The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER • Hacker News Board

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

#241

Post by gus_massa » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:53 PM UTC

boplicity wrote: post #165

knubie wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really any healthcare procedure that is not typically covered by insurance has seen costs go down over time. Things like lasik eye surgery, or orthodontics are great examples in addition to the ones you've already mention. The service and technology gets better while the price continues to go down.

> Really any healthcare procedure that is not typically covered by insurance has seen costs go down over time. Health "insurance" companies are incentivized to raise the cost of care. Why? Their profits are capped to a percentage of the cost of care. The only way for them to make more money is to have more revenue -- which they do by increasing the cost of care!

Bakeries are also incentivized to raise the cost of bread, in spite they have no official cape of the profit (unless you consider 100%?).

The difference is that if a bakery tries to charge you a ridiculous price, you can politely decline tu buy, or buy and promise never to return.

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

#242

Post by peterdn » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:54 PM UTC

_puk wrote: post #123

iso1210 wrote: post #61

I had a gout flareup while in Washington DC for work. It's happened before, last time (in the UK) I phoned up the freephone national number for advice, my wife drove me to the local hospital, I walked (hobbled) in, had a couple of tests, was given some tablets and a presecription, and left in 15 minutes. That cost about $1.50 in gas parking would have cost another $5, but it was the weekend and parking was free. The…

"The prescription was $12 (standard price in the UK for any prescription drug or drugs, no matter what it is)" Just to note, in Wales all prescriptions are free. Can't speak for Scotland / NI.

Prescriptions are free in Scotland and NI too. Only England charges.

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

#243

Post by netfortius » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:54 PM UTC

nyamada wrote: post #18

My daughter here in France had a bike accident two months ago which requires 14 stitches in her foot. We received 3 follow-up visits from nurses to clean and redress her wounds -- We pay about 100€ a month for supplemental private insurance on top of the public health insurance here -- Total cost for us? about 40€. We would have had to pay about 100€ more for the nurses' visits, but the mutuelle covered it. These are…

On the topic of Mutuelle - I'm still to find a reason to pay one, at all. Maybe you could explain, but the hospitalization costs after 31 days seem to be fully covered by the social security (Ameli), if you ever get to be so unlucky to get there, so some doctor visits and an incident requiring hospitalization may be better addressed by "paying yourself" insurance, e.g. saving $4k/year, in case you ever need it. It would be the HSA of the US, with the healthcare higher quality and lower cost of France.

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

#244

Post by hsbauauvhabzb » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:55 PM UTC

dheera wrote: post #196

donatj wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I paid $400 for a plumber to do 30 minutes of work this week. A doctor has more training and a lot higher infrastructure costs and overhead, and thus a higher hourly fee.

But plumbers have to deal with a lot of nauseating stuff. "Amount of nauseating substances you have to deal with" should be a huge factor in pay rate.

What do you think doctors do? My last visit involved their fingers, a glove, and my butt.

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

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Post by amelius » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:55 PM UTC

smcleod wrote: post #27

I'm in my mid 30s and have left fixing up some damaged teeth and my large wisdom teeth impacted for 17 years too long, this Monday I'm going to get them removed under general anaesthetic at a private hospital. The Australian government covers hardly any dental unless your teeth have completely rotted through and are chasing other issues. So far my costs are: - $4500 in fillings and general dental. - $1800 for a crown…

> What stand out for me is how can the surgeon charge $4000 for 30-40mins of active work, and I'm assuming a little paperwork.

Is there any other profession with this kind of pay?

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

#246

Post by melenaboija » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:55 PM UTC

lvl100 wrote: post #235

nyamada wrote: post #18

My daughter here in France had a bike accident two months ago which requires 14 stitches in her foot. We received 3 follow-up visits from nurses to clean and redress her wounds -- We pay about 100€ a month for supplemental private insurance on top of the public health insurance here -- Total cost for us? about 40€. We would have had to pay about 100€ more for the nurses' visits, but the mutuelle covered it. These are…

1) you’re right that social programs in EU is great but there’s a hidden cost. It’s all derived from centuries of imperialism/colonialism and the wealth accrued as a direct result. You’re effectively reaping the benefit (and this will likely persist for centuries more). 2) similarly, most drug developments and research are done in the US. EU is effectively leeching off of the US policies. I’d say even Japan by itself…

- If US companies do research is because they make profit of it. They don’t give the drugs to Europeans

- What the hell has to do imperialism with 2021 healthcare systems?

