10-20-2008, 11:53 AM
Dick, Then we can agree that 3rd party payment does not work. When people know that their customer is not the one footing the bill, they rape the 3rd party payer. In Canada you can wait months for treatment. That same procedure performed on your pet will cost a fraction of the amount and be accessible that very week. But when we as civilized humans think about getting a 5000.00 operation, we just plop our big asses on the gurney and say do it. When you are looking to get you house roofed, you get 3 bids. I think if we had real free market forces working in the system, procedures that cost 10.000.00 would be 3000.00. And some things we'd just not do because we are too cheap (me) People talk a lot about health care but of those people talking, how many are over weight, eat poorly and don't exercise? I can see where we as a civilized society would spring for orphaned children’s heath and wellbeing but shouldn't the parents of the others have some fiduciary responsibility of their own child? Maybe the Medical community should provide pro bono services for the needy.
A leading Medical ethicist in England recently stated that we should euthanize the aged as they are to much of a burden on the system. All of the Socialized medical programs on Earth basically suck and are running in the red. There are county hospitals in Texas that are shutting down because of the influx of illegal aliens that get services and have no intention of paying.
Co-pays:
I recently discovered that I have severe sleep apnea. I figured out through Googling the web that I would benefit from a CPAP machine. I found the devices online, but was not allowed to buy one without a prescription. So the next day I called my doctor and asked for a prescription. She told me that she could not do it unless I had a sleep study done.
I promptly got on Craigslist and bought one from a nice lady in Houston. I still thought I should maybe get the sleep study so I called around. The cheapest place in Houston was 2400.00 and most insurance companies have a 1200.00 co-pay. So I called back and told them that I was going to pay cash and was shopping for the best cash price. The same clinic said they’d do it for 500.00
I went to a doctor to get a small procedure. When I went to the window to pay, the bill was 275.00. The girl said that she would bill the insurance company. I said I’ll just pay cash. Luckily the Doctor overheard me say that as he walked passed and said “oh, cash… hum 45 bux”
I know there is something wrong with our health care system, but more 3rd party payments, especially via communism aint the fix we need.
A leading Medical ethicist in England recently stated that we should euthanize the aged as they are to much of a burden on the system. All of the Socialized medical programs on Earth basically suck and are running in the red. There are county hospitals in Texas that are shutting down because of the influx of illegal aliens that get services and have no intention of paying.
Co-pays:
I recently discovered that I have severe sleep apnea. I figured out through Googling the web that I would benefit from a CPAP machine. I found the devices online, but was not allowed to buy one without a prescription. So the next day I called my doctor and asked for a prescription. She told me that she could not do it unless I had a sleep study done.
I promptly got on Craigslist and bought one from a nice lady in Houston. I still thought I should maybe get the sleep study so I called around. The cheapest place in Houston was 2400.00 and most insurance companies have a 1200.00 co-pay. So I called back and told them that I was going to pay cash and was shopping for the best cash price. The same clinic said they’d do it for 500.00
I went to a doctor to get a small procedure. When I went to the window to pay, the bill was 275.00. The girl said that she would bill the insurance company. I said I’ll just pay cash. Luckily the Doctor overheard me say that as he walked passed and said “oh, cash… hum 45 bux”
I know there is something wrong with our health care system, but more 3rd party payments, especially via communism aint the fix we need.