Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court • Hacker News Board

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#21

Post by undersuit » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:47 PM UTC

braythwayt wrote: post #9

Here in Canada, there is no price transparency whatsoever. Just when people are facing the stress and uncertainty of fighting a crisis like Cancer, they are given absolutely no inkling what their treatment will cost. When a physician makes an appointment for you with a plastic surgeon to discuss reconstructive surgery... No transparency about the cost. When they prescribe chemotherapy... No transparency about what th…

I brought it up and got a wonderful discussion in a previous HN about this topic, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20275097, that my experience with this will be: "All transparency will do is put a number in front of my single choice." Months later I'm convinced this is just a talking point to avoid talking about reforming US healthcare.

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#22

Post by istjohn » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:47 PM UTC

I spent 45 minutes at the hospital where I was to get a lab test done, trying to get a quote for said test.

Prescribing doctor didn't know the cost. Lab tech didn't know. Billing department told me I needed a procedure code. Lab tech who was ready to draw blood couldn't tell me the needed code even after spending five minutes at a computer looking for it. Prescribing doctor gave me the code. Called back billing. They will call me back in 2 to 5 days with a quote. Weeks later, I've yet to hear from anyone.

This was at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#23

Post by skolos » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:48 PM UTC

KukicAdnan wrote: post #2

We need price transparency! Went to a quick care the other day because of a flu that would not go away, was seen and diagnosed with bronchitis in less than 5 minutes. The quick care billed my insurance $1,840, which they talked down to $300, and had me pay $115. What?

This kind of stuff is even more ridiculous with higher cost procedures: course of radiation therapy to treat cancer - in network hospital sends bill for more than $1m, insurance pays about $3k, bills nothing to patient.

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#24

Post by bloopernova » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:48 PM UTC

I'm being offered $550 by my insurance in "gift cards" if I use certain facilities for any MRIs or other diagnostics. I think that shows just how wildly variable different locations charge, and how much they get away with.

I'd love to see a published price list for standard procedures, because I think hospitals have become too used to being cash cows for administrators and CEOs. This isn't to say I think nurses or doctors are overpaid or underworked, or don't deliver good care. I just wish that people in the USA could get good healthcare without having to claim bankruptcy.

I really miss the NHS and Bupa private insurance in the UK. NHS was great for so much stuff, but when I needed multiple surgeries on my leg metalwork, I chose to use private health insurance. This let me have the same consultant as the NHS hospital, same surgeons, but in a smaller "fancier" hospital that took really good care of me. What's funny to me is that extra private insurance was just a few pounds a month, and nothing at all like the thousands we spend here in the USA.

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#25

Post by swebs » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:48 PM UTC

KukicAdnan wrote: post #2

We need price transparency! Went to a quick care the other day because of a flu that would not go away, was seen and diagnosed with bronchitis in less than 5 minutes. The quick care billed my insurance $1,840, which they talked down to $300, and had me pay $115. What?

Crazy, that's the price you would have paid at Minute Clinic without insurance.

https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/services/price-lists

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#26

Post by Simulacra » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:49 PM UTC

throw1234651234 wrote: post #6

This is purely anecdotal, but I had a 15 minute (literally) ultrasound. Hospital "facility use" fee: $800. 15 minutes of technician's time: $250. Bill came down to $650 after adjustments. This is messed up. I imagine people with serious health problems just kill themselves or ruin their lives forever.

I saw a hand doctor and got hit with an $800 “facility fee”. Total BS.

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#27

Post by sakopov » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:50 PM UTC

egdod wrote: post #11

This is one thing Trump is doing that should get broad support. It probably won’t though, because some people are physically incapable of agreeing with him.

I honestly didn't even know this was in the works. It's amazing how much effort is put towards blocking out any positive news about this administration.

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#28

Post by legitster » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:50 PM UTC

egdod wrote: post #11

This is one thing Trump is doing that should get broad support. It probably won’t though, because some people are physically incapable of agreeing with him.

Absolutely! We should also give credit to the Obama administration for proposing the legislation in the first place and including it in the language of the ACA.

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#29

Post by swebs » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:52 PM UTC

daveslash wrote: post #10

throw1234651234 wrote: post #6

This is purely anecdotal, but I had a 15 minute (literally) ultrasound. Hospital "facility use" fee: $800. 15 minutes of technician's time: $250. Bill came down to $650 after adjustments. This is messed up. I imagine people with serious health problems just kill themselves or ruin their lives forever.

I got 1 stitch at the ER (before I was aware that Urgent Care was a a thing). First hospital visit in my adult life. Some saline solution, an alcohol wipe, a shot of Novocaine, and 1 stitch. $3,200. I now avoid the hospital like the plague (ironically).

I hit my head a while back and had to get about 10 staples. Total cost was only $150 without insurance. This was at Penn Urgent Care in Philadelphia. Our combined anecdotes reveal how useful it would be for customers to be able to shop around.

Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court

#30

Post by coredog64 » Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 5:53 PM UTC

braythwayt wrote: post #9

Here in Canada, there is no price transparency whatsoever. Just when people are facing the stress and uncertainty of fighting a crisis like Cancer, they are given absolutely no inkling what their treatment will cost. When a physician makes an appointment for you with a plastic surgeon to discuss reconstructive surgery... No transparency about the cost. When they prescribe chemotherapy... No transparency about what th…

So in your opinion, neither France nor Switzerland are “functioning, civilized countries”?

Price discovery works for a certain kind of care (e.g. non-emergency outpatient care), and we shouldn’t discard it without any consideration.