Re: [UC] re: Purpose of this listserve

[Wilma de Soto]

No, Georgia!  Thank YOU!


On 12/22/09 10:13 PM, georgia...@aol.com georgia...@aol.com wrote:

 Wow!  I guess, like everything else, it all depends on who is doing the
 talking.  I am touched by the friendliness and the concern many people have
 shown, and I will take their advice about learning who to listen to, and who,
 not...just as in all of life.  Silly me, not to have understood that in the
 first place.
  
 I will also check into the alternate listserve. (as some people have
 suggested)..one just can't get too much information about the world in which
 one lives. 
  
 Thank you to everyone who responded. What an amazing neighborhood this is to
 live in!
  
 Georgia
 

Re: [UC] Blue cross changes to junk insurance

[Glenn moyer]

"I can't believe BC is discontinuing the Personal Choice for you!
That's already, if not "cadillac", then pretty darn close and the
premiums on that are really high."Wendy and Al, thanks for your suggestions and good wishes. The health insurance companies are exempt from anti-trust laws. All companies will be taking these same measures. Across the board, health insurance stocks have skyrocketed after their victory over the American people was announced(To the other Blue cross letter recipients- I have no idea what I will do. Please consider sharing your concerns/ fears on this public list! And please contact all congress people and Arlen Specter and demand a vote against the corporate insurance windfall, and support Bernie Sanders single payer debate! )Wendy, you are right on all points. I think we will all see an explosion of "choices" among the many versions of junk insurance! And yes, I've paid almost $50, to Blue Cross over the past 7 years.Clearly, the letter, several of us received, shows a few of the new strategies. Plans that keep people safe from bankruptcy (100% after deductible and copays) will skyrocket! Blue Cross does not even place those plans in the letter; seeming to only offer the junk insurance. Blue Cross people are supposed to call them, beg, and then pay anything! (Millions of additional middle class citizens will be forced to skip the very important preventive screenings, etc that medical science identifies as life saving.) Secondly, they are responding to the supposed "new reforms" which are ostensibly to keep people from being individually dropped. Clearly, insurance companies will be regularly ending entire plans to drop or bankrupt all of their sick insured! People have no real options when they investigate the myriad of junk plans, and many more citizens will be quickly transferred to the responsibility of the government as they go bankrupt. I'm healthy, but think of the Blue Cross customers who are in the middle of a course of treatment! After years of paying $7000 a year, they will face bankruptcy or cancel life saving procedures when they thought those years of paying the high levels would protect them! They are totally screwed!We are supposed to be angry at the 30 million people who currently can't afford any insurance. The government will fine them and then give them subsidies for what?? Clearly, the poor will only receive junk insurance and if they ever get sick they will be quickly cast to the governments responsibility. Providing poor people junk insurance will not stop the 45,000 annual deaths among their cohort! Taxpayers will be transferring billions for corporate profit that will not help these poor people at all.Blue Cross has piloted these maneuvers for years. This so called reform is supposed to force companies to accept people with pre-existing conditions. But I bet it doesn't stop "limited first year benefits." As these companies begin and end junk insurance plans with different names, they will force all people to be "new customers" every couple years. Each time they end an entire plan, anyone who became sick in the past year will be categorized as a new customer!It was uncovered some years ago, after the California wild fires, that insurance companies colluded to use the courts to destroy any customer who didn't accept their terrible offers. As a broad deterrent or punishment, internal memos confirmed that they would spend far more money on any individual case to destroy any effort by a victim to get a fair compensation for their burned houses. This letter foreshadows collective punishment against the American people for wanting health care reform! Because we were bad, the only plans that will protect Americans against bankruptcy, if one gets a serious illness, will skyrocket. And millions and millions of people who previously sacrificed to come up with the $7000 per year will be forced inbto junk insurance that will destroy them and their families if anyone gets sick. Untold thousands will die for skipping and delaying medical advice! As they die during bankruptcy, the taxpayers will get all the final bills anyway.THIS IS WHY HEALTH INSURANCE STOCKS HAVE SKYROCKETED AS UPPER CLASS INVESTORS SMELL THE BLOOD MONEY!Thanks again and pray for all of us,Glenn  

