Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

ChicagoTeamster

(1,030 posts)
21. Nice Try? What was I Trying? Insurance Companies and Hospital Groups are fighting a race to the bottom
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 05:26 PM
Thursday

To control who gets to profit from Medical care, and other than direct surgical procedures, they are restructuring positions within hospitals such that patients are cared for by the lowest paid employee and the qualified professionals are supervising. If this Dental (Medical) student was covered by University Insurance, His school should have been advocating for him but they probably assumed he was getting quality care. Same with his family if he was under their insurance. I don't recall whether or not the article mentioned ER but the maltreatment occurred in the ICU. And, this facility was either affiliated with a University or in a town with a University that had medical programs so it should have had an adequately staffed ER and functioning ICU. It wasn't some underfunded rural hospital that had it's medicare and medicaid funding cut by DOGE although those cuts affected all hospitals.

Not that his death is anyone's fault but the hospital and insurance company but the only recourse the surviving family are left with now is to sue the medical institution for institutional malpractice. Nobody should die because possibly the plan they had didn't cover having a personal care team of qualified professionals because the policy wasn't high enough quality or the hospital cut corners because the insurance carriers were cutting back on re-imbursement rates. That's what the insurance companies and hospital groups are fighting over. If they didn't have the ICU they should have stabilized him and flown him air ambulance to a hospital that could have treated him.

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I'd pay money to the family of the deceased, no_hypocrisy Thursday #1
That is hideous. efhmc Thursday #2
"Best health care in the world!" City Lights Thursday #3
Wow 😳 our health care is deteriorating. How awful for the family. So unnecessary TommieMommy Thursday #4
WTaF UpInArms Thursday #5
This is where AI is taking us Blue Owl Thursday #6
Darned right! We need to get rid of the billionaires, change the rules of corporate governance PatrickforB Thursday #13
Best healthcare in the world! leftstreet Thursday #7
This doesn't sound like the best health care in the world MustLoveBeagles Thursday #8
That's a terrifying story. Tele-health in the ICU???? I imagine the financial penalties will bring that to a halt. Vinca Thursday #9
Are these the "death panels" all the right wingers were screeching about? Bettie Thursday #10
Only in a third world country Grim Chieftain Thursday #11
What did his University Insurance cover? He was a medical student. That's all he gets? ChicagoTeamster Thursday #12
Nice try - TBF Thursday #19
Nice Try? What was I Trying? Insurance Companies and Hospital Groups are fighting a race to the bottom ChicagoTeamster Thursday #21
Again, you're glossing over the point by refusing to see the bigger picture. nt TBF Thursday #25
Glossing over what point? I've offered some of the many points you've detailed none. ChicagoTeamster Thursday #28
My point is that the current "system" is unsustainable if the people TBF Thursday #29
I agree with you on this but the initial post didn't cover all of this. It was about a specific problem in healthcare. ChicagoTeamster Thursday #30
Yes I can see we're at apples and oranges here - TBF Friday #32
We are crumbling Evolve Dammit Thursday #14
I was reading this was also happening in ERs. OhioBack2Blue Thursday #15
Uggh, thanks for the share. Understaffing and its consequences have been going on for many years sadly blue_jay Thursday #16
Horrifying. I had no idea this was even possible--no real doctor in an ER?! SunSeeker Thursday #17
Welcome to the future of American healthcare. WestMichRad Thursday #18
Straight out of one of Kafka's nightmares ck4829 Thursday #20
One of the reasons I retired was telehealth. I don't think it is safe. 3catwoman3 Thursday #22
And he was a dental student... PCIntern Thursday #23
And you probably get shit from some of those patients Wednesdays Thursday #24
At one time yes. PCIntern Thursday #26
WTF - Connecticut in 2024? Not Texas? Not Florida? Not Arkansas, etc.? But in effing Connecticut! n/t 24601 Thursday #27
Outrageous. area51 Friday #31
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Student Dies When Hospita...»Reply #21