Medical Cost

[ultrarunner]

I don't have a problem with employers offering a healthcare plan. It is a benefit to all employees. My issue is with the for profit hospitals. Affordable healthcare starts when people aren't making money off of others health needs. We will never stop the outrageous prescription prices, too many are lining their pockets by keeping them high.

Pharmaceuticals should not be linked with hospitals…

They are very distinct in my opinion.

Maybe one solution is to not patronize for profit hospitals?

Most counties have county hospitals and some counties have several county hospitals as mine does.

County hospitals are happy to accept insured and cash pay patients.

It is said if you are a gunshot victim the most experienced emergency rooms for gunshots is county.

Also, mental health hospitals are often mostly goverment.

I like having options and researching ahead of time is time well spent.

Often the for profit buyers throw a lifeline to a hospital that would otherwise go dark…

Published fee schedules vary greatly and a great way one can research offerings.

 

[Jstpssng]

Often the for profit buyers throw a lifeline to a hospital that would otherwise go dark…

It's going in the other direction here...
A for profit bought up most of the smaller facilities over the past couple of decades. Now they are in free fall so are closing some facilities and cutting services in others.

 

[ultrarunner]

Maybe to consolidate market share?

Some California regions are basically sole provider…

Being a sole provider in a region often means a take it or leave it regarding insurance contracts.

Rural and small hospitals continue to close due to finances.

It's going in the other direction here...
A for profit bought up most of the smaller facilities over the past couple of decades. Now they are in free fall so are closing some facilities and cutting services in others.

 

[JasperFrank]

I don't have a problem with employers offering a healthcare plan. It is a benefit to all employees. My issue is with the for profit hospitals. Affordable healthcare starts when people aren't making money off of others health needs. We will never stop the outrageous prescription prices, too many are lining their pockets by keeping them high.

I had a friend that was an editor for an in industry mag dealing with big pharma. He said something interesting to me. He said the whole world is so concerned about illegal drugs, when the real money is in the restricted, though, legal drugs. And he was right about that. The prescriptive market is protected by US Law. And under patent protection, no one can make a generic till the patents expire. Till then, they can charge what ever they want.

 

[gsganzer]

I had a friend that was an editor for an in industry mag dealing with big pharma. He said something interesting to me. He said the whole world is so concerned about illegal drugs, when the real money is in the restricted, though, legal drugs. And he was right about that. The prescriptive market is protected by US Law. And under patent protection, no one can make a generic till the patents expire. Till then, they can charge what ever they want.

The reality is the patentee, finds a re-listing for their drug and buys out the generic and closes it. Therefor guaranteeing their over pricing for a number of years,

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Pharmaceuticals should not be linked with hospitals…

They are very distinct in my opinion.

Maybe one solution is to not patronize for profit hospitals?

Most counties have county hospitals and some counties have several county hospitals as mine does.

County hospitals are happy to accept insured and cash pay patients.

It is said if you are a gunshot victim the most experienced emergency rooms for gunshots is county.

Also, mental health hospitals are often mostly goverment.

I like having options and researching ahead of time is time well spent.

Often the for profit buyers throw a lifeline to a hospital that would otherwise go dark…

Published fee schedules vary greatly and a great way one can research offerings.

Where we are, East Coast, for profit hospitals are the norm. +++ Pharmaceuticals should not be tied. I relate this to the food service industry from which I am from. As part of a food group company, we were tied to SYSCO for the majority of our products. We assumed our company was getting kickbacks, no proof, as we could buy most items cheaper from competitors.

 

[kenmbz]

Most of the medical test books used in colleges are written by or sponsored by the Pharmaceutical companies.