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As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

nytimes.com

11–20 of 97 posts

Re: As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

#11
These high chargemaster prices are a consequence of how insurance companies pay providers. Private insurance companies never pay the list price, but rather a percentage of it.

It's sort of like if your boss asked you to something and offered to pay 200% of your costs. You'd certainly have an incentive to overstate them!

Re: As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

#12
post #3

> Orla’s forehead was sealed with a dab of skin glue for $1,696. On Reddit, where this stuff is discussed more, I just urge people if they can get away with it (they are conscious and can hide their wallet, for ex), to just give them a fake name. Almost $2k for a dab of skin glue? No! I don't care what complicated politico-economical factor lead to that. Free market, over-regulated market,expensive doctor's education…

Have you seen the profit margins for the hospitals with these high prices? They certainly aren't raking it in.

I agree that's stupid, but that's how the system works for paying for medical care in the US. From the perspective of the hospital, it makes perfect sense.

Re: As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

#14
Fantastic article. For more info on why US healthcare costs are so high, I recommend a recent article from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/businessdesk/2013/11/why-does-he...

"Administrative costs of running our health care system are astronomical...Duke University Hospital has 900 hospital beds and 1,300 billing clerks. The typical Canadian hospital has a handful of billing clerks."

Re: As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

#16
post #12
post #3

> Orla’s forehead was sealed with a dab of skin glue for $1,696. On Reddit, where this stuff is discussed more, I just urge people if they can get away with it (they are conscious and can hide their wallet, for ex), to just give them a fake name. Almost $2k for a dab of skin glue? No! I don't care what complicated politico-economical factor lead to that. Free market, over-regulated market,expensive doctor's education…

Have you seen the profit margins for the hospitals with these high prices? They certainly aren't raking it in. I agree that's stupid, but that's how the system works for paying for medical care in the US. From the perspective of the hospital, it makes perfect sense.

That makes little difference, or brings little consolation to the parent of the child at end of the day. That was kind of my point. Take the hospital system, laws, economic environment, regulations, solar wind, doesn't matter, mix it all in, shove it in one side of the black box, and at the other side, a bill of $1600 comes out and gets sent to a parent for a dab of glue to fix a minor stitch. Whoever needs to lose and go bankrupt, the insurance company, the hospital, the doctors, the congress-person, doesn't matter, as a supposed "developed" society we have collectively and miserably failed if at the end of the day, it is the parent who has to pay that price for that procedure.

Re: As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

#17
post #5

Both my kids required a few stitches near their eyes. Did I opt for the $30 suture kit and do it myself? or did I opt for on-demand (there & ready, patients or not) doctor analysis (risks of fractured skull or aggressive infection), sedatives (both wriggled & screamed as I held them still, how much worse without?), experienced threading, and whatever other ideals applied? "Sure you can buy a hamburger for a dollar. B…

Do you buy $1000 hamburgers?

Re: As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

#18
The problem with medical pricing seems to be the same as pricing for students and pricing for housing. When people can borrow the money or have it payed by insurance, the prices skyrocket to match the available funds.

It completely screws anyone not 'in the game'.

Luckily medical costs are generally reasonable here in Australia, but we still see crazily inflated housing prices due to residential property being treated like a stock.

Huge tax incentives are given to those 'investing' in property while 'buy to live' buyers like families get screwed.

Also, having your employer involved AT ALL with your medical insurance/bills is fucking insane.

Re: As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

#19

How on earth can you think a free market solution is appropriate for emergency medical care? For elective procedures, sure. For the ER? How do you expect the consumer to have perfect knowledge, rationality and freedom of choice in that scenario? If your kid is gushing blood, you call an ambulance to take them wherever they can get patched up the fastest. To expect someone to shop around until they find an equilibrium…

I agree with you, but by definition, we in the US also live in a first-world country: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World

Re: As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

#20

How on earth can you think a free market solution is appropriate for emergency medical care? For elective procedures, sure. For the ER? How do you expect the consumer to have perfect knowledge, rationality and freedom of choice in that scenario? If your kid is gushing blood, you call an ambulance to take them wherever they can get patched up the fastest. To expect someone to shop around until they find an equilibrium…

Nice dig disingenuously implying the US isn't a first world country, it is of course the very definition of one. The term also doesn't relate to economic development. Anyway, even some developing countries have universal healthcare, e.g. Cuba.
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