pw said...

When will I learn not to read the comments?

J said...

You got that right, George. It's only "affordable" for some because other people are forced to pay for it.

Larry G said...

the reason there are still uninsured is that about half the states did not implement the MedicAid Expansion ... so those folks still going to the ERs..

and the funding... most folks are not paying higher taxes for it. It's not funded the way that Medicare and original MedicAid is funded.

it's funded in part, out of the tax code by reducing tax deductions for higher income tax payers.

for instance, they reduce the amount that can be claimed for over-the-counter drugs for HSAs.

and don't forget that existing employer-provided is also subsidized with 40% tax breaks that other folks who work don't get.

J said...

The annual cost for my wife and I went from $555 to $1740, an increase of 213.51% Obama can take his "affordable" healthcare act and shove it where the sun don't shine.

Steve said...

And Americans complain about Canada's single-payer system. Go figure...

Steve said...

The traditional US healthcare system will eventually collapse. That is a given. Perhaps in 10 years. With the continuing trend of morbid obesity and the associated health problems, that in itself will lead to the collapse.

Out of that will come a single-payer system. There are many physicians who are already preparing their practices to move into that single-payer system, as they know it is going to be the only logical outcome of a broken system bled dry by profits of big pharma, insurance companies, et al.

JC said...

George Alexander - look at your sons COB. What did the Dr. and Hospital bill you? Don't like what the DR. billed you, take it up with him (or blame Obama). Wonder why he billed so much? Go to college for 4-6 years, be a residence for 3 years, take a a huge insurance policy to cover your ass from all the malpractice lawsuits, and then you can charge people $35 dollars for your services to make things more affordable. Now for the hospital bill, check and see what the hospitals revenue was least year. Now blame Obama for what they billed you (FYI $ drives innovation).

J, I am will to bet that $1,740 is still cheaper than what you would pay out of pocket. Be happy you 1) are insured 2)have the option to shop for a better policy 3) can find insurance that won't exclude your old ass due to a pre-existing conditions and 4) no longer have annual and lifetime limits when you inventively get older and sicker.

Obama this and Obama that. If half you took the time to dig into the amount of fraud and waste that takes place you might actually see that it isn't all about Obama. If only I could show you....

J said...

Be happy that my cost has increased more than 200%? I don't think so. But even more than the expense, it's the lies that were told leading up to the passage of the act. "It will cut your premiums", "If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor", "If you like your insurance you can keep your insurance". All told knowing full well that many insurance policies would not meet the requirements of the new act. Topped off by Pelosi telling congress that they would have to pass it before they could read it.

Welcome to Obama's new "transparency".

JC said...

We are always lied to, from the Patriot Act to the the ACA. Name a politician that hasn't lied to us? I'm not gonna hold my breath.

Your hate for OUR president clouds your thinking and it's painfully obvious.

The ACA is by no means perfect, but it is an improvement. You pay more, yes, but you also have many benefits that you fail to even acknowledge or know exist. Hopefully not, but some day you may actually see the benefit of not being excluded due to preexisting conditions, lifetime limits, etc. and I haven't broken the surface.

Side note, you can see the same Dr but you may have to pay more out of pocket. Your Dr has the CHOICE of the insurance company(ies) he contracts with. If their reimbursement rates are not enough for him he can CHOOSE not to accept that insurance. Take it up with you Dr.

JC said...

And I just noticed you said your annual cost is $1,740. Annual? Jesus dude, I'm probably less than half your age, healthy, and I work in the healthcare field and I pay almost double what you pay. Complain all you want but that's cheap, especially for two of you.

Larry G said...

I noticed that also. Perhaps he meant a month... because health insurance at 1740 annually can't be very good insurance..

If it has no catastrophic or max out of pocket - a broken leg could take every penny you had and more depending on how much you had socked away. or let's just say it would put a serious ding in your finances...

Most folks who can get health insurance - the catastrophic/max out of pocket is what protects you from bankruptcy.

yet before Ocare - millions of people could not buy basic insurance with affordable catastrophic protection.

John found out that "out of network" can have serious implications... also

remmij said...
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remmij said...

…sorry, typos deluxe
Mr. Wells, like the way you decorated your boot (the vents do look like horns) to keep your commenters on their toes & guessing…
I am partial to unicorns myself… rainbows or not… the tone always becomes so dark when subjects like health care, religion and
proper forms of submission to our reigning overlords come up.
think Hellboy's Right (now Left) Hand of Doom may be tipping your scales… he's such a kidder

Margery Billd said...

