ST. PETER

[LARRY]

Two doctors and an HMO manager died and lined up at the pearly gates for admission to heaven. St. Peter asked them to identify themselves.
One doctor stepped forward and said, "I was a pediatric spine surgeon and helped kids overcome their deformities." St. Peter said, "You can enter."

The second doctor said, "I was a psychiatrist. I helped people rehabilitate themselves." St. Peter also invited him in.

The third applicant stepped forward and said, "I was an HMO manager. I helped people get cost-effective health care." St. Peter said, "You can come in, too."

But as the HMO manager walked by, St. Peter added, "You can stay three days. After that, you can go to Hell."

[Deleted]

What goes around comes around!

[Fran Gyomory]

LUV THIS ONE VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!

[Deleted]

Very good.

[Barry]

Up until I became medicare eligible I had an HMO and never a problem

[pegleg]

barry said:

Up until I became medicare eligible I had an HMO and never a problem

I had gov't provided medical care for 8 years (in the AF). After that, I had 25 years of Kaiser HMO. I'll take the HMO any day- excellent care for serious heart problems, cataracts, broken leg, etc. I'd still have an HMO, but I've not lived near one for the past 8 years or so. I have Blue Cross now, which also has been good, but not as convenient, and more expensive. Your results may vary.

One anecdote, more than 10 years ago, while on a business trip to Denver, I had a serious HA - spent 3 days in a non-HMO before being transported to a Kaiser facility for the serious work - angioplasty. I was getting dunned by the first hospital for more than $15,000- just for the 3 days of pharmacy (the billing for the other services hadn't started yet). Kaiser took care of it all. That was a long time ago- I can't imagine what the bill would be today. OTOH, considering the alternatives, it was pretty cheap, a bargain.