posted on September 25, 2001 01:50:43 PM new
They sell your blood! :::
1. AHA, AONE TO RED CROSS: SCALE BACK INCREASE. The July 1 increase in the price of blood products implemented by the American Red Cross was announced "with little notice and very little justification," and "will cripple the ability of many of the nation's hospitals to meet the needs of their patients and communities," the American Hospital Association (AHA) and AONE said on July 20. In a letter to American Red Cross President and CEO Bernadine Healy, M.D., AHA President Dick Davidson and AONE Executive Director Pamela Thompson called for the Red Cross to "scale back this increase to a level more reasonably in line with other blood providers."
posted on September 25, 2001 06:35:51 PM new
My Dad is a generous man and would give you the last $ in his pocket without you even having to ask, but he will not donate anything to the Red Cross!
Stems from his experience with them in WWII while he was in Germany.
They set up a Red Cross station and the troops took turns going there for R&R. My Dad, like many in the service, sent almost all their money home to their families. He had very little money. When his time came to go the the RC station they had coffee and donuts (a real treat) provided you had the money to buy them! My Dad and quite a few of the others had to pass.
He said it just rubbed him the wrong way. Everyday people donate to the the Red Cross out of their hard earned money. They believe they are giving to give to someone in need. He said he doesn't think the RC gives anything away, they sell it!
Of course, it does take money to operate and they do show up where ever there is a great disaster and they are very organized and can get things done, that's for sure. Perhaps they have changed over the years, but if they are charging more than other suppliers for the blood that is donated to them, maybe not!
posted on September 25, 2001 07:48:17 PM new
FYI - processing blood is very expensive. It requires people to get sponsors for drives, recruit donors, advertise, drive trucks and set up equipment at drive sites, take health histories, draw the blood, test the blood, process the blood, store it, track it with computerized systems, and transport it to the hospitals and retrieve it when it is not used. As well as all the administrative overhead to run a business that is basically required by the FDA to be run as a pharmaceutical company - paid employees are needed to do this. The amount of effort and expense required to maintain a safe blood supply has increased tremendously over the last 15 years. In addition, Red Cross blood centers operate separately from the volunteer disaster relief part of the organization.
posted on September 25, 2001 08:06:53 PM new
In 1987, on a very COLD February morning in Vermont, I awoke to find my bedroom full of smoke and my dad (I was a teenager) yelling at me to get out of the house. I spent the next few hours watching my house, and everything I owned, burn to the ground. I was very cold. That's about all I felt, the cold. I was in shock.
The Red Cross arrived sometime during the morning. They brough coffee, and snacks. It helped warm me up a bit. More importantly, they arranged a place for my family to stay for the next few nights until our insurance company took over. They also PAID for those few nights in a motel. They fed us. They gave us gift certificates for a local clothing store. I had escaped with my pants, a t-shirt, and shoes, nothing else. Some clothes to wear was VERY welcome in Vermont in February. They never asked to have any of it repaid.
I don't understand what kind of sick individual can write such lies about the Red Cross.
When the Red Cross charges hospitals for blood, there are several things you should consider. The hospital charges you, or your insurance company, far more than they pay the Red Cross. The Red Cross is not profiting, they are a non-profit, many of the hospitals they sell blood to are for-profit corporations. The Red Cross collects, stores, and transports the blood from where it is given, to where it is needed. A hospital would have to go to great expense to duplicate this effort. When you donate to a specific hospital, you benefit that hospital whether they have a current need for your blood type or not. The Red Cross coordinates to provide your blood to a hospital that has a current need for it. Donuts, sandwiches, juices, and other snacks are provided for FREE to volunteers and donors at Red Cross blood drawings. Those items are donated by individuals who volunteer their time and food to the Red Cross. My family has volunteered at Red Cross blood drawings for more than ten years. We will have one in Vermont on Friday.
posted on September 25, 2001 08:33:46 PM newI don't understand what kind of sick individual can write such lies about the Red Cross.
I don't think the story about charging GIs for coffee and donuts in a combat zone is a lie. My Grandfather told the same story, and absolutly hated the red cross over it.
posted on September 25, 2001 08:44:59 PM new
Whether the WW2 story is true or not isn't very relevant today. Of all things that happened in that war, to harbor hatred for sixty years! It IS sick.
posted on September 25, 2001 08:58:24 PM new
The WWII veterns carry forward anger at their trust being broken, their illusions shatttered. The doughnuts are a symbol of disrespect and crassness to men and women giving much in defense of our nation.
