Center that treats Broward County's sickest children faces budg...

Screw 'em if they grow up they'll probably vote Democrat anyway.

The fact that they display empty picture frames for "future dead" seems kind of creepy, doesn't it?

I hope you all enjoy your $220 a year savings. Soon you will have no healthcare, no cops, no fire protection, no schools, etc.

My solution to save this place 13 or their 15 million is to only provide the care to those that are in this country legally.

Pay no mind to these idiots. God bless the people who work in this place. Your compassion is to be commended.

Holly wrote:

Pay no mind to these idiots. God bless the people who work in this place. Your compassion is to be commended.

I agree. This story is humbling. I pass by the building every day. i have wondered just what they do in there. Glad they ran this story.

I just had do something to help and made a donation on-line. Yea to Nan Rich for doing her part in Tallahassee to save childhood programs from bigger hits. She helped others I know of too.

Its such a circle when people need community agencies and giving and funding is down.

Just one more example of the Republiscum health care solution of:

DON'T GET SICK.

If they want to cut social programs, there are others of less value that could be cut first. Broward County Human Services Department has several. Cut drug treatment for instance---it mostly is a waste as the same people keep coming back and keep doing drugs regardless of treatment. Cut some of the "Housing" programs which pay rent for supposidly homeless families. Cut "case management" for the poor, which often amounts to waste and more waste. So on and so on. Dont cut funds for poor sick kids. Look elsewhere. There is a lot of waste in government programs, locally.

At the risk of sounding cruel, we have to have a serious discussion of how much the public treasury we should spend on health care. Is it no holds barred, spend any and everything? Or are there limits -- and if so, what are they?

There should be a clear-eyed analysis of what health care services provide the most benefit to the greatest numbers at the cheapest costs, and those services should be emphasized over last ditch, heroic measures. This applies to babies with serious, possibly lifelong, health conditions as well as the elderly who consume tremendous health care services in the last year of their lives.

Philosophically, its easy to say that life is priceless. But that doesn't mean that society must pay any cost to maintain a human life, at the expense of other priorities. Should we sacrifice education for the healthy to tend to the sick? Cut food programs to the poor to tend to the sick? These types of decisions are made by families across America make every day as to how to allocate their limited resources. Why shouldn't we approach our national health care policies the same way.

Unfortunately, "health care" is this country is really just "disease management". No one makes any money from healthy people -- so instead of preventing obescity, diabetes, hypertension, etc. our focus is on better medicines to treat these ailments -- that way pharmacuetical companies, doctors, hospitals and the insurance companies that finance the health care industry can earn a profit.

The ancient Chinese would pay their doctors when they were well and not pay them when they got sick -- this gave the doctors the proper economic incentive: to keep their patients well.

Until we think outside the box of the current health care system, we'll be stuck with sub-optimal solutions -- like leaving an empty picture frames to represent the future dead.

The county complains about treating AIDS babies, but continues to promote the county as the Amsterdam of North America. Go to sunny.org and click on Rainbow tourism. The county is using tax dollars to promote sexual tourism. They want the dollars but could care less about the loss of life from this costly and deadly disease. The problems they have with lack of funds is brought on by their actions.

There is lots of money. If there is not lots of money why are we doing this?
During the last budget year, 464 people in the Palm Beach county's workforce made more than $100,000. About 68 percent of that group worked for fire-rescue.
Fire-rescue workers, like other county employees, receive benefits under the state's retirement system. Benefits are paid based on a person's average total compensation, which is calculated by averaging the five highest years of pay - including overtime.
Sid Dinerstein, chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party and critic of the county's budget, said it's a widely talked-about "game that's played in every county" that overtime goes to those who are close to retiring and need an extra boost.
"That's the scam," he said. "It's a rip-off of the taxpayers."

We will have more money than we know what to do with if we do not waste money on paying people to shop at publix, watch tv and sleep on the job. If we chose to waste money the poor children will do without good medical care.

I can see the future of South Florida and is..... absolutely black.

So now its the fireman's fault. you knowyou get a more than a little annoying. Last December I did my own reviewof city job openings and found more than 37% of the cities in Broward had openings for firefighter positions.

I admit that's only one time during the year. But in light of what you continue to expouse as a quality (your term for easy) high paying position (your term for overpaid);why are there ANY vacancies at all? at any time?

