National Park Opinions

[real chili 83]

My wife is an RN -- no union; this is N.C. after all! She gets 30 days of PTO (personal time off) per year (that includes sick time, but she's never sick). Most of her other benefits are substandard -- including her health plan, ironically -- but the time off is very good.

Nurses and other health care employees as a whole, have average healthcare at best.  It's because they are very high utilizers.....easy access.  High use of meds too. 

[warriorchick]

Nurses and other health care employees as a whole, have average healthcare at best.  It's because they are very high utilizers.....easy access.  High use of meds too.

My daughter works for Aurora Healthcare as an RN and she has great insurance - much better than mine, and I have a Blue Cross plan.

[MU82]

My daughter works for Aurora Healthcare as an RN and she has great insurance - much better than mine, and I have a Blue Cross plan.

My wife had a very good health plan at Children's Memorial in Chicago. We miss it.

Here in Charlotte, there is a monopoly -- it is by far the biggest hospital system in the state and one of the biggest in the nation. They actually just got sued for forcing crappy, overpriced, no-choice health insurance on their employees. The case is in federal court right now.

Raises, when offered at all, are in the 1% to 2% range for nurses -- and even doctors. Administrators and upper management ... well ... they get 10% and 15% and 20% raises on top of huge annual bonuses.
Why? Because they can, of course. They have "platinum" health plans, too.

The freakin' H.R. director has a 7-figure salary. She got paid just over $1 million 4 years ago and is now just over $1.3 million. It's shameful.

But I digress ...

[jsglow]

On topic:  Seems like most folks do their national park visits via personal vehicle.  We're planning a 2 week RV convoy with 2 other families next year through Yellowstone and various other stops tbd.  I'm in the 'afraid i'm going to drive my family off the cliff, only go 30 mi per hour, or have the toilet explode' mental state and am trying to get the families to do more of a car and hotel experience vs RV.  Anyone have any experience with RV's?  and suggestions on how to approach this?

Off topic:  i assume the vacation approach for anyone in 'business management' in the connected world is the same i've experienced from self employed to Fortune 50......really not concerned with how much time you take out of the office because a) nobody over middle management abuses vacation time and b) whenever you are out of the office - vaca, travel, sick, etc. - you're connected and keeping up with what's transpiring regardless.

Does anyone in the group have RV/camping experience?  If not, I'd recommend against it or immediately build that skill with a more local trip first.  FYI, chick and I have owned travel trailers for many years.  I actually enjoy teaching folks to camp.  But if you've never emptied a black/gray tank before your trip will end up like Chevy Chase's Vacation.  If you do choose to RV, rent a smallish Class C.  Don't tow if you aren't experienced at it.

[Coleman]

Nurses and other health care employees as a whole, have average healthcare at best.  It's because they are very high utilizers.....easy access.  High use of meds too.

My dad is a doctor. There's usually two different tiers.... Physicians and everybody else (physicians plans might also include some executives, not just doctors). Physicians plans are excellent Cadillac plans with almost no out of pocket expenses, provided you stay in-system. The other plans are hit or miss.

[brandx]

Nurses and other health care employees as a whole, have average healthcare at best.  It's because they are very high utilizers.....easy access.  High use of meds too.

Ah .... no.

[warriorchick]

Ah .... no.

My guess is the opposite is true because they are more likely to have a healthy lifestyle.

[real chili 83]

My guess is the opposite is true because they are more likely to have a healthy lifestyle.

It's not about their lifestyle.  It's about their utilization.  They have easy access, and use more. 

[warriorchick]

It's not about their lifestyle.  It's about their utilization.  They have easy access, and use more.

I can't help but think that easy access actually reduces health costs in the long run.  My daughter works on a floor where a significant number of folks are in the hospital because they either couldn't or wouldn't get routine healthcare - kidney patients who blew off their dialysis appointments, diabetics who don't monitor their sugar levels, heart patients who don't take their meds. 

Wasn't easy access to medical care the linchpin in the Obamacare argument that it would actually save money?

[brandx]

It's not about their lifestyle.  It's about their utilization.  They have easy access, and use more.

Why easy access? They still go to a doctor's office just like anyone else. They still have to go to a pharmacy if they need meds like anyone else. Certainly, the nurses I know (a lot of hem since my wife is a nurse), are less on meds than the average woman.

[real chili 83]

Why easy access? They still go to a doctor's office just like anyone else. They still have to go to a pharmacy if they need meds like anyone else. Certainly, the nurses I know (a lot of hem since my wife is a nurse), are less on meds than the average woman.

Why easy access?  They work in healthcare.   They walk across the hallway, and they are seen.  I speak from first hand experience

Also, many, not all, are high utilizers of meds.  Especially for depression. 

I have great admiration for healthcare professionals.  Trust me. They just utilize more caiuse it's easier to access.

[brandx]

Why easy access?  They work in healthcare.   They walk across the hallway, and they are seen.  I speak from first hand experience

Also, many, not all, are high utilizers of meds.  Especially for depression. 

