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Posted by Convicted One on Sunday, January 26, 2020 6:37 PM

BaltACD
From the TOP there is no longer integrity in the USA

I seriously question if it was ever any other way. I more suspect that we are cultivated to be naive right up until we finally figure out the way things really work.

"It's a cookbook!!"..LOL  Alien

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Posted by CMStPnP on Sunday, January 26, 2020 6:52 PM

Flintlock76
Imagine what's going to happen when car-mounted sensors needed for self-driving vehicles start to gunk up from road grime, dust, mud, road salt residue and other nasties if the vehicles owner doesn't clean them on a regular basis. 

I just have sensors on my Mercedes ML 350 and they work fine with zero road sensors.    They just look at the reflective road lines or reflectors some how.   They do not work with no road markings.    Pretty cool though the car will fight me for the steering if I attempt to cross the solid line at the edge of the road without using my blinker.    The dashed lines I get a warning vibration to steering wheel if I cross those without a blinker, then a chime if I do it again.   If the radio is on loud it automatically turns down the radio for the chime.   Not exactly self driving yet but siimilar concept.     It is reading the road markings somehow.

Only problem with all the Mercedes gizmos, adaptive cruise control, pre-brake, etc.   It does not work in very heavy rain nor does it work in very remote areas.   So I kind of think it uses satellite as well.     You get a full dashboard fireworks display before the service cuts out though.

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Posted by Convicted One on Sunday, January 26, 2020 6:56 PM

York1
Why do you demand something of your doctor, your insurance agency, and your bank, that is not demanded of others with whom you deal?

MurphySiding was trying to portray insurance companies as having some kind of special quality that made them more ?accountable? for their conduct than others. I was simply trying to counter argue that point .

I trust big insurance to give me the best possible rate  about as much as I trust Wells Fargo to build my portfolio, or  Marathon Pharmaceuticals (makers of Emflaza) to care about my snifflesDead........perhaps blunt is better?

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Posted by York1 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:05 PM

Sorry if I misunderstood your point.

My point is that insurance companies are not too blame, any more than any other company.

Your state's insurance commissioner, who was elected to regulate insurance company profits, is the one with whom you should be upset.

We don't have used car commissioners, or canned green beans commissioners, or...

York1 John       

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:21 PM

York1

Sorry if I misunderstood your point.

My point is that insurance companies are not too blame, any more than any other company.

Your state's insurance commissioner, who was elected to regulate insurance company profits, is the one with whom you should be upset.

We don't have used car commissioners, or canned green beans commissioners, or...

 

Check out the composition of state insurance regulatory boards. Mostly appointed. Many worked in the insurance Industry. We naively expect regulators to check the worst excesses of corporations but often they do what their former bosses want. 

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:30 PM

Convicted One

 

 
York1
Why do you demand something of your doctor, your insurance agency, and your bank, that is not demanded of others with whom you deal?

 

MurphySiding was trying to portray insurance companies as having some kind of special quality that made them more ?accountable? for their conduct than others. I was simply trying to counter argue that point .

I trust big insurance to give me the best possible rate  about as much as I trust Wells Fargo to build my portfolio, or  Marathon Pharmaceuticals (makers of Emflaza) to care about my snifflesDead........perhaps blunt is better?

 

Apparently Murphy Siding needs to explain himself better. The insurance companies have special qualities that make them harder to compare and harder to actually figure out what you are getting for  your money. It's their M.O. Go shopping for a Ford F150 pickup. You can figure out what you are getting from each dealer for what price. Go shopping for insurance and you can't even find a rep that knows what they are selling, let alone finding one that can explain the benefits of their product acurately.

     Insurance, by nature, is a racket. Insurance companies are looking out for numero uno. You're gambling against the house, and the house always wins.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by Convicted One on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:30 PM

And doctors really should be able to diagnose an infection and prescribe antibiotics for less tham $750, and should be able to pull a metal splinter from my eyeball without a referal on top of a  $1200 specialist fee

So why don't they? Is competition not the cure-all defect solution that some claim it to be.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:33 PM

charlie hebdo

 

 
York1

Sorry if I misunderstood your point.

My point is that insurance companies are not too blame, any more than any other company.

Your state's insurance commissioner, who was elected to regulate insurance company profits, is the one with whom you should be upset.

We don't have used car commissioners, or canned green beans commissioners, or...

 

 

 

Check out the composition of state insurance regulatory boards. Mostly appointed. Many worked in the insurance Industry. We naively expect regulators to check the worst excesses of corporations but often they do what their former bosses want. 

 

I've found the insurance commision office in our state to be pretty good to work with. It seems to be made up of people who used to work for big insurance companies and burned out on them.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by York1 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:37 PM

charlie hebdo
We naively expect regulators to check the worst excesses of corporations but often they do what their former bosses want. 

 

Whose fault is that?  The insurance companies?

Maybe people are getting what they deserve for electing insurance commissioners who don't do their jobs.

York1 John       

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:37 PM

Convicted One

And doctors really should be able to diagnose an infection and prescribe antibiotics for less tham $750, and should be able to pull a metal splinter from my eyeball without a referal on top of a  $1200 specialist fee

So why don't they? Is competition not the cure-all defect solution that some claim it to be.

 

You might be mixing some concepts. If Dr. Welby had simply pulled a metal splinter from your eyeball and it popped out and rolled accross the floor, you'd sue him for a gazillion dollars and his malpractice insurance would skyrocket. The fear of medical lawsuits cause a lot of dumb things to be done.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by York1 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:42 PM

Convicted One
And doctors really should be able to diagnose an infection and prescribe antibiotics for less tham $750, and should be able to pull a metal splinter from my eyeball without a referal on top of a  $1200 specialist fee So why don't they? Is competition not the cure-all defect solution that some claim it to be.

