I report to the Community Director and one of her objectives is to research health insurance options. Thus this assignment falls to me. I've looked at other hoods to see how thier health insurance works and if health insurance is a neccessary part of Apple Valley life.
The fundamental concept of insurance is that it balances costs across a large, random sample of sims. Apple Valley is a small sample of sims and in addition, medical costs are low in the hood and sims do not utilize the medical centre as often except for prescriptions. Also, there has not been a need for expensive procedures such as surgeries and intensive testing.
Current Medical Fees
Broken Limb $1,500 (0)
IVF Treatment $5,000 (1)
Induced Labor $2,500 (1)
Consulation with Doctor $100 (0)
Plastic Surgery/per part $3,000 (0)
Prescription Medicine $450 (4)
to be added
Rehabilitation Services/per simday $500 (0)
Midwifery Services (including pre-natal care, delivery, 1st check-up) $1000 (0)
There are numerous health care options, I would recommend a non-profit hood funded/managed healthcare system. This can be accomplished by having an additional tax for each household (say about $50-$100/simweek). This would currently provide about $900-$1800 a simweek for the healthcare bank. This money can be used to reduce the cost of services for residents that use it during the simweek. However, this would require more thought and planning.
Due to the lack of need for a health insurance and amount of difficulty in creating such a program, I recommend that the topic be shelved until next simweek to see if any changes have been noted in the hood and the health of the residents. Until then, residents can use the options currently available to them (installment plans, welfare assistance application, healthy living).
I was part of the team that was sent to Simmington Hills to help with thier recovery efforts. A large storm made everyone fear that the residents were lost forever, but we were able to save many residents and even some buildings. I will still help with the cleanup, but remotely from now on. That helicopter ride caused quite a sore in my back.
With winter here the sky is much clearer, I have been searching for remarkable objects. Nothing in particular, just stars and the occasional planet or constellation. I have not left my first love of health and medicine.
Ellsworth and I had to stop in Apple Valley to greet our newest grandchildren! I couldn't get over how sweet and precious they are. We are almost done with our travels and I have a feeling when we come back to Apple Valley for the last time...we will be greeted with death. The only worry I have is the Medical Centre. Elle Kent recently passed, bless her soul, and Ellsworth and I are not to far behind her. Will Julio be prepared to man the centre? We need to bring in a nurse trainee and pharmacist if he decides to accept the assignment and move up the career ladder.
Ellsworth and I are making a trip to Roswell to visit Janet and meet her new fiance. I am still shocked that her sister found out about the engagement before I did and that she found out from her cousin. We were thinking about taking some souveniors, but we're going to travel light and have her engagement present shipped ahead of us. That girl! She'll be the death of me yet!
To get more patrons out to the clinic and learning about thier health, I started a series of health classes at the clinic. The classes are held outside, so passerbys would be interested to stop by. The lectures are every simMonday, simWednesday and simFriday at 3pm (about three lectures a season). There is wheat cake and herbal tea for refreshments and Q&A as well.
Joey is married, Johan will probably be next. He's been looking at his grandmother's vintage ring, I think he will offer that to Jadhira. J&J, funny how those Simborough women found loves with thier same initials.
The Pharmacy has been updated with some new medicines. A cold pill, a diet pill and a sleeping aid, thus far. We also still have love aids available and can create on an as needed basis vaccines for many other viral infections. There's a young man at university that I think will be a perfect trainee for the medical centre. I hope so...I'm getting older. I retired as Chief of Staff at SC Regional and now manage the Medical Centre full time.
Ellsworth and I have seemed to revive our romance. He's much more attentive to my needs and we seem to always be in the bed talking about our future plans and life at the moment. The hood council seemed to take my advice about the medical center to heart since they have increased the square footage of the center by adding a third floor, expanding the rehabilitation rooms and adding additional recovery rooms. I wish they would ask me to manage the facility. I would retire as Chief of Staff from SC Regional and help bring the Apple Valley Medical Centre to a better future!
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