-Original Message-
From: missthin 
Sent: Dec 22, 2009 5:25 PM
To: krf...@aol.com
Cc: UnivCity@list.purple.com
Subject: Re: [UC] Blue cross changes to junk insurance

Hi allThis insurance mess just keeps getting worse and worse. Kind of like the bill passed to "help" consumers with credit cards and limitations that could be put on interest rates, etc. Well they gave the CC companies how long before it kicks in? and in the meantime most people with CC are getting letters announcing that their interest rates are jumping anywhere from 5% to 20% above what they were.
Now the insurance companies are doing the scramble to make sure they get every penny they can squeeze out of 

[UC] Bravo health care

[Krfapt]

Someone mentioned Bravo health care to me in a private response to my  
giving my expecience changing from Keystone 65 to Aetna for Medicare  Advantage.
 
I don't know much about Bravo, but I understand they are going to put a  
walk-in clinic in for former Rite-Aid store at 43rd  Walnut. This sounds  
like something more than a primary care physician's office but less than a  
hospital -- for routine tests.
 
Considering the location (and the parking lot!), it might be worth  
checking.
 
If anybody does, please report back to the rest of us.  

Alan  Krigman
KRF Management, ICON/Information Concepts Inc
211 S 45th St,  Philadelphia PA 19104-2918
215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502
krf...@aol.com  or al.krig...@krf.icodat.com

Re: [UC] Bravo health care

[Glenn moyer]

"I don't know much about Bravo, but I understand they are going to put a 
walk-in clinic in for former Rite-Aid store at 43rd  Walnut. This sounds 
like something more than a primary care physician's office but less than a 
hospital -- for routine tests."
Al,I also know nothing about Bravo. But this model for delivery of care is something that deserves a serious look if America ever moves beyond the disaster we have now. There is a huge hole in the broken delivery system. People with expensive insurance still can't find open appointments at primary care clinics. If you have a sinus infection and call random doctors, you will be told that you have to wait at least a month before an intake physical. A vast majority of minor health needs go untreated when people need a place to walk into and get a simple, easily diagnosed, treatment. It's cost efficient, reduces unnecessary suffering, and is a benefit for a productive society.Since managed care was introduced in the 1990's, our broken health care system turned to a disaster. We have a tremendous shortage of primary care medical professionals, because specialists make more than twice the money as primary care professionals. We need stimulus spending that helps society, like scholarships for all qualified candidates to go to expanded medical schools for primary care. The great medical successes in the very poor country, Cuba, should be studied. Thanks for the tip,Glenn-Original Message-
From: krf...@aol.com
Sent: Dec 23, 2009 9:36 AM
To: UnivCity@list.purple.com
Subject: [UC] Bravo health care






Someone mentioned Bravo health care to me in a private response to my 
giving my expecience changing from Keystone 65 to Aetna for Medicare 
Advantage.

I don't know much about Bravo, but I understand they are going to put a 
walk-in clinic in for former Rite-Aid store at 43rd  Walnut. This sounds 
like something more than a primary care physician's office but less than a 
hospital -- for routine tests.

Considering the location (and the parking lot!), it might be worth 
checking.

If anybody does, please report back to the rest of us. 

Alan 
KrigmanKRF Management, ICON/Information Concepts Inc211 S 45th St, 
Philadelphia PA 19104-2918215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502krf...@aol.com 
or al.krig...@krf.icodat.com


You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the
list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see
.

Re: [UC] Bravo health care

[missthin]

Al

I saw that and was like, hmm, interesting.  Could be where I end up as I
know at some point my wonderful GP will be retiring (he's older himself)!
In theory it sounds like a good idea.  The ifs for me would be: would I have
the same doctor (GP?) all the time or would I have to see whoever was
available and hope they've read my med recs and are up to date on what my
issues are; what exactly will this Center offer as far as testing, test
results, turnaround time, etc.  All those pesky little things that when
you're sick or injured you need and have a right to know asap.

