patrick.net

Even the auto mechanic shop offers a quote on services rendered before doing the work. So I can decide if I can afford it. Why should hospitals get to keep everything a deep dark secret until they spring a life destroying bill on me?

Oh, I've been shown (given) the prices - BUT - it usually about 5 minutes before I'm about to go in for my procedure. At that point it's always crossed my mind that my chances of saying it's too high and I want to get up off this gurney is exceedingly small.

There is also the issue of insurance covering me if I have this procedure at hospital/clinic A but not if I have it done at hospital/clinic B. And the headaches of fighting that ... with the real possibility that I'll lose. Yup, charge me whatever you're going to charge me, let's get this damn thing done and over with so I can get on with the rest of my life.

mmmarvel says

Yup, charge me whatever you're going to charge me, let's get this damn thing done and over with so I can get on with the rest of my life.

This is what the crooks are counting on.

APOCALYPSEFUCK is Shostakovich says

If an enterprise is not Free to price its services to bankrupt America, Freedom has no meaning.

Hospitals are highly regulated. Contrary to what you believe, it is *not* a free market. They are run by oligarchs. They lobby government to prevent creation of new hospitals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0uPdkhMVdMQ

There are now medical billing consultants that you can hire to review your medical bill and removed the mistakes. They cost $80-$100/hr, but can often save tens of thousands of dollars.

C Boy says

There are now medical billing consultants

Sure, that is great for fixing billing mistakes. But the article is about crazy prices and crazy price spreads. Billing errors are important to catch, but the bigger problem is what the pricing is to begin with.

I love how this report just glosses over the who really has to pay, after then insurance companies say "Not no but hell NO!".
That's right, that $3500 bill that the insurance company knew was a crock of shit and turned it down. It gets mailed to you once, then a month later by a collection agency.

The solutions in the report released talked about in this article will protect the insurance companies, it will reduce what they will be on the hook to pay. But make no mistake, nobody is going to tell the Doctors and hospitals that they just can't send it to you as an uncovered charge, by your insurer.

The solution is simple - just don't get sick or injured.

EVER!

There, problem solved.

Nobel prize please!

New Renter says

The solution is simple - just don't get sick or injured.

Our young son had something called hair tourniquet that we happened to find late at night. The emergency was the only option, as it was restricting blood flow to a toe. Went to one nearby hospital. The doctor tried, but could not remove it. He frankly admitted he was not really a pediatrician.

Well, had to go to Seattle Children's hospital. They finally did the job. By that time, the entire night was over.

Now, bills came from both of the hospitals. I would imagine if a mechanic cannot fix my car, he would not charge me for it. That's not the case for hospitals. We have HSA, and both bills were gigantic, around 700.

It's a crime that hospitals get away with this shit. There ought to be a law where you get a quote before they do anything.

gsr says

The doctor tried, but could not remove it. He frankly admitted he was not really a pediatrician.

We have actually been billed $500 for a Google result.

I said "hell that's the same page we saw, and thought it was, we came to you because we thought you knew for sure."

New Renter says

The solution is simple - just don't get sick or injured.

EVER!

There, problem solved.

Nobel prize please!

Sorry, Krugman already took the Nobel Prize in the hogwash department.