patrick.net

GNL says

mell says

clambo says

Health care became expensive in the USA in my lifetime.
It was previously not free but not outrageous either.
My father thought that it started with employers providing it as a benefit to its employees, Kaiser was an example.
It really got crazy when hospitals were required by law to treat people who had no insurance and no money to pay.
It's hospitals trying to bill insurance to cover for all of the uninsured which destroyed the system.
I had Moh's surgery in an office and saw the bill, about $840.
Considering the skills and work done I say that's reasonable.
Medicare only paid about 1/2 of that, and I paid $35.
This also explains why things go so quickly now with doctors.

Mohs is now around $3000 I think. I wonder though given you get that skin cutt...

It's cutting out skin cancer in the thinnest layered way possible, and examining 100% of the cut layers of skin under the micrsoscope until you have a layer of 100% normal skin, then you stitch it up. I forgot the stitching, so yeah there is some skill involved. It usually leaves very small scars, sometimes no scar at all. It's also the most effective way to treating/stopping skin cancer.

What does Mohs stand for?

GNL says

What does Mohs stand for?

It's the last name of the guy who invented it in 1930, dude from Wisconsin.

The surgeon was very skilled.
The location was my forearm and there isn't much loose skin there.
For a while I didn't like moving my arm much, I had the sensation of stitches being pulled.
I had it August 4 and today it's almost normal looking; at first it was scary.
I don't want this on my face.

komputodo says

A few days ago i cut my hand with a knife.

Cutting an avocado to make guac after some Margaritas? Happened to me in SD and I went to UCSD medical center. They squirted some water on it, stitched it up and even after my great health insurance I was charge well over $1,000. Bills just kept coming in from the main doc, the supervisor, the hospital etc. Bullshit.

clambo says

The surgeon was very skilled.
The location was my forearm and there isn't much loose skin there.
For a while I didn't like moving my arm much, I had the sensation of stitches being pulled.
I had it August 4 and today it's almost normal looking; at first it was scary.
I don't want this on my face.

It must have been bigger than already. If they discover it when it's the size of a pimple there is usually hardly any scar and you're completely healed within days, tye procedure takes maybe 2-4 hours, most of it is waiting. It's not much different from you accidentally cutting a piece of skin our with a sharp knife.

just_passing_through says

komputodo says

A few days ago i cut my hand with a knife.

Cutting an avocado to make guac after some Margaritas? Happened to me in SD and I went to UCSD medical center. They squirted some water on it, stitched it up and even after my great health insurance I was charge well over $1,000. Bills just kept coming in from the main doc, the supervisor, the hospital etc. Bullshit.

you mean like joy behar? Actually, i was removing a touch screen digitizer from a HP Eliteone 800 all in one PC and that glue was tough to cut thru.
BTW, did you have to wait more that 10 minutes?

WookieMan says

Health care isn't expensive.

I'm familiar with health care prices in other countries. But IMO $5 just doesn't sound like a sustainable price for MX. I think some of the cost is being carried elsewhere.

I suppose its also possible this was just a low price for this location, and their other fees aren't generally so extreme.

mell says

Healthcare is the biggest racket in the US, maybe even before defense

Hircus says

I suppose its also possible this was just a low price for this location, and their other fees aren't generally so extreme.

I don't know prices globally myself. I just know I can walk into a pharmacy in Mexico get something like Viagra (or the chemical in it) for 80% less than the states. If it's cheaper to treat certain conditions with medicine, you generally won't need a big procedure. Our healthcare WANTS the big procedure AND the drug sales.

People have been told a lie that doctors are honest, hippocratic oath, degrees and all. Having been mistreated by multiple doctors for a gall bladder, I have no faith. I diagnosed myself with my mom's help. A 5th grade and art teacher, and I was a 1st year college student.

Just because you do something doesn't mean you're good at it. Put this way, everyone goes out for a meal. Whether it's fancy or regular, EVERYONE has had a shit meal before. That person behind the grill or flattop might have an understanding/training of what to do, but cannot execute it to make a good meal. Doctors are no different.

Patrick says

mell says

Healthcare is the biggest racket in the US, maybe even before defense

Lol. Russia. That makes me laugh. Getting their asses handed to them with a land neighbor. Not sure what that 4.3% is going to. Building nukes? It definitely isn't going into air, sea and ground forces...

Mell, my original lesion was not large, however the piece the surgeon took was the diameter of a 50 cent piece.
The location was one where there is not a lot of loose skin so it felt tight after I was sewn up.
I don't want this shit again; I use spray sunscreen on my legs and arms, and Neutrogena on my face.

clambo says

Health care became expensive in the USA

With the advent of Medicare.

WookieMan says

I suppose its also possible this was just a low price for this location, and their other fees aren't generally so extreme.

Another example, a few months ago I had a broken molar yanked out by my dentist...total cost $15. I keep seeing comments about the price being too low and its not sustainable. Who gives a shit whether its sustainable? There are other doctors and dental offices here where you can spend more money if that makes you feel better.
There are Pharmacies here called Farmacia Similares where they have a doctor and you can walk in and get a diagnosis and a prescription for $2...The procedures that they perform are also very cheap. Just basic stuff. And they sell generic medicine very cheap too.
If I want a Kg of chuck steak, I can pay anywheres from $5 kg to $12kg. When I go to the butcher (real butchers, not some assholes that slice open bags of meat and put it on a slicer), and buy my $5kg meat, I don't worry about whether it's sustainable.