Found these links:

https://bravo.destinationrx.com/plancompare/consumer/type1/2010/home/home.aspx
http://www.mybravohealth.com/PDP/
http://www.bravohealth.com/

In the last link, there is talk of a Bravo Health Advanced Care Center:

Opening in early 2010, the Bravo Health Advanced Care Center will offer
patients enhanced health care services in one convenient and comfortable
location. Serving Bravo Health members exclusively in North Philadelphia,
the Center will be an innovative, free-standing outpatient facility equipped
to deliver extended treatment services.

Featuring in-suite radiology, laboratory, observation, and monitoring, the
Center will be staffed by physicians who are Board Certified in Internal
Medicine, with significant experience in the management of chronic
conditions in the Medicare population, as well as Board Certified physicians
skilled in tertiary care.

There's nothing about the Center that's supposed to be opening on Walnut St.
near us. so this may be something that is going to take some time to get
underway and sounds like it'll have to wait until the North Philly Center is
up and running.

Then I found this link!  http://www.mybravohealth.com/ProviderDirectory/
Cound not find my current GP which is weird because I swear the man accepts
every insurance under the sun.

This company looks to be pretty much medicare-based supplemental insurance,
prescription only and HMOs with and without prescription coverage.   The
last link, the Provider Directory search? asks for either PPO or HMO, but I
haven't found anything else Bravo with PPO info.  Would just be curious what
theirs is about, if it's medicare-based only, costs, etc.

Cost-wise, not bad at all for the HMO - it seems at least.  Now what doctors
will accept this, what all the co-pays are, if you have to use these Care
Centers I don't know.  Either I'm really brain dead today or the
information is kind of lacking.  So I read what I could with mixed feelings.

Wendy



On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 10:21 AM, Glenn moyer glen...@earthlink.net wrote:

 I don't know much about Bravo, but I understand they are going to put a
 walk-in clinic in for former Rite-Aid store at 43rd  Walnut. This sounds
 like something more than a primary care physician's office but less than a
 hospital -- for routine tests.

 Al,

 I also know nothing about Bravo.  But this model for delivery of care is
 something that deserves a serious look if America ever moves beyond the
 disaster we have now.  There is a huge hole in the broken delivery system.
 People with expensive insurance still can't find open appointments at
 primary care clinics. If you have a sinus infection and call random doctors,
 you will be told that you have to wait at least a month before an intake
 physical.  A vast majority of minor health needs go untreated when people
 need a place to walk into and get a simple, easily diagnosed, treatment.
 It's cost efficient, reduces unnecessary suffering, and is a benefit for a
 productive society.

 Since managed care was introduced in the 1990's, our broken health care
 system turned to a disaster.  We have a tremendous shortage of primary care
 medical professionals, because specialists make more than twice the money as
 primary care professionals.

 We need stimulus spending that helps society, like scholarships for all
 qualified candidates to go to expanded medical schools for primary care.
 The great medical successes in the very poor country, Cuba, should be
 studied.

 Thanks for the tip,
 Glenn



 -Original Message-
 From: krf...@aol.com
 Sent: Dec 23, 2009 9:36 AM
 To: UnivCity@list.purple.com
 Subject: [UC] Bravo health care

  Someone mentioned Bravo health care to me in a private response to my
 giving my expecience changing from Keystone 65 to Aetna for Medicare
 Advantage.

 I don't know much about Bravo, but I understand they are going to put a
 walk-in clinic in for former Rite-Aid store at 43rd  Walnut. This sounds
 like something more than a primary care physician's office but less than a
 hospital -- for routine tests.

 Considering the location (and the parking lot!), it might be worth
 checking.

 If anybody does, please report back to the rest of us.

 Alan Krigman
 KRF Management, ICON/Information Concepts Inc
 211 S 45th St, Philadelphia PA 19104-2918
 215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502
 krf...@aol.com or al.krig...@krf.icodat.com

  You are 

Re: [UC] Bravo health care

[Gerardo Razumney]

I've had Bravo Premier, a Medicare Advantage plan, for the last year and I
have been satisfied, until I got the brochure with information about the
changes for 2010: They almost double the rate, increased many co-pays by 25%
(and some by 100%) and most significantly, they 'forgot' to include in the
brochure the minor fact that they have eliminated the $4,000 limit on
out-of-pocket expenses, which functioned as catastrophic insurance.  I have
been shopping for alternatives for a while but I don't seem to find anything
better at an affordable price.  And I am not allowed to sign up for two
plans, one that covers regular medical expenses and a second one with a very
large deductible and low premium that would cover all expenses after I reach
a predetermined out-of-pocket expense level.  Not surprising, considering
that the insurance companies wrote the Medicare bill and Congress just
rubber stamped it.