 

Did your insurance pay that full amount?  I'll bet not.

Almost every medical bill submitted to insurance companies or Medicare is readjusted to amounts allowable.  Often that is less than half the original charge.

York1 John       

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Posted by Convicted One on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:43 PM

Murphy Siding
f Dr. Welby had simply pulled a metal splinter from your eyeball and it popped out and rolled accross the floor,

Why should I care what he does with the splinter after he pulls it out?  Black Eye

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Posted by Convicted One on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:46 PM

York1
Did your insurance pay that full amount?  I'll bet not

I pay the "shared responsibility" penalty on my income tax form. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:49 PM

York1
 
Convicted One
And doctors really should be able to diagnose an infection and prescribe antibiotics for less tham $750, and should be able to pull a metal splinter from my eyeball without a referal on top of a  $1200 specialist fee So why don't they? Is competition not the cure-all defect solution that some claim it to be. 

Did your insurance pay that full amount?  I'll bet not.

Almost every medical bill submitted to insurance companies or Medicare is readjusted to amounts allowable.  Often that is less than half the origional charge.

With the so called proviso that insurance pays 'reasonable and customary' amounts.  I have YET to be charged by any care provider or any service or procedure the amount that is 'reasonable and customary'.  The insurance company's 'reasonable and cusomary' is generally about 1/2 of what actually gets billed - no matter if the billing originates in a high or low cost area.  Throw on top of it all a 'co-pay' amount.  What a racket.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by York1 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:53 PM

Convicted,

I'm asking this sincerely, and I have no wish to argue or condemn.

Why don't you have medical insurance?  Do you fear an accident or a diagnosis that will bankrupt you?

York1 John       

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Posted by York1 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:56 PM

BaltACD
I have YET to be charged by any care provider or any service or procedure the amount that is 'reasonable and customary'.  The insurance company's 'reasonable and cusomary' is generally about 1/2 of what actually gets billed - no matter if the billing originates in a high or low cost area. 

 

Are you billed for the amount the provider overcharged?  If you are, you need to talk to the provider.  

York1 John       

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Sunday, January 26, 2020 7:56 PM

Why do you insist on assuming they are all elected?  I looked the websites for several. Some don't even list the top officials  and on the several that do, they  are appointees. Check a few states.  

This is problem in many industries: FDA,  the Fed, to name two.  The worst case of collusion is the Pentagon,  where procurement is mostly done by brass who go on to highly-paid positions with defense contractors. 

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Posted by Convicted One on Sunday, January 26, 2020 8:05 PM

York1
Convicted, I'm asking this sincerely, and I have no wish to argue or condemn. Why don't you have medical insurance?  Do you fear an accident or a diagnosis that will bankrupt you?

Boy, that's really a story outside the realm of this thead.

Let's just say that I never go to a doctor unless I'm really sick, and thankfully that doesn't happen very often. I've got a couple angles that I play to my advantage as well that effectively make my shared responsibility payment a  fraction of what health coverage would cost.  That's just the way it is.

Also, I figure that my outlay for premiums plus copay would exceed actual out of pocket expenses without coverage. 

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Posted by York1 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 8:05 PM

charlie hebdo
Why do you insist on assuming they are all elected?  I looked the websites for several. Some don't even list the top officials  and on the several that do, they  are appointees. Check a few states.  

 

This was my error.  I mistakenly believed that since the Louisiana insurance commissioner is elected, most other states would be the same.  Only 12 states have elected commissioners.

I checked, and it seems that in the states in which the insurance commissioners are not elected, the appointments are made by the executive branch.

I would guess that if enough people complained to the governor, he or she might appoint a more responsible commissioner.

York1 John       

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Posted by York1 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 8:08 PM

Convicted One
Let's just say that I never go to a doctor unless I'm really sick, and thankfully that doesn't happen very often. I've got a couple angles that I play to my advantage as well that effectively make my shared responsibility payment a  fraction of what health coverage would cost. 

 

Thanks!

York1 John       

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 9:01 PM

My dad had an expression thats relavant to this discussion. 

"THERE IS NO UNSELFISH MOTIVE"

Meaning that even Mother Teresa got satisfaction from doing service for the poor. But too many businesses take selfish motives to extremes. Harah for my side and screw you. Or they push their employees to do more than is reasonable. Unions fight back. Employers push right to work rules to negate union power. The cycle goes on and on. I wish as Rodney King said, "CAN"T WE JUST GET ALONG!"

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Posted by Miningman on Sunday, January 26, 2020 9:50 PM

Well you knew this was coming!

https://youtu.be/MPMmC0UAnj0

 

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Sunday, January 26, 2020 10:44 PM

Thanks,  York

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Monday, January 27, 2020 9:40 PM

As was said by Monty Python, "Now for something different". I had never seen this. Good one.

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Monday, January 27, 2020 9:41 PM

Miningman

Well you knew this was coming!

https://youtu.be/MPMmC0UAnj0 

As was said by Monty Python, "Now for something different". I had never seen this. Good one.

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Posted by Paul of Covington on Monday, January 27, 2020 9:48 PM

Electroliner 1935

 

 
Miningman

Well you knew this was coming!

https://youtu.be/MPMmC0UAnj0 

 

 

As was said by Monty Python, "Now for something different". I had never seen this. Good one.

 

   What I got a kick out of was the weapon that finally worked against the Martians.  When they heard country music, their heads exploded.

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

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