Medical costs

[Turbys_1700]

It would be interesting to see metrics the World Health Organization uses to come up with those rankings. The devil is in the details.

 

[WM75Guy]

Tort reform is not the answer to reducing the cost of malpractice insurance...(It has not worked in TX anyway)...
below is what I posted earlier in the thread...
Tort reform would only limit injured parties that is not the answer...

I would disagree. My malpractice insurance premiums had been cut in half and the coverage limits increased X 3.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I am a medical provider and I can tell you that our health care outcomes are certainly NOT GREAT when compared to other first world countries. Period. End of story. We also, as a country, spend about twice as much per person. It really is pretty embarrassing.

I don't think it has as much to do with the care given rather the overall health of the people receiving it. America is an extremely unhealthy country with rampant hypertension, diabetes and cardiac problems. Hard to blame the doctors for poor outcomes when the patients are already a wreck.

Low income people abuse the system way way way more than productive members of society. The poor people have ZERO issues calling 911 for a ride to the hospital when there is a working car in the driveway and they are more than capable of riding the few miles to get there. Never do they say they don't want to go in the ambulance because they can't afford the bill. These are frequent fliers that go several times a month because they never pay the bill and there are zero consequences. On the other hand, the working class that has insurance and pays their bills more times than not are concerned about the cost that will be incurred and have a worry about the bill. These are not the frequent fliers. They pay their bills and don't want a $1500 one for a 5 mile trip in an ambulance.

The abuse is horrendous. It would be nice if we could refuse transfer by ambulance and treatment at the er. Kick them out when they come in with a runny nose for 2 weeks at 3am or because they haven't pooped today. Yes these happen literally every day.

Note, I'm not on an ambulance but am very familiar with emergency health care in our country. It's ridiculous the abuse the providers receive. Maybe 10% of calls are legit emergencies that justify a response.

Brett

 

[TractorGuy]

Took my daughter to the ER a few weeks ago for a reaction to a wasp sting. One hour and a shot given by a physician assistant. $1,000 bucks.

 

[/pine]

I would disagree. My malpractice insurance premiums had been cut in half and the coverage limits increased X 3.

But those savings have been insignificant to the patient base...otherwise everyone would be going to TX for health care...
IMO tort reform just puts limits on those that have been injured

 

[tcreeley]

When I was a kid I was polishing/sanding the horns of one of our cows for a 4-H fair. She swung her head for flies and caught my upper lip. We called the local hospital and they said their head surgeon would meet us at his office in town across from he drugstore. He put in 3 stitches, no painkiller - said the painkiller shots were just not necessary. He worked alone, no nurse, no staff.
The stitches healed up well, scar is next to invisible. He became our family doctor. It was all done on a cash basis.
today I avoid the doctors and their protocols imposed by insurance companies.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Hospital billed.....

$20 for topical
$380.75 for material
$611.32 for level 3 room charge

Total hospital billed $1012.07

Physician billed
$669 for the physician
$486 for "sugery"

Total physician bill.....$1,155

Total bill was $2,167.07

High ded plan so still under deductible. So insurance pays nothing. But has "Discounted" rates.

So total I actually owe....$1,777.11

When my wife, son, and I were in the Philippines in 2014 our 2 year old son needed 3 stitches in his head. Total cost was under $60 US including antibiotics.

This year he got an ear infection while we were there. The doctors office visit was $5 US and medicine was around $30.

Our medical system here is so screwed up it's just sad.

Kevin

 

[check]

It would be interesting to see metrics the World Health Organization uses to come up with those rankings. The devil is in the details.

My thoughts exactly. Rankings only tell you who is above and below you. Not how far away from you they are.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^Back in 1991 when I started working for the Hospital we did not have a single employee of Philippine descent

Twenty five years later about 55% of the medical staff is from the Philippines... Nurses and some Doctors... Tagalog is the most often heard language after English...

It is a career goal to come from the Philippines and land a job in the States as an RN...

Almost all the Docs were White Males and now very few and mostly pushing 60 or older... the single largest group of physicians are from India...with about 40% of the physicians female.

 

[check]

When my wife, son, and I were in the Philippines in 2014 our 2 year old son needed 3 stitches in his head. Total cost was under $60 US including antibiotics. This year he got an ear infection while we were there. The doctors office visit was $5 US and medicine was around $30. Our medical system here is so screwed up it's just sad. Kevin

And worse yet, the current government can't seem to be able to do much about it.