Planning on dropping Health Insurance. Change my mind.

[MossRoad]

As I mentioned before, my mother-in-laws liver was something like $900,000 after all was said and done. She paid $1500 out of pocket!

 

[goeduck]

As I mentioned before, my mother-in-laws liver was something like $900,000 after all was said and done. She paid $1500 out of pocket!

Was the $900,000 the total invoiced? If so, do you recall what insurance actually paid? The first $450,000 invoiced for my wifes cancer was settled up with insurance for around $120,000, about a quarter of the total. We paid $1700. Without insurance they would not be settling with me for 25 cents on the dollar, you can bet that.

 

[MossRoad]

Was the $900,000 the total invoiced? If so, do you recall what insurance actually paid? The first $450,000 invoiced for my wifes cancer was settled up with insurance for around $120,000, about a quarter of the total. We paid $1700. Without insurance they would not be settling with me for 25 cents on the dollar, you can bet that.

No, I don't know that. It was 11 years ago. Pretty amazed she's just alive and only had to pay $1500. We didn't really care how much they charged VS how much the insurance companies negotiated it down to since she had such great insurance. But I understand where you're coming from. I've had some emergency room bills for multi-thousands of dollars that negotiated down by 40% on several occasions. Makes you wonder how much you'd have to pay if you didn't have insurance.

 

[goeduck]

No, I don't know that. It was 11 years ago. Pretty amazed she's just alive and only had to pay $1500. We didn't really care how much they charged VS how much the insurance companies negotiated it down to since she had such great insurance. But I understand where you're coming from. I've had some emergency room bills for multi-thousands of dollars that negotiated down by 40% on several occasions. Makes you wonder how much you'd have to pay if you didn't have insurance.

I think getting concurrence on and paying the fair price is going to be a big part of solving the country’s medical costs.

 

[ultrarunner]

No, I don't know that. It was 11 years ago. Pretty amazed she's just alive and only had to pay $1500. We didn't really care how much they charged VS how much the insurance companies negotiated it down to since she had such great insurance. But I understand where you're coming from. I've had some emergency room bills for multi-thousands of dollars that negotiated down by 40% on several occasions. Makes you wonder how much you'd have to pay if you didn't have insurance.

Sometimes nothing... especially when waiving the Bankruptcy Card or if you are Judgement Proof as with government assistance...

For scheduled medical services including surgery... there is always a cash pay fee schedule.

Just remember typically there are at least 3 providers/bills for surgery... sometimes more.

The 3 are facility, surgeon, anesthesiologist the sometime more might include lab work such as biopsy... or extraordinary costs such as blood or ICU transfer to another facility.

One pitfall to navigate is In Network and Not... ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ANESTESIA... as the facility and surgeon you would know with certainty... the Anesthesia is a wild card... sometimes there is a last minute switch... a case goes long or a cancellation and the Surgeon is ready to go...

I don't like it and even my own brother got trapped... his Anesthesia was not available and the surgeon could not wait... so a Anesthesiologist was substituted... out of network!

My brother did not back down... in the end he prevailed... but not without calling the Doc at home and several times... he said every time I get a call... you get a call...

 

[Monster diesel]

Keep crossing your fingers that this country will join rest of the world in the healthcare department and we will have universal healthcare soon. It’s crying shame that one of the wealthiest countries in the world has a for profit health system in a social service.

 

[goeduck]

Keep crossing your fingers that this country will join rest of the world in the healthcare department and we will have universal healthcare soon. It’s crying shame that one of the wealthiest countries in the world has a for profit health system in a social service.

Profit, malpractice insurance, those that do not pay, those that pay for themselves AND effectively pay for those that do not pay..... it is a mess all around.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Keep crossing your fingers that this country will join rest of the world in the healthcare department and we will have universal healthcare soon. It痴 crying shame that one of the wealthiest countries in the world has a for profit health system in a social service.

It works so so in the USA called the VA Medical System. The down side to what you are talking about turns healthcare over to the politicians to finance. If they raise taxes to provide the requested services then there can be voter riots like we are seeing in the news. The working people still have to pay more to fill the gap left by those who will not or can not pay since in either case everyone seems to have access to healthcare in the USA at some level or another if they show up at ER.

If one is financially independent and can go the Private Pay route then the noise about healthcare I guess does not make much sense.

It is not popular option with family and friends but with the handwriting on the wall in 2014 at the age of 63 I changed my way of eating, moving and thinking to get me free of health issues requiring Rx meds. So far so good.

For you younger ones out there Prevention may be the best healthcare solution in your future. Everyone today can look at countries with socialized medicine and see services being rationed and people are lining up at their borders to get in like today in Europe to get free healthcare, etc.

 

[ultrarunner]

Even in countries rated highly for social medicine... every person I worked with had supplemental insurance... not a single one went without.

The Doctor and Nurse friends were amazed at the broad coverage Medicare offers and said they have nothing similar to offer...

Again... even with Socialized Medicine... plenty of people crossed boarders for specific treatments...

The German Dentists bordering Austria had many Austrian patients and the Austrian Dentists had many German patients...

No one system is a panacea... and we all pay for it in the end...

The focus is on well baby, youth and productive adults during their earning years... those on pensions simply are not a priority or even offered some expensive options.

Doctors have almost total freedom from malpractice... no worries a screw up might cost you your home.

 

[Travelover]

........One pitfall to navigate is In Network and Not... ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ANESTESIA... as the facility and surgeon you would know with certainty... the Anesthesia is a wild card... sometimes there is a last minute switch... a case goes long or a cancellation and the Surgeon is ready to go.............

You have some insight into this issue - what is the deal with these anesthesiologists that charge full freight as opposed to assigned rates? Are they just pirates gouging vulnerable people or do they have some legitimate excuse?