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I now have a new desktop. The 27″ Apple iMac quad core i5. This thing rocks! It’s configured with a 1TB hard drive, 4GB RAM and ATI Radeon HD 5750. I’m finding it difficult to utilize all of the available screen real-estate.
This replaces my previous desktop. The 20″ iMac.
On the morning of June 15th, 2010 I drove myself to Harrisburg Hospital because of a sharp pain I had in my chest. I arrived around 3am and diagnosed with pancreatitis. Within a few hours I was admitted and given a room. The only way to recover from pancreatitis is to not eat or drink until my pancreas goes back to normal. So I was fed by IV and given morphine for the pain.
By the second day I was worried if my insurance was going to cover my hospital stay. I don’t think that is something anyone should have to worry about. I probably shouldn’t have even driven myself to the hospital but since my $1,000 bill for the ambulance ride to Hershey Medical Center after my motorcycle accident I wasn’t looking forward to another bill like that. So I drove.
I consider myself one of the fortunate people of our country to work a corporate job and have health benefits. Yet I still find myself stressed out whether the system would take care of me. And every year when I need to choose my health benefits package for the following 12 months it’s like trying to decipher the rosetta stone. There’s too many options. And each option changes depending on when/if deductibles are met. It’s a real crap shoot.
I remember one thing before being admitted. Someone from the emergency room told me that I would be billed separately for use of the tv and the phone. Mental check… don’t use the tv or the phone. Yet I still got a bill for this to which I had to call and inform them that I did not use either. Luckily they simply told me to ignore the bill then. Phew.
On the fourth day I was able to eat and drink juice with no pain and they released me. A few days later I received a letter saying that my hospital stay was approved by AETNA, my insurance company. I sighed with relief.
But not so soon! Then came a bill from my doctor for the followup that I had. And finally the bill above from Pinnacle Health. Ok, I AM happy that I didn’t have to pay the $8,261.70 that the four day hospital stay cost me. But I’m still left with a $614.14 bill.
This is why I can see how people in this country can try to avoid getting the proper care they need when they are sick. A lot of people don’t have an extra $600 sitting around collecting dust. And that is for someone that has a decent health plan. I’m sure a lot of people may have had to pay a lot more than that. So what is a person to do? Get sick and die because they can’t “afford” proper health care? Or get the proper health care and go into debt trying to pay it off for who knows how long.
On Wednesday, August 11th, Eric Papenfuse held an open forum at the Midtown Scholar book store in midtown Harrisburg. The panel for the forum consisted of Bill Cluck (attorney), Neil Grover (attorney), Heather Long (Patriot-News deputy opinions editor), Juliet Moringiello (Widener School of Law), and Jay Wenger (Susquehanna Group representing Dauphin County).
Bill Cluck lead the discussions.
Juliet Moringiello offered advice and answers on the law as far as a municipality declaring chapter 9 bankruptcy.
Heather Long discussing things that were uncovered by the Patriot News. There didn’t seem to be anyone else from the Patriot-News at the event to take note and report on the evening.
Eric Papenfuse opening up the discussions from the public that was in attendance.
Nevin Mindlin who ran against Linda Thompson for mayor of Harrisburg had written an entire speech which seemed to lay the smack down on the current administration of the city of Harrisburg and the current mayor, Linda Thompson.
The one thing that really stood out for me was the fact that the city of Harrisburg, the Harrisburg Authority, and Dauphin County have been suing each other for power of everything. And every time this happens, we the tax payers of Harrisburg and Dauphin county are paying the bill. Each time a financial advisor is brought in to put blame on another entity, we the tax payer are paying the bill. And still, not one person is being proactive, standing on their own feet and making an attempt to solve the financial crisis that the capital of Pennsylvania is in.
I left Harrisburg around 7am this morning for a motorcycle ride to western Pennsylvania. I met up with my friend Daneen and we headed west towards Bedford. Then we took route 99 north. After stopping for gas for the second time and after around 180 miles, I used Urbanspoon on my trusty iPhone to locate a place for lunch. Clem’s showed up and was only about 5 miles away.
I could smell the BBQ as we pulled up. Dismounting from the bikes I could see the cook beside the building piling some wood on the fire as the flames grew. Time to go inside and see what this place is all about.
The female employees meet the upmost standards! It didn’t hurt that she leaned over towards me revealing her, umm… yeah… as she rang up our order. But on to the food!
Ribs, chicken, fresh cut fries, a roll, and Jones soda. As an added bonus, they have vinegar on the table. Fresh cut fries with vinegar! I couldn’t finish my meal so I packed up the rest and placed it in my side case for later. I will definitely make the trip back out here for BBQ.
Rode to Ephrata to meet my friend Dan at the Sonic. Sun was setting, and the lighting was beautiful with the neon lighting.