Gerardo Razumney

On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 4:13 PM, missthin misst...@gmail.com wrote:

 Al

 I saw that and was like, hmm, interesting.  Could be where I end up as I
 know at some point my wonderful GP will be retiring (he's older himself)!
 In theory it sounds like a good idea.  The ifs for me would be: would I have
 the same doctor (GP?) all the time or would I have to see whoever was
 available and hope they've read my med recs and are up to date on what my
 issues are; what exactly will this Center offer as far as testing, test
 results, turnaround time, etc.  All those pesky little things that when
 you're sick or injured you need and have a right to know asap.

 Found these links:


 https://bravo.destinationrx.com/plancompare/consumer/type1/2010/home/home.aspx
 http://www.mybravohealth.com/PDP/
 http://www.bravohealth.com/

 In the last link, there is talk of a Bravo Health Advanced Care Center:

 Opening in early 2010, the Bravo Health Advanced Care Center will offer
 patients enhanced health care services in one convenient and comfortable
 location. Serving Bravo Health members exclusively in North Philadelphia,
 the Center will be an innovative, free-standing outpatient facility equipped
 to deliver extended treatment services.

 Featuring in-suite radiology, laboratory, observation, and monitoring, the
 Center will be staffed by physicians who are Board Certified in Internal
 Medicine, with significant experience in the management of chronic
 conditions in the Medicare population, as well as Board Certified physicians
 skilled in tertiary care.

 There's nothing about the Center that's supposed to be opening on Walnut
 St. near us. so this may be something that is going to take some time to get
 underway and sounds like it'll have to wait until the North Philly Center is
 up and running.

 Then I found this link!  http://www.mybravohealth.com/ProviderDirectory/
 Cound not find my current GP which is weird because I swear the man accepts
 every insurance under the sun.

 This company looks to be pretty much medicare-based supplemental insurance,
 prescription only and HMOs with and without prescription coverage.   The
 last link, the Provider Directory search? asks for either PPO or HMO, but I
 haven't found anything else Bravo with PPO info.  Would just be curious what
 theirs is about, if it's medicare-based only, costs, etc.

 Cost-wise, not bad at all for the HMO - it seems at least.  Now what
 doctors will accept this, what all the co-pays are, if you have to use these
 Care Centers I don't know.  Either I'm really brain dead today or the
 information is kind of lacking.  So I read what I could with mixed feelings.

 Wendy




 On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 10:21 AM, Glenn moyer glen...@earthlink.netwrote:

 I don't know much about Bravo, but I understand they are going to put a
 walk-in clinic in for former Rite-Aid store at 43rd  Walnut. This sounds
 like something more than a primary care physician's office but less than a
 hospital -- for routine tests.

 Al,

 I also know nothing about Bravo.  But this model for delivery of care is
 something that deserves a serious look if America ever moves beyond the
 disaster we have now.  There is a huge hole in the broken delivery system.
 People with expensive insurance still can't find open appointments at
 primary care clinics. If you have a sinus infection and call random doctors,
 you will be told that you have to wait at least a month before an intake
 physical.  A vast majority of minor health needs go untreated when people
 need a place to walk into and get a simple, easily diagnosed, treatment.
 It's cost efficient, reduces unnecessary suffering, and is a benefit for a
 productive society.

 Since managed care was introduced in the 1990's, our broken health care
 system turned to a disaster.  We have a tremendous shortage of primary care
 medical professionals, because specialists make more than twice the money as
 primary care professionals.

 We need stimulus spending that helps society, like scholarships for all
 qualified candidates to go to 

Re: [UC] Bravo health care

[Wilma de Soto]

As far as I¹m concerned I will not be around in 2014 unless through sheer
defiance!