WookieMan says

Lol. Russia. That makes me laugh. Getting their asses handed to them with a land neighbor.

I wasn't aware that the FEDS printing presses and nato were land neighbors. Tell me more.

komputodo says

WookieMan says

I suppose its also possible this was just a low price for this location, and their other fees aren't generally so extreme.

Another example, a few months ago I had a broken molar yanked out by my dentist...total cost $15. I keep seeing comments about the price being too low and its not sustainable. Who gives a shit whether its sustainable? There are other doctors and dental offices here where you can spend more money if that makes you feel better.
There are Pharmacies here called Farmacia Similares where they have a doctor and you can walk in and get a diagnosis and a prescription for $2...The procedures that they perform are also very cheap. Just basic stuff. And they sell generic medicine very cheap too.
If I want a Kg of chuck steak, I can pay anywheres from $5 kg to $12kg. When I go to the butcher (real butchers, not some assholes that slice open bags of...

Do you care if it's clean and won't kill you?

I’m in Baja California Sur Mexico for a large portion of the year.
I am going to be a medical and dental tourist to Florida for the time being.
I also plan on buying medical insurance in Mexico just in case I have an emergency problem.
I don’t mind the expensive dental fees in the USA because I have Dental Dental which reduced the cost by about 1/2 of a zirconia crown to $650.
It was made while I waited with a Sirona CEREC machine.
I will get an extra cleaning in Mexico since I go every 4 months not six.

komputodo says

Another example, a few months ago I had a broken molar yanked out by my dentist...total cost $15. I keep seeing comments about the price being too low and its not sustainable. Who gives a shit whether its sustainable? There are other doctors and dental offices here where you can spend more money if that makes you feel better.

I think you aren't comprehending the discussion.

The purpose of saying $5 isn't sustainable was to support my belief that some of the price is being paid elsewhere.

Try to keep up.

I recently paid for a girl to get a crown in San Pedro Mexico and it was $400 bucks US.
I believe that clinics exist in Mexico with extremely low prices for certain procedures.

komputodo says

you mean like joy behar?

Holly crap, I'm not even going to look that up for fear of even more shame. Another guy I worked with ironically sliced his hand the same night cutting up a tomato. Opposite hands. We showed up at work the next day with opposing bandages. He swung a pipette, I swung a keyboard.

komputodo says

BTW, did you have to wait more that 10 minutes?

About 10 minutes to get a room. In and out in about 1.5hrs after I showed up around 11PM on a Tuesday. Maybe 3 others in a large waiting room.

Stitched up after about 40mins, when they explained that, recent research revealed squirting purified water on it was better than antibiotics.

Then I sat there waiting for a couple of others to come in and 'check on me' individually before they said I could go. Those others sent me individual bills for their 10 seconds of time. As did the facility/hospital. Over several months. Each time was a 'surprise'.

Racket.

I had some wealthy family members fly to Mexico in the late 90s for face lifts. I was a kid (20s) and thought that was strange or dangerous. I don't anymore. One was a Continental Airlines pilot so that kind of 'wealthy'. He'd been around, seen and learned things.

My baby sis is the charge nurse for probably the largest hospital in South Texas. I recall earlier in her career she'd whisper into spouses ear to: Go down the road to Walgreens to get some Tylenol so we don't have to charge you $40/pill. Or so my parents tell me...

Hircus says

komputodo says

Another example, a few months ago I had a broken molar yanked out by my dentist...total cost $15. I keep seeing comments about the price being too low and its not sustainable. Who gives a shit whether its sustainable? There are other doctors and dental offices here where you can spend more money if that makes you feel better.

I think you aren't comprehending the discussion.

The purpose of saying $5 isn't sustainable was to support my belief that some of the price is being paid elsewhere.

Try to keep up.

supposedly the cruz roja has nothing to do with the govt and depends on volunteers, and donations.,,That could never function in the usa.

GNL says

Do you care if it's clean and won't kill you?

Really...If you're a germaphobe, you should read this: This Is the Filthiest Item in Your Doctor’s Office

https://www.thehealthy.com/healthcare/doctors/filthiest-item-doctors-office/

And don't even start talking about the restaurant kitchens where you eat and the butcher sections of your favorite grocery store.

Hircus says

Where did the subsidy come from? Did insurance cover most, or govt, or charity etc..?

Red Cross are the guys always asking for donations when you're driving back to the US from Tijuana. And if it's affiliated with the larger Red Cross org, yes, heavily subsidized. Not to say it wouldn't have cost about the same at another doctor. I had x-rays for a broken toe in Tijuana before, cost something like $20. Remember the peso is about 20/1 right now, so $5 is equivalent to about 100 pesos.

clambo says

I took my friend to the hospital in La Paz last year

That's where your cost came in. Hospitals charge more, and depending on if you go to a cheap one or a good one, care can be decent, to horrible.