Medical Costs

Medical Costs:
Mind you, I'm not complaining because these procedures have and will prolong my life. Medicare Part A covers hospital costs of which I have just started to utilize. As have all of you working slobs I've paid into this plan through payroll deduction since it's inception.
Part B is deducted from my Social Security check and covers the doctor bills.
Part F covers what parts A and B don't cover and is an additional expense to me along with Part D which helps to cover some but not all of my prescription costs.
I looked on line and discovered that my Cat Scan was billed at over $3,000.00. WOW!! Sure glad I have insurance.
These next bills are something else I know will be costly, but again, I'm paying for insurance and will be covered.
To all those approaching Medicare, sign up for everything you can afford. One short hospital stay will far exceed any savings you might think you'll get from not getting a supplemental plan.

I estimate that these future procedures and hospital stay will exceed 30K

If we could start over and make all health insurance other than catastrophic illegal, it would fix most of the problems.

I don't understand why people can't see that it's the insurance itself that made the health care costs (artificially) go through the roof.

We shouldn't need insurance to pay for every single health related thing we do.

If people tried to institute a similar model for "grocery insurance" whereby we just paid premiums and deductibles and never knew what the cost of the food was, what do you think would happen to the cost of eating?

[QUOTE=know1;550517]If we could start over and make all health insurance other than catastrophic illegal, it would fix most of the problems.

I don't understand why people can't see that it's the insurance itself that made the health care costs (artificially) go through the roof.

We shouldn't need insurance to pay for every single health related thing we do.

If people tried to institute a similar model for "grocery insurance" whereby we just paid premiums and deductibles and never knew what the cost of the food was, what do you think would happen to the cost of eating?[/QUOTE]

Same could be said for loans. If it weren't so easy to borrow money the price of cars, boats, or any other big ticket item would be very different. The price of college would be drastically different.

I see Tyme's point though, the 'system' is what it is, and his advice is probably pretty good.

[QUOTE=know1;550517]If people tried to institute a similar model for "grocery insurance" whereby we just paid premiums and deductibles and never knew what the cost of the food was, what do you think would happen to the cost of eating?[/QUOTE] It would be nice to see a farmer's paycheck become a little closer to what a doctor's paycheck is.

[QUOTE=sweetwater;550525]It would be nice to see a farmer's paycheck become a little closer to what a doctor's paycheck is.[/QUOTE] I like that, farmers do more for mankind than dr's do.

3 thou for a CT scan is pretty much close to the going rate. I won't argue about the costs of things but I will say for an extended stay make sure to get an itemized bill and make sure you were charged for what you actually received.

[QUOTE=psprowler;550528]3 thou for a CT scan is pretty much close to the going rate. I won't argue about the costs of things but I will say for an extended stay make sure to get an itemized bill and make sure you were charged for what you actually received.[/QUOTE]

Yes indeed I will. I've been getting different answers every time I talk to someone but I'm wanting to take my own daily meds with me to the hospital to avoid being charged $15.00 per dose for meds that cost me 15 cents from my retail pharmacy. I can understand the hospital's point of view concerning interactions but they already have the information of what meds I'm currently taking.

[QUOTE=Tyme2fish;550529]Yes indeed I will. I've been getting different answers every time I talk to someone but I'm wanting to take my own daily meds with me to the hospital to avoid being charged $15.00 per dose for meds that cost me 15 cents from my retail pharmacy. I can understand the hospital's point of view concerning interactions but they already have the information of what meds I'm currently taking.[/QUOTE]

A lot of times hospital policy doesn't allow the patient to use their own meds, unless the medicine is not on the hospital formulary. It's unfortunate, but often times necessary due to the hoops and time it takes to check them in and distribute. I've always contested that certain high priced meds such as cholesterol meds just be held during a 2 to 4 day stay, because going a couple of days without isn't going to hurt the patient but the 30 or 40 dollar charge per tablet might. A lot of the common generic drugs hospitals don't even charge for these days.

[QUOTE=know1;550517]If we could start over and make all health insurance other than catastrophic illegal, it would fix most of the problems.

I don't understand why people can't see that it's the insurance itself that made the health care costs (artificially) go through the roof.

We shouldn't need insurance to pay for every single health related thing we do.

If people tried to institute a similar model for "grocery insurance" whereby we just paid premiums and deductibles and never knew what the cost of the food was, what do you think would happen to the cost of eating?[/QUOTE]

Actually, you're completely off base. Do a little research on why things are paid as they are. Insurance pays the bill, that is it.

Group rates are just that group rates, and certain things are "negotiated" at a particular rate for a whole hell of a lot of different reasons.

A broken arm in one region may cost more than in another region. Just like a gallon of gas or a gallon of milk.

NOW, when you subsidize about 80% of every single medical expenditure with some type of "gubment" program, you end up with a bunch of waste, fraud and abuse......Just WHO is perpetrating that waste, fraud and abuse.....it sure ain't the freakin insurance company.

Blame the providers baby......BLAME the providers..........

When uncle SUGAR pays, folks jack up the price on everything. You all have been involved in "gubment" contracts. YOU show me a single "gubment" anything that costs what it would in the private sector, and I will STFU.......

Later,

Geo

[QUOTE=waterdog101;550526]I like that, farmers do more for mankind than dr's do.[/QUOTE]

I sure hope you never need a doctor...........most IGNORANT statement you have ever said.

[QUOTE=sweetwater;550525]It would be nice to see a farmer's paycheck become a little closer to what a doctor's paycheck is.[/QUOTE]

Doctors actually don't make that much.........Corporate provider networks, and Hospital corporations, well that is a different story.

[QUOTE=GeoFisher;550568]Actually, you're completely off base. Do a little research on why things are paid as they are. Insurance pays the bill, that is it.

Group rates are just that group rates, and certain things are "negotiated" at a particular rate for a whole hell of a lot of different reasons.

A broken arm in one region may cost more than in another region. Just like a gallon of gas or a gallon of milk.

NOW, when you subsidize about 80% of every single medical expenditure with some type of "gubment" program, you end up with a bunch of waste, fraud and abuse......Just WHO is perpetrating that waste, fraud and abuse.....it sure ain't the freakin insurance company.

Blame the providers baby......BLAME the providers..........

When uncle SUGAR pays, folks jack up the price on everything. You all have been involved in "gubment" contracts. YOU show me a single "gubment" anything that costs what it would in the private sector, and I will STFU.......

Later,

Geo[/QUOTE]

I might be thinking out of the box, but I don't think I'm completely off base.

I'm actually blaming us as citizens who allowed this to happen. The seed was planted when companies started offering health insurance as a "benefit". As the costs spiraled out of control and employees had to start footing some of the cost, they made it a deduction so it seemed like money wasn't even being taken out of our pockets.

So now we are essentially paying another entity - health insurance - to pay for our health care. That means we're paying for the health care and for the bureaucratic administration, profits and convoluted processes of the insurance companies. It's in those companies best interests to make sure we're completely dependent on them, so why would we think they are making things better for us? Furthermore, our employers select the insurance companies for us and what plans we can choose.

It's all ridiculous. If we tried to make a similar model from scratch for any other consumer/payment model (like my grocery example), everyone would say we were crazy. But, just like the frog slowly boiled to death in the pot, we've allowed the control of our health and the money that pays for it to be slowly taken completely away from us.

The only way to fix it is to make a radical change. I believe that change is to put the power of choice and spending back into the hands of the patients/consumers rather than have everyone else controlling how we pay for our health care.

And for the record, letting the government control it is even worse than letting our employers and the insurance companies do it.