- Healthcare is not a privilege

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

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Post by adnmcq999 » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:56 PM UTC

nameunimportant wrote: post #154

coldtea wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have more "regulatory factors" in Europe, and much cheaper treatment... Like 1/40 or so as much in this case...

WHen I stopped living in the USA, I realized that there is only one reason the USA is behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to healthcare, a social safety net and education. The USA likes it that way. The American culture is one of rugged individualist pioneering cowboys who won't be told what to do, even if you're warning them that if they take another step they'll fall off a cliff.

In just what century did you live here?

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

#248

Post by DangitBobby » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:56 PM UTC

hyperstar wrote: post #194

Question from a welfare country and complete ignorance: what exactly are the steps necessary to change this and why is it so difficult for the USA to take them?

You have to abolish the private healthcare system, which is hard because the people who make money off of it have bought the government.

> "160 million people like their private insurance," Biden said during the November Democratic presidential primary debate.

Democrats are hellbent on keeping the insurance system through any cost saving measure. Republicans haven't actually proposed any plans.

1. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/nov/21/joe-biden/...

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

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Post by hellbannedguy » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:56 PM UTC

refurb wrote: post #46

helloguillecl wrote: post #8

This is absurd. Even in a country with liberal economics and "free choice" health system (however with universal care, and state regulation), the same stitches in a world-class private clinic in Santiago, Chile would cost 400 USD, before insurance . The clinics there are not the ones Americans imagine from a middle-income country, most of them have better infrastructure and doctors than the ones I know in Europe. And…

The plastic surgery and vision correction industries work pretty well in the US. You see price competition and patients have the ability to shop around and make choices that are important to them (references from other patients, doctor personality, etc). Now contrast that with going to a hospital for a procedure where you have time to shop around. Can you get a price? No. Can you easily get appointments with doctors…

1. Plastic surgery, and surgical vision correction, are problems of the wealthy.

2. I have no idea what your point is, or I hope it's not a superficial as it sounds.

3. Most of us have 0 dollars we the big guy comes a calling.

4. I think it's obvious we need a medical system like Canada.

(To those premadonna Medical Professional Professionals who don't want to participate fine; print out a shingle and good luck. You might be a wealthy boy one day. My hope is you take no tax payer loans, or apply to public colleges. It will most likely be in Plastic Surgery though. Oh yea--why do we waste precious residences on Plastic Surgeons. And please spare me with the Cleft Lip.)

5. At this point, I'd very happy with disallowing all health professionals from collecting on medical bills. This would overnight lower chapter 7, and 11, bankruptcies.

6. The USA is not the best country anymore, unless you come from wealth. Make sure daddy doesn't secretly hate you though.

Re: The ER charged him $6,589.77 for 6 stitches, cost that led his wife to avoid ER

#250

Post by oefrha » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 2:00 PM UTC

BowBun wrote: post #215

300bps wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in the US and my employer pays for my very excellent health insurance. For my family of 4 the most I will pay in any one year is $750. About 1/3 of people in the US have excellent healthcare and benefits. You don’t often hear from us.

Even with 'excellent insurance' (which I think I have as well), you still deal with deductibles, non-covered procedures, inability to choose and shop for prescriptions, limited choice of providers, HSAs, massively inflated prices... the list goes on. To the point of another commenter, just having to reason and think about the costs of necessary healthcare in one of the wealthiest countries in the world is a complete…

Family members have experienced absurdly long waits despite “excellent insurance”. Sometimes the bill isn’t the problem, you simply don’t get treated.