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Has anyone heard anything about the impact on UAB Medical of Cooper Green Mercy in-patient closing and such reality having largely led to the budgetary analysis going on of the athletics department.
Medical industry in state's that use extended medicaid are already seeing big gains...Alabama needs to get on board.
Thanks to the machine, we won't see any of that money.
This has been wafting from 20th Street.
My only personal family experience regarding Cooper Green Mercy changes and UAB "taking up the slack" relate to my 49 year old daughter who was a patient in the oncology care unit of Cooper Green in 2012 when the county government closed it. She was shifted to a charity status care at UAB, put in an ICU unit in the West Pavilion on Monday August 13. After 3 days in ICU, she was moved for one day to a regular room and then dismissed/discharged on Friday the 17th, and sent home. On Monday the 20th, she died - 3 weeks before her 50th birthday. Her death therefore did not "count" against either hospital's record.

That experience has led me to ask how many similar cases of poor Alabamians dying anonymously at home have been ignored by those who continue to block the expansion of Medicaid in Alabama. People who as an anonymous group, simply don't matter to those in high positions of power.
Since the CGM in-patient closing, has anyone been to UAB ER on a cold night? Just asking. Heard stories.
It gets better Baptist Medical Center Princeton is merging with Brookwood and becoming for profit. Alabama will have to take a hard look at expanding Medicaid very soon.
(01-25-2015 05:02 PM)Island Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]Since the CGM in-patient closing, has anyone been to UAB ER on a cold night? Just asking. Heard stories.

The ER is just the beginning of the story. How many- like my daughter's story above - are admitted just long enough to get them "stable" enough to be sent home, perhaps to die quietly and anonymously once they are back home and off the hospital's "books"?
(01-25-2015 05:18 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-25-2015 05:02 PM)Island Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]Since the CGM in-patient closing, has anyone been to UAB ER on a cold night? Just asking. Heard stories.

The ER is just the beginning of the story. How many- like my daughter's story above - are admitted just long enough to get them "stable" enough to be sent home, perhaps to die quietly and anonymously once they are back home and off the hospital's "books"?
I dont know about you , but folks in my family have wanted to be at home in their own beds when the time comes, not hooked up to a bunch of iv lines, monitors, and intubated.
(01-25-2015 06:32 PM)BlazrDawg Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-25-2015 05:18 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-25-2015 05:02 PM)Island Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]Since the CGM in-patient closing, has anyone been to UAB ER on a cold night? Just asking. Heard stories.

The ER is just the beginning of the story. How many- like my daughter's story above - are admitted just long enough to get them "stable" enough to be sent home, perhaps to die quietly and anonymously once they are back home and off the hospital's "books"?
I dont know about you , but folks in my family have wanted to be at home in their own beds when the time comes, not hooked up to a bunch of iv lines, monitors, and intubated.

I think the point is that her wishes were not a concern, just her contribution to the bottom line.
(01-25-2015 05:02 PM)Island Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]Since the CGM in-patient closing, has anyone been to UAB ER on a cold night? Just asking. Heard stories.

Whatever you heard, you can take it to the bank. Go to Highlands ER if you want to be seen in a timely manner.
(01-25-2015 05:02 PM)Island Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]Since the CGM in-patient closing, has anyone been to UAB ER on a cold night? Just asking. Heard stories.

What sort of stories? Patients coming in to stay warm basically? Yeah it happens but the weekend clog is much worse. 3 am on a saturday night you've got a fair amount of people brought in by BPD.

Wednesday night you'll wait 8 minutes. Saturday night you'll wait 8 hours.
(01-25-2015 04:57 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]My only personal family experience regarding Cooper Green Mercy changes and UAB "taking up the slack" relate to my 49 year old daughter who was a patient in the oncology care unit of Cooper Green in 2012 when the county government closed it. She was shifted to a charity status care at UAB, put in an ICU unit in the West Pavilion on Monday August 13. After 3 days in ICU, she was moved for one day to a regular room and then dismissed/discharged on Friday the 17th, and sent home. On Monday the 20th, she died - 3 weeks before her 50th birthday. Her death therefore did not "count" against either hospital's record.

