Limbaugh: How it felt to have a heart-attack scare
posted at 7:17 pm on January 6, 2010 by Allahpundit
Via Breitbart, a long narrative of how everything went down in Hawaii, from the moments before the pain hit to the excruciating agony of the worst of it to the aftermath in the hospital. If you can’t spare 16+ minutes and only want the political part, skip ahead to 12:40 or so to hear him describe how he paid in cash — without saying how much it was. He says he’s prepared for opponents to fault him for making enough that he can cut a check for even the most elaborate health-care procedures, but no one’s “faulting” him for that, I don’t think. Rather, they’re noting that most people without insurance don’t have the luxury of shrugging off costs when stricken with heart-attack symptoms, and may have to choose between toughing it out and bankruptcy. In the aggregate it’s a relatively minor problem since something like 85 percent of Americans have insurance, but it’s not so minor to the individual who’s in the other 15 percent. That’s the fault line of the debate. And needless to say, it’s a very separate question from whether whatever crap is in the final ObamaCare bill will be worth passing.
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There is a bit that wasn’t known that may explain his pain…
He had an epidural, and then went golfing immediately afterwards the day before.
Not a good combination.
Enoxo on January 6, 2010 at 7:20 PM
Eventually he gave a ball park figure, someone on the phone who was a cardiologist played guess the prices, and he came out to be roughly around $10,000-$15,000 for the overall experience (tests, meds, and hospital stay.)
Enoxo on January 6, 2010 at 7:21 PM
Welcome back Rush. We need you in the gap.
ted c on January 6, 2010 at 7:22 PM
This past year has been filled with Disappointment for libtards. Since most are atheist anyway, they won’t see that the Lord watches over us all. It is NOT Rush’s time yet. He still has many liberal heads to explode with the mere sound of his voice (The “Slim Whitman” effect as displayed in “Mars Attacks”)
Roy Rogers on January 6, 2010 at 7:23 PM
How many people WITHOUT insurance get the medical help they need because the local hospital (funded by taxpayer dollars) turns NO ONE away?
How many families, now faced with HUGH medical bills they can’t pay, just tell the hospital “I’ll pay a dollar a month”. The hospital then writes off the debt (and charges more to those who do have insurance)?
I seriously doubt the story PEOPLE ARE DYING IN THE STREET.
Illegals sure as hell aren’t……..and they don’t even speak English.
GarandFan on January 6, 2010 at 7:23 PM
About the other 15%..even Rush has said ,just pay the roughly 16 billion a year to cover those who cant afford it.He didnt really elaborate,but its alot cheaper than what the Dem’s are considering.
theTarCzar on January 6, 2010 at 7:25 PM
Heard him this afternoon talking about the ordeal. Just glad everything ended up okay. Good for him to pay out of pocket, he is one of the most generous people I know of.
fourdeucer on January 6, 2010 at 7:25 PM
No insurance, looks like jail time Rush.
rjoco1 on January 6, 2010 at 7:26 PM
Emergency Room…
Seven Percent Solution on January 6, 2010 at 7:28 PM
That’s because it’s common sense. It would cost a lot less, create less of a boondoggle, if we just paid for coverage of those (non-illegals) who are without insurance.
But that’s not the goal of this bill… it’s control.
Enoxo on January 6, 2010 at 7:29 PM
He said he would go to jail before he would buy insurance.
fourdeucer on January 6, 2010 at 7:31 PM
Of course we all know that the lefties, (Olberdouche, Pissy, Madcow et all) are going to exploit the fact that he makes a lot of money and can afford to pay out of pocket for tests and a hospital stay. Then again so can Soros, Warren Buffett, Hollyweirdos, and all of congress. They will totally miss the point that he received the Best medical care in the world. But, then again, we already know this.
milwife88 on January 6, 2010 at 7:32 PM
AP,
In Hawaii, no matter who you are, you are taken to the hospital if you have chest pains. Whether you are in the 85% or the 15% is irrelevant, and there are payment plans that the hospitals will work with you to set up. You may not be able to buy that 60″ flat screen t.v. this year like you planned, but well, priorities.
alohapundit on January 6, 2010 at 7:33 PM
Everything costs more out in the Islands.
Del Dolemonte on January 6, 2010 at 7:33 PM
Minor to them or not – no matter how much it tugs on all of our heartstrings when someone has to sell their house to afford their medical bills – paying for people’s health care related bills it still not (nor should it ever be) the responsibility of the federal government.
