Monkeying around at Duke

Anticipating my delicate surgery next week, -to be a cyborg, well, that's not exactly true- I recalled something I found in the technical journals when I was teaching that you might not knowand which is going on in NC at Duke University.

A monkey at Duke can play a video game without using his hands and only using his brainwaves. Now, that is a cyborg.

Aha! on TV just in....Trends Research CEO says "second American Revolution has begun" per FOX News right now. I knew I was getting a reference to the Revolution today. They foresee a new third party. They think it will be the called the progressive libertarians.

Let me go see.... Well, I just don't believe it. I'll have to read more, but I am not impressed by the yelling people I see on TV at Town Halls. A young 35 year old was on TV yesterday calling for an end to Medicare for her parents and older people to return to the constitution since Medicare is "socialism". She just did not have any facts, she babbble.

Meanwhile, one my relative's relative's has sent me this YouTube about the American Form of Government. I saw it some time ago and I didn't like it exactly because I thought it promoted the Republican party and not the idea of a national republic. But it is interesting and if you can watch it and not cheer about how awful a Democrat is, then it is informative and has a point. In the interest of balance, here it is.

I don't see a problem with the current administation yet. We haven't been taxed yet. I have good health insurance as close to the government as it can be, so I probably wouldn't mind it if you all had this kind too.

However, the insurance company did give me the runaround this morning. I'm double checking that they have counted all the money I have already paid between all these surgeries. And thank-goodness I did. Why don't they just go ahead and enter the digital age. I had to call three times. All my doctors did what they were supposed to do. The insurance people had at least two mistakes . ( Not to mention I called them before PJs surgery and RGs surgery and TOLD them to get ready for my surgery.) Anyway, the insurance companies are watching the doctors (what? so they won't cheat?) and whose watching them? Me I guess. I still have to fill out another form and I guess swear on a stack of Bibles that no one else is responsible for the incident that brought on my surgery. You'd think since I called and told them everything and I think I've already filed one of these forms that would have been enough or they would have sent the form immediately months ago.

This is so complicated. My poor mom has a system to handle all her insurance payments and payouts. ( She is fortunate to have three insurances and medicare) I swear by the end of the year she has a stack of form copies four inches high which she dares not throw away so she can keep those insurance clerks in line. Sheeezzh...

Bring on reform.

Isn't all this a waste of time and money? If not, then could the insurance companies at least hire creative, competant people? The last guy I talked to had every thing at his fingertips and gave wonderful customer service. The first person was just not helpful. Obviously, the last two times I called, they were also not helpful.

I remember when PJ was little, health care was reasonable- sort of. I never bothered to file the insurance myself. I just paid because the well baby visits were not terribly expensive. I did check the hospital bill item by item and found several things I did not use or refused because I didn't need them on the bill. I protested before we paid it and it was finally taken off. I think I went through all this because they did not bill me for more than a year and suddenly, I owe them....So I asked to see the charges. It was reduced but not a whole lot. I mean, the local grocery store can make a list and charge you and out the door you go. Why doesn't the hospital know what happened when it happens and give you the bill on the way out. There is room in health care for reform and reducing waste and it starts by eliminating all the form filing taking my doctor's time so that he can be judged by a less competent and knowledgable outside party. I'm not saying we have an answer yet, only that my experience with insurance is scary and unpredictable. I'm glad I have it. But, right now when I need it, its acting up. Its like walking in ooblick.