Man can't afford antibiotics, dies from tooth infection

Discussion in 'Blazers OT Forum' started by MARIS61, Oct 3, 2011.

  1. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    The point is that he was given all of the tools to make a personal decision on his health care. A dentist saw him and told him that he needed an extraction. He said "no thanks, I can't/dont want to pay the $80/$150/whatever it costs, and I don't have insurance that will pay for it." Then his face and head swell, and he's seen by a doctor (free to him!) and prescribed two medicines: one that will kill the infection and one that will dull the pain. He chooses not to pay for the antibiotics that will kill the infection and save his life, and chooses to pay for a painkiller that doesn't do anything for the infection. Then, the infection does what many unchecked infections eventually do--kills the patient.

    In a national health care society, do you get medicine for free? Generic antibiotics at Target run about $20 for a month's worth.
    (quick wiki check: Canada
    China
    Finland
    Israel
    In the UK the medicine would be partially subsidized, but still some out-of-pocket costs.
    )
    Well, he got seen by a doctor/dentist twice and didn't follow their treatment. Maybe he would've had it pulled immediately, but if not, it seems by all of the countries above that national/socialized health care wouldn't have solved the problem that he couldn't/didn't want to buy both medicines.
     
  2. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    A dick might say that this might be what the patient had in mind when he chose prescription painkillers over antibiotics that would actually kill the infection and save his life.
     
  3. Nikolokolus

    Nikolokolus There's always next year

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    A real dick might say that this is simply natural selection hard at work weeding out the dumb.
     
  4. PapaG

    PapaG Banned User BANNED

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    Did I miss the part of ObamaCare that covers dental work? It's not mandated for coverage.

    What was the point of this article, other than to illustrate how relatively cheap it is right now, without insurance, to visit an ER, or get a tooth extracted, or get antibiotics or painkillers. This poor guy would have to carry insurance, and under the new plan, dental insurance won't be a part of that coverage.
     
  5. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    And that would be correct. The pharmacist has an obligation to explain that to the patient. It was a choice. A 'high' or possibly save your life.

    Priorities, priorities.
     
  6. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    to be fair, it was 906 pages long.
     
  7. MARIS61

    MARIS61 Real American

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    FIFY
     
  8. MARIS61

    MARIS61 Real American

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    Speaking of dicks, why is yours always twitching about Obama?

    This thread has nothing at all to do with Obama.

    It has to do with what a total failure America's current "healthcare system" really is.

    "He [Willis] might as well have been living in 1927," Jirjis said. "All of the advances we've made in medicine today and are proud of, for people who don't have coverage, you might as well never have developed those."

    As for his "choice" (as BrianFromWA puts it) to not have money enough for the antibiotics which would have kept him alive temporarily and the choice to not have money enough for the extraction to keep the infection from returning, he was a 24 year old father who had lost his job. He put his family first thinking he could tough it out like any man would. I'm fairly certain his dentist didn't tell him "get these antibiotics and use them or your brain will swell and you'll die. I know none of my dentists have ever mentioned anything like that. Could very well be grounds for a malpractice suit.

    It was pointed out you can get $250,000 of healthcare once it's too late, so why can't we get $20 for a Rx or $200 to prevent a death instead?

    This paradox demonstrates how truly under-developed, backassward and barbaric our country is in actual practice.

    The attitude reflected in the responses to this young man's needless death demonstrate why.
     
  9. 3RA1N1AC

    3RA1N1AC 00110110 00111001

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    its his own fault for not having rich parents, i say good riddence
     
  10. barfo

    barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Yes, that's two poor choices: mom and dad.

    barfo
     
  11. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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    just think if it were mom and.....mom?
     
  12. barfo

    barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Or mom and horse!

    barfo
     
  13. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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    Depending on the breed, I say good riddance!.
     
  14. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    I got a prescription for antibiotics today. Cost me $19.75 at CZS for the generic brand.

    Last time I got pain killers, it cost much more.
     
  15. MARIS61

    MARIS61 Real American

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    As usual, the concept of "poor" escapes you.

    Actually last month at Bi-Mart:

    Tylenol3 = $10.12

    Antibiotics = $18.40

    Simple Extraction (not wisdom tooth) without insurance = $146.

    So about $180 to prevent my death.

    Were I unemployed and 24 with a child it would simply not have been possible to find the money for any of it. Do you think money grows on trees? The child can go without food for a couple weeks? Daddy and Mommy will raise the child and pay the dentist bills?

    Like many posters here, you simply have no clue what it means to be poor. It's nice and comfy for you to never have had to make life and death choices based on how many pop cans you can find in the ditch, but it has left a black hole in your ability to understand your fellow man and casts doubt on your ability to survive should you ever find yourself in the same spot.

    And anyone who thinks he chose to not get antibiotics and chose not to get his tooth pulled has obviously never had an abscessed tooth. Other than burning alive, I can't think of a more painful way to die.
     
  16. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

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    This is tragic. I have never thought about such things until recently. Wondering how many of you get medical/ dental benefits from your work or have to pay for them on your own? The reason I ask is because we have recently lost all of our health coverage. I shouldn't use the term "lost"...... It was more like we couldn't afford them any more, so we chose to go without. I was paying close to $950 a month for my wife, 2 kids and myself. It has already started to affect us. Not looking to get any pity from anybody, just was wondering from what angle you are reading this story. If you get coverage from work, you probably have no idea what it's like to choose groceries over medicine. This is not the way a person in this country should die......


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk..... Cause I'm a balla'!
     
  17. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    FIFY

    Fair enough?
     
  18. 3RA1N1AC

    3RA1N1AC 00110110 00111001

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    gonorrhea?
     
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  19. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    It's a fair question. There are clinics and doctors that either treat on a sliding scale or for free- our church runs a free medical/dental clinic and they treat 5,000 people per month. (Sadly, Maris & barfo, they do neither abortions or sex change operations- I know that's evil and all that, but ...) There are RX assistance programs to get RX for free. There's the VA, Medicare, OHP... I'm not saying it's easy, because it's not. But sometimes people also have to make difficult decisions in difficult times. Sell the second car, step away from the house, dip into the 401k or otherwise. I've had to make those decisions in my lifetime.

    I suppose, on a grander scale, is the question of whether or not the feds are obligated to provide healthcare to every citizen.
     
  20. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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    I meant, ride-ance.
     

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