If I make a bad investment and I go bankrupt, is it more or less of a tragedy than bankruptcy due to health issues? What if I was uninsured or underinsured and my house burns down? Where does that fall on the scale of ‘no one should have to go bankrupt due to X’?
There are very few people that cannot cut back on something in order to be able to afford insurance. In fact, all of those people that are at risk of losing their homes because they weren’t insured (or were underinsured) could have had smaller/cheaper homes or rented. They chose home ownership over insurance (which, for most people, is probably a very smart and safe bet when they are young). I fail to see why this is an issue for any government agencies – this seems more like something private charities and/or family members should be helping out with.
JadeNYU on January 6, 2010 at 7:34 PM
Most hospitals do this. Actually, lots of hospitals suck up the costs of individuals who have no insurance (like the homeless) and write it off.
deidre on January 6, 2010 at 7:35 PM
I think that goes for every state.
upinak on January 6, 2010 at 7:35 PM
Like Col. Jessep in A Few Good Men, we want you on that wall. We need you on that wall.
Welcome back, and God bless and keep you.
TXUS on January 6, 2010 at 7:36 PM
yeah, how is California and Arizona doing? :P
True but Chrissy Matthews and Overbite are saying that Rush loves the ‘Progressive’ nature of the Hawaiian system, but we are just like every other state when it comes to paying the piper, er, hospital :)
alohapundit on January 6, 2010 at 7:39 PM
I don’t think there could be a better example for all the world to see as to how low and how vile the liberal base has degenerated itself to than to see the almost insane glee from these people when the word first went out that Rush was in the hospital with chest pains.
I can only find one word to define such a reaction from supposed civilized people and that word is EVIL.
pilamaye on January 6, 2010 at 7:40 PM
Are you freekin’ kidding?
I don’t know Limbaugh personally at all, so don’t know how “generous” he is or isn’t, but he ran up a medical bill which he could afford to pay. Paying it isn’t “generosity.”
Don’t get carried away….
MrScribbler on January 6, 2010 at 7:40 PM
Google Death of Jerry Falwell to find more evil.
alohapundit on January 6, 2010 at 7:41 PM
A friend of mine had the same thing happen to him as rush did.After weeks of test the Dr. told him that his flying every few weeks and the change of pressure could be the reason.He was a few years older than rush and was a retired air force pilot but the Dr. told him as you grow older the frequent change in pressure can cause these attacks that feel like a heart attack.PS welcome back El Rushbo
thmcbb on January 6, 2010 at 7:41 PM
I’ve told this story here before, but it bares repeating. When my wife had our second child (in Texas) she went in for a procedure that we paid cash for (we had no maternity rider). The health provider said it would cost a cash-patient $138. After the procedure, they mistakenly charged our ins. provider for…$740! Our ins. provider naturally sent us the itemization, stating we owed the full $740. We cleared everything up with the company who provided the procedure, and everything was fine, but it showed us how great of an increase is needed to cover the hidden costs of our health system, which is avoided when you pay cash. It was quite an eye opener for us. Also, since we paid cash, both the hospital and OBGYN discounted our price by 50% ($6,000 total-included pre and post, delivery, and one night stay). Considering my van cost $21,000, six grand aint bad for bringing a new person into this world, yeah?
Weight of Glory on January 6, 2010 at 7:43 PM
Is the value of Obamacare bill even an issue? Is there any defense for a bill that was only passed this far by bribes and thuggery and appears to be bypassing the legislative process to shut the minority party out from having any role in the process? Really? I’d like to have somebody defend Obamacare (or what we think will still be around when the Democrats stop skulking in the shadows and push this thing for a midnight vote hours after they finish the last bribe).
highhopes on January 6, 2010 at 7:44 PM
He also said it would have cost 30% more if he had insurance.
Enoxo on January 6, 2010 at 7:45 PM
O.K., I’m going to have to get a little testy with A.P.; It’s obvious you’re not a fan of Rush’s, and I think your analysis is somewhat snarky- (really? A.P.? No!) I don’t think his experience has anything to do with Rush’s overwhelming ability to pay outright for his treatment, I think it had much more to do with the fact that he was immediately given this treatment, and the competancy with which it was administered.
He had several callers- both physicians and former patients were testified to “the system”, and that “Hey, we live in America, and some people have the ability or the insurance to get any treatment they need, and some people have little or nothing, yet they both GET THE ATTENTION THEY NEED.” From really qualified physicians, and the medical facilities are willing to work out any alternative form of payment to avoid having to accept Medicare!
