The other day, I woke up with a bad sprain on my lower back region. Many days later, the pain didn't seem to go away. So, I decide to visit a doctor and get an X-ray done.
But oops - Wrong Country to fall sick !!
Let me explain:
I went to this medical center in Aurora, Illinois armed with a doctor's prescription for an X-ray of the Spine. I casually asked the receptionist, 'what would be the approximate cost?'. He looked up some records, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote 3 digits. Man, maybe he was a psychic or something, my pain almost VANISHED when I saw those magical digits. No kidding. Here's what he wrote :
Lumbar X-ray: $ 973.00 (gulp)
See - no pain now :D :D
But seriously, WHAT THE @$#@# !!! It is JUST about thousand times more expensive than my country! [ yeah, I am quite sure you could get an X-ray done for 50 bucks in India - as we say in Kannada, 'Chillll-rayyy' , compared to this ]
There seems to be something terribly wrong with the healthcare system here. Now I see why there is such a big discussion on healthcare every election. So, the big question - WHY ?
My first thought was on health insurance. If you had had insurance coverage - you would pay around 10% of the total cost (which is still not a small amount), but nevertheless - somewhat 'believeable'. Here's a crazy idea - what if hospitals secretly tie-up with insurance giants to artifically inflate prices so as to get more 'real money' from the patient. That doesn't make sense - I read that there are tens of millions of Americans who don't have insurance at all. So, "$973" is probably the real price of an X-ray in the U.S.
Goodness - if I were owning an insurance company, I would be spending sleepless nights worrying about chapter 11 bankruptcy! Hmm..I suppose I can make up by charging super-high insurance premiums....But most Americans are covered for insurance by their employers, so is the final burden on them ?...
Anyway, I am drifting off. I still don't know why health care is so expensive ?
Some quick googling brings up high administrative costs, malpractice insurance,medical technology/equipment as the main culprits. But these are too generic for me. Somebody find me a good writeup discussing the root-cause of the problem please, dear reader?
P.S: Oh,in case you are still wondering about the pain I had(sweet!), seriously it's gone! and thank God for that!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
2 Bananas and Flushing Meadows
New York is such an 'International' City. When I travel in the subway - I see so many different KINDS of people - language, race, physical appearance - its amazing!
Everyone uses the subway and the subway is always crowded - the resemblance to Mumbai is uncanny. The similarity extends - New York is a dirty city :) [By U.S Standards] ; plastic bags lying unattended on the streets, cigarette butts thrown carelessly - the usual. Quite a generic correlation between population density and unkemptness!
Also, New Yorkers go about 'minding their own businesses'. Nobody has the time or inclination to greet you or exchange plesantries if they bump into you. Now, coming from India - you won't find this odd - that's how it is everywhere.
But Chicago,(or the rest-of-the-US I assume) is quite different. I remember going for a walk in the beautiful neighbourhood (called The Highlands) at my sister's place - everyone greets you with 'good morning!' 'how are you?' as if they have known you for years. You feel a little weird initially but get used to it soon :)
Okay - back to New York. My point about these cultural etiquettes goes deeper. The whole American Culture Theme can be described in two words - informal and friendly. If you are standing for shelter during rains, you might start off an witty conversation with the person next to you and you wouldn't even know!
Like I observed while waiting for the final decision regarding the Nadal - Murray match. Hurricane Hanna had spoiled Murray party - man, he was really on a roll!
We are going again to the Aurthur Ashe Stadium today to see the remainder of the match. I am going to shout "GO RAFA!!" yet again, but I suspect it is going to be more effective this time ;)
To give you an idea of the informality in American culture - as we were passing through the security checks at the stadium - a tall,burly officer said :"I am sorry,if you have 2 bananas - you may want to step aside please.."
I froze. Certain that I had misheard him, I assumed he was referring to two plastic bags (which I was carrying). Then he gives us this big smile and says : "Just kidding folks - Enjoy yourself! " LOL
Everyone uses the subway and the subway is always crowded - the resemblance to Mumbai is uncanny. The similarity extends - New York is a dirty city :) [By U.S Standards] ; plastic bags lying unattended on the streets, cigarette butts thrown carelessly - the usual. Quite a generic correlation between population density and unkemptness!