On 12/23/09 4:13 PM, missthin misst...@gmail.com wrote:

 Al
 
 I saw that and was like, hmm, interesting.  Could be where I end up as I know
 at some point my wonderful GP will be retiring (he's older himself)!  In
 theory it sounds like a good idea.  The ifs for me would be: would I have the
 same doctor (GP?) all the time or would I have to see whoever was available
 and hope they've read my med recs and are up to date on what my issues are;
 what exactly will this Center offer as far as testing, test results,
 turnaround time, etc.  All those pesky little things that when you're sick or
 injured you need and have a right to know asap.
 
 Found these links:
 
 https://bravo.destinationrx.com/plancompare/consumer/type1/2010/home/home.aspx
 http://www.mybravohealth.com/PDP/
 http://www.bravohealth.com/
 
 In the last link, there is talk of a Bravo Health Advanced Care Center:
 
 Opening in early 2010, the Bravo Health Advanced Care Center will offer
 patients enhanced health care services in one convenient and comfortable
 location. Serving Bravo Health members exclusively in North Philadelphia, the
 Center will be an innovative, free-standing outpatient facility equipped to
 deliver extended treatment services.
 
 Featuring in-suite radiology, laboratory, observation, and monitoring, the
 Center will be staffed by physicians who are Board Certified in Internal
 Medicine, with significant experience in the management of chronic conditions
 in the Medicare population, as well as Board Certified physicians skilled in
 tertiary care.
 
 There's nothing about the Center that's supposed to be opening on Walnut St.
 near us. so this may be something that is going to take some time to get
 underway and sounds like it'll have to wait until the North Philly Center is
 up and running.
 
 Then I found this link!  http://www.mybravohealth.com/ProviderDirectory/ 
 Cound not find my current GP which is weird because I swear the man accepts
 every insurance under the sun.
 
 This company looks to be pretty much medicare-based supplemental insurance,
 prescription only and HMOs with and without prescription coverage.   The last
 link, the Provider Directory search? asks for either PPO or HMO, but I haven't
 found anything else Bravo with PPO info.  Would just be curious what theirs is
 about, if it's medicare-based only, costs, etc.
 
 Cost-wise, not bad at all for the HMO - it seems at least.  Now what doctors
 will accept this, what all the co-pays are, if you have to use these Care
 Centers I don't know.  Either I'm really brain dead today or the information
 is kind of lacking.  So I read what I could with mixed feelings.
 
 Wendy
 
 
 
 On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 10:21 AM, Glenn moyer glen...@earthlink.net wrote:
 I don't know much about Bravo, but I understand they are going to put a
 walk-in clinic in for former Rite-Aid store at 43rd  Walnut. This sounds
 like something more than a primary care physician's office but less than a
 hospital -- for routine tests.
   
 Al,
 
 I also know nothing about Bravo.  But this model for delivery of care is
 something that deserves a serious look if America ever moves beyond the
 disaster we have now.  There is a huge hole in the broken delivery system. 
 People with expensive insurance still can't find open appointments at primary
 care clinics. If you have a sinus infection and call random doctors, you will
 be told that you have to wait at least a month before an intake physical.  A
 vast majority of minor health needs go untreated when people need a place to
 walk into and get a simple, easily diagnosed, treatment.  It's cost
 efficient, reduces unnecessary suffering, and is a benefit for a productive
 society.
 
 Since managed care was introduced in the 1990's, our broken health care
 system turned to a disaster.  We have a tremendous shortage of primary care
 medical professionals, because specialists make more than twice the money as
 primary care professionals. 
 
 We need stimulus spending that helps society, like scholarships for all
 qualified candidates to go to expanded medical schools for primary care.  The
 great medical successes in the very poor country, Cuba, should be studied.
 
 Thanks for the tip,
 Glenn
 
 
 
 -Original Message-
 From: krf...@aol.com
 Sent: Dec 23, 2009 9:36 AM
 To: UnivCity@list.purple.com
 Subject: [UC] Bravo health care
 
 Someone mentioned Bravo health care to me in a private response to my giving
 my expecience changing from Keystone 65 to Aetna for Medicare Advantage.
  
