Is there a bigger racket than...

[Easy Mac]

Healthcare.


Just wondering. Here's my story. For reasons I won't go into, I still don't have insurance. Anyhow, I was at work at night back in August, and I had a horrible pain in my chest, heart pounding, couldn't breathe, my arm went numb and there was pain shooting in my jaw. I thought I was having a heart attack. So i get downstairs and the night clerk calls 911. They come and get me in an ambulance, run an EKG in the ambulance and say I'm fine. They take me to the hospital, put me in a bed, give me some ativan, and then check in on me 2x in the next 2 hours until someone could get there to pick me up. I'm grateful they were helpful, really, and its good to know that it was only a panic attack.

However, so I get the first bill: Ambulance. Of course, I had been told it would be expensive, and it was. The 4 mile (round trip) ride plus EKG cost $375. Not as bad as I had heard, but still sizeable. So I pay it, ok. Then I get the hospital bill, $150. They gave me a bed and a small sedative. Ok, I pay it, I figure thats normal. Then yesterday, I get a bill from the doctor's of SC saying I owe them $200 for their service. I'm seriously ready to kill someone. Literally, the doctor came into the room as soon I got to the hospital, asked how I was feeling, I said it feels like a heart attack, he said you're too young you'll be fine, and he walked out. That's it. I didn't see him for the next 2 hours. So he gets paid $200 for seeing me for around 10 seconds. WTF? How is that even legal? By my math, that's $72,000 an hour he should be making.

How can is it that more people don't bitch and moan about doctor's and their costs, but a lawyer (and their staff) work 60 hour weeks, and when we charge money we're crooks?

I'm honestly tempted to just walk into the ER and just punch a random doctor and throw money at him, they're basically the mob.

[Philliesfan980]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Healthcare.


Just wondering. Here's my story. For reasons I won't go into, I still don't have insurance. Anyhow, I was at work at night back in August, and I had a horrible pain in my chest, heart pounding, couldn't breathe, my arm went numb and there was pain shooting in my jaw. I thought I was having a heart attack. So i get downstairs and the night clerk calls 911. They come and get me in an ambulance, run an EKG in the ambulance and say I'm fine. They take me to the hospital, put me in a bed, give me some ativan, and then check in on me 2x in the next 2 hours until someone could get there to pick me up. I'm grateful they were helpful, really, and its good to know that it was only a panic attack.

However, so I get the first bill: Ambulance. Of course, I had been told it would be expensive, and it was. The 4 mile (round trip) ride plus EKG cost $375. Not as bad as I had heard, but still sizeable. So I pay it, ok. Then I get the hospital bill, $150. They gave me a bed and a small sedative. Ok, I pay it, I figure thats normal. Then yesterday, I get a bill from the doctor's of SC saying I owe them $200 for their service. I'm seriously ready to kill someone. Literally, the doctor came into the room as soon I got to the hospital, asked how I was feeling, I said it feels like a heart attack, he said you're too young you'll be fine, and he walked out. That's it. I didn't see him for the next 2 hours. So he gets paid $200 for seeing me for around 10 seconds. WTF? How is that even legal? By my math, that's $72,000 an hour he should be making.

How can is it that more people don't bitch and moan about doctor's and their costs, but a lawyer (and their staff) work 60 hour weeks, and when we charge money we're crooks?

I'm honestly tempted to just walk into the ER and just punch a random doctor and throw money at him, they're basically the mob.

You can thank the people who get 4 Million (not a real figure) for having a doctor screw up, and now they can't use their big toe, for part of the situation. The other part is just pure greed.

[lynchjm24]

Not having insurance is a bad idea.

Don't pay any more bills before you attempt to negotiate them down. Insurers don't pay the billed charges - depending on the area they are discounted from 20%-80%.

Doctors don't make nearly as much as you might think. The insurance companies make money, and the amount of money spent on liability insurance is unreal.

The greatest pressure on prices though are the uninsured and the huge amounts of medical bills that they don't pay - leading those who do have insurance and those who pay out of pocket to bear those costs.

