It would be interesting to know what procedures this person received during these first three days. But short of an organ transplant, it seems difficult to justify this kind of pricing.
Wow I'd go through that bill with a fine toothed comb before I'd admit it was legitimate and I'd ask for another copy of the bill, you'd be surprised how often a hospital can't produce accurate duplicate bills. Neither I nor my insurance company paid for my first born son as the hospital bill was full of errors and they could never produce an accurate duplicate billing. Medically they were great, even had second child there, the bill was accurate that time.
It is maddening, it's one of the few industries you can't get consistent and accurate quotes. Pricing does vary based on who pays. The price for services will vary based on the facilities relationship with the insurer if the patient has coverage and if the patient doesn't have coverage the pricing is all over the place and often much higher.
$6 of $10 spent on medicine in the U.S.A., are spent by the U.S. Congress for their medical welfare programs, Medicare and Medicaid, which are the only kind of healthcare, as that is what healthcare means, government welfare medicine.
For prices to fall, political spending on welfare medicine must get curtailed, or ideally, come to an end. However, politicians never would do that because politicians gain the power they want to do what they really want from millions of voters who exchange fealty for welfare such as Medicare.
I have Medicare coverage and used it to have some minor surgery last year. I had Medicare insurance deducted from my biweekly paycheck for 20 years and gained no benefits during that time. It's interesting now that I'm 66 and get some of my own contribution back in the form of coverage to hear a young smartass guy like you refer to it as "welfare."
Anonymous 9:21- Could you please explain why insurance companies are involved in our health care to begin with (other than to make $ for themselves and deny needed benefits)?
Anonymous 7:51- And you'll never hear the term "corporate welfare" uttered from his mouth.
or you could take on the system used by every first world country that isn't the usa. i live in Australia if i break my leg tomorrow i can go to a hospital and get treatment for $0. we have basic medical care for all. its just like we have roads for everyone to drive on or education for every kid
Everyone has seen examples of this, and treats it as a common occurrence. "The insurance company will negotiate." But presenting an inflated bill is fraud, and nothing else.
As a kid in 1960 I stayed in a hospital for observation and tests for 10 days. They did brain scans and (MANY) X-rays and spinal taps and who knows how much more. They never did find the source of my problem. I was told by my parents that the bill came to a little over $1,000.
About $100 per day.
I honestly don't think the level of expsense is truly clear until compared to our own history.
My father belonged to the TRRA, a hospital system for railroad workers, but the hospital I was in was not one of their in-system ones.
It would be interesting to know what procedures this person received during these first three days. But short of an organ transplant, it seems difficult to justify this kind of pricing.
ReplyDeleteWow I'd go through that bill with a fine toothed comb before I'd admit it was legitimate and I'd ask for another copy of the bill, you'd be surprised how often a hospital can't produce accurate duplicate bills.
ReplyDeleteNeither I nor my insurance company paid for my first born son as the hospital bill was full of errors and they could never produce an accurate duplicate billing. Medically they were great, even had second child there, the bill was accurate that time.
Odd that the discussion in the U.S. centers so much on "who pays for it?" when it seems like "why does it cost that much?" is more significant.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but feel that the simple act of requiring hospitals to publish price lists publicly would do wonders for healthcare.
It is maddening, it's one of the few industries you can't get consistent and accurate quotes.
DeletePricing does vary based on who pays. The price for services will vary based on the facilities relationship with the insurer if the patient has coverage and if the patient doesn't have coverage the pricing is all over the place and often much higher.
Watch this video if you want to get some idea how badly America is getting ripped off by its health system. It's astonishing, I guarantee you.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.upworthy.com/his-first-4-sentences-are-interesting-the-5th-blew-my-mind-and-made-me-a-little-sick-2
What's truly astonishing is that we continue to let them get away with it...
Delete$6 of $10 spent on medicine in the U.S.A., are spent by the U.S. Congress for their medical welfare programs, Medicare and Medicaid, which are the only kind of healthcare, as that is what healthcare means, government welfare medicine.
ReplyDeleteFor prices to fall, political spending on welfare medicine must get curtailed, or ideally, come to an end. However, politicians never would do that because politicians gain the power they want to do what they really want from millions of voters who exchange fealty for welfare such as Medicare.
I have Medicare coverage and used it to have some minor surgery last year. I had Medicare insurance deducted from my biweekly paycheck for 20 years and gained no benefits during that time. It's interesting now that I'm 66 and get some of my own contribution back in the form of coverage to hear a young smartass guy like you refer to it as "welfare."
DeleteAnonymous 9:21- Could you please explain why insurance companies are involved in our health care to begin with (other than to make $ for themselves and deny needed benefits)?
DeleteAnonymous 7:51- And you'll never hear the term "corporate welfare" uttered from his mouth.
or you could take on the system used by every first world country that isn't the usa. i live in Australia if i break my leg tomorrow i can go to a hospital and get treatment for $0. we have basic medical care for all. its just like we have roads for everyone to drive on or education for every kid
ReplyDeleteEveryone has seen examples of this, and treats it as a common occurrence. "The insurance company will negotiate."
ReplyDeleteBut presenting an inflated bill is fraud, and nothing else.
As a kid in 1960 I stayed in a hospital for observation and tests for 10 days. They did brain scans and (MANY) X-rays and spinal taps and who knows how much more. They never did find the source of my problem. I was told by my parents that the bill came to a little over $1,000.
ReplyDeleteAbout $100 per day.
I honestly don't think the level of expsense is truly clear until compared to our own history.
My father belonged to the TRRA, a hospital system for railroad workers, but the hospital I was in was not one of their in-system ones.
This was my hospital bill when I was a child -
Deletehttp://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-first-hospital-bill.html
4 days @ $6/day + meds, labs, and supplies....