Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 98 posts

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#41

Post by clicks »

jlgreco wrote: post #36
BadCookie wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, but you can order your own blood tests. I've done it before. Google "order own blood tests." I've used Health One before to run a test that I wanted done. I had insurance, but I didn't want to go through the awkwardness of convincing my doctor that it was worth doing, and I think it was only $40.

The ability to shop around is great and all, but hardly something I could reasonably expect of somebody currently suffering from kidney stones, or worse (if you can even imagine a worse state).

I think that has a lot to do with upbringing and culture.

We here at HN know a lot about computers and programming -- even some of us for whom it isn't even our profession. We learned a lot of this stuff because it was a hobby.

Several of my real-life friends are this way when it comes to a lot of medical stuff -- despite not being in the medical profession they still know all sorts of odd things you'd expect just doctors to know just because they have been so extensively reading up on their own.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, remember the post a few months back preaching that we should 'all' learn programming? I say we should all learn more about our bodies. If and when we do, that very education will probably affect what we consume, how often we exercise, etc., ultimately improving our lives either way.

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#42

Post by pyre »

bmmayer1 wrote: post #32

Yes, if prices are skyrocketing it must be a "Crime" caused by all the dirty capitalists enriching themselves. There could be no possible explanation for it. Unless, of course, you want to consider: 1) The stifling HIPAA regime that makes it almost impossible for small, potentially competitive practices to stay open without insane amounts of overhead, explaining their sellouts to larger at-scale healthcare corporatio…

  | The necessity to offset insanely low negotiated
  | and subsidized Medicare/Medicaid rates
My understanding is that insurance companies often get rates lower than Medicare. It goes something like this:

1) Government mandates the rates for procedure X to make sure that the government is getting the 'best' deal.

2) Hospitals charge insurance companies using these rates (they aren't allowed to be lower, or it wouldn't be the 'best' deal).

3) Insurance companies trim the difference between the Medicare rate and the real rate from the bill with newspeak like, "charge beyond negotiated rates," or, "over-charge of contractual limits."

It basically amounts to the hospital charging the 'correct' rate, the insurance company refusing to pay that rate, and the hospital not pushing it any further since this is all laid out in their formal agreements.

So, I'm not sure if Medicare can be said to have 'insanely low' rates, if the insurance companies end up with even lower rates. (I'd love for someone to correct me if my understanding is wrong, though)

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#43

Post by abraham_s »

jeswin wrote: post #11

I was visiting the US (from India) a couple of months back. In the hurry to get to the airport, I forgot to get Medical Insurance. Unfortunately, I got pink eyes while I was there. I haven't found America all that much more expensive than urban India. In fact, compared to cities in India, a few things might even be cheaper. But not medicine. An eye doctor's visit costs $180, for Pink eyes! A comparable facility here…

I broke an arm while in US and this is the breakup of the expense ER 1800: Ambulance: 1400 Treatment (no surgery. Just a cast and X-rays for 3 months): 700

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#44

Post by lostlogin »

zanny wrote: post #28
leetrout wrote: post #3

This rings so true. When I had graduated college I was in a 3 week lull between graduation and a job around January when I was struck with a kidney stone. No health insurance. I took a trip to the ER around 10pm one evening in agonizing pain and was treated like a drug addict. I wasn't even triaged for over 2 hours (peak flu season) and everyone acted like I was just trying to score pain meds. Finally, after 3.5 hour…

I broke my knee this spring but didn't go to a hospital on my families request because the last time I broke a bone I reset it myself and the hospital still charged $8k. I still have blood in the joint, but I can't get it drained because no doctor will stick a needle in without an x-ray, but those are expensive. So I'm waiting till I move out and get a full time position in a bigger city to get health care to have it…

If there is anyway you can get in to see someone with a pre-arranged plan of payment please do. A debt that takes some years to pay off is just that. But a messed up joint may be causing permanent damage (as you well know judging by your comment). I'd be saying that you need an MRI too btw. It may be worth ringing around and seeing what you can get it for. If you ask to speak to the practice manager you might get lucky. Source: I'm a radiographer, our practice manager would check with the managing director would would almost certainly cut you a break - he is a soft touch. I'm not in the US I'm sorry to say.

