Medical Care and Costs in the U.S.

[Primemuscle]

As many of you know, my wife has stage V kidney failure along with a plethora of other medical problems. We are fortunate, in that we have a Medicare Advantage plan.

What I find interesting is the disparity between what the providers charge verses what insurance and we pay. So far since January, my wife has incurred $193,570.00 in charges. Our insurance paid, $32,840.48 and we have paid $3,424.13.

Looking at this, one has to wonder who pays the full charges? Several years ago, my sister nearly drowned as a result of having a seizure while she was swimming in a lake in California. She was in the hospital for about 10 days. She didn't have medical insurance at the time. Her hospital bill was just under $60,000. Since she also had no attachable income, that bill was never paid. It would seem that the only people paying these huge charges are wealthy folks who for some idiotic reason choose to not carry medical insurance.

Any thoughts?

[pedro01]

Sadly, you are getting royally ripped off in the US when it comes to medical care.

The prices are astronomical.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/26/charts-health-care-costs-americans_n_2957266.html

Bottom line - you are being gouged

[muscularny]

Please people

a) have insurance
b) consider medical care outside the US depending on the situation.

I find it horrifying that someone can walk into a hospital in the US, bleeding or in some serious pain and all they want to know is what insurance he / she has, what type what kind etc.

The "care" in health care has died a long time ago.

[Primemuscle]

Please people

a) have insurance
b) consider medical care outside the US depending on the situation.

I find it horrifying that someone can walk into a hospital in the US, bleeding or in some serious pain and all they want to know is what insurance he / she has, what type what kind etc.

The "care" in health care has died a long time ago.

Here's the thing, anyone can walk into a hospital emergency room in the U.S. bleeding or even just with a cold and whether they have insurance or no insurance, the hospital is required to treat them. This wasn't always the case. There was a time when hospitals actually turned people away if they didn't have insurance. When I was a kid, our neighbor's daughter was badly burned when her brother lit the barbecue using gasoline (stupid I know). Her father rushed her little charred body to the nearest hospital and was told to take her to county hospital which was many miles away. The child eventually died while still in the hospital. They did not have medical insurance.

[Novena]

And right wingers have resisted the concept of a system of Universal Healthcare since Roosevelt's administration....Teddy Roosevelt...

[pedro01]

And right wingers have resisted the concept of a system of Universal Healthcare since Roosevelt's administration....Teddy Roosevelt...

You don't need 'universal healthcare'

You need to stop paying $600 for stuff that costs $3

[Primemuscle]

You don't need 'universal healthcare'

You need to stop paying $600 for stuff that costs $3

Huh? And how is that going to happen?

[Mawse]

No one pays full charges

Shitbag drunks, druggies and illegals using the ER as a walk-in clinic and paying nothing means the hospital needs to pass on the costs to paying patients because despite what the huffpo might think drs and nurses don't work for free

Insurance says fuck you and pays their share

Working people without insurance need to negotiate their bills down and learn not to be so stupid next time

Jose and dequaan pay nothing

Millions of obese Americans requiring pills and potions also drives up costs


We fix it by creating a time machine and going back and allowing Ted Kennedy to drown alongside his mistress so he can't push disastrous bills tying insurance to jobs and allowing Big Government to drive up the costs tenfold

[Primemuscle]

No one pays full charges

Shitbag drunks, druggies and illegals using the ER as a walk-in clinic and paying nothing means the hospital needs to pass on the costs to paying patients because despite what the huffpo might think drs and nurses don't work for free

Insurance says fuck you and pays their share

Working people without insurance need to negotiate their bills down and learn not to be so stupid next time

Jose and dequaan pay nothing

Millions of obese Americans requiring pills and potions also drives up costs


We fix it by creating a time machine and going back and allowing Ted Kennedy to drown alongside his mistress so he can't push disastrous bills tying insurance to jobs and allowing Big Government to drive up the costs tenfold

I suspect you are correct in that no one pays these artificially escalated charges. This begs the question, why do hospitals, drug companies and doctors persist with charging rates that no one actually pays?

[Hurricane Beef !]

In the last month THE BEEF has had 3 visits to the doctor, a stress test, EKG and ultrasound. This plus 6 prescriptions and the total cost was $0.00.

Canada - love it.

THE BEEF

[Primemuscle]

In the last month THE BEEF has had 3 visits to the doctor, a stress test, EKG and ultrasound. This plus 6 prescriptions and the total cost was $0.00.

Canada - love it.

THE BEEF

Socialized medicine has its benefits. It also has a few drawbacks.

[Las Vegas]

Here's the thing, anyone can walk into a hospital emergency room in the U.S. bleeding or even just with a cold and whether they have insurance or no insurance, the hospital is required to treat them. This wasn't always the case. There was a time when hospitals actually turned people away if they didn't have insurance. When I was a kid, our neighbor's daughter was badly burned when her brother lit the barbecue using gasoline (stupid I know). Her father rushed her little charred body to the nearest hospital and was told to take her to county hospital which was many miles away. The child eventually died while still in the hospital. They did not have medical insurance.

Damn, that is really fucked.  It's something that makes you stop and think - hard.

[James28]

When I had kidney stones, I was taken into hospital straight away. Given a room that I was alone in until a doctor saw me (20min later) before being moved to a private room. Given a menu choice that'll put some restaurants to shame and checked on hourly until most of the pain subsided. I was in hospital for 2 days before checking myself out and offered a paid-for taxi service back home. I declined and got myself home.

I had 2 follow up CT scan sessions within a week and another one 6 months later.

Cost : £0

[Primemuscle]

When I had kidney stones, I was taken into hospital straight away. Given a room that I was alone in until a doctor saw me (20min later) before being moved to a private room. Given a menu choice that'll put some restaurants to shame and checked on hourly until most of the pain subsided. I was in hospital for 2 days before checking myself out and offered a paid-for taxi service back home. I declined and got myself home.

I had 2 follow up CT scan sessions within a week and another one 6 months later.

Cost : £0

Yes socialized medicine is a great deal, but it isn't as cost free as you think. Tax dollars pay for it. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, because I believe everyone should have the same level of medical care available to them. Just know that nothing is as "free" as it seems. Nobody, not even the British government, is giving away anything for free. That's just how it works.