That experience has led me to ask how many similar cases of poor Alabamians dying anonymously at home have been ignored by those who continue to block the expansion of Medicaid in Alabama. People who as an anonymous group, simply don't matter to those in high positions of power.

Not sure what to say after a post like that. I agree on your points. I'm really sorry for your loss and the pain you and your family must have endured. I can't imagine....
(01-26-2015 12:59 AM)stc Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-25-2015 04:57 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]My only personal family experience regarding Cooper Green Mercy changes and UAB "taking up the slack" relate to my 49 year old daughter who was a patient in the oncology care unit of Cooper Green in 2012 when the county government closed it. She was shifted to a charity status care at UAB, put in an ICU unit in the West Pavilion on Monday August 13. After 3 days in ICU, she was moved for one day to a regular room and then dismissed/discharged on Friday the 17th, and sent home. On Monday the 20th, she died - 3 weeks before her 50th birthday. Her death therefore did not "count" against either hospital's record.

That experience has led me to ask how many similar cases of poor Alabamians dying anonymously at home have been ignored by those who continue to block the expansion of Medicaid in Alabama. People who as an anonymous group, simply don't matter to those in high positions of power.

Not sure what to say after a post like that. I agree on your points. I'm really sorry for your loss and the pain you and your family must have endured. I can't imagine....

I CAN imagine...I can imagine a system of health care where salt of the earth Americans are guaranteed dignity. Hmm...
(01-25-2015 02:19 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote: [ -> ]Medical industry in state's that use extended medicaid are already seeing big gains...Alabama needs to get on board.

Risking this turning into a political conversation.....Yes, they are seeing gains right now. What happens when the federal funding disappears? A tapering was built into the law that starts reducing the federal funding in the third year. You can bet the farm on the funding completely drying up, leaving the State holding the tab. And I don't know if you realize this or not, but we aren't exactly flush with cash. To advocate for expansion based on the current numbers is shortsighted. And that is exactly what the drafters of the ACA wanted- states jumping at federal money without thinking of hte repercussions.
(01-26-2015 10:42 AM)BatesUAB Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-25-2015 02:19 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote: [ -> ]Medical industry in state's that use extended medicaid are already seeing big gains...Alabama needs to get on board.

Risking this turning into a political conversation.....Yes, they are seeing gains right now. What happens when the federal funding disappears? A tapering was built into the law that starts reducing the federal funding in the third year. You can bet the farm on the funding completely drying up, leaving the State holding the tab. And I don't know if you realize this or not, but we aren't exactly flush with cash. To advocate for expansion based on the current numbers is shortsighted. And that is exactly what the drafters of the ACA wanted- states jumping at federal money without thinking of hte repercussions.

So what do we do? No one has put out any alternatives of what they'd like to see, other than people going bankrupt or dying in the street because they can't afford to have cancer.

And this entire discussion is germane to the current football situation. While football money won't be getting diverted to the hospital or school of medicine, the increases that would eventually be coming (while obviously not the $50 million made up number) would put an even bigger strain on the medical side.

You can either be a fiscal conservative or you can advocate for a strong, vibrant UAB that operates based on government funding--including Obama Care. Pick one. The straddling the fence of absolute staunch Ayn Rand conservatives who also want a money-losing publicly-funded football program is mind-boggling.
If you've followed the fight for Cooper Green since the beginning, it has looked like they are actually trying to remove all services from the physical UAB footprint... to the point of actually demolishing all or part of the building to accommodate more growth of Children's & UAB.
(01-26-2015 10:47 AM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-26-2015 10:42 AM)BatesUAB Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-25-2015 02:19 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote: [ -> ]Medical industry in state's that use extended medicaid are already seeing big gains...Alabama needs to get on board.

