Amazing Health Care Secret

[cornflakesdisease]

Did you know that when you go to the emergency room to treat a sprained ankle, you will be billed for $750 for $55 worth of actual services, x-rays, medical equipment, and cost of time of treatment people?

And if you don't pay that $750 bill with it's actual $55 in real cost, they will sell that bill to a debt collecting service for $175.

So they profit $120 on that. Now I see why they keep building hospitals a and medical facilites all over my part of town. Because they can afford to.

But if it were nationalized, dear God, it would actuall cost what it costs and it would be controlled!

Dam, but that would make sense.

[sweeps]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Thanks Hillary. Say hi to Bill for us.

[pearlieq]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Thanks Hillary. Say hi to Bill for us.

I think Hillary's been dipping into the hooch again!

We're getting bombarded by pearls of "wisdom" today!

[ilr58]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

If everyone that used the emergency room paid their bill then the cost would decrease dramatically. However, the uninsured and those without adequate medical coverage (and even those with deductibles that they cannot satisfy immediately but only with a payment plan) when they do not pay then they cause the hospital to eat the cost. With that comes the overpriced amount across the board.

[dexter]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Could you back up your information with links to facts? My job for many, many years was doing cost analysis for hospitals. Your numbers are way off.

[genmed]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Umm.. I have to agree your numbers seem pretty far off. I can tell you the "real cost" is much more then that. Also the $750 for a sprained ankle billed seems high. I've seen several total bills for broken ankles in the ER and they are $250 less.

[cornflakesdisease]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

My wife sprained her ankle missing the step on our stairs. That was what it cost for 1) x-ray 2) four days tylenol 3 pills, 3.) ace bandage 4." nurses time. $750.00

As for the anti-nationalized health care people. People are going to get hurt and sick. You either

1. let them die (as Jesus would, right?)

2. spread the risk to everyone

Think carefully, because 1 and every 3 of us will get cancer in our lifetime.

Most people against nationalizing health care have money, access to good insurance, or feel your "minorities" will "get on down the welfare/healthcare". (Dam bigots)

Doctors should be the gatekeepers.

PS most of the high cost of health care is prescription drugs, medical equipent, and administrative costs.

For profit healthcare makes as much sense as for profit wars.

[JanH]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

I am not fully informed on the national health care issue. And while I believe EVERYONE should be able to receive healthcare through some sort of universal insurance or something, I worry about the federal government (I DO appreciate democracy and our country) being able to administer a national health care. I mean, they have enough trouble administering the stuff they have now. Do we think they will be able to set up something efficient and helpful? Or cost effective? Would it work?

[ilr58]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Most people against nationalizing health care have money, access to good insurance, or feel your "minorities" will "get on down the welfare/healthcare". (Dam bigots)

Bringing poor people into this particular discussion does not apply because the United States already has universal healthcare for low income people: Medicaid. (The United States also has universal healthcare for the elderly: Medicare).

If you can't afford insurance then the government has instituted the Medicaid program. If you don't obtain some form of health insurance then you are irresponsible.

As far as the "dam bigots" comment only a liberal would attempt to equate this with some form of racial discrimination. You are being extremely intellectually dishonest with yourself. Let's be real here (and I am not even going to get into the "for profit wars" nonsense).

[sweeps]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Bringing poor people into this particular discussion does not apply because the United States already has universal healthcare for low income people: Medicaid. (The United States also has universal healthcare for the elderly: Medicare).

If you can't afford insurance then the government has instituted the Medicaid program. If you don't obtain some form of health insurance then you are irresponsible.

There are lots of people who can't afford quality healthcare whether eligible for Medicare/Medicaid or not.

[Fern]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Did you know that when you go to the emergency room to treat a sprained ankle, you will be billed for $750 for $55 worth of actual services, x-rays, medical equipment, and cost of time of treatment people?

:

The cost of actual services, x-rays, medical euqipment and cost of time of treatment people cost a lot more than $55.

[gackle]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Could you back up your information with links to facts?

Alright, cornflakesdisease, you showed your example for the $750 bill, now we need your documentation for the $55 cost.

[ilr58]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

There are lots of people who can't afford quality healthcare whether eligible for Medicare/Medicaid or not.

Unfortunately, that is true but I would submit that the vast majority of those same people that cannot afford quality healthcare and don't qualify for Medicare/Medicaid cannot afford it because of choices that they have made (poor budgeting, lack of financial discipline, etc.).

I do not think that it is the government's responsibility (meaning really, everyone's responsibility to take care of people that are not financially disciplined. Definitely, there should be programs in place to take care of the poor and elderly [Medicaid and Medicare] but as far as you and I footing the bill via higher taxes for people that cannot budget then I say no thanks. Yes, that's right, I would rather have some people give up some of the things that are really luxuries like a brand new car and drive a used car in order to afford health insurance then for them to go ahead and purchase the brand new car knowing that my higher taxes will pick up the slack due to their poor or nonexistent financial planning).

Many that would simply get serious about being disciplined with their finances would be able to afford top notch healthcare, save for retirement, save for the kid's college bills, etc. rather than buying a new flat screen tv, buying a new car and who knows what else.

[tinapbeana]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

Yes, that's right, I would rather have some people give up some of the things that are really luxuries like a brand new car and drive a used car in order to afford health insurance then for them to go ahead and purchase the brand new car knowing that my higher taxes will pick up the slack due to their poor or nonexistent financial planning).

Many that would simply get serious about being disciplined with their finances would be able to afford top notch healthcare, save for retirement, save for the kid's college bills, etc. rather than buying a new flat screen tv, buying a new car and who knows what else.

perhaps it's just me, but doesn't the educational system (and therefore the government) hold some of the blame for folks who suffer from non-existant financial planning? none of my schools taught me the first thing about real-world finances. my economics class cover things like 'supply and demand' not 'saving for retirement and avoiding debt'.

yes, it is the parents' responsibility. but, until we have a system that ensures all parents are responsible (HA!), then we have a government there that is supposedly picking up the slack when it affects the public good. while this may be the case for issues such as sexual health and eating right (which are covered in schools because someone didn't learn it at home and needs to), it's almost never applied to personal finance.

those who are cynical might think it's because there is less profit in financially responsible teens and young adults...

[sweeps]

Re: Amazing Health Care Secret

I agree with you, ilr. But let's be honest -- the incentives have to be there. There are a lot of busy, disinterested, uneducated, distracted, unmotivated and/or foolish people out there. Telling someone "if you didn't buy that new car, you wouldn't be dying from diabetes right now" isn't going to help much. We need a plan that is simple and provides the right incentives.

I know you probably want details, but I'm too busy, disinterested, uneducated, distracted, unmotivated and foolish right now.