The Red Cross does charge a "processing fee" for the donated blood. Salaries and benefits for our local chapter are much lower than the private sector. I suspect there are substantial coffers somewhare for extreme disasters. I also suspect they will be very full for a long time due to the current generosity of the American people.
posted on September 25, 2001 09:09:23 PM newWhether the WW2 story is true or not isn't very relevant
It is when you infer people are lying. Which was why I put in my 2 cents worth. I will say my Grandfather (he died quite a few years ago) never would have anything to do with them. I'm not even sure it was Red Cross policy, it could have been "volunteer workers" taking advantage of a situation. But I beleive the story is true.
And, as the first person who posted this story said "Perhaps they have changed over the years".
posted on September 25, 2001 09:34:50 PM new
Well, my grandfather told me this back in the 60's. Why is it so hard to believe, I SAW "relief workers" (Not Red Cross) selling WATER for $5.00 a gallon after Hurricane Andrew. Is that hard to believe too?
posted on September 25, 2001 09:48:29 PM newpetertdavis-I am glad that you were helped by the Red Cross. If you read my post again, you will see I said they were very good at organizing and getting things done.
As to my Dad's story...well, I have known him for over 50 years and I have never known him to lie. I also wasn't "writing lies", I was relating a story which I believe is true. I am sure your story is true also.
Maybe it depends on where you live. We have a United Way Chapter and a Red Cross Chapter in our county, but to be perfectly honest, I don't really know what they do.
We have about 1 family every couple of years lose everything to a fire in our small town of about 4,500. I have never seen anyone from the RC show up. Usually the merchants and citizens in our town and the neighboring town, which is our county seat, donate what they need to get started again. Now, if they called the RC and asked for help, maybe they would get it I don't know.
My intent was not to "trash" the RC, but to give an example of why some folks don't necessarily think the sun rises and sets by them.
Yes, it cost money to run any non-profit organization. Some do better than others at keeping their "administrative" cost down. Some find they really don't need to pay the top dogs $200,000+ to run their organizations so more of the donated funds are actually used for the purpose they were "donated" for.
Also, when you "give" blood, you are giving it for "free" it will cost the ultimate receiver or their insurance company $150+. I think the least they can do is give you an orange juice and cracker!
posted on September 26, 2001 04:28:05 AM new
i dont know about WWII GI,may be the red cross figured GI can get coffee at the army compound??
back in those days,arent coffee a luxury??
i grew up in hong kong and back when i was a teenager my mother and i will go shopping and then once in a while will share a strong cup of coffee in a coffee shop,asking for a hot cup of water so we can mix it with one very strong cup of coffee,even after diluting into 2 cups,it is still too strong.
back in those days,asians drink a lot of tea,but coffee is considered a western luxury to indulge once in a while.
thats 1960s-1970s.
back to free this and free that-there are people who take advantage like happy hours hors doevre,free samples at the supermarket deli ect,make your round after work and you can fill your stomach.
but from this thread,if red cross is passing out free food and shelter etc to people whose house was burned down,then it has to be skipping people who dont need it as bad.
posted on September 26, 2001 06:59:24 AM new
"Also, when you "give" blood, you are giving it for "free" it will cost the ultimate receiver or their insurance company $150+. I think the least they can do is give you an orange juice and cracker!"
I hope you're not implying that the Red Cross does not give refreshments at their blood drawings. It is NOT true.
posted on September 26, 2001 08:18:53 AM new
Being on the receiving end of blood transfusions once a month, for 38 year it makes me very very sad to see a few people trying to give The Red Cross a bad name.The service they provide is top notch that is why the hospital I go to uses them. The Red Cross has truly saved my life!!
posted on September 26, 2001 09:36:41 AM new
We have a great blood bank in our area. The Houston Regional Blood Bank. They have drives once a month and come to our city. They set up at our high school and they always have a good turnout. When a friend of mine became very ill and needed blood, the HBB was called and we all went in and donated blood specifically for him because we were allowed to put him on our list.
Probably ALL blood banks work the same way, including RC, I can't say for sure because the RC does not have blood drives in our area.
No, I was not indicating that RC does not provide the juice free. I was trying to lighten the tone (that's why I had a smiley).
If you have had a good experience with an organization, you are prone to be very thankful to them and greatful for them. If you have not had a good experience, you are left a little sour on them. That's human nature. That can be said of any organization.
