I dislike the Trump admin a lot. But I like this a lot. The federal government ought to make this step 1 in a strategic effort to make a consumer report campaign for patients. 100pct consumer driven all about where the money goes, why, by whom, how prices are assessed, how they differ geographically, and outcomes to money spent. Put the consumer in charge of their money
Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
281–290 of 311 posts
Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
#282> Instead of helping patients know their out-of-pocket costs, this rule will introduce widespread confusion, accelerate anticompetitive behavior among health insurers, and stymie innovations in value-based care.
So people are too dumb to understand prices, and unlike any other economic system to ever succeed, knowing the value of a thing will DECREASE pricing competition.
I was waiting for the good argument on why this is a bad idea. Instead we got _that_.
Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
#283Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, if I go to an in-network facility, then they have an out-of-network provider walk into my room, how am I supposed to know? The same is true of labs. My wife had her blood drawn and sent to a lab every couple of years without issue until one year they sent it to a different lab unbeknownst to her. It was out-of-network and cost $800.
I've had good luck arguing with the insurance company on that kind of thing. It's worth a phone call.
It's been way too long now, but thanks for the tip. We called insurance and the doctor's office several times each to no avail. Insurance's answer was that we should sit in the exam room with an insurance representative on the phone to ask where each vial of blood is going and what for, then relay that to the insurance representative to give a verdict.
Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
#284Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are two niches in which your analysis is incomplete. First, There are underdiagnosed diseases for which patients don't seek care, sometimes because they do not believe there to be a treatment. The lack of treatment means that it isn't as vital for physicians or patients to pursue diagnosis. Those patients might see an ad and return to a physician to ask if that treatment is a fit. Second, not all physicians are…
> not all physicians are as on top of new treatment options as we expect. I thought this was called pharma marketing. I don't think this should be abolished - I only meant direct-to-consumer advertising. Although I've seen someone else argue that doctors should be required to undergo continuing education instead. I'd like to see numbers on how often an ad is how the patient learns they have a disease. I imagine that…
My point about marketing to patients is that patients see the ad, think "that might be something I need", and go ask their physicians. Then the physician can look into it more thoroughly.
With regard to patients searching their symptoms regularly, it is my understanding from the physicians and clinical trial folks that you would be in the incredibly small minority, but it's a good idea.
Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
#285My uncle wrecked his motorcycle once. He ended up in a ditch unconscious. Someone called 911. For what ever reason a life flight helicopter was then called and picked him up and took him to a local county hospital. He woke up there a few hours later. After they had already ran all kinds of tests. They had a large list of all the problems from busted spleen, broken bones, head concussion, etc. After a day of rest in t…
Confused, so they flat out lied about broken bones? Something doesn't seem right.
I think the term they used was "fractured"
Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
#286Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
#287Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yep. I don't mind paying the $116, but the disparity in pricing is so ridiculous. It's like throwing darts at a board and saying "Pay us this much"
Which is why my first response to almost any medical invoice, is "Would you take ["total"]*0.5 to settle the bill?"
From what I've understood from /r/personalfinance, you can probably get away with an initial offer of 5-10% of the billed price.
Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
#288Earlier quoted context omitted.
The procedure codes involved in your visit explicitly call out what your treatment was, since information about your state of health and ongoing medical information is considered private information we have HIPAA to protect that privacy. Information about what procedures you've had done are relatively important to keep private so that knowledge of such procedures isn't used to influence your employment - while gettin…
Unless the patient is prescribed a controlled substance. Then docs force patients to sign a waiver that enables the police and just any other state agency to take a peek for any reason. Of course, the patient always can refuse to sign the waiver and seek out non-traditional/conventional sources of treatment. As a lawyer it is shocking to see how far the medical profession has fallen w.r.t. patient privacy.
Can you elaborate a little? Where/when is this waiver signed? If I get a small pain killer for post surgery pain, like Vicodin, am I asked to sign this waiver by my doc? Or is it at the pharmacy counter?
Re: Hospitals pledge to fight admin price transparency plan in court
#289This 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.
My wife got one of those “fun scans” 3D color ultrasound when she was pregnant. $75 a full 45 minutes with technician on a brand new $$$ ultrasound machine.
A regular, 5 minute diagnostic scan on archaic machine is over $1k.