Medical Cost

[ultrarunner]

Tons of bankruptcies due to medical…

Also many judgement proof too.

They will come after you for everything you own and since you signed a personal liability form for the unpaid portion, they will likely collect.

 

[Mi-Troll]

.........and the medical industry has changed from a "service" to a "for profit".

I've heard stories about people in the hospital and being charged $50 for receiving a Tylenol, always wondered if that was real until I spoke to my daughter who works for a large pharmaceutical company. She was in the hospital and received a bottle of medicine when she was discharged, she recognized the bottle because it was the same that her company sold to the hospital for $.99 cents, she was billed $99.00 dollars for it.
I don't know what goes into justifying that markup, no reason to believe that large or larger of a markup isn't across the board. Medical systems ( hospitals) are a business and they know people will pay out the nose.

 

[gsganzer]

.........and the medical industry has changed from a "service" to a "for profit".

The change to "for profit" happened under Nixon when he threw a bone to his friend that started Kaiser and the HMO's.

I've been able to watch firsthand, the difference between practitioners that have their own practice and those that are in a health group (like Texas Health). In fact, I watched the quality of care, and rise in my costs, when my own primary that joined TX Health. It's declined bad enough that I'll probably change primary physicians.

 

[orezok]

The change to "for profit" happened under Nixon when he threw a bone to his friend that started Kaiser and the HMO's.

I've been able to watch firsthand, the difference between practitioners that have their own practice and those that are in a health group (like Texas Health). In fact, I watched the quality of care, and rise in my costs, when my own primary that joined TX Health. It's declined bad enough that I'll probably change primary physicians.

Not quite correct.

Momentous events like the Great Depression and World War II defined a new generation in America. Young surgeon Sidney R. Garfield, MD, and industrialist Henry J. Kaiser became leading visionaries and pioneers in this new generation. They co-founded Kaiser Permanente in 1945 and introduced a revolutionary health care model. One that integrated preventive and evidence-based care with ultramodern technology.

 

[jyoutz]

All benefits are mandated to be those of obamacare. So you may not have a subsidized policy, but your benefits on that policy are the exact same as obamacare policies.

My BCBS benefits have always been above what is mandated by Obamacare.

 

[ultrarunner]

The change to "for profit" happened under Nixon when he threw a bone to his friend that started Kaiser and the HMO's.

I've been able to watch firsthand, the difference between practitioners that have their own practice and those that are in a health group (like Texas Health). In fact, I watched the quality of care, and rise in my costs, when my own primary that joined TX Health. It's declined bad enough that I'll probably change primary physicians.

Many docs now retired advise their kids not to be docs… so much time running a business and compliance leaves little time for doctoring.

Many in Washington DC have praised Kaiser which is headquartered in Oakland CA and has a very interesting history with a lot of it going back to keeping a wartime workforce to build liberty ships, etc.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I had an incident in the front yard last August. Paramedic decided that I needed to be flown to Chattanooga. 35 miles. Med Trans helicopter billed $66824, ins paid $6156, I owe $1539.

Also, I'm on a cancer treatment every 3 months. Last one was billed at $23367. ins paid $493. I paid $110.

Can't complain about my insurance.

Who pays the rest?

 

[ultrarunner]

The difference between retail and negotiated wholesale is often huge.

Not unusual for patients to be caught in the middle.

My friend had a huge chunk of floating cartridge removed from his knee last week… his knee would literally lock up…

Originally damaged in High School Football.

The Ortho Surgeon said knee also has arthritis and insurance declined saying if knee continues to be a problem it will reconsider in 6 months which means a second surgery.

The excellent Doc said no… makes no sense to go in again when already there so he did it without charge… hospital did not charge for the additional 30 minutes OR time…

Things like this happen often…

There are some procedures we simply can’t do or make up on volume if each procedure is a loss…

Thankfully I know dedicated doctors that really do all they can… but the number continues to decline… they are also not fans of managed care from afar dictating treatment.

Before insurance our family doc always did in office 3 payment model… it worked well and no middleman…

His office was very primitive by todays standards but affordable…

 

[gsganzer]

Not quite correct.

Momentous events like the Great Depression and World War II defined a new generation in America. Young surgeon Sidney R. Garfield, MD, and industrialist Henry J. Kaiser became leading visionaries and pioneers in this new generation. They co-founded Kaiser Permanente in 1945 and introduced a revolutionary health care model. One that integrated preventive and evidence-based care with ultramodern technology.

While they may have been pioneers with a novel healthcare model, HMO's were also seen as a way to have a profit driven healthcare alternative to a national healthcare system. The idea was pushed on Nixon, who then signed the HMO act into law. While the idea of an HMO should be a good system, it was ultimately perverted by the profit takers, denying procedures and protecting profits.

Profit driven healthcare.

Nixon signs HMO's into law

 

[Snobdds]

My BCBS benefits have always been above what is mandated by Obamacare.

No they aren't. I am BCBS, I did actuarial stuff for years and now in charge of risk management for all of BCBS. I know this.

You can't really get more benefits than those mandated by the ACA. In fact, you have pediatric dental in your 60's. Great benefit, too bad you pay for it and will never use it.