I kept the same doctors and insurance.

pw said...

JC, yep, well said, all of it. I don't get why people think health insurance should be free, no matter if it's ACA or not. Healthcare is expensive and that is NOT the fault of the president.

Larry G said...

one very important thing that healtcare.gov DOES provide is (once you put your info in) - is a list of available policies and for each one - the monthly premium, the co-pays, deductibles, max out of pocket and catastrophic , INCLUDING out of network ... in comparison form. (that info would have helped John understand what was not covered).

and what it "teaches" you is that the more insurance covers everyday stuff - the more expensive, the premiums are. You can sort the policies according to cost and coverage.

can't do that so easily when you're shopping for market insurance.

For those who don't want or can afford a pay-for-most-everything policy - they can get a much lower priced policy that STILL provides catastrophic protection - as well as a good list of "included" preventative care services like screening tests and vaccinations, etc.
It protects them from bankruptcy which even if nothing else is covered - is real protection.

none of the policies can deny you for a pre-existing condition and each year - you can change the policy if your own needs change. You never get dropped as long as you pay your premiums even if you got a 50K broken leg - that costs far more than you ever paid in premiums.

it's a long way from nirvana... and no it's NOT "cheap" and yes it has significant flaws.. but compared to no insurance at all - especially for those with pre-existing conditions.. it's better than bankruptcy. John's accident could have easily been far worse than the broken leg - and have taken much more of his savings.

finally - when someone buys private sector insurance - you are STILL COUNTING ON THE GOVT to not let scam companies sell insurance then refuse to pay off ... the govt is who we rely on to make sure even private sector insurance companies are real insurance and not fraud.

So .. at the least , folks should recognize these realities.. even if they oppose the govt involvement.. If we had a truly unregulated free market in insurance, there would undoubtedly be a ton of fraud.

pw said...

Larry G, yes, some of those deductible equations have always been in place and were not changed with ACA.
I think we would all be astonished at the overcharges from doctors and hospitals. It is unpleasant but worthwhile to review the bills with a magnifying glass and question everything. Course, that would include questioning possible unnecessary procedures!

Larry G said...

in this country - doctors and hospitals charge for the services they render and that they know they will be reimbursed for.

It's dang near impossible - for instance - to question a test or image the Doc orders. I mean if someone is sick - would you tell the Doc not to order an x-ray or tell him shop around for the cheapest x-ray?

Hospitals routinely do this also - because they have to figure out how to pay for the free charity care they provide to people who do not have insurance.

No one who is sick is going to "shop" for doctors much less bargain for lower prices.

If you are not sick and wanting to do an elective procedure - yes. but if you fall ill and need help - you're not going to go to a cheaper doctor or hospital.. you'r going to want as competent care as possible - no cutting corners.

these are simple realities that we should all recognize - but especially so those who oppose the current health care approach. Find a better way.. before you kill the one in place.

pw said...

I did not mention "shopping". However, it is my responsibility to question procedures and to question the price. And I doubt that I would ever be so tied to a physician that I would not consider a change.
Of course, this is elective but still, check the bills for everything

Steve said...

Just prior to the ACA, I was admitted to the ER with severe abdominal pain. The ER doc ordered two CT scans of my abdomen which were done just down the hall from the ER. At that point I really had no say given the possibly life-threatening condition. They needed a diagnosis quickly.

When I looked at my bill, I was shocked to see I was charged just over $15,000 for the scans. That is 2 scans with total time on the machine of about 6 minutes. If I'd had the same scans elsewhere, it would have run under $8,000. For-profit healthcare and for-profit hospitals charge what the market will pay.

In contrast, those same scans on essentially the same type of scanner in Japan would have cost $400 each. Japan worked directly with the manufacturer to develop a scanner that would provide low cost scans. In the US, the manufacturers develop over the top equipment, because they know we'll pay for it. In single-payer systems, HC costs are scrutinized much more closely.

Larry G said...

at the hospital - if you can pay or your insurance can - then you get billed not only for your image but for images of those who can't pay.

the hospitals do whatever they have to do - to pay for the charity care they provide.

that's just the reality of how the health care system in the US works.