quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
and were entirely overwhelmed.

Where, specifically? Outside of NYC?

I was robbed of $6000 for two CT scans for a kidney stone.

Fuck them.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
To be fair, the article was about physicians' practices not the ER prices that the hospital charges. Physicians have no control whatsoever over what the hospital bills. The radiologist charge was much less I am sure.

From a financial stand point, I personally have been treated pretty well by hospitals as of late. The extensive surgery I had two years ago clocked in at 1.5 million~ (22 days in hospital, 10 hours of surgery followed by another two hours the next day and 5 days in ICU) and I paid about $1000 out of pocket. Mostly co-payments for tests. I was prepared to pay my insurance yearly max which at that time was about $4600, but I was never billed for that. They may have absorbed some in the name of research as this was done at a teaching hospital...University of Texas South Western.

Still, I am put off by this "tin cup" Go Fund Me crap. I too would tell my dentist or any medical professional to pound sand if they tried to asses a Covad19 sir charge. It's a national catastrophe and the costs just can't be passed along down the line to the benefit of those who preform necessary services.

quote:

It's a national catastrophe and the costs just can't be passed along down the line to the benefit of those who preform necessary services.

Say what?

That’s exactly how it works. When the cost of doing business goes up so does the cost to the consumer. I would rather see a surcharge than a general increase in price for two reasons. First, you know exactly why you’re paying more, and second, it may be temporary.

Just because you need a product or service doesn’t mean you get to set the price.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:]


Say what?

That’s exactly how it works. When the cost of doing business goes up so does the cost to the consumer. I would rather see a surcharge than a general increase in price for two reasons. First, you know exactly why you’re paying more, and second, it may be temporary.

Just because you need a product or service doesn’t mean you get to set the price.

Sorry, I see it differently. Medical services, save cosmetic and other such electives, are not a choice. You get the service or your health declines up to and including death. They've got you by the short hairs. If non essential services start charging such fees you have a choice.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
To be fair, the article was about physicians' practices not the ER prices that the hospital charges. Physicians have no control whatsoever over what the hospital bills. The radiologist charge was much less I am sure.

Oh, but the doctor absolutely does. Each time I've been in the hospital, or family, I get nickled and dimed (ok, ten and hundred-thousanded) for months after the visit...this doctor or that, sending bills from his office, her clinic, this physicians association, that group. The hospital nicks me for walking in the door. The doctor bills me from her practice. The hospital has radiology charges, but so does the radiologist, and those bills come separately, often after I thought I had everything corralled and submitted. Then there are testing feels, lab work, medications, and let's not forget, not least of all, charges for an R in the month, or that the visit occurred on a Monday, or some obscure lunar phase.

When my wife was last in the hospital, just a day after a very painful surgery recovery, we had a visit from an asian guy in scrubs who used some tough love to push my wife to check out of the hospital as soon as possible. Doctor? Gang banger? Guy visiting Grandpa next door? We had no idea. Tough it up lady, get out. We'll bill you.

As for what other areas were overwhelmed, I've been in some areas of the country, Chicago, for example, when my phone got alerts around the clock calling for any medical personnel to come help, not enough people.

The common flu is known. The COVID condition still has a lot of unknowns, and the projections vary with the precautions taken. It's considerably more infectious, and does considerably more damage, in more ways to the body's systems.

The flight surgeon I usually see is a pulmonary (lung) specialist. We had a candid talk as things were ramping up, about his expectations, and he expected to be inundated with COVID cases. He was, too. That doesn't mean that every medical professional was tied up, but certainly those who were engaged, and whose discipline was focused in the condition (lung issues, for example), many were overwhelmed.

I can say that the demand for supplies and products, largely out of Europe and Asia presently, is still quite high, and for the past two months has been absolutely overwhelming. Folks doing those missions have been slammed. It's like that all over the planet, and the social distancing practices in the US are far, far less draconian than much of what the rest of the world is seeing.

I'm not overly sympathetic to local offices that have milked me dry over treatment, and now cry that they're going under, especially knowing that the moment they can, they'll soak me again until I bleed steel pennies. At the same time, there is no denying, and no point in diminishing, the nature of what COVID is. It is serious, and should be taken seriously. The reason we're only at 90,000 deaths (in a little over two months) now is precautions that have been taken. Even trump has stated repeatedly that he will be thrilled if there are only 100,000 dead, and we're not far off from that now. I'm not a sky-is-falling person: I've been on the go, working and traveling globally since this started, and I'm as likely as anyone to get it (some of the others I work with have). I'm in and out of mainland China, Hong Kong, and South Korea regularly, and they take it VERY seriously. A number of places have been absolutely overwhelmed. We're fortunate that a lot have not.

In the meantime, while I have every respect for the medical professionals that treat everything from bunions to tumors, for their skill, training, and professionalism, I don't think there's a person alive who hasn't been hit by the crippling medical costs these days.

A few years ago, one of my sons hurt his hand at Baseball. The local ER would have taken about 2,500 dollars to tell me to go see an orthopedic surgeon, and they told me outright that they might splint, but they wouldn't cast his hand. I ended up going to a sports clinic, got x-rays, a doctor's consultation, and treatment for the hand, for under 300, cash. It paid to shop. Is there a reason the ER couldn't have done that? If I didn't know to shop, or where to shop, I might have been hit with the 2,500 bucks, probably a lot more, and God knows how much if a surgeon was needed. It's hard for me to note the disparity, and smile.

^^^^^^^^^^
Perhaps you should see a consultant to help you with your exorbitant medical bills. If you feel you are being gouged, there are medical billing consultants that will scour every inch of your medical bills to point out improper charges.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
^^^^^^^^^^
Perhaps you should see a consultant to help you with your exorbitant medical bills. If you feel you are being gouged, there are medical billing consultants that will scour every inch of your medical bills to point out improper charges.

I thought extremely high costs were the norm.

My employer based HDHP insurance says it covers a free physical once a year. Called my PCP and asked if it would really be free and was told 'it depends on what the doctor talks about' and for anyone over 40 they are required to ask various questions and do standard blood panels. What should I expect if I'm generally healthy and there's nothing recommended? They said to expect $900 to $1600 plus the cost of the lab fees, so around $1000 to $2000.

The insurance company verified those were the costs to expect if it's in network. To see a doctor and talk about just one topic can easily be over $500.

quote:

My employer based HDHP insurance says it covers a free physical once a year.

^^^^^
There is a physical at the Mayo Clinc and one that Selective Service performs. Take your pick. Unless you are top management you are getting a bare bones evaluation. Costs would be much more transparent without third party payers. Who knows maybe your company selected Cadillac care for you!

quote:

The staff at my daughter’s pediatrician’s office — a family-run private practice in Brooklyn that serves more than 3,800 patients — was shifting to part time

I'd wonder how much of that is due to patients coming in for care and not being insured or even expecting to pay? A few hospitals up here closed the pediatric services because so many clients were coming in on Medicaid and the hospital finally saw that it was a sinking boat.

quote:

I was robbed of $6000 for two CT scans for a kidney stone.

The ambulance ride from my home to the ER about 8 miles away (mostly all highway) was about 5 thousand for my wife. The ER was around 14K.


While insurance picked up the cost, I have to wonder if my insurance is compensating for all the uninsured?