The dictum finally came down from the lord Barack Obama, the messiah, the most merciful that all the land should be taxed and part of the proceeds would be used to fund socialized car care.Good stuff!
Mac the mechanic, who had been an auto mechanic for at least 30 years received notice in the mail that he would no longer be able to bill people directly for his services, but would rather have to send a monthly claim to the administration of car care and auto repair. Mac had always pretty much run a cash and carry service. His loyal customers would bring their cars in for service. Mac, who was very competent and very well liked, would go over the problems with his clientele, make the authorized repairs, get paid in cash, and everyone was happy. If any unexpected problems occurred, Mac would do his best to make things right.
Well, suddenly, Mac found out that the gubment would not accept paper claims from him. The gubment required that Mac submit electronic claims. Poor Mac did not know a thing about computers. He called the car care and auto repair administration to complain but was told that this was "change he could believe in" and that he would be required to buy a complete computer system, the latest gubment claim submittal software, and a high speed internet connection, as well as hire a technician to train Mac and his staff on the proper utilization of the system.
Bewildered customers began to appear wanting their cars repaired. According to the latest gubment rules, Mac was no longer allowed to accept their money, but would be paid based on the primary problem with the car. Mr. Jones brought in his car because it was missing. Mac found it needed new spark plugs. While under the hood, Mac also found a leak in the radiator and a worn brake pad. Mac was surprised to find out that the gubment would only pay Mac for the new spark plugs, and only about 40 percent of his usual and customary charge for labor. They would not pay him anything for the radiator repair and installation of the new brake pad. His payment was based only on the primary problem.
Read the whole thing at the link.
6 comments:
Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated.
Debbie Hamilton
Right Truth
You're welcome, Debbie!
Dear Mr. Douglas: This is one of the cheerier bits this week has brought. The only drawback is that there are at least 43 more months to go.
Thanks for the link.
Sincerely yours,
Gregory Koster
As a critique of the health care reform proposals, this piece you link fails dismally. How many doctors now routinely "get paid in cash" by all their patients? As everyone knows, there's a huge amount of paperwork and bureaucracy in the current wasteful and costly system, so this really misses the mark completely.
with all due respect to LFC if doctors were paid by cash health care would be much more affordable. If and individual had to pay for service he would not abuse the service. The doctor could charge less because his cost would be reduced. I also believe that people should get all of their paycheck and be forced to write a check to the government to pay his taxes, that would generate a tax revolt in this country.
I posted a shout out for this post, thanks Donald.
Cute, but ultimately meaningless.
Whether or not it'd be better if the family doc was still around the corner, perhaps making housecalls, and getting paid in cash --and I also long for those bygone days, from pretty much before I was born (maybe I'll get me an eggcream while I wait for ol' Mr. Johnson the druggist, to mix up my medicinal tonic)-- that just isn't the way it is, anymore.
These days our "body mechanics" are well aware of how to fill out & submit forms for payments from third parties. And just like in Mac's body shop, not everything that's wrong gets fixed, because those third parties, who never even see what's broken ----and ain't qualified to fix bodies, even if they did see the breakage-- refuse payment.
In too many ways, the scary "socialist" story is already true, only it's the evil corporations, instead of the evil government, doing all those bad things...
We're never going back to those idyllic days when old doc Henderson would come over after dinner to check on grandpa's bum leg. (According to the TV anyway, you have to live in the Hamptons for that kinda service.)
And since we're not, I have more faith in people I have oversight over, and the ability to hold accountable, if/when they screw up. But then, rather than fearing my government, I think I am my government. I still believe all that "of, by, & for the people" nonsense. It could use some work, to be sure, but in a choice between folks accountable to me, and folks accountable to shareholders that ain't me, I know where I'd rather put my trust, healthcare-wise.
(Widgets--and almost every other business I can think of, including auto repair--is a whole other ball of fish. One's health is far more important than one's widget.)
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