Makes one wonder about your so called facts?

BECOME A FIREMEN wrote:

There is lots of money. If there is not lots of money why are we doing this?
During the last budget year, 464 people in the Palm Beach county's workforce made more than $100,000. About 68 percent of that group worked for fire-rescue.
Fire-rescue workers, like other county employees, receive benefits under the state's retirement system. Benefits are paid based on a person's average total compensation, which is calculated by averaging the five highest years of pay - including overtime.
Sid Dinerstein, chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party and critic of the county's budget, said it's a widely talked-about "game that's played in every county" that overtime goes to those who are close to retiring and need an extra boost.
"That's the scam," he said. "It's a rip-off of the taxpayers."
We will have more money than we know what to do with if we do not waste money on paying people to shop at publix, watch tv and sleep on the job. If we chose to waste money the poor children will do without good medical care.

Scott wrote:

<quoted text>
You freak. Health care in no way is a right. It is idiot Socialists like you that think the government is responsible for wiping the butt of those that cannot. Your Liberal Socialists Marxist party has you right where they want you...dependent on the government. And how is that working out. Not very good I would say. Get with it moron!

Comments like yours show EXACTLY why Republicans are scum! And you, along with HMA show why Lake Worthless is the cesspool of south Florida.

Don't worry.... Obama will give EVERYONE free medical coverage, so they WON'T NEED the $12 Mil a year anymore, as their insurance coverage (from OBAMA) will cover everything.
MORE SCARE TACTICS from the STATE and COUNTY....LET US ALL SEE THE EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES of the state and county.....You'd all be surprised at where OUR MONEY goes.

Many nurses,social workers and doctors are saints in white who deliver kindness and healing to the poorest of the poor. We should find the money to keep their work going. Shame on you Charlie Crist and shame on voters for oppressing the poor in order to save a couple hundred dollars!

Republicans Are Scum wrote:

<quoted text>
Comments like yours show EXACTLY why Republicans are scum! And you, along with HMA show why Lake Worthless is the cesspool of south Florida.

What? You don't like being called what you are? A government dependent whining uninformed slob? It is true you know. Conservatives believe in self reliance. Sniffling Liberals, such as your self, have no self reliance and need NEED the government to provide. That is not the purpose to the government. But Liberal Socialists have managed to buy votes by enslaving the likes of you and you really believe the government should be responsible for your crap like government provided health care with MY tax dollars. Pitiful. You are pathetic. Get a life moron!

Honest wrote:

If they want to cut social programs, there are others of less value that could be cut first. Broward County Human Services Department has several. Cut drug treatment for instance---it mostly is a waste as the same people keep coming back and keep doing drugs regardless of treatment. Cut some of the "Housing" programs which pay rent for supposidly homeless families. Cut "case management" for the poor, which often amounts to waste and more waste. So on and so on. Dont cut funds for poor sick kids. Look elsewhere. There is a lot of waste in government programs, locally.

Great point....even with our current recession, this is still one of the wealthies counties on Earth. Kids and especially babies are the most innocent of the innocent. They should not be penalized, nor held responsible for the sins of their parents. Those who suggest to not treat babies because their parents are illegal immingrants are heartless, and an embarrassment to all the compassionate humans on the planet.

On the other hand, we can't rely on the government for everything.
The community needs to pitch in too instead of just complaining about the current state of affairs. I'm putting my money where my mouth is and making an online donation. I also pass that building all the time and now I know what goes on in there. The people who work in there for less pay than they can make elsewhere are heroes.

Wild Bill wrote:

So now its the fireman's fault. you knowyou get a more than a little annoying. Last December I did my own reviewof city job openings and found more than 37% of the cities in Broward had openings for firefighter positions.
I admit that's only one time during the year. But in light of what you continue to expouse as a quality (your term for easy) high paying position (your term for overpaid);why are there ANY vacancies at all? at any time?
Makes one wonder about your so called facts?
<quoted text>

Wild Bill, please pay no attention to this disgruntled ex firefighter who couldn't pass probation. It is just a suspicion of mine, but I think he got a job as a cart boy at Winn Dixie and he's upset because the ff's don't usually shop there. Just my opinion, but could very well be true. That is if he's employed at all. He sure does spend alot of time on these forums. Thank you