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This story is indicative of how hospitals have run for a long time. When Medicare rates were forced upon them, it put a strain on their resources.
Many people donate funds to hospitals to help offset the care for the indigent in the community.
I know a woman who was diagnosed with cancer and reached her $1 million maximum provided by her insurance company. The Hospital absolved her so she could die in peace knowing she didn't leave a debt.
The problems were not with the hospitals and the doctors, it was/is the insurance companies, Big Pharma, and Big Daddy (The Government) who happen to all be sleeping together having a 3-way.
We lets see you have no insurance.. you are having a heart attack I guess they cant do that. But if you go in with a cut, or some pain and you are able to give them all that other info I think a informed person would be nice.
HOW ABOUT POSTING THE PRICES ON THE WEBSITE on what it costs to have a CT scan, blood work etc.
Then you can go to hosipitals that dont charge a arm and a leg.
Actually make them show you what they service and charge.
Freedom of information and consumer info would bring to light alot of issues on cost.
I was being cynical. Fact is unlike a car or house people typically don't shop around and they can't really regarding health care specially a emergency. So what stops the industry from charging whatever they want knowing you need them and will die without inmmediate concent, if you are even able to give concent.
Honestly, I am confused about what to do about healthcare, I have always been a non government freemarket believer but I don't see that working in healthcare. What good is living when you are a slave to the bill collector afterward?
Who is going to argue about the bill or potential bill when they are bleeding to death? How do you know what you need for treatment? They tell you what is needed and you just believe.
As far as insurance the rates keep going up, the deductable keeps going up and for some they can't get insurance anyway. Of sure rates are fine for a 21 year old in perfect health , the insurance companies love them but the elderly or pre existing people they don't want to touch if they can avoid them.
Call me arrogant but I view my life as being as important as a billionaire's.
We lets see you have no insurance.. you are having a heart attack I guess they cant do that. But if you go in with a cut, or some pain and you are able to give them all that other info I think a informed person would be nice.
HOW ABOUT POSTING THE PRICES ON THE WEBSITE on what it costs to have a CT scan, blood work etc.
Then you can go to hosipitals that dont charge a arm and a leg.
Actually make them show you what they service and charge.
Freedom of information and consumer info would bring to light alot of issues on cost.
You should not be utilizing the ER unless it's an emergency.
If your injury is not an emergency, there are others that are, and taking the time to discuss possible prices with you take manpower away from people taking care of the people who are there for an emergency.
You shouldn't be utilizing a hospital for routine medical care. You can discuss such things beforehand at a regular doctors office.
We lets see you have no insurance.. you are having a heart attack I guess they cant do that. But if you go in with a cut, or some pain and you are able to give them all that other info I think a informed person would be nice.
HOW ABOUT POSTING THE PRICES ON THE WEBSITE on what it costs to have a CT scan, blood work etc.
Then you can go to hosipitals that dont charge a arm and a leg.
Actually make them show you what they service and charge.
Freedom of information and consumer info would bring to light alot of issues on cost.
It's common sense the ER is the most expensive place you can go for medical care. There are too many factors that go into tests and treatment to give an accurate assessment of costs on the spot. It's just not possible. If you have a cut or other non life threatening emergencies, please do not go to the ER.
Burger flipper~"hi Mercy hospital?, I was just shot in a hold up and need a price quote on treatment"
hospital~"you need to come immediately and get treatment regardless"
Burger flipper~" yes but I need to know how much it will cost, I make 15K a year and need to know whether my life and all my work afterward will be just to pay a medical bill".
hospital~"we don't know, you need to come in though, maybe you can sue those that shot you afterward or we will absorb the costs perhaps?"
other citizen~"absorb the costs? why so I have to pay for a worthless burger flipper who got shot? who is a lazy f*** anyway and should go to school and get a real job so he can pay for his own bullet hole!"
You should not be utilizing the ER unless it's an emergency.
If your injury is not an emergency, there are others that are, and taking the time to discuss possible prices with you take manpower away from people taking care of the people who are there for an emergency.
You shouldn't be utilizing a hospital for routine medical care. You can discuss such things beforehand at a regular doctors office.
Exactly.
If you feel well enough to negotiate the cost of your health care, you don't belong in the ER.
If you feel well enough to negotiate the cost of your health care, you don't belong in the ER.
good point. If it is a true emergency they will and should fix you first, then tell you how much it will cost. Otherwise, people would die while in the process of getting the price list, the hospital would get sued, etc.
If she had insurance, they would have billed the insurance company apprx $4000. But of course if she had insurance they would have kept her in for a day or two and charge the insurance company $5000 per day. My wife'd insurance got billed $15 000 for CT scan with a three days wait in the hospital corridor.
I differ with you on this one: no, they would not have kept her in a day or two: would the bill been higher? It sure would have been, but if nothing was found to indicate there was a reason to keep her, she would have been released. We have been through this a few times in the past couple of years in different states and differenct hospitals..
If your girlfriend was hurting for a few days, then you had time to seek treatment in an urgent care facility. If no urgent care then a walk- in clinic that has a sliding scale (use the phone).
People go to the ER when it's not an "emergency."
I work in health care.
>36% of my income is ripped from my paycheck (and I don't get it back at the end of the year).
I know exactly how much what is - and the reason it goes up.
We are not going to solve anything with the government taking over the health care system. And it "ain't" gonna happen with congressmen who have no clue as to what's going on with the exception of 3 doctors of medicine.
I hear the horror stories. The medical staff is not plotting, there is no conspiracy (although Obama said there was) the med staff is out to help the patient (really).
And, you can't negotiate cost in any ER I know about. It's suppose to be an emergency. That's why they cannot turn anyone away.
In the ER, most docs are operating under the assumption that every patient that comes through the door is a potential suit.
That threat (law suits) and many other simple steps to improve care is what's needed.
It doesn't take an act of congress to weed out the fraud in the system.
We have become a nanny nation with very few paying the taxes. The redistribution of wealth has arrived and must be kept at bay.
I only read the OP and the last few post.
Thanks
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