No, it’s not perfect, but if you’re going to nitpick, nitpick the lib fools who are going to destroy the “good” we have, for the “power” they want.
anniekc on January 6, 2010 at 7:50 PM
No I am not kidding, he earned his money, no where did I say paying his medical bill was a generous thing but come to think of it paying out of pocket is more generous than having someone else paying it. I can’t think of anyone more generous than he has been.
fourdeucer on January 6, 2010 at 7:50 PM
Unlike Obama, Rush did not fail. :-)
Narutoboy on January 6, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Schadenfreude!
technopeasant on January 6, 2010 at 7:57 PM
Same thing happened to me about. Where as I had to pay roughly $900 and the insurance company would have had to pay nearly $5,000.
MadDogF on January 6, 2010 at 8:01 PM
So Rush doesn’t have health insurance?
SoulGlo on January 6, 2010 at 8:01 PM
And if mandates in insurance plans, whether state or federal Obamacare, were stripped to the essentials, or if catastrophic only insurance were available, and if insurance were portable and allowed to be bought across state lines, THEN those who cry about the unafordability of our health insurance would have no room to bellyache.
Taxpayers should rise up in fury against the abomination being finessed in Congress.
onlineanalyst on January 6, 2010 at 8:03 PM
It was such a treat to hear Rush today. He is truly a national treasure.
Mojave Mark on January 6, 2010 at 8:04 PM
He gives mega dough to charities, Scribbler.
My hubby had this exact same problem about 3 yrs ago, same tests, 2 day hospital stay, etc. We paid cash. For some of us, it is cheaper to pay for emergencies OOP, than pay for Ins. Our insurance was $32,000 a yr. Before deductibles($3,000 each) and prescription costs. So, $12,000 was a lot less to eat.
di butler on January 6, 2010 at 8:07 PM
Who cares if Rush had the money to pay for it out of pocket, AP?
I had a bilateral inner ear infection a few months ago, and went to the local urgent care clinic (not the local ER), and within 1/2 hour was seen by a physician, who faxed over to the local pharmacy a prescription for antibiotics. I paid cash for all of it, and I do not make even a pittance of what Rush makes.
My point is, many people use the ER as a urgent care/primary clinic, which an ER is not designed to be, but they use the ER because they know they will get seen, and they know they can walk away without paying, and ignore the bill later on, which drives up the cost for care for those of us that actually pay for medical care.
Gothguy on January 6, 2010 at 8:13 PM
No. I don’t know if that is a benefit to his employees. Anyone know that? Coco, Snerdley and the rest get HI from El Rushbo?
daesleeper on January 6, 2010 at 8:16 PM
Good point!!!
If my small business goes under and forces me into bankruptcy and I’m about to lose my home, will the government force my neighbors to pony up an annual fee (under threat of prison time) to subsidize me?
(Liberal heads explode in 5…4…3…2… )
landlines on January 6, 2010 at 8:17 PM
Allah-You missed the most important part of the show. Rush said:
Am I the only one that heard that today? Rush calling for the firing of Michael Steele?
AnthonyK on January 6, 2010 at 8:24 PM
Before I was forced into Medicare (insurance companies quit selling you insurance when you’re 65), I paid for my own health insurance: a catastrophic policy (i.e., don’t call us unless you’ve already paid $5000-$15000 out of pocket).
Nearly all of my medical providers VOLUNTEERED discounts when they found I would be paying in full in cash before I left the office.
This experience left me fully convinced that the best way to lower costs is to outlaw direct payment by third parties, and make providers publish prices (which they should also be permitted to negotiate). This way, you’ll immediately have 300 million auditors (aka patients) looking for ways to manage and/or cut costs, physicians will get paid on time, and armies of people whose job it is to sit behind a CRT and try to prevent health care will be forced to find other jobs. Result: health care costs should go down by 30% overnight…with no loss of choice or freedom!!!
landlines on January 6, 2010 at 8:32 PM
“Those people that were delighting in my potential death and distress, even hoping that I would die? They’re the same people who are asking to control the health care system.” -Rush
Your wasting your breath. He obviously never read the signs in every hospital emergency room I’ve ever been in (which is lots). The sign state, in general, “Nobody will be turned away due to inability to pay.” It friggin federal law.
