OT: Health Ins Splained!

onecatbellesundance wrote

Health Insurance companies are trying to reign in the outrageous charges of physicians and hospitals so they can charge you and me a reasonable premium. One of my doctors charges $250 for a 15 minute office visit? If she sees 4 patients and hour for an 8 hour day that is $8000 for one days work. Or, how about the anesthesiologist that charges $1500 for a one hour surgery? Sometimes the anesthesiologist charges more than the surgeon. My sleep studies cost $1670 and $1825. Why the higher cost for the second one? Let's look at the real culprits in the cost of health care in the U. S. It's the physicians and hospitals not insurance companies.

Do you really believe that Insurance Companies are trying to reign in the charges of physicians and hospitals so they can charge us a reasonable premium? Do you really believe that they have our interest uppermost in their hearts and minds? Do you really believe that your doctor, surgeon, and hospital is out to squeeze you out of all your hard earned money? I don't. What I believe, based on my personal experiences and those of close relatives and friends, is that Insurance Companies (mine and yours too) are taking 25% of my/our premiums, putting it in their pocket, and providing NOTHING in return (unless you want to count denial of claims, refused coverage, premiums increasing 25% or more annually, confusing and contradicting bills and policies, etc.).

I want a public option so we, the patients and premium payers, can regain control of the medical system we increasingly depend on. I, for one, don't want to be paying 25% more each year for medical coverage, and don't ever want my children to go without medical treatment because they can't afford it.

Cinco....I'm in the same age bracket as you. All I see hapening with Medicare is that the government is paying the doctors and hospitals a very small payments to the point that many doctors are refusing to see Medicare patients. The Medicare sysyem is mis-managed just as most govenment programs are. Doctors are forced to charge higher amounts to make up for the meger Medicare payments. My doctor charges $115 for an office call......Medicare pays him $54. On the other hand...In the case of CPAP's, Medicare is paying about $1500 in rental charges for a CPAP that I can purchase for $400-500. Our legislators have been reluctant to make changes in the Medicare system because the elderly, which make up a large part of their constituents would vote them out of office. I am absolutely AGAINST a govenment run option.

LSAT wrote

On the other hand...In the case of CPAP's, Medicare is paying about $1500 in rental charges for a CPAP that I can purchase for $400-500.

I purchased my backup M-Series AutoCPAP for $526, less than 1/2 ($1180) what the DME billed my Insurance. My Insurance (HMO/Medicare) Plan does not have a rent option. They climbed the intelligence/common sense ladder and are, IMHO, much smarter about CPAP therapy than the average Insurance Company which is still following the drumbeat of the B&M DMEs and the CPAP Manufacturers.

I think it is worthwhile when studying something to consider and try to discern what came first. With the Internet, we, the common folks, now have the tools and information to partake in our own investigations in learning the truth. We don't have to accept what we hear or read, often with only opinions and no facts, no references and no sources, an "expert" or authority figure telling us, in sound bites, what to believe and what not to. When something interests me, I read trial transcripts, depositions, public hearing minutes, patents, etc., and continue until I feel comfortable with reaching a decision, conclusion, choice, etc. I'm retired so one thing that I have plenty of is "time". You have come to the conclusion that Medicare is making the rules and setting the stage. My reading and research has resulted in me reaching a different conclusion.

I, based on my and my family's very good experience with the health care systems in Germany and France(we traveled a lot), would like a Single Payer system. My second choice is a Public Option. Keeping the status quo, even though I have medical insurance and have insured my children, scares the bejesus out of me! We have best friends that are uninsured and it hurts deeply to think, without a Public Option, that they will have to continue without medical care or pay outlandish sums for it. The parents are trying to survive financially another five years until they go on Medicare.