Anonymous

Did Natasha Richardson Get Killed By Government-run Health Care?

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12 Answers

Andrew Lewis Profile
Andrew Lewis answered
Yes she did. I am firmly of the opinion that Government Run/subsidized (blank) is a supremely bad idea. The only exception would be the Fire Department.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
NO. No relationship to it. What  a ridiculous question (?). This is a Q that makes thinking people want to advocate for statewide mental health services.
Jim Witness Protection Profile
She was killed by not wearing a helmet while skiing. She even refused medical attention when offered to her initially. It was a very unfortunate accident but even with top notch medical assistance at her side at once, probably very little could be done to reverse the damage already in place.
Jacquelyn Mathis Profile
It really is hard to say, she did after all hit her head and was in a vegetative state, so there isn't going to be known fully for a while yet.
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Andrew Lewis
Andrew Lewis commented
It has been shown that her wound was not instantly fatal, therfore she died from lack of proper attention. The only remaining debate is the availability of said attention inside of the necessary response window.
Steven Vakula Profile
Steven Vakula answered
It would be assumed that Ms. Richardson was treated by a Nurse Practitioner, as most in the US, without a socialized medical system as of yet, see a nurse practitioner, the Doctor's time is very valuable and is usually reserved for his personal enjoyment. Given that the same office visit charge applies to a visit regardless of the fact of being examined by a PhD. Medical Doctor and a Licensed Nurse Practitioner the experience factor is raised as well as the factor of education and recognition of a potential brain-hemorrhage. Since the brain is fairly complex for the lack of use it is given by most and given that most people in this country suffer from the "lacking of" in the department of brains, this is truly one tough question to speculate upon. Given all this lacking I would have to blame the unfortunate death upon this prime suspect! What was need was lacking and what is lacking is the lack of someone that cares or gives a hoot unless a potential profit or as this incident now appears to have in plenty, legal issue seems immanent.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
No.  There was a long time lapse before she was brought to the hospital.  There are news that she was asked to wear helmet but she refused. That's why he fall was ...
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Kathryn (Kathy) Hansen
There WAS a long time lapse before real treatment, but it didn't have anything to do with Canada's National Health. The ski resort is in a small town, with a small hospital, not equipped to deal with ANY trauma (not good for a ski resort). It took the ambulance two and one half hours to get to Montreal where they HAD a trauma unit. Neither hospitals had medical helicopters. It was the time lapse, indeed. The doctors do not even think that a helmet would have made a difference to her type fall.
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
Thanks, Kk Hansen. Well said.
Brian Reed Profile
Brian Reed answered
There was quite a long pause before treatment. But it did not hurt that much they say. Do they have real MDs in canada? I thought the mounties administered all the medical aid there.
Alan Profile
Alan answered
Her death was just a silly accident. She refused to go in the ambulance which attended and would almost certainly saved her life. Im sure with a brain swelling injury, that a high altitude flight did not help either.
We have all bumped our heads at some stage and not had it checked over.
I think skiers should wear safety helmets of some sort. As cyclists and many other sports are either encouraged or compulsory.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I am not sure what your question is.  Natasha was killed in a skiing accident.   Her healthcare has not been questioned.  She and her family did not realize the severity of her injury and did not seek medical attention soon enough.  Now having said that: You like to bring up complicated issues!  I don’t know of a country where socialized medicine is in the best interest of the people.  However, the corruption within our insurance companies, the investment run hospitals and the greed in every area of healthcare sets us up for government intervention.  If doctors, hospitals and insurance companies would police themselves and provide affordable healthcare then Obama, et all, could not use this as another avenue into socialism. Remember. I have managed a doctor’s office and worked for a law firm that specialized in medical malpractice.  I have seen first hand the abuses.  Over 100,000 people die every year from medical mistakes.  Almost as many die from mismanaged drug regimens.  It is appalling what goes on in the healthcare profession.  But government control is not the answer!   
Grandma Pugh Profile
Grandma Pugh answered
Have any of you ever been witness to a brain dead body?  I have and it isn't pretty.  My son's friend had an auto accident in 1988 just 4 months before he would have graduated from high school.  This poor lad lay for 16 years before he finally passed away.  It was so sad to see this young person sit or lay and stare, druelling and not ever did he murmer another word.  Would you want to lay the way this young man did, not I pull the plug or whatever it takes.  I can't believe with all my being that Natasha Richardson had a fall without a helmet and could still walk and talk and decide for herself about her health decisions.  NO not anything to do with the government health care.
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Anonymous
Anonymous commented
I have and it ain't pretty. Evidence from the article (follow the link above) shows that governmental incompetence significantly increased Ms. Richardson's chance of death. How much of a contribution is up for discussion. That's all this question is, a discussion.
Rena Chisholm Profile
Rena Chisholm answered
I do not think that is the case with Natasha, but I can tell you about what happened to my dad just a few months before he passed.

  He only had Medicare part A & B. He had to be admitted to the hospital on several occasions and the hospital accepted his Medicare and ran every test available to try to find what was wrong with him.

Florida Hospital never billed us for the 20% that Medicare didn't pay. What a blessing.

Anyway, my niece decided, (without conferring with the family first), to sign him up on Humana Health Care Supplemental Insurance in order to cover that 20%.

  Soon after she did this, I had to call 911 to take him back to the hospital. When I got him there, I was informed by the receptionist in the ER that my dad no longer (Owned) his Medicare and that Humana owned it.

  Two days after he was admitted, his doctor called me out of his room and told me that I should get him off the Humana insurance asap, because he wanted to run some tests and the insurance company that was now in CONTROL of his Medicare refused to allow him to run the tests due to the expense!

  It took two months for me to get through the red tape and get him off their insurance plan.

    I do wonder if this may happen if our government controls insurance for the masses.

     I have a friend who lives in Europe and he has told me many such things concerning government controlled insurance.

   I feel that  whoever has control of our health care will most likely have control over what treatments we can and can't have, but I hope that will not be the case, although I know this is happening in Europe.
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Anonymous
Anonymous commented
Thanks for sharing that Tamarind. Government-run insurance is definitely a nightmare, especially for our elders. God bless you!
Shirley McLean Profile
Shirley McLean answered
Absolutely not.  She said she was fine right after the accident, refused medical care, and only later that night started complaining of a headache.  She went back to the hospital, was treated appropriately as far as I read, and died later from a slowly leaking hemorrhage in the brain.

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