I have great admiration for healthcare professionals.  Trust me. They just utilize more caiuse it's easier to access.

I get what you are saying, but I don't see it here. Doctors offices are all in the different clinics - not in the hospitals where they work.

I also disagree with the meds for depression comment. Women, in general, have a very high usage and I don't see nurses using more than the population at large.

[Benny B]

Why easy access? They still go to a doctor's office just like anyone else. They still have to go to a pharmacy if they need meds like anyone else. Certainly, the nurses I know (a lot of hem since my wife is a nurse), are less on meds than the average woman.

Does your wife know that you're looking in her coworkers' medicine cabinets?  And what the hell are you doing in your wife's coworkers' bathrooms?

Chili 83 is spot on.... those who work in health care are much more apt to seek care for minor stuff that most of us would at least wait to see if it goes away after a day or two.  It's common sense... these people are being exposed to God only knows what, and their best defense is to get checked out immediately.

[wadesworld]

From national parks to Obamacare gripes!

[Benny B]

From national parks to Obamacare gripes!

Who's talking about Obamacare? 

[real chili 83]

I get what you are saying, but I don't see it here. Doctors offices are all in the different clinics - not in the hospitals where they work.

I also disagree with the meds for depression comment. Women, in general, have a very high usage and I don't see nurses using more than the population at large.

My comments aren't a knock of health care.  Because they know more about procedures and have easy access, they use it more.  Which makes the cost of insurance higher. 

Example....we had a surgeon who got trained in venous ablation.  Once the staff learned he was certified, many of them signed up for the procedure. 

[jsglow]

From national parks to Obamacare gripes!

Cripes people.  Don't any of you know how to start a freakin' thread?  This had been interesting until......

[4everwarriors]

May wanna hang out at McGovern Park. Chance ta check out some major hoops talent on da asphalt on probably spot BeeJay droolin' over some 14 year old point guard, ai na?

[Dish]

In before...

[brandx]

From national parks to Obamacare gripes!

We just want you to be healthy enough to enjoy your trip.

[brandx]

My comments aren't a knock of health care.  Because they know more about procedures and have easy access, they use it more.  Which makes the cost of insurance higher. 

Example....we had a surgeon who got trained in venous ablation.  Once the staff learned he was certified, many of them signed up for the procedure.

We'll agree to disagree on this.

[GooooMarquette]

My comments aren't a knock of health care.  Because they know more about procedures and have easy access, they use it more.  Which makes the cost of insurance higher. 

Example....we had a surgeon who got trained in venous ablation.  Once the staff learned he was certified, many of them signed up for the procedure.

Having worked in healthcare for 30+ years, my experience is COMPLETELY different from yours. While there certainly are some high-utilizers within the healthcare field, most people are aware enough of disease risks and preventive options to remain among the healthier (and lower-utilizing) crowd.  They also tend to be more aware of the risks of procedures and medications, and do whatever they can to avoid them.  There certainly are exceptions - I'm always amazed when I see doctors and nurses who smoke, overeat, seek meds/procedures, etc. - but those are the outliers in my experience.

[naginiF]

Does anyone in the group have RV/camping experience?  If not, I'd recommend against it or immediately build that skill with a more local trip first.  FYI, chick and I have owned travel trailers for many years.  I actually enjoy teaching folks to camp.  But if you've never emptied a black/gray tank before your trip will end up like Chevy Chase's Vacation.  If you do choose to RV, rent a smallish Class C.  Don't tow if you aren't experienced at it.

Thanks Glow.  Just the confirmation I wanted to hear.  Of the three families only one has RV experience and they are a) the most "let's see what happens, i'm sure we can figure it out" people i know which is good and bad and b) they are Aussie's here on work visa's so i don't know what sort of health plan coverage or vacation schedule they are used to back in Australia  .

The trip is their idea as they are trying to do the "most American" things they can for their time here so i'm trying not to be a downer - we'll plan a mini excursion prior to the big trip.

[Benny B]

Thanks Glow.  Just the confirmation I wanted to hear.  Of the three families only one has RV experience and they are a) the most "let's see what happens, i'm sure we can figure it out" people i know which is good and bad and b) they are Aussie's here on work visa's so i don't know what sort of health plan coverage or vacation schedule they are used to back in Australia  .

The trip is their idea as they are trying to do the "most American" things they can for their time here so i'm trying not to be a downer - we'll plan a mini excursion prior to the big trip.

A resourceful Australian with a can-do attitude is typically the sharpest arrow in a quiver.  The only one sharper is Stephen Hawking, but I wouldn't trust him at the wheel of an RV for different reasons.

Don't be a downer and enjoy yourself an adventure.  How many people drove RVs off cliffs last year?  You're not going to die as long as you use a little common sense; the worst thing that can happen is that you'll have an awesome story to tell forever.

[brandx]

Does your wife know that you're looking in her coworkers' medicine cabinets?  And what the hell are you doing in your wife's coworkers' bathrooms?

You ever try to buy Oxy on the street? Much cheaper getting it this way.