Gastric bypass, newest medicaid/medicare pig trough?
- Thread starter glhs837
- Start date
MMDad
Lem Putt
I don't see it as more of a problem than any other surgery. It's different because the doctors have taken an oath, while the scooters are sold by some pretty shady people. The vast majority of surgeons doing these surgeries are ethical. You can't say the same about the scooter industry. Yes, there will be some abuse, but no more so than any other procedure that is taxpayer funded.
I had it done about 11 years ago. My doctor said I had maybe five years. With my employer, I'm paying anywhere from 12-15k a year in health care.
So it's generally smart, business wise. Pay to keep them alive, and they continue to pay you. For the cost of a year and a half of health care, they got 11 years and probably another 10-20 more.
So it's generally smart, business wise. Pay to keep them alive, and they continue to pay you. For the cost of a year and a half of health care, they got 11 years and probably another 10-20 more.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
You saying that so many people wouldn't use canes if they weren't subsidized?
I think it's because they look so awesome, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=04QBMBGBMZC6ZWV2VGPR
Larry Gude
Strung Out
No idea. I am seeing a lot of them all over the place of late, like the scooter some years back so, I am simply assuming there is some subsidy/promo thing going on and that we're all paying for it.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
Are we talking older people? There are a lot more older people with the aging baby boomer population.
Other than a pimp I can't imagine why anyone that doesn't need a cane using one.
You think about the pimp look for yourself?
Larry Gude
Strung Out
No. I've seen some 20 somethings limping about and them and the older folks seem to all have this really cool looking canes.
My thought is that you go in, get a diagnosis, disability checks start rolling in or paid time off from work, and the catch is you need to be seen with a medical device and, wouldn't you know it, here's a prescription for this really cool cane. Just use it in public and you're good.
That's my thought.
Just looking around my tri-county area - a LOT of people are very unhealthy looking. Folks who seem to be half my age are seriously overweight, even morbidly obese, riding around on motorized carts, and like you said Larry - limping around.
When people worked outside on farms, in outside jobs, cleaned the house, or walked to bus stops, or walked to grocery stores, etc. etc. we moved and exercised a lot more. Folks are mostly sedentary and if they do not get out and move it, exercise, play sports, and eat LESS, etc. they're gonna be overweight. Which leads to other, often more serious health issues.
Overall, the populous is unhealthy, if we have so many folks using canes & motorized chairs. They want a quick fix. AND they want to get paid for it. It seems to be a badge of honor for some folks to be able to get on disability.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
Na, no need to be seen with a medical device for that. I knew several people that never worked a day in their adult life but I have seen them on the roofs of their houses, digging for shrubs, playing basketball etc and they were on disability. One even tried to tell my dad that he deserved to be on it.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
On a related note, this past holiday weekend I saw a obviously handicapped woman (looked like MS) on a very lightweight motorized scooter, it was so light infact I saw her husband pick it up with one hand and fold it up and put it in the trunk.
They have come a very, very long way with assistive technology!I suspect that the advances in that technology have opened the doors (no pun intended) to an entirely different marketing group.
MMDad
Lem Putt
We keep hearing that. It's one "epidemic" after another. GMOs, pesticides, immunizations, too much meat, trans-fats, BPAs, DDT, obesity, and on and on and on. Yet life expectancy is higher than ever. How does the narrative of all this unhealthy stuff fit into the fact that we live far longer than at any time in human history?
Maybe overall, yes. But I doubt the morbidly obese people who do not lose weight and get healthy overall live to a very old age.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
I suspect that the advances in that technology have opened the doors (no pun intended) to an entirely different marketing group.
This is what I saw, by far the lightest one I have ever seen. http://www.travelscoot.com/
Now see - that is definitely a device for mobility and to make someone's life easier. It's not like a cadillac of motorized chairs for lazy, fat people.
migtig
aka Mrs. Giant
Thanks for sharing that link. The prices look reasonable for those carts too.
My husband has tried to put me in the mobile shopping carts at the grocery stores before but I refuse, because I don't want you all thinking I'm fat and lazy and a welfare queen.
Larry, I have a pimped out cane that I use when needed and I've even thought of getting another and bedazzling it. My husband bought it for me, not the insurance company nor any other medical insurance. Canes are relatively inexpensive. Perhaps you are noticing them more because they don't just make boring plain black / brown canes anymore.
glhs837
Power with Control
Thanks for sharing that link. The prices look reasonable for those carts too.
My husband has tried to put me in the mobile shopping carts at the grocery stores before but I refuse, because I don't want you all thinking I'm fat and lazy and a welfare queen.
Larry, I have a pimped out cane that I use when needed and I've even thought of getting another and bedazzling it. My husband bought it for me, not the insurance company nor any other medical insurance. Canes are relatively inexpensive. Perhaps you are noticing them more because they don't just make boring plain black / brown canes anymore.
Mine that I ues occasionally when my back makes my leg weak is a nice anodized blue
A few nicks on it here and there though No head shaped dents yet, I'm proud to say
Thanks for sharing that link. The prices look reasonable for those carts too.
My husband has tried to put me in the mobile shopping carts at the grocery stores before but I refuse, because I don't want you all thinking I'm fat and lazy and a welfare queen.
Larry, I have a pimped out cane that I use when needed and I've even thought of getting another and bedazzling it. My husband bought it for me, not the insurance company nor any other medical insurance. Canes are relatively inexpensive. Perhaps you are noticing them more because they don't just make boring plain black / brown canes anymore.
I know you used the sarcasm smiley, but in no way would any of my comments be directed at you and others with disabilities which require them to have assistive technology.
I think you should totally bedazzle your cane!
kwillia
n/a
I think her point was if you didn't know about her issues personally how would you discern whether or not she had disabilities giving her moral reason to use a motorized cart if you saw her using one?I know you used the sarcasm smiley, but in no way would any of my comments be directed at you and others with disabilities which require them to have assistive technology.
I think you should totally bedazzle your cane!
My dad was a working man (master plumber) from before the end of high school until he was declared 100% disabled by the age of 50 from rheumatoid arthritis. He had it in ever joint from the neck down. Before he turned 50 his metabolism plummeted and his weight gain went up due to all of the steroids and other medications he was inundated with in attempts of trying to control the RA. Though he mainly ate baked turkey breasts and veggies (he swore he was about to sprout feathers from constantly eating turkey) his lack of movement and decades worth of Prednisone resulted in slow but steady weight gain. You can't imagine how many people would say to him "if only you'd get up and move and change the way you'd eat you wouldn't need your auto-wheelchair anymore".
I think her point was if you didn't know about her issues personally how would you discern whether or not she had disabilities giving her moral reason to use a motorized cart if you saw her using one?
My dad was a working man (master plumber) from before the end of high school until he was declared 100% disabled by the age of 50 from rheumatoid arthritis. He had it in ever joint from the neck down. Before he turned 50 his metabolism plummeted and his weight gain went up due to all of the steroids and other medications he was inundated with in attempts of trying to control the RA. Though he mainly ate baked turkey breasts and veggies (he swore he was about to sprout feathers from constantly eating turkey) his lack of movement and decades worth of Prednisone resulted in slow but steady weight gain. You can't imagine how many people would say to him "if only you'd get up and move and change the way you'd eat you wouldn't need your auto-wheelchair anymore".
No, I understood her point. I wouldn't because I realize lots of people have disabilities that are hidden. My own son has disabilities that you don't see and wouldn't necessarily think he had if you didn't know him. His gross motor skills are affected, as are a lot of neurological disorders.