Also, New Yorkers go about 'minding their own businesses'. Nobody has the time or inclination to greet you or exchange plesantries if they bump into you. Now, coming from India - you won't find this odd - that's how it is everywhere.
But Chicago,(or the rest-of-the-US I assume) is quite different. I remember going for a walk in the beautiful neighbourhood (called The Highlands) at my sister's place - everyone greets you with 'good morning!' 'how are you?' as if they have known you for years. You feel a little weird initially but get used to it soon :)
Okay - back to New York. My point about these cultural etiquettes goes deeper. The whole American Culture Theme can be described in two words - informal and friendly. If you are standing for shelter during rains, you might start off an witty conversation with the person next to you and you wouldn't even know!
Like I observed while waiting for the final decision regarding the Nadal - Murray match. Hurricane Hanna had spoiled Murray party - man, he was really on a roll!
We are going again to the Aurthur Ashe Stadium today to see the remainder of the match. I am going to shout "GO RAFA!!" yet again, but I suspect it is going to be more effective this time ;)
To give you an idea of the informality in American culture - as we were passing through the security checks at the stadium - a tall,burly officer said :"I am sorry,if you have 2 bananas - you may want to step aside please.."
I froze. Certain that I had misheard him, I assumed he was referring to two plastic bags (which I was carrying). Then he gives us this big smile and says : "Just kidding folks - Enjoy yourself! " LOL
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Table Tennis and Sweet Revenge
We thrashed IIM Calcutta in Table Tennis.
BIG TIME (read Straight sets)
If I may modestly add - under my 'able captaincy' :))
Oh - Sweet revenge !
(after having lost to them exactly a year ago , a match that we should have ideally won! )
Feels great to break the Jinx - IIM Bangalore won a Table Tennis event for the FIRST TIME in the History of Inter-IIM Sports! Yo!
The credit should go to my entire team - we practiced hard , we had some amazing talent in the first years - and history created itself :)
The overall scoreline read 15 games to 2 in IIMB's favour. Wow! what a victory!
I wonder how IIM-B ends up with such good players across ALL sports , I firmly believe PGSEM is huuuuge advantage ;)
The last two days were a lot of fun. Quite an enthu first year batch - those innovative slogans for cheering and those creative songs LOL LOL .
I have to admit - some were on the vulgar side - but they were so funny, I'll have to condone them (that parody of the famous 'Jhandu Balm Jhandu Balm' song hehehe...sorry, I am a spoilsport , I won't put it here!)
Ah, now this brings me to the larger question of swear-word usage that is being hotly debated on www.pagalguy.com
My take on the issue:
1) The 'tax-payer' statement was too stupid , especially by pagalguy standards (a forum I admire)
2) I wonder if colloquial Hindi is 'inherently' abusive. The abuses in that video are one of the MOST common ones that you will hear ACROSS college campuses. Next time, try evesdropping into a conversation of young, educated, (hindi speaking) youth at say, a Pizza Hut - almost always - you will hear a casual B**HOD, M**HOD doing the rounds( Tell me you haven't heard THE campus song of the year : BC sutta ) . Very, very contrasting to my mother tongue. At least , the educated class NEVER uses the 'Kannada equivalents'. The maximum I go upto with my closest friends is "Nimmajji" !! :D
There is some deep cultural issue here. Here's some interesting projects for you social scientists : 'Linguistics: On Why Anatomical references are tolerated in some languages ', or 'Demographic Trend in Abuses: why Gaali is a Fundamental Right for the Youth '
Oh, Forget it I am raving.....- Its time celebrate the victory at L^2 tonight !!!
BIG TIME (read Straight sets)
If I may modestly add - under my 'able captaincy' :))
Oh - Sweet revenge !
(after having lost to them exactly a year ago , a match that we should have ideally won! )
Feels great to break the Jinx - IIM Bangalore won a Table Tennis event for the FIRST TIME in the History of Inter-IIM Sports! Yo!