TheBigOldDog on January 6, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Yep, here in my neck of the woods in PA too. PPF’s husband works in a hospital; he just said (watched/listened some of the video since he works ORin the OR) “Of course if someone is right outside with chest pains we’re gonna bring him in and treat him!” I told him, “well that’s what us conservatives are sayin’!”
ProudPalinFan on January 6, 2010 at 8:37 PM
Meant to say heart center OR…sorry!
ProudPalinFan on January 6, 2010 at 8:37 PM
I posted this in headlines, but it’s the same here:
If you cannot afford health care, and your family cannot afford it, and no one you know can afford to pay for it:
Why do you believe Government in the aggregate can pay for the care that each of you could not pay for individually?
BKennedy on January 6, 2010 at 8:56 PM
No Rushmas.
The liberals get coal in their stockings once again.
Greg Toombs on January 6, 2010 at 9:44 PM
He got a 30% discount for not having insurance, is that right?
What does that tell you about the cost of insurance?
right2bright on January 6, 2010 at 10:13 PM
OK, we need a HA MD to get on this
Del Dolemonte on January 6, 2010 at 10:35 PM
Or they just pass it along to the patients with insurance. Ever wonder why a hospital charges $30 for an aspirin? That’s why.
This is also why Medicare increases costs for those not on the program. It vastly underpays for services, so if you’re not on the dole you get it in both ends, through taxation and through pass-along costs from the hospital. The insurance companies are billed for more so naturally they have to raise rates to compensate.
Of course, you could solve this problem by forcing hospitals to charge the same price for service regardless of method of payment (or ability to pay at all), but all that would result in is making health care even more unaffordable.
Better idea would be to deregulate the insurance industries and phase out Medicare, but that would be too simple, and too effective. It might even render Washington obsolete (oh the horror)!
TheMightyMonarch on January 6, 2010 at 11:22 PM
Here in Dallas my Dr. uses LabCorp for all their labwork. I get a yearly OB/GYN exam and I usually refuse the blood labwork because it costs $350. Also, for some reason, LabCorp will not give a cash discount. My doctor gives a 20% cash discount on her fee. Anyway, I recently got a $10K deductible Blue Cross policy, so essentially, everything I pay is out of pocket. This year, I said, what the heck, run the labwork. They billed Blue Cross about $350. However, the CONTRACTED rate that Blue Cross would pay if I had met my deductible was $68. Therefore I only had to pay $68. Also, the contracted rate for the doctor’s fee was less than half of what I normally pay even with my cash discount. I’m very thankful about getting these low contracted rates but it royally pisses me off that I and others without insurance have been getting completely porked for years!
mrsmwp on January 6, 2010 at 11:33 PM
It tells me that insurance is mostly unnecessary, except in extreme cases (cancer, emergencies, etc).
This is also a perception issue. When you insure you car, no one insures it against regular maintenance (oil changes, tire rotations, etc). You insure it against disaster like a catastrophic engine failure or accident. Jiffy Lube never bills Allstate.
Comprehensive health insurance should be viewed the same way, mostly unnecessary. Regular checkups, most medications, and minor issues should preferably be paid out of pocket (and in an unencumbered free market where cost-shifting does not happen, this would prove quite affordable), while catastrophic, unforeseen, and life-changing events would be paid out of insurance (also affordable given the same free market, which we don’t have).
TheMightyMonarch on January 6, 2010 at 11:34 PM
Those who want the government to control the public’s access to healthcare are the same people who wanted Rush to die. It makes you wonder about their true motivations.
AaronGuzman on January 6, 2010 at 11:45 PM
Totally 100% agree with everything you said!
mrsmwp on January 6, 2010 at 11:51 PM
Actually, that seems cheap. My uncle was visiting from Spain recently and had a heart scare — resulting in an ambulance ride and a 1-day hospital stay. Bill came out to $30,000 ultimately, and they tried to stick my parents with it because that’s who he was staying with in the U.S. and there was a problem with billing his Spanish national health care service for the treatment. I think the hospital & ambulance service may still be trying to get their money from the Spanish system, and that was over a year ago.
Alex_SF on January 7, 2010 at 12:20 AM
At least somebody’s doing it.
I didn’t hear Rush today, but I did get a solicitation in the mail yesterday from the RNC, with a note from Mr. Steele and the return envelope addressed “Attention: Michael Steele.”
