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As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500

nytimes.com

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

#61

Post by xerophtye »

HorizonXP wrote: post #51

As a Canadian, I think it would be really cool if every doctor/hospital visit you went to in Canada, you got an e-mail copy of the invoice showing how much it cost, and how much was covered, just so people would start to understand: a) how much they're costing themselves in taxes b) so they could see how awesome we have it compared to others. I should build this. I have the connections to make it happen. Hmm...

Go for it! (Btw you DON'T get bills? as in not ACTUAL bills stating how much it cost you? The bill just goes to the insurance/govt?)

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

#62

Post by SilasX »

sjtgraham wrote: post #23
refurb wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

> Have you seen the profit margins for the hospitals with these high prices? They certainly aren't raking it in. The entire notion of hospitals being profit-making enterprises where people die when they can't afford to pay is literally absurd.

Er, the profit margin metric exists whether or not the hospital is for-profit. All operations have a "difference between income and expense".

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

#63

Post by FireBeyond »

davidbanham wrote: post #6

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…

At the nursing stations on every floor of a “not for profit Health Care Ministry” hospital that I regularly deliver patients to, and take from them, in front of every terminal, is the following motto:

“The care we give our patients? Priceless.

For everything else there is ChargeComplete.

Bill your patients for the things you do."

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

#64

Post by johnpowell »

cesarbs wrote: post #8

I had a panic attack in the beginning of the year which lead to severe PVCs in my heart. I freaked out and thought I was about to have a heart attack, so I decided to go to the ER. They hooked me up on an EKG and told me I was OK and that it was just anxiety. After more than an hour of monitoring and a few blood tests, they let me go home. A few days later a $4K bill came through the mail :( I'm appalled by the cost…

I had a similar experience. EKG and some time and a needle. Similar bill. I just never paid it. My credit is horrible but I manage to get by.

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

#65

Post by girvo »

mortyseinfeld wrote: post #21
davidbanham wrote: post #6

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…

Wrong. There are choices and not everybody is spastically out of control like apparently you would be for a few stitches. You people have such a hard time with simple concepts, such as an ideologically disagreement on the role of government. Your first world government did a good job of indoctrinating you.

Wow. That ideology you've got there is impressive, especially considering your current system either kills people who can't afford it, or bankrupts them. Any universal healthcare is the wrong system? Laughable.

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

#66

Post by wisty »

refurb wrote: post #12
rdtsc wrote: 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.

They are raking in revenue. If they aren't making a profit, that's simply evidence that they are less efficient than socialised systems. Presumably because of moral hazards (health insurers or the government pays, not customers), and information asymmetries (customers can't judge whether or not they are being conned).

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

#67

Post by xerophtye »

Wow... Things like these actually make me glad I am in a developing country. We have top of the line medical facilities as well (we have sucky ones too), but even the best hospital in town[1] wouldn't cost this much. Heck a few stitches would gost me entire annual health insurance there!

[1] Aga Khan University Hospital, Managed by AKDN, the 2nd largest NGO in the world (2nd only to the UN)

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

#69

Post by Aloisius »

consultutah wrote: post #4

There is such an easy "American" solution to this: published pricing - http://kfor.com/2013/07/08/okc-hospital-posting-surgery-pric... When you organize your startup, just give me 10% for the idea... ;)

As mentioned in the article, California already requires this[1] and yet the examples from this article are from California. Not much of a solution.

http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/chargemaster/

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

#70

Post by maratd »

davidbanham wrote: post #6

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…

> How on earth can you think a free market solution is appropriate for emergency medical care?

You could say the same thing about funeral services.

Yet it is a free market. And it works well. Because people buy plots ahead of time and negotiate services well in advance.

Nothing is stopping you from walking into an emergency room at your local hospital and negotiating a fair hourly or daily rate for care.

Well, nothing except them looking at you like you belong at a loony bin because why should anybody give a shit what things cost? Insurance pays for everything! Until it doesn't.

What a wonderful world we live in, where we don't need to worry about what something costs ... until your premium is thousands per month and you run to some halfwit politician to fix it. I would laugh, but I know many are crying right now, trying to make Obama's website work for them.

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