The credit should go to my entire team - we practiced hard , we had some amazing talent in the first years - and history created itself :)
The overall scoreline read 15 games to 2 in IIMB's favour. Wow! what a victory!
I wonder how IIM-B ends up with such good players across ALL sports , I firmly believe PGSEM is huuuuge advantage ;)
The last two days were a lot of fun. Quite an enthu first year batch - those innovative slogans for cheering and those creative songs LOL LOL .
I have to admit - some were on the vulgar side - but they were so funny, I'll have to condone them (that parody of the famous 'Jhandu Balm Jhandu Balm' song hehehe...sorry, I am a spoilsport , I won't put it here!)
Ah, now this brings me to the larger question of swear-word usage that is being hotly debated on www.pagalguy.com
My take on the issue:
1) The 'tax-payer' statement was too stupid , especially by pagalguy standards (a forum I admire)
2) I wonder if colloquial Hindi is 'inherently' abusive. The abuses in that video are one of the MOST common ones that you will hear ACROSS college campuses. Next time, try evesdropping into a conversation of young, educated, (hindi speaking) youth at say, a Pizza Hut - almost always - you will hear a casual B**HOD, M**HOD doing the rounds( Tell me you haven't heard THE campus song of the year : BC sutta ) . Very, very contrasting to my mother tongue. At least , the educated class NEVER uses the 'Kannada equivalents'. The maximum I go upto with my closest friends is "Nimmajji" !! :D
There is some deep cultural issue here. Here's some interesting projects for you social scientists : 'Linguistics: On Why Anatomical references are tolerated in some languages ', or 'Demographic Trend in Abuses: why Gaali is a Fundamental Right for the Youth '
Oh, Forget it I am raving.....- Its time celebrate the victory at L^2 tonight !!!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
A Heartfelt Crib
I find it so hard to believe. But it is true.
An alumnus of my college played spoilsport and disclosed one of the most interesting of IIMB's traditions. The charm of the tradition was its surprise element and he ruined it. He released a book about his life at IIMB and spoiled the fun by talking about it. Ironically, the book had an unoffical release at our campus itself - the nerve!
I wish I could hire a lawyer and sue the guy. Some hate mail should be doing rounds by now. Gosh, what a selfish attitude he must have - I hate the guy.
An alumnus of my college played spoilsport and disclosed one of the most interesting of IIMB's traditions. The charm of the tradition was its surprise element and he ruined it. He released a book about his life at IIMB and spoiled the fun by talking about it. Ironically, the book had an unoffical release at our campus itself - the nerve!
I wish I could hire a lawyer and sue the guy. Some hate mail should be doing rounds by now. Gosh, what a selfish attitude he must have - I hate the guy.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tales from Indraprastha
If you didn’t already know, Delhi used to be the Capital of the Pandavas ( Indraprastha ).
I love cities which have a history ( story ) about them. I liked Hyderabad for the same reason. ( notwithstanding the biriyani’s of course! )
So when I enter the swanky Delhi Metro station at Connaught Place and stare at the display boards with neon signs announcing “ Indraprastha “ , “ Dwarka “ etc – it gives a different , ‘back-to-the-future’ kind of feeling. Keep the metro as is, but take the clock back 5000 years : What do you get ? Men and women getting off chariots to get into the Metro ! LOL
My take on the Delhi Metro : It Rocks !! Public transport in India is really looking up these days – it is almost as if, you are being rewarded for having had to put up with all the dirty bus-stands and foul smelling train compartments for so many years. ( I am suddenly reminded of a school teacher of mine ( ‘TGS’? ) who hated (train) travel so much – and she taught geography ! )
Since I am in India – the Metro is bound to be crowded…err, VERY crowded. It is a tautology so – we’ll let it pass. But still, we are talking of escalators right up to the road man ! Jai Hind !
I wonder if it was the British who introduced the Metro concept. So, we owe it to them, just as we do the language. Ah, let me talk more about our language : No, not the National language - but something that binds us even closer as Indians - ‘Indian English’ !!