To those who have been helped they are the greatest and it is wonderful that they were there.
To those who have not been helped they are seen as just another bueracratic organization with a good PR man.
It most definitely depends on which side of the "street" you are standing on.
The organization that I have actually seen doing something in our area and have had personal experience with is the Salvation Army. That is who my Dad and I contribute to. Now, I am sure that there are those that would feel the same way about them as some do the RC. That being said, it's time to move on. Good day to you all.
posted on September 26, 2001 10:23:08 AM new
The Red Cross is a worthy institution, they do many wonderful things. This is not meant to bash them but I thought some of you might be interested in how blood products are handled and charged. I work in a hospital laboratory and have for 20 years.
By the terms of our Red Cross contract we cannot charge the patient more than we pay for the blood. Also by the terms of our Red Cross contract I cannot discuss how much we pay the Red Cross for blood. This has been the same at every hospital I have worked at for at least the last 15 years.
We can and do charge the patient for the tests we perform on the blood. We do compatibility testing on each unit using the patient's serum and the unit’s cells. If the product does not require compatibility testing then the patient is not charged.
We can also charge a transfusion fee, we can only charge one transfusion fee per day, no matter how many products are transfused. (This is a Medicare regulation, but it is easier to treat all patients the same as Medicare in this respect, otherwise we would spend a lot of time doing manual charges) This means if ten units of packed cells are transfused in one day, the patient will be charged for the 10 units (at the same price the Red Cross charges us), 10 compatibility tests and one transfusion fee.
If you donate blood for yourself or for a relative, it is not free. Units that you donate for yourself or for a relative are actually more expensive than regular units. Again we have to charge you the same amount that the Red Cross charges us. You will still be charged for the compatibility testing and a transfusion fee if you receive the blood.
If you don't receive the blood that either you or a relative donates, then the Red Cross still gets their money from us. Ordinarily the hospital just has to absorb the costs of those units that are not transfused.
I hope this is not a garbled mess, I have forgotten how UBB works!
posted on September 26, 2001 11:47:29 AM new
Peterdavis -- Those who posted this about the Red Cross are not sick people -- and it is not a lie.
Ditto for me everything Sulyn1950 said. My father served in WW2 and had a similar experience.
The Red Cross is skilled at wringing money and blood from people, but they are a bloated middleman as far as I'm concerned, not a charity. Because of other things I know about the Red Cross, not mentioned here, I will not give to them, nor donate blood to them. I will not accept anything from them, either!
Violetta
(Not known by this nickname anywhere but here.)
posted on September 26, 2001 11:50:14 AM new
"they wouldnt help them because they were over a certain income level"
I live in Manasota key,
Some of the biggest houses on this side
Of Florida are on my street,
I never saw Rc at work before
But week ago we were all flooded with Gabrielle, and everyday small
Truck from RC came with water , food, blankets and buckets to help
Remove the water, roads were blocked so we couldnt go anywhere...
They went through "lakes" of water in their tiny trucks everyday to feed us, we had no electricity for more then a week,
And they gave us shelter, small incident compare to any other , it was just a terrible storm, but they didnt care how much we all made, they gave us the same help and food and all for free,
We donated to RC on sep 12th $300.00
Now I'm happy we did.
Plus remember the hurica in New orleans in 60's they brought RV's for people to live in!
I never saw anyone do that.
posted on September 26, 2001 12:04:27 PM new
I find the hatred and mean spirit on these boards to be beyond belief. How can people rag on the Red Cross? Sure they're skilled fund raisers, but the money is certainly put to good use. They're the first ones out along with the Salvation Army helping at any tragedy be it a local natural disaster, fire or what we've seen these last days. They're the folks giving food, blankets, medical interventions and shelter during disasterous times.
I just don't understand some people.....it seems like some of you just have to find someone to criticize and dislike, and I think that's really sad.
[ edited by kyriaki on Sep 26, 2001 12:07 PM ]
posted on September 26, 2001 12:16:44 PM new
My bank did not give me a free lollipop today. I bent!!!. I think i will go to a different bank from now on. AW mods, are those keys getting ready to lock this non auction related thread.
posted on September 26, 2001 12:38:36 PM new
Although NOT auction related, per se, it is about the GOOFFIEST and SILLIEST thread I've read in a long time!
Too much nastiness to lock! Good for at least 3 more pages of trivial complaints against this wonderful charity!
Let's see..."In 1960, they gave me a blanket & it had a HOLE in it!"
or 
!!