Doctors could prescribe houses to the homeless under radical Hawaii bill

Stephen Williams was homeless and ended up in the hospital again, this is his 21 time in 4 years!!! It was a staph infection that cost $41,000 to medicaid.

www.theguardian.com...
One day last month, Stephen Williams asked a passerby for help and then collapsed on the sidewalk. When the ambulance arrived in downtown Honolulu, his temperature was well over 104F.

A life-threatening staph infection had entered his bloodstream. Williams, who lives on the dusty streets of Chinatown, spent seven days hooked to an IV, treatment that can cost $40,000, according to the hospital that admitted him. But Williams didn’t pay: the bill was covered by government dollars in the form of Medicaid. Over the past four years, he has been to the hospital for infections 21 times, he said, a consequence of psoriasis flare-ups in a humid climate and unsanitary conditions.

It is cost effective to house these people or so says a ground breaking proposal in Hawaii. The Dr. could prescribe housing to help keep these people healthy.

Cases such as these have prompted a groundbreaking new proposal in Hawaii. Instead of prescribing medication to homeless patients like Williams, what if doctors could prescribe something else that might ameliorate their health problems more effectively? The prescription would be housing.

State Senator Josh Green introduced a bill to do this. He feels that the homeless that come into the E-room at a huge cost, this offers long term benefit. He feels it is like putting on a band aid, treat and releasing homeless will not solve this, these problems require long term solutions.
This is not with out an foundation. This small group of people use 2 billion $, over half the states allotted amount.

With this aim in mind, a state senator, Josh Green, has introduced a bill to classify homelessness as a medical condition. Green, who is also a physician, said the idea originated in his own work in the emergency room, where he saw many homeless patients arrive for treatment of basic conditions at great expense, but no real long-term benefit. “I’m really just applying a band-aid,” he said of his medical work. “But these problems require intensive long-term support.”

a reply to: seasonal

so they give them a house, whose gonna pay the costs that come with owning a home? are they going to do that to?

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

If the trips to the hospital are about $40,000 a piece. This guy did 21 trips in 4 years.

Boom house is paid for.

a reply to: seasonal

what about electricity,sewer, water, up keep, trash. if they don't have a job how are they going to pay for that.
that's what i'm talking about.

a reply to: seasonal
The article says that one trip for the staph infection treatment cost $40,000 for the 7 day stay and IV treatment.

Not $40,000 for the entire 21 trips over 4 years. I can't imagine what the total would be for that total.

That is shocking in itself.

Seems like perhaps they should look at the ridiculous cost of health care versus giving out free houses.

I'm surprised Obama and Obamacare didn't fix the health care industry.

I don't think the answer is prescribing housing, I believe the answer is major reform and regulation, limits, and strict laws on how much these things can cost.

Seems ridiculous to me.

-Alee

I lived in the Jungle there for a year.

What passes as a house there is not the same as the mainland.

Food drops on your head. You don't need heat.

The flowers grow incredible there.

a reply to: seasonal

and if this guy keeps on getting staff infections, i kinda think that there maybe more wrong than just a staphylococcus bacteria infection.

originally posted by: Spader
a reply to: seasonal
The article says that one trip for the staph infection treatment cost $40,000 for the 7 day stay and IV treatment.

Not $40,000 for the entire 21 trips over 4 years. I can't imagine what the total would be for that total.

That is shocking in itself.

www.businessinsider.com...


In Utah they found that a homeless person cost the government around $40k per year between shelters, jail, ambulance etc.

They took those homeless and gave them housing. Cost $8k.

I think that's a no brainer there.

originally posted by: hounddoghowlie
a reply to: seasonal

so they give them a house, whose gonna pay the costs that come with owning a home? are they going to do that to?

It would still be cheaper per annum than the medical bills he's racking up that are exacerbated by his homeless state. The public foots that bill too.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

If the guy in the story's med bill was $500,000. This would buy an apartment for a long, long time. And maybe keep him out of the hospital, saving money.

I think the thoughts are an apartment like they did in, I want to say Seattle, for the drug addicts. They did the math and it is more cost effective to house them than let them live on the street.



Sad but if the numbers to support the ideas, it would save tax payers money.

a reply to: NerdGoddess

Agreed, things are crazy expensive, because they can be.

But the guys still needs a place to live. Or he will be abusing the E-room. I don't know what to do, but what we are doing isn't working.

a reply to: Spader

seems right on par, my dad who recently just passed was in was in the hospital for two weeks. he was moved from one to another because the first one didn't have the facilities to do the care that was gonna be done. he only was in that one 1 day before thry said that there was nothing they could do. in the second one all they did was one blood test. and basic care with pain killers.

bill for one day $8200.00, we haven't seen a bill from the first hospital yet. he was there 13 days.

originally posted by: NerdGoddess
I don't think the answer is prescribing housing, I believe the answer is major reform and regulation, limits, and strict laws on how much these things can cost.

Seems ridiculous to me.

-Alee

*sigh*

It's not that simple, but that is a different thread. I will say that the healthcare industry overall is not the reason why your healthcare costs so much; they are just the scapegoat (for the most part, although there are exceptions).

a reply to: Spader

Yes, it is like $800,000. Get the guy an apartment, continue to treat him, or not treat him anymore. Is there another option to someone who doesn't want to work? Or do society the way the rest of us do?

I vote for an apartment.

a reply to: redhorse

Yep it makes sense to house him.

originally posted by: redhorse

originally posted by: NerdGoddess
I don't think the answer is prescribing housing, I believe the answer is major reform and regulation, limits, and strict laws on how much these things can cost.

Seems ridiculous to me.

-Alee

*sigh*

It's not that simple, but that is a different thread. I will say that the healthcare industry overall is not the reason why your healthcare costs so much; they are just the scapegoat (for the most part, although there are exceptions).

Yes, sure, if it was simple it'd be done by now- however I still think that should be the focus over "Prescribing housing"

To me prescribing housing just sounds like a fantasy and not very realistic.

I guess I'd like to know, are they saying One low income house for these unfortunate guys and girls, or are we talking shared housing or project housing like halfway homes etc....

-Alee

a reply to: grey580

Your article is a bit misleading. Yes, they are giving them homes. But they are still paying for their healthcare. So that is a bit more than 8,000 a year.