[Easy Mac]

If you look at statistics, being sued makes no dent on healthcare costs at all. There are higher malpractice insurance rates for doctors in states where there are caps on damages. Its what isnurance people tell you so you won't get mad at them for arbitrarily raising your rates.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

I said it feels like a heart attack, he said you're too young you'll be fine, and he walked out. That's it.

You know, I don't think he's a very good doctor.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by lynchjm24

The greatest pressure on prices though are the uninsured and the huge amounts of medical bills that they don't pay - leading those who do have insurance and those who pay out of pocket to bear those costs.

ex-act-ly

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by lynchjm24

Not having insurance is a bad idea.

Don't pay any more bills before you attempt to negotiate them down. Insurers don't pay the billed charges - depending on the area they are discounted from 20%-80%.

Doctors don't make nearly as much as you might think. The insurance companies make money, and the amount of money spent on liability insurance is unreal.

The greatest pressure on prices though are the uninsured and the huge amounts of medical bills that they don't pay - leading those who do have insurance and those who pay out of pocket to bear those costs.

You hit it right on the head. Uninsured persons who don't pay their bills and malpractice insurance which is outrageously expensive (for a variety of reasons) cause others to bear the brunt of the financial burden of healthcare. However, the doctor's bedside manner sounds like it could use some work. However, even with his crappy bedside manner, he probably spent a fair bit of time checking your EKG and documenting. Documenting is becoming so burdensome on doctors (due in part to malpractice suits) that it is cutting into patient care time (although it sounds like this doctor took that to an extreme that is not healthy.)

Also, I would definitely recommend attempting to negotiate the bills to a lower price.

[Draft Dodger]

the malpractice thing is pretty bogus, and, I'm willing to bet that the uninsured aren't as big a burden as people think.

it really just boils down to the same economics as the high price of gasoline. prices are high...because they can be.

[vex]

Biggest rack what?

[lighthousekeeper]

Originally Posted by vexroid

Biggest rack what?

I'm glad im not the only one who read it this way.

[MizzouRah]

Yes, insurance companies negociate the heck out of bills.

We had to pay like $565 for an ambulance ride for our little one after she fell down the steps in her walker. Definitly worth it (I would have paid $1000), but sheesh that's expensive for a 30 min ride.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Is there a bigger racket than Healthcare?

Yes. Wedding crap...

[MrBigglesworth]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

it really just boils down to the same economics as the high price of gasoline. prices are high...because they can be.

The AMA makes it impossible to become a Doctor, hence low supply, hence inflated prices.

Easy Mac, write your congressman and push for universal healthcare. You will be insured, you will get the care you need, and you will probably get a lot more prevantative care. Although, wait to really ask for it until the Democrats are in charge, the GOP doesn't do big government policy very well (see: prescription drug bill).

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

the malpractice thing is pretty bogus, and, I'm willing to bet that the uninsured aren't as big a burden as people think.

it really just boils down to the same economics as the high price of gasoline. prices are high...because they can be.

The wifes OB/GYN just quit his practice altogether right after our son was born. His primary reason, the 250,000 a year malpractice insurance cost.

Secondary, he is being sued by a client that he had performed a c-section on 2 years prior, they found a staple inside her, he uses sutures, not staples. She also had another procedure performed a year after that....they used staples.

Here Lawyer, is contending that the staple could have fallen from the ceiling while the dr was performing his c-section.

So he is being sued with the dr that performed the other operation...because the lawyer states an either or issue....

He is finally fed up with it, and figures he can retire, and golf, and provide consults to other dr's as needed for a fee.

[Subby]

Yeah, I can think of a number of bigger rackets.

[Marc Vaughan]

Move to England where basic care such as that is free ....

You can have health cover and extra tlc for a cost, but its entirely optional and to be honest despite having it in theory through work I've always been happy using the NHS.

(seriously though its very reassuring that you can call for an ambulance without checking your bank statement first )

[JAG]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Yes. Wedding crap...

Damn, you beat me to it.