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#45

Post by sentenza »

zanny wrote: post #28
leetrout wrote: post #3

This rings so true. When I had graduated college I was in a 3 week lull between graduation and a job around January when I was struck with a kidney stone. No health insurance. I took a trip to the ER around 10pm one evening in agonizing pain and was treated like a drug addict. I wasn't even triaged for over 2 hours (peak flu season) and everyone acted like I was just trying to score pain meds. Finally, after 3.5 hour…

I broke my knee this spring but didn't go to a hospital on my families request because the last time I broke a bone I reset it myself and the hospital still charged $8k. I still have blood in the joint, but I can't get it drained because no doctor will stick a needle in without an x-ray, but those are expensive. So I'm waiting till I move out and get a full time position in a bigger city to get health care to have it…

If you know that arthritis is coming, adjust now and move to Germany (or another similar place). Waiting times for specialists might be a little longer, but you (=everybody) will be treated for treatable diseases and injuries. What you have to do, of course, is to move here legally (work visum?).

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#46

Post by chacham15 »

hamburglar wrote: post #35
bit_cromwell wrote: post #12

Prescription: Free Market Competition

There is no such thing as the free market when it comes to healthcare. Not only is the consumer not in a position to shop around when dealing with health issues, partly because you're often not in a position of even knowing what treatment you need until you've decided on a provider and undergone expensive consultations, but also, providers are put in positions of not being allowed to refuse service based on ability t…

You point out the very problems that free market competition has in this market. Given that you know the problem, now try to find a solution. Hint: most of them are policy changes.

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#47

Post by jlgreco »

clicks wrote: post #41
jlgreco wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ability to shop around is great and all, but hardly something I could reasonably expect of somebody currently suffering from kidney stones, or worse (if you can even imagine a worse state).

I think that has a lot to do with upbringing and culture. We here at HN know a lot about computers and programming -- even some of us for whom it isn't even our profession. We learned a lot of this stuff because it was a hobby. Several of my real-life friends are this way when it comes to a lot of medical stuff -- despite not being in the medical profession they still know all sorts of odd things you'd expect just do…

If you have the premonition to research it ahead of time and keep updated on it, then good for you. I suspect that the people who do that are the real minority, not HN type people.

Once you are actually in a jam... trust me, you are not going to be spending your time googling for shit when you are in a bad way with kidney stones. Lobbed off a limb with your table saw? By all means, go check the internet first ...but not with kidney stones...

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#48

Post by sentenza »

clicks wrote: post #41
jlgreco wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ability to shop around is great and all, but hardly something I could reasonably expect of somebody currently suffering from kidney stones, or worse (if you can even imagine a worse state).

I think that has a lot to do with upbringing and culture. We here at HN know a lot about computers and programming -- even some of us for whom it isn't even our profession. We learned a lot of this stuff because it was a hobby. Several of my real-life friends are this way when it comes to a lot of medical stuff -- despite not being in the medical profession they still know all sorts of odd things you'd expect just do…

I think his point was that some injuries might incapacitate you to such a degree that shopping around is not an option.

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#49

Post by [deleted] »

pyre wrote: post #42
bmmayer1 wrote: post #32

Yes, if prices are skyrocketing it must be a "Crime" caused by all the dirty capitalists enriching themselves. There could be no possible explanation for it. Unless, of course, you want to consider: 1) The stifling HIPAA regime that makes it almost impossible for small, potentially competitive practices to stay open without insane amounts of overhead, explaining their sellouts to larger at-scale healthcare corporatio…

| The necessity to offset insanely low negotiated | and subsidized Medicare/Medicaid rates My understanding is that insurance companies often get rates lower than Medicare. It goes something like this: 1) Government mandates the rates for procedure X to make sure that the government is getting the 'best' deal. 2) Hospitals charge insurance companies using these rates (they aren't allowed to be lower, or it wouldn't b…

[deleted]

Re: Diagnosis: Insufficient Outrage

#50

Post by jlgreco »

sentenza wrote: post #48
clicks wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that has a lot to do with upbringing and culture. We here at HN know a lot about computers and programming -- even some of us for whom it isn't even our profession. We learned a lot of this stuff because it was a hobby. Several of my real-life friends are this way when it comes to a lot of medical stuff -- despite not being in the medical profession they still know all sorts of odd things you'd expect just do…

I think his point was that some injuries might incapacitate you to such a degree that shopping around is not an option.

Exactly right. Shopping around is entirely impractical many, if not most, emergencies (and that is assuming that you are actually conscious in the first place.)
Post reply on HN