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<blockquote data-quote="RDKirk" data-source="post: 77054293" data-attributes="member: 326155"><p>Back in 2001, my mother had an auto accident that required brain surgery. For certain reasons, they were unable to replace a section of her scull, so they had fitted her with a leather protective helmet that looked very much like the old-school leather helmets that American football players once wore. I noted that the helmet was stamped "Made in South Korea." I also noted that the hospital billed $2,000 dollars for that helmet.</p><p></p><p>Now, I've been in South Korea, and I've bought leather goods in South Korea, and I knew there was no way that helmet cost $2,000, not even including shipping. We were in Oklahoma city, so I took some photos of the helmet to a local custom bridle and saddle maker and asked them how much would it cost to have such a helmet made. They told me: $500.</p><p></p><p>Okay, so the hospital was charging $2,000 for a helmet from South Korea that did not possibly cost more than $50 and could have been made locally for $500.</p><p></p><p>A few years ago, a Chicago televisioin station did a "secret shopper" type survey of metro area hospitals, shopping around for a simple appendectomy. The prices ranged from $1500 to $25,000 for hospital services, and the differences in service certainly weren't that great.</p><p></p><p>In the US we get "not a bills" from the insurance companies, in which the insurer tells you what the provider charged and what they paid. It's not unusual for the insurance company to have paid no more than 10% of the charge, which may or may not have the provider billing you for the remainder. Here is a secret: Insurance companies have further deals in the system by which people with higher-priced policies are less likely to be billed for the remaining amounts.</p><p></p><p>A year ago, I had a prostate procedure done. Medicare and the military paid exactly 10% of the bill. Now, the urologist specializes in this procedure...it's the only thing he does. And it's an old-man's procedure, so all of his patients are on Medicare like me. That means he never receives more than 10% of what he bills, and of course, he knows that.</p><p></p><p>I figure he's able to deduct some of that from his taxes as business losses, but I also figure his real cost is nowhere near what he bills. But the amount he does get is enough to afford him a plush lifestyle.</p><p></p><p>Why is this game necessary? Why can't he charge and get a demonstrably fair price--the 10% he actually gets?</p><p></p><p>The fact is, hospitals pull their charges out of there behinds. They're out of control, and there is no way other than a single-payer system to put them under control, because it's impossible for the average person to intelligently shop around for medical care.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RDKirk, post: 77054293, member: 326155"] Back in 2001, my mother had an auto accident that required brain surgery. For certain reasons, they were unable to replace a section of her scull, so they had fitted her with a leather protective helmet that looked very much like the old-school leather helmets that American football players once wore. I noted that the helmet was stamped "Made in South Korea." I also noted that the hospital billed $2,000 dollars for that helmet. Now, I've been in South Korea, and I've bought leather goods in South Korea, and I knew there was no way that helmet cost $2,000, not even including shipping. We were in Oklahoma city, so I took some photos of the helmet to a local custom bridle and saddle maker and asked them how much would it cost to have such a helmet made. They told me: $500. Okay, so the hospital was charging $2,000 for a helmet from South Korea that did not possibly cost more than $50 and could have been made locally for $500. A few years ago, a Chicago televisioin station did a "secret shopper" type survey of metro area hospitals, shopping around for a simple appendectomy. The prices ranged from $1500 to $25,000 for hospital services, and the differences in service certainly weren't that great. In the US we get "not a bills" from the insurance companies, in which the insurer tells you what the provider charged and what they paid. It's not unusual for the insurance company to have paid no more than 10% of the charge, which may or may not have the provider billing you for the remainder. Here is a secret: Insurance companies have further deals in the system by which people with higher-priced policies are less likely to be billed for the remaining amounts. A year ago, I had a prostate procedure done. Medicare and the military paid exactly 10% of the bill. Now, the urologist specializes in this procedure...it's the only thing he does. And it's an old-man's procedure, so all of his patients are on Medicare like me. That means he never receives more than 10% of what he bills, and of course, he knows that. I figure he's able to deduct some of that from his taxes as business losses, but I also figure his real cost is nowhere near what he bills. But the amount he does get is enough to afford him a plush lifestyle. Why is this game necessary? Why can't he charge and get a demonstrably fair price--the 10% he actually gets? The fact is, hospitals pull their charges out of there behinds. They're out of control, and there is no way other than a single-payer system to put them under control, because it's impossible for the average person to intelligently shop around for medical care. [/QUOTE]
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