And if you are the observant Metro traveler like me ;), you cannot help but smile when this announcement is made ,
“ Please note that pickpocketers have been identified at various points in the Metro and station area “.
Oh really ! Congratulations for identifying them…so, do you plan to do anything now , let them hang around and have a nice time?!?
The Hindi announcement is flawless though – “ …Jaeb-khatron .. hone ki aashankha hai..’ [ ‘Shankha’ for suspicion…]
And then there is another sign board with the classic misplaced modifier :)
“ Please keep children on lap below 3 feet “
Well, well – most people’s laps are hardly a feet long –imagine someone with a 3 feet long lap ! LOL
While I am on the topic, let me talk about the other day when I walked into Palika Bazaar. As I ambled in the underground market place which has a population density of 10 people per square foot , I heard someone call out in a gruff voice , “ Come, Come , Chudidaar “ !
D-UH ? Like Russel Peters ,I thought … ‘Somebody’s gonna get a hurt real baaad…’
But no, it was some earnest guy trying to woo a foreigner to look at his clothes collection – haha. ‘ Come , Come Chudidaar ‘. The exact words.
The curious thing about marketplaces is that they create a non-existant need in you and force you to make a hole in your pockets. So, out of nowhere - I had this desire to purchase a leather belt. Off goes the seller to me, “ Yes, Bradher , tell me Bradher “..I silence him in Hindi. And begin to look at samples. Goodness! you should see the way they do business , they are so quick and do such a good job at convincing you. We should invite these guys for our business fest – they’ll definitely have a thing or two to teach us.
So, before I could realize what was going on – he had measured my waist, made appropriate holes , put the belt in a cover and thrust it onto my hand. Clearly annoyed by this impudence, I made it known that I had still not decided on the purchase. Guess what - he mistook my indecision to be my strategy for getting the ‘true’ value out of him. So , we went haggling and he began quoting lower and lower prices until he came down to 275 bucks ( from 450 ! ) . I decided to stop – went ahead , bought it…( ‘Special Price for you Brather’ ).
And that’s how I became a ‘proud’ owner of a GUCCI . heh.
I love cities which have a history ( story ) about them. I liked Hyderabad for the same reason. ( notwithstanding the biriyani’s of course! )
So when I enter the swanky Delhi Metro station at Connaught Place and stare at the display boards with neon signs announcing “ Indraprastha “ , “ Dwarka “ etc – it gives a different , ‘back-to-the-future’ kind of feeling. Keep the metro as is, but take the clock back 5000 years : What do you get ? Men and women getting off chariots to get into the Metro ! LOL
My take on the Delhi Metro : It Rocks !! Public transport in India is really looking up these days – it is almost as if, you are being rewarded for having had to put up with all the dirty bus-stands and foul smelling train compartments for so many years. ( I am suddenly reminded of a school teacher of mine ( ‘TGS’? ) who hated (train) travel so much – and she taught geography ! )
Since I am in India – the Metro is bound to be crowded…err, VERY crowded. It is a tautology so – we’ll let it pass. But still, we are talking of escalators right up to the road man ! Jai Hind !
I wonder if it was the British who introduced the Metro concept. So, we owe it to them, just as we do the language. Ah, let me talk more about our language : No, not the National language - but something that binds us even closer as Indians - ‘Indian English’ !!
And if you are the observant Metro traveler like me ;), you cannot help but smile when this announcement is made ,
“ Please note that pickpocketers have been identified at various points in the Metro and station area “.
Oh really ! Congratulations for identifying them…so, do you plan to do anything now , let them hang around and have a nice time?!?
The Hindi announcement is flawless though – “ …Jaeb-khatron .. hone ki aashankha hai..’ [ ‘Shankha’ for suspicion…]
And then there is another sign board with the classic misplaced modifier :)
“ Please keep children on lap below 3 feet “
Well, well – most people’s laps are hardly a feet long –imagine someone with a 3 feet long lap ! LOL
While I am on the topic, let me talk about the other day when I walked into Palika Bazaar. As I ambled in the underground market place which has a population density of 10 people per square foot , I heard someone call out in a gruff voice , “ Come, Come , Chudidaar “ !
