The Insanity Of Medical Costs

[aczlan]

The insurance company may only "allow" $600 for the $3000 procedure. Good for me and good for my insurance company. However, the poor sucker that has no insurance gets stuck with the full amount, no matter how inflated it may be.

As I understand it, the hospital often has a "cash rate" which is less than that $3,000 but probably more than the $600 that your insurance company pays.

Aaron Z

 

[CobyRupert]

Now THAT'S what bothers me. I have always been lucky and blessed enough to have insurance. When I get my EOB's after a medical procedure it lists the charge ($3000 for example). Then it lists the amount allowed. That figure is practically always way less. The insurance company may only "allow" $600 for the $3000 procedure. Good for me and good for my insurance company. However, the poor sucker that has no insurance gets stuck with the full amount, no matter how inflated it may be. Should everybody have some kind of medical insurance? That's a question better discussed in the Friendly Politics forum.

That’s like asking “Should everybody have food?”
Oops, better not ask because “that might be political”.

No...it just being a decent human being. With empathy. Not political.

 

[ruffdog]

That’s like asking “Should everybody have food?”
Oops, better not ask because “that might be political”.

No...it just being a decent human being. With empathy. Not political.

Yes! We have to address important issues without being separated into "camps" because that is when the people lose. It is a old tactic...."divide and conquer".

 

[Travelover]

Yes! We have to address important issues without being separated into "camps" because that is when the people lose. It is a old tactic...."divide and conquer".

So very true. When old cheap drugs like insulin and Epipens go from cheap to unaffordable, it ain't about illegals or lawyers or (your pet peeve here). We need well thought out, bi-partisan recommendations and reform.

 

[JasperFrank]

The AMA is not your friend. Quietly, it is one of the biggest lobbying organizations in the US, and is mostly directed by Big Pharma. Hospitals conspired with insurance companies to make a two tier system. One whereby the State picks up the tab, for the poor, and one for everyone else that must pay full fair through insurance and/or direct charges. The AMA is also behind this. Our, USA, medical infrastructure is a mess and needs to be entirely deconstructed and then built into something that makes sense, just like all the other first world countries have done.

 

[Doofy]

Let us hope that the Donald will succeed in opening up the drug markets to finally allow us to buy from Mexico and Canada and any other approved "low cost" country's.

 

[Doofy]

The Hospital costs for my surgery were ridiculous. 3 hour surgery, 9 hours in recovery because the hospital had no bed for me ready. Finally, get a bed (in a hallway alcove) and spend 15 hours there. All of this for a mere $81,000. Medicare paid $4K for the Hospital, secondary insurance paid $1K and I paid nothing.

My best guess is they over-inflate the cost, take what insurance pays and then write the rest off as a "Loss". Sure seems like a legal scam to me.

 

[ruffdog]

Let us hope that the Donald will succeed in opening up the drug markets to finally allow us to buy from Mexico and Canada and any other approved "low cost" country's.

Counterfeit drugs from who-knows-where is already a safety issue. Being that federal departments that are suppose to control drug quality is being de-funded, I'm losing trust in the people selling drugs. It will be like buying drugs on the street.....who do you trust and what are you really buying?

 

[Doofy]

Gotta point. Every thing is being counterfeited these days.

 

[Travelover]

Counterfeit drugs from who-knows-where is already a safety issue. Being that federal departments that are suppose to control drug quality is being de-funded, I'm losing trust in the people selling drugs. It will be like buying drugs on the street.....who do you trust and what are you really buying?

Actually this is a scare tactic promoted by the drug companies. Do you see people dying like flies from fake drugs in Canada? If not, why would not those same drugs be safe for us?