Communism

[Root beer]

I believe the definition of communism is the medical industry. Seriously, my insurance is forcing me to go through mail-order prescription service for script with 90 days supply. Is it cheaper? Slightly, but is it worth the hassle and all, no!  I paid for my ONE prescription I requested and received it. Then I received another charge and I have no clue what it's about. I seriously despise hospitals, doctor offices, health insurance providers, et cetera. Their billing practice and the constant haggling between the medical service providers and insurance companies is just ridiculous.(I accidently ticked off a doctor office's accounting clerk few weeks ago. Oops.) Nobody will ever tell me  up front what I can expected to be charge. Of course i've long known this since my mom been sick for long, and I watched my dad deal with this frustration. It just finally caught up to me now that I got deal with it personally. Of course my situation is just a wicker compared to others.

[flyfisher]

Then don't use insurance and pay out of pocket to whoever you want....problem solved

[llPa1nll]

Then don't use insurance and pay out of pocket to whoever you want....problem solved

 

If you do not have health insurance, in some municipalities you have a small chance of receiving quality healthcare.

[J Francho]

Then don't use insurance and pay out of pocket to whoever you want....problem solved

 

Insulin, out of pocket is $380 per vial.  Through insurance, it's about $13 per vial.  Do the math.

[flyfisher]

I realize it it is cheaper....it wa said tongue in cheek to sa just deal with it for the added benefit of not paying as much.

[SirSnookalot]

Out of pocket expense (copay) is going to vary depending on the health plan and group.  Not all groups have the same copay with the same health care provider.  At least for me a 90 day supply is the exact same copay as 3 30 day supplies.  Be thankful you're in a group, when I retired I was forced to abandon my group plan and get an individual plan, ours did not cover prescriptions.  Having to buy a prescription where generic is not available can be expensive.  Even on medicare there are different copays depending on what tier that drug falls into.

[Root beer]

Then don't use insurance and pay out of pocket to whoever you want....problem solved

 

I'm paying preminum, might as well use the darn thing!

[Fishing Rhino]

Health care is a different animal.  While most bemoan the cost of receiving health care, consider this.

 

The teacher that taught me when I was in first grade, would be qualified to teach a first grade class today.  With the exception of computers and the electronic technology, the process of imparting knowledge has changed little.  A worker who installed parts on an assembly line 60 years ago, could install parts on an assembly line today.

 

The pick and shovel guy of years ago could wield that pick and shovel today.

 

None of that is true with health care.  A doctor who practiced when I was in first grade would be totally lost in today's medicine.

 

My dad had a hernia operation when I was ten years old.  That repair resulted in the standard two week hospital stay before he could come home.  Further, while in the hospital, he was in a "ward".  I doubt many on this forum know what that is.  He was one of twelve patients in one large room with draw curtains around each bed.

 

Today, in the morning you walk in for a typical hernia repair and are home that evening.

 

While hospital costs have outpaced inflation, the health care of today is not what it was 60 years ago.  All these miracle machines and technology do not come without considerable costs to develop, and then manufacture them.

 

Most folks other than those in the health care "industry" have very little, if any, appreciation for the wondrous advancements in health care.  The list is endless.

 

Not only are lives saved today, that would have been lost yesterday, but the quality of life after illnesses and injuries is much higher than it was yesterday.  These do not come without much investment in research and testing before they are approved for treatment of our problems.

[Root beer]

Health care is a different animal. While most bemoan the cost of receiving health care, consider this.

The teacher that taught me when I was in first grade, would be qualified to teach a first grade class today. With the exception of computers and the electronic technology, the process of imparting knowledge has changed little. A worker who installed parts on an assembly line 60 years ago, could install parts on an assembly line today.

The pick and shovel guy of years ago could wield that pick and shovel today.

None of that is true with health care. A doctor who practiced when I was in first grade would be totally lost in today's medicine.

My dad had a hernia operation when I was ten years old. That repair resulted in the standard two week hospital stay before he could come home. Further, while in the hospital, he was in a "ward". I doubt many on this forum know what that is. He was one of twelve patients in one large room with draw curtains around each bed.

Today, in the morning you walk in for a typical hernia repair and are home that evening.

While hospital costs have outpaced inflation, the health care of today is not what it was 60 years ago. All these miracle machines and technology do not come without considerable costs to develop, and then manufacture them.