D-UH ? Like Russel Peters ,I thought … ‘Somebody’s gonna get a hurt real baaad…’
But no, it was some earnest guy trying to woo a foreigner to look at his clothes collection – haha. ‘ Come , Come Chudidaar ‘. The exact words.
The curious thing about marketplaces is that they create a non-existant need in you and force you to make a hole in your pockets. So, out of nowhere - I had this desire to purchase a leather belt. Off goes the seller to me, “ Yes, Bradher , tell me Bradher “..I silence him in Hindi. And begin to look at samples. Goodness! you should see the way they do business , they are so quick and do such a good job at convincing you. We should invite these guys for our business fest – they’ll definitely have a thing or two to teach us.
So, before I could realize what was going on – he had measured my waist, made appropriate holes , put the belt in a cover and thrust it onto my hand. Clearly annoyed by this impudence, I made it known that I had still not decided on the purchase. Guess what - he mistook my indecision to be my strategy for getting the ‘true’ value out of him. So , we went haggling and he began quoting lower and lower prices until he came down to 275 bucks ( from 450 ! ) . I decided to stop – went ahead , bought it…( ‘Special Price for you Brather’ ).
And that’s how I became a ‘proud’ owner of a GUCCI . heh.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
3.3 for Consult
[ No Explanations offered if any solicited :) ]
Beaming in the auditorium, sat the two hundred odd rats
Fancying their shiny Blue coats , they sat contended
The race, it was all over : Veni , Vidi , Vici !
Oh, how wrong they were ! For somewhere out of the corner was that whisper -
' 3.3 for Consult 3.3 for Consult '
No , the Real Race was about to START
Off went their shiny Blue coats - it didn't matter for the Real Race
Some rats winced, some rats cried foul ,some rats gave up
"Another race?" "but I have my Blue ?" they innocently asked
"Ha!" scorned a veteran rat - "Don't ask questions - Run !"
And so, reluctantly they ran - louder was the dreaded whisper -
' 3.3 for Consult 3.3 for Consult '
Then they scurried along - and senior rat-in-chief spat the rules
" The Race to the '4'th Mile is 2 years long
Reach close to 4, but collect bullets along the way
Remember each bullet is worth a point
and never forget the eternal truth
'3.3 for Consult, 3.3 for Consult '
Oh No! Head start for a few ! Oh - precious time lost -
Maximize! Optimize! What skills can help me reach the '4'th Mile ?
There was but one answer - 'You Stick' - Stick to Beaten Tracks -
But Conscience ? - 'Em Shiny Blue Coats, the world expects more from you..
Who cares - I want my safe old beaten track - fast, efficient , thorough , dry.
Rant, Chant, '3.3 for Consult, 3.3 for Consult '
End of The Grand Finale - the Big Daddy came, the Big Daddy announced -
New Coats for every rat beyond the 3.3 Mile - you are one of us brother !!
"Yes- I did it !" the rats were euphoric - I...I frigging did it !
Felt great to wear new Coats, felt great to meet brothers - from the Amber, Crimson races
Off they all went to make merry - Happy Family at Utopia -
Did they hear the dreaded haunt of a whisper again ?
'3.3 to stay a Consult' . '3.3 to stay a Consult '.
Without their knowledge, Another race had just begun.....
Monday, February 18, 2008
Happy Birthday to Me !!!
Another year is past,
I wonder how long these years will last !
So many memories to remember
So many dreams to fulfil
On this day, then , let me take stock
Of all that I need , to make the coming year rock !
Have I started off on a good note ?
Oh yeah - I rolled in slush and my bottom hurts like hell
That's Birthday at IIMB , indeed a story to tell !
I wonder how long these years will last !
So many memories to remember
So many dreams to fulfil
On this day, then , let me take stock
Of all that I need , to make the coming year rock !
Have I started off on a good note ?
Oh yeah - I rolled in slush and my bottom hurts like hell
That's Birthday at IIMB , indeed a story to tell !