Quote:
Originally Posted by jIM_Ohio
Some of our doctor visits for the kids are $200 if they get sick, but I am willing to pay that fee (we have $7000 budgeted for healthcare this year).
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That's great, but you have to realize that you are not the norm. A great many people are not able to do that. They don't have $200 to spend for a sick kid. A lot of problems are going to go untreated and allowed to get worse if folks can't (or won't) spend the money to see the doctor.
I remember when most HMO copays were very low, like $2. That was ridiculous because it encouraged patients to see the doctor for everything and anything. A $20 or $30 copay is reasonable. It is high enough to create some deterrent to frivolous visits but not so high as as to deter legitimately needed care. Make the price tag $200 and there will be lots of problems, or lots more folks clogging the ER with minor problems.
I don't pretend to have the solution, but making people pay out of pocket for everything certainly isn't it.