Most folks other than those in the health care "industry" have very little, if any, appreciation for the wondrous advancements in health care. The list is endless.

Not only are lives saved today, that would have been lost yesterday, but the quality of life after illnesses and injuries is much higher than it was yesterday. These do not come without much investment in research and testing before they are approved for treatment of our problems.

Correct. One problem: there is charge discrimination among health providers and insurance providers. Don't believe me? Brew a cup of coffee and start googling the lawsuits. There lies my gripe.

You and I go to a bar, we order the same drinks we will get same price. You and I go to doctor and get the same health services, chances are good that the provider will try send two different charges to our different insurance companies.... I hate that.

[SirSnookalot]

Correct. One problem: there is charge discrimination among health providers and insurance providers. Don't believe me? Brew a cup of coffee and start googling the lawsuits. There lies my gripe.

You and I go to a bar, we order the same drinks we will get same price. You and I go to doctor and get the same health services, chances are good that the provider will try send two different charges to our different insurance companies.... I hate that.

Take Cuba for example, a communist country where all medical and healthcare needs are free and provided by the government. An interesting article I read. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1215226

 

The situation here is the free market system, I thought we all loved it.  Insurance companies negotiate the price of pharmaceuticals with manufacturers, then the insurance company sets the co pay priced based on the strength of group lobbies and the number of membership.  That's why different groups pay different amounts.  Elsewhere in the world governments negotiate direct with the manufactures, basically telling them what they will pay, take it or leave.  In Cuba medications are manufactured by the government.

 

I believe the definition of communism is the medical industry

 

Point is, our system is nothing like communism or even socialized medicine, not arguing that isn't paid for in other ways.   insurance companies are trying to make as much money as they can and so are we as part of the labor force.

[Fishing Rhino]

Correct. One problem: there is charge discrimination among health providers and insurance providers. Don't believe me? Brew a cup of coffee and start googling the lawsuits. There lies my gripe.

You and I go to a bar, we order the same drinks we will get same price. You and I go to doctor and get the same health services, chances are good that the provider will try send two different charges to our different insurance companies.... I hate that.

 

I know that first hand.  When I was lobstering my deck hand twisted his ankle and went to have it checked at the ER.  He gave them his BC/BS card.  When they found out he hurt it at work they wouldn't cover it.  I had insurance through a lobstermen's co-op.  The bugaboo was that each year without a claim got you a discount on the premiums.

 

Anyway, the hospital sent me the bill for the ER, and the third party payer rate for me to turn over to the insurance company.  Both rates were on the bill I received, and the third party payer's rate was about forty percent less.  I figured that I was a third party payer and sent them a check for that amount.  It was much cheaper than the increase a claim would have imposed on my premium.  Never heard from the hospital again. 

 

It is weird that they accepted the check from me, but they would not have accepted that amount from my deckhand.

[tomustang]

Move to colorado or washington

[hooah212002]

You've got a weird definition of communism.....

[Marty]

Most folks other than those in the health care "industry" have very little, if any, appreciation for the wondrous advancements in health care.  The list is endless.

 

Not only are lives saved today, that would have been lost yesterday, but the quality of life after illnesses and injuries is much higher than it was yesterday.  These do not come without much investment in research and testing before they are approved for treatment of our problems.

 

 

Actually, I think people outside the industry do indeed understand and appreciate the advances that have been made. Most of the complaints and dissatisfaction that I hear or read about concern the system, not the actual medical care itself.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Move to colorado or washington

I award you the Golden Snark. For the snarkiest comment of the day. :D

[Fishing Rhino]

Actually, I think people outside the industry do indeed understand and appreciate the advances that have been made. Most of the complaints and dissatisfaction that I hear or read about concern the system, not the actual medical care itself.

You may be correct, but most of the complaints I read about is the high cost of medical care and drugs.  I hear complaints about how much doctors make.  But the real clincher is those who complain about hospital costs.

 

The truth about hospitals is that what they receive directly from patients, insurance companies, and the government for services rendered does not cover the operating costs of providing those services.  Were it not for philanthropy, most not for profit hospitals would be operating at a loss.  In fact, many hospitals have been forced to shut their doors in spite of the fact that their facilities were operating at near capacity for handling the patient load.

[hooah212002]

Something something something no political posts something something. The healthcare debate follows essentially the same party lines and is just as polarizing. Appetite for destruction.