I usually toss those things, but I’ve been cranky lately, so I opened it, went to the “amount of donation” box, checked “other” and wrote in $0. Then, I scrawled on the slip: “FIRE STEELE. HIRE CHENEY (Dick or Liz). THEN GET BACK TO ME.”
Alex_SF on January 7, 2010 at 12:23 AM
God must have bigger plans for RUSH!….Take the warning Rush-Stay fit,…We have a good fight ahead of us!..: o )
christene on January 7, 2010 at 12:51 AM
He’s a very smart man. His understanding his medical conditions and the testing done, etc., is well above what I’d expect from most who aren’t medically trained.
mikeyboss on January 7, 2010 at 1:31 AM
The symptoms Rush reported are the clasic Panic Attack symptoms. That is always reported as a heart attack, while an actual heart attack victim usually argues with the EMT that he is fine. A panic attack is a serious situation that is psychological in origin and may repeat itself. The key for Rush is to learn what triggers it and avoid that.He is going up against major forces of evil in the world today.
jimw on January 7, 2010 at 2:02 AM
Rush said something recently about having to pay for health insurance. Something to do with his radio contracts. He said he’s never used it.
txhsmom on January 7, 2010 at 2:09 AM
It’s a relief and a blessing that Rush is OK. It may be hard for a man of his accomplishments, but I hope he makes some time concessions to health and stress issues. The body has ways of demanding it. Hope he never has to deal with that kind of pain again.
Thank you and good health, Rush!
Feedie on January 7, 2010 at 3:02 AM
That’s ridiculous. I had a hospital stay for a partially collapsed lung in an auto accident in ’04. No surgery, they wanted me to heal on my own, which I did, 3 MRI’s, a private room (not asked for) 4 days and 4 nights with the meds, morphine (didn’t need it but, I hit the button anyway), et al. Total was $12,400,xx. TriCare picked up all but $2,000.00 and I negotiated that down to $1,200.00.
98ZJUSMC on January 7, 2010 at 4:00 AM
And his experience is not unique. I was listening to him on the way home from the dentist today. I do not have dental insurance and probably never will again now that I see what a waste of money it is. I have good teeth so aside from my twice yearly cleanings, I have racked up virtually no dental bills over the years (outside of a couple of cavities). When I was covered by my employer, the bill for a cleaning was $98. Today I paid $88 with my cash discount. Yeah, it’s only 10% but that same 10% savings on a root canal or some other procedure I might need someday will be pretty substantial. Fortunately I have an HSA to cover those costs. I get the same deal when I go to the doctor, which is not often, except they discount 20% for paying cash.
Rush is right (as usual). The solution to this problem is to address the immediate needs of people who cannot afford insurance, including high deductible policies like the one I have. People with chronic illnesses, who are unable to work, people with catastrophic diseases like cancer — these are the people who need help. The rest of us can and should pay our own way.
NoLeftTurn on January 7, 2010 at 4:07 AM
But he(they) chose to stay overnight, he had the option of being released. It would have been significantly less if he had not.
Also, if you listened to the narrative, he had recovered by the time he hit the ER. The combination of the asprin security guy gave him and the Nitro spray from the Parametics had stopped the event from escalating. (Good job guys/gals!!!) So the 15% without insurance in the same condition/position.
You can make up dozens of what ifs, but in this instance, some well trained folks saved the day.
barnone on January 7, 2010 at 8:23 AM
It tells me nothing about the cost of insurance. However, it tells me a hell of a lot about how hospitals charge. I hope I am not reading your comment the wrong way, that you are using the facts to criticize the insurance industry. The problem is how hospitals must recover the costs of all the uninsured that they are mandated to cover. Why don’t you Google the number of hospitals in California which have gone out of business because the uninsured bankrupted the operation.
There is a lot of blame to go around for the huge cost of health care, and Obamacare ain’t gonna fix it.
BigAlSouth on January 7, 2010 at 10:13 AM
While I’m at it. All you ObamaCare fanatics please tell me where all the Doctors, nurses and health care providers are coming from to serve the 47 million uninsured tsunami?
Oh, and Yemeni “diversity visas” are not the answer.
BigAlSouth on January 7, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Another possibility for chest pain with clean coronaries is vasospasm, where the coronary arteries tighten up in response to some stimulus. It can cause real cardiac pain, which Rush may well have had. Esophageal spasm also can cause angina-like pain. I’m sure the docs considered all of this.
mikeyboss on January 7, 2010 at 10:37 AM