Risking this turning into a political conversation.....Yes, they are seeing gains right now. What happens when the federal funding disappears? A tapering was built into the law that starts reducing the federal funding in the third year. You can bet the farm on the funding completely drying up, leaving the State holding the tab. And I don't know if you realize this or not, but we aren't exactly flush with cash. To advocate for expansion based on the current numbers is shortsighted. And that is exactly what the drafters of the ACA wanted- states jumping at federal money without thinking of hte repercussions.

So what do we do? No one has put out any alternatives of what they'd like to see, other than people going bankrupt or dying in the street because they can't afford to have cancer.

And this entire discussion is germane to the current football situation. While football money won't be getting diverted to the hospital or school of medicine, the increases that would eventually be coming (while obviously not the $50 million made up number) would put an even bigger strain on the medical side.

You can either be a fiscal conservative or you can advocate for a strong, vibrant UAB that operates based on government funding--including Obama Care. Pick one. The straddling the fence of absolute staunch Ayn Rand conservatives who also want a money-losing publicly-funded football program is mind-boggling.

I will preface this by saying I believe medicaid will be expanded in the near future here. Having said that the current delivery methods don't work. You'll still have people waiting until they show up at the ER with some advanced stage disease because primary care providers won't take new medicaid patients. Every time they walk into your office you lose money. Inpatients on medicaid actually have longer stays and more bounce backs because the hospital becomes the primary delivery method. The only way is to develop a payment schedule that primary care providers can live with or at least break even. Just blindly expanding the program without actually delivering outpatient primary care could make things actually worse for big referral hospitals but might save a few rural hospitals
(01-26-2015 10:47 AM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-26-2015 10:42 AM)BatesUAB Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-25-2015 02:19 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote: [ -> ]Medical industry in state's that use extended medicaid are already seeing big gains...Alabama needs to get on board.

Risking this turning into a political conversation.....Yes, they are seeing gains right now. What happens when the federal funding disappears? A tapering was built into the law that starts reducing the federal funding in the third year. You can bet the farm on the funding completely drying up, leaving the State holding the tab. And I don't know if you realize this or not, but we aren't exactly flush with cash. To advocate for expansion based on the current numbers is shortsighted. And that is exactly what the drafters of the ACA wanted- states jumping at federal money without thinking of hte repercussions.

So what do we do? No one has put out any alternatives of what they'd like to see, other than people going bankrupt or dying in the street because they can't afford to have cancer.

And this entire discussion is germane to the current football situation. While football money won't be getting diverted to the hospital or school of medicine, the increases that would eventually be coming (while obviously not the $50 million made up number) would put an even bigger strain on the medical side.

You can either be a fiscal conservative or you can advocate for a strong, vibrant UAB that operates based on government funding--including Obama Care. Pick one. The straddling the fence of absolute staunch Ayn Rand conservatives who also want a money-losing publicly-funded football program is mind-boggling.

Plenty of people have alternatives. Our damn politicians won't do their jobs and we get pass this and we will find out what's in it. National health care was needed. Just passing it to say you got something done was not the correct way to handle it. I wish we could have fired every single representative on both sides for that debacle.

As far as the Medicaid goes, you can't just pass it and say oh we will figure it out in the future. if the federal government wasn't going to lower those payments, I'd be all for it. And I agree with you on football. UAB needed to come up with some outside funding for the program. but you know as well as we do that a football program brings in more money than the bottom line from ticket sales and conference affiliation. It's not an apples to apples comparison.
(01-25-2015 01:44 PM)Island Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]Has anyone heard anything about the impact on UAB Medical of Cooper Green Mercy in-patient closing and such reality having largely led to the budgetary analysis going on of the athletics department.

I haven't heard that one yet, but I have heard a similar story (from an unreliable source) - that it was an attempt to compensate for the money UAB hospital is losing because of the affordable care act. There probably is some truth to the UAB hospital budget issues, and it would make sense if that's the reason Watts wanted it killed. However, we all know the BOT/PBJ/The Machine are the ones behind the killing of UAB football and these rumors are just distractions from the real truth: UAB can't be allowed to have a decent football team in the city of Birmingham and even *think* of eating into a small chunk of UAT's precious market share.
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