Hospitals slow to disclose prices

[Ingomike]

The patients should be the only customers of either. Doctors bill you. You file your own claims. You get the claim check. You’re on the hook for your own bill. It would work much more like a traditional 80/20 plan.

My posts suggesting that if one wanted control they should pay for it we’re not well received here. LOL

 

[Ingomike]

No they’re not. The insured are paying for it in the form of premiums that they have no market power to control. That’s another reform I’d like to see. Get health insurance out of employers hands. And into individuals’ hands.

You are incorrectly describing the relationships involved. In todays situation the patient is buying (or their employer) the insurance companies program, a program that is spelled out in lawyereze when one evaluates the options.

We agree that the old way was better and employers need to be gotten out of healthcare…

 

[Ingomike]

I've been buying my own health insurance privately for about 20 years.

And if you are like me you compare coverages and buy the plan that meets your needs as best you can find. But at the end of the day we are buying a program from the insurance company, we have no control of what is and isn’t covered after we buy…

 

[HoughMade]

And if you are like me you compare coverages and buy the plan that meets your needs as best you can find. But at the end of the day we are buying a program from the insurance company, we have no control of what is and isn’t covered after we buy…

Yes, but of course we can evaluate the "network" before we buy.

We could pay fee for service....but beyond an urgent care, most medical facilities don't even know what prices would be or how to accept payments.

 

[Route 45]

My posts suggesting that if one wanted control they should pay for it we’re not well received here. LOL

The idea that you think that this is even possible is what is laughable. The current system is in place for a reason.

It's a big club, and you ain't in it.

 

[Ingomike]

Yes, but of course we can evaluate the "network" before we buy.

We could pay fee for service....but beyond an urgent care, most medical facilities don't even know what prices would be or how to accept payments.

I do see network but I also see lists of what they cover in various situations, and I believe we agree to what they cover, not just what network.

 

[Ingomike]

The idea that you think that this is even possible is what is laughable. The current system is in place for a reason.

It's a big club, and you ain't in it.

Very true, though lacking attribution to Carlin…

 

[HoughMade]

I do see network but I also see lists of what they cover in various situations, and I believe we agree to what they cover, not just what network.

Yes, but most plans don't get procedure -specific. They do talk in terms of experimental versus accepted treatments.

Before Obamacare, we used to be able to opt-out of a lot more types of coverage to lower the price, maternity for instance.

 

[Ingomike]

Yes, but most plans don't get procedure -specific. They do talk in terms of experimental versus accepted treatments.

Before Obamacare, we used to be able to opt-out of a lot more types of coverage to lower the price, maternity for instance.

We sure could. I suppose with the current leftist thinking even men must pay for maternity now…

 

[jamil]

My posts suggesting that if one wanted control they should pay for it we’re not well received here. LOL

It's probably not well received because people can tell that's bull ****. You can't pay for control. Well, I suppose if you were rich you could. The relationship is between insurance companies and providers. And the laws reinforce that. Consumers really don't have a say and to think you could actually buy control in our system is naive.

 

[jamil]

You are incorrectly describing the relationships involved. In todays situation the patient is buying (or their employer) the insurance companies program, a program that is spelled out in lawyereze when one evaluates the options.

We agree that the old way was better and employers need to be gotten out of healthcare…

Consumers can buy health insurance on their own. Or they can obtain health insurance through their employers, where the employers typically subsidize a portion of the insurance premiums and employees pay the rest. Doesn't really matter. There's no real choice. You pay for the level of insurance you can afford for one of the cookie cutter plans. You can't shop around if you're going with your employers insurance. If it's ****, like Cigna, you're pretty well ****ed anyway. You either decline the subsidized employer health insurance or just say **** it and try to find something you feel like paying for on your own.

Basically you feed the beast (insurance companies) and if you need healthcare, you pay a co-pay maybe, and then you shut the **** up and do what you're told. Take it or leave it.

What power do you think one can actually purchase within the system we have?

 

[wtburnette]

Years ago (2001), I had an employer that gave employees $100 to not take the company provided health insurance. Premiums were cheaper back then and I think they paid $200 or $250 per month towards the premium and if you refused the insurance you got $50 per paycheck back twice a month. I thought it was fantastic as my wife at the time was working at Travelers and their insurance coverage for our family was cheaper and provided better coverage. I was sad when they phased that out.

 

[jamil]

Where I worked years ago they did something similar. I wouldn't classify it as paying people not to take their insurance. As a benefit they subsidized some of the cost of the company healthcare plans. They paid out the equivalent of the subsidy to the employees who didn't use the company plans. It was actually a great company to work for because they really behaved like they cared about their employees. It was their view that regardless, as a benefit, they're subsidizing their employees healthcare either way.

 

[Ingomike]

What power do you think one can actually purchase within the system we have?

Cash is king. There are a lot of cash only doctors out there.

 

[Ingomike]

It's probably not well received because people can tell that's bull ****. You can't pay for control. Well, I suppose if you were rich you could. The relationship is between insurance companies and providers. And the laws reinforce that. Consumers really don't have a say and to think you could actually buy control in our system is naive.

People that have way more money than me do control their healthcare by paying cash. Maybe the system should be changed. My proposal is to stop employer provided insurance, take away the employer deduction and give the deduction to the people, but the sheeple believe they get “free” healthcare and no matter the explanation they still do not get it.

 

[Cameramonkey]

People that have way more money than me do control their healthcare by paying cash. Maybe the system should be changed. My proposal is to stop employer provided insurance, take away the employer deduction and give the deduction to the people, but the sheeple believe they get “free” healthcare and no matter the explanation they still do not get it.

They also think that corporations pay taxes.

 

[Leo]

The system is broken, and regulations are protecting greed, not the patient.

For example, the test called an Angiogram. Walk in at 8:00 am, procedure less than an hour, was dressed and eating lunch at my wife's favorite restaurant by noon. Three years ago the test was $38,000! I thought that was robbery. My insurance paid 80%. Pretty salty bill for an hour. The Dr ordered another one this April, 2022. This bill was $70,000, insurance will cover 80%. Same test, same Dr, same hospital, even the same recovery room nurse. Walked out and ate lunch with my wife. $32,000 MORE per hour for a routine test. It is not like it made me better, it was just measurements for the record.

Anyone who thinks that increase is justifiable is thick in the head.

 

[Ingomike]

The system is broken, and regulations are protecting greed, not the patient.

For example, the test called an Angiogram. Walk in at 8:00 am, procedure less than an hour, was dressed and eating lunch at my wife's favorite restaurant by noon. Three years ago the test was $38,000! I though that was robbery. My insurance paid 80%. Pretty salty bill for an hour. The Dr ordered another one this April, 2022. This bill was $70,000, insurance will cover 80%. Same test, same Dr, same hospital, even the same recovery room nurse. Walked out and ate lunch with my wife. $32,000 MORE per hour for a routine teat. It is not like it made me better, it was just measurements for the record.

Anyone who thinks that increase is justifiable is thick in the head.

That percentage increase is less than the increase in gas…

 

[Leo]

That percentage increase is less than the increase in gas…

That is true, but neither statement makes me feel better ! <grin>

 

[BehindBlueI's]

So, just so I understand the argument, individuals will shop for the best insurance but companies don't because...why, exactly? Employers allowing employees to pool was the only way for those with preexisting conditions to get insurance for quite awhile...