 I don't know much about Bravo, but I understand they are going to put a
 walk-in clinic in for former Rite-Aid store at 43rd  Walnut. This sounds
 like something more than a primary care physician's office but less than a
 hospital -- for routine tests.
  
 Considering the location (and the parking lot!), it might be worth checking.
  
 If anybody does, please report back to 

Re: [UC] Bravo health care

[craigsolve]

-Original Message-
From: Glenn moyer glen...@earthlink.net
To: krf...@aol.com; UnivCity@list.purple.com
Sent: Wed, Dec 23, 2009 10:21 am
Subject: Re: [UC] Bravo health care

The great medical successes in the very poor country, Cuba, should be studied. 



_
 
What city in Cuba has five world class medical schools, like Philly?
 
Doesn't Michael Moore need a new Best Boy for pissing on America?
 
During this Christmas, may something wonderful about this nation and our 
Judeo-Christian values touch your life.
 

 
Merry Christmas, Glenn
 
Ciao,
 
Craig
 

[UC] Two FREE wonderful holiday events - a reminder!

[mlamond]

Tomorrow, on Christmas eve, the St. Francis deSales choir will sing from 11 
p.m. to midnight in their lovely (despite the scaffolding!) Victorian 
Romanesque Revival building at the corner of 47th St.  Springfield Ave.  Choir 
director Isabel Boston asked me to remind you that all are welcome.  (And also, 
if you'd like,you're welcome to stay for the service which follows; the choir 
continues to sing - but that's not required...at the stroke of midnight, it's 
okay to get up and leave when the choir's special hour ends.)  Anyone who's 
been reading this list for a while will know that I send a reminder about this 
event every year.  Sparkling, but dimly lit, and decorated for the holidays, 
the church fills up with neighbors old  new, many of whom, like me, 
aren't affiliated with this church, or any church - but the choir's Christmas 
eve concert is a community-wide holiday tradition!  The choir is excellent, the 
organ is amazing, and the selections combine familiar tunes and surprises.  
11 p.m. Thursday, 12/24; enter from Springfield Ave. at 47th St., walking up 
the steps and through the doors under the scaffolding.

Curio Theater is currently presenting a few more days of A Christmas Carol, 
adapted  performed by Jared Reed, directed by Gay Carducci.  My husband  I 
saw it on Monday night.  Mr. Reed tells the tale as a one-person show, with 
almost no props, and it's incredible!  There's no charge for the tickets, but 
also, there are no reserved seats.  Arrive early, because it's done in the same 
intimate setting as the last play, where the audience is sitting on the stage.  
There aren't a lot of seats.
You can still try for a seat tomorrow, December 24th or Saturday, December 26th 
- either day at 2 p.m.  4740 Baltimore Ave.

Happy holidays!  

Melani Lamond
--
Melani Lamond, Associate Broker
Urban  Bye, Realtor
PA License Number AB048377L
3529 Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104
cell phone 215-356-7266 - office phone 215-222-4800 #113

Re: [UC] Bravo health care

[Gerardo Razumney]

Let's be clear about this: A superb medical technology which is available
only to those who can afford while it condemns most of the population to
inferior alternatives and limits the availability is NOT a real Health Care
System, it is a sham.  I couldn't care less about the number of world class
medical schools if their wonderful discoveries only lead to mediocre
alternatives and poor health for the majority of the population.

Gerardo Razumney


On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 7:20 PM, craigso...@aol.com wrote:

 -Original Message-
 From: Glenn moyer glen...@earthlink.net
 To: krf...@aol.com; UnivCity@list.purple.com
 Sent: Wed, Dec 23, 2009 10:21 am
 Subject: Re: [UC] Bravo health care

 The great medical successes in the very poor country, Cuba, should be
 studied.


 _

 What city in Cuba has five world class medical schools, like Philly?

 Doesn't Michael Moore need a new Best Boy for pissing on America?

 During this Christmas, may something wonderful about this nation and our
 Judeo-Christian values touch your life.

 [image: 
 christmas-tree]http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/should-a-christian-put-up-a-christmas-tree/christmas-tree/

 Merry Christmas, Glenn

 Ciao,

 Craig