Health costs to $oar

[ready4ONE 5,400]

As I have said consistently since this "healthcare" reform farce started, insurance companies need to be removed from any involvement in the basic provision of healthcare, as their main role is to remove money from the healthcare system. They are, by definition, an inefficiency built into the system.

It is settling for "something" to be done, rather than the right things, that has landed us in the mess we see unfolding now.

We agree! I can't say much in defense of this reform either but the OP as much as any other point made graphically illustrates the lunacy of 'for profit' health care corporations.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

This can't be true. Can it?

What a joke. Everything ther US government touches turns to ####### in 3.5 seconds. Why would anyone thin, health care would be different.

It will be abandoned soon, thank goodness. It simply cannot work and won't get anyone elected...so what's the use?

[SMOKE 1,426]

How do you, the human being on the service end of health care, benefit one iota from a middle man, for profit corporation making money managing (read making sure they take in more than you receive in benefits) your health care?

*crickets chirping*

i recently had to do 2 sleep studies for sleep apnea. the hospital bill was $7,206.

my insurance company paid $1,150. the hospital ate the rest. i paid $40 total(copay).

the medical supply company billed me $1,325 for the cpap machine & supplies.

my insurance paid $392. the medical supply company ate the rest. i paid $20 total(copay).

you feel free to do the math. i was billed $8,531. i paid $60. i benefited from that b@stard insurance company.

Edited October 5, 2010 by SMOKE

[Dan J 277]

Sounds to me like a profit grab with a convenient excuse. Companies do it all the time when they can get away with it, like regulatory fees on cell phones that were not regulated.

[SMR 368]

Sounds to me like a profit grab with a convenient excuse. Companies do it all the time when they can get away with it, like regulatory fees on cell phones that were not regulated.

That may (or may not) be. But the fact remains that ObamaCare is not delivering as promised. Obama repeatedly warned of the disreputable practices of health insurers. Insofar as companies "do it all the time," and insofar as Obama himself warned of it, he should have seen it coming. Couldn't one of the 2000+ pages have addressed this?

That is, there may be thousands of reasons why Obamacare doesn't work, many of them intertwined. But if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. When Obama spends months upon months creating something and parroting that it will work and forcing me to use it, if it ends up not working, I really frankly don't care why.

[Heracles 417]

As I have said consistently since this "healthcare" reform farce started, insurance companies need to be removed from any involvement in the basic provision of healthcare, as their main role is to remove money from the healthcare system. They are, by definition, an inefficiency built into the system.

It is settling for "something" to be done, rather than the right things, that has landed us in the mess we see unfolding now.

There needs to be government owned and operated hospitals, which operate at invoice cost and are not there to make a profit. A government hospital will not pull off shenanigans like changing a few hundred for a dose of acetaminophen [Tylenol]. The reason NHS works so well abroad is that there is the government factor, which adds to competition and keeps the private sector in check. They also have public/private joint ventures, with a private wing in a public hospital, which brings the price down for all.

There are numerous industries people can profit in, health care should not be one of them. The only people who should earn a decent living, is the people who actually provide the treatment: doctors, nurses, janitor who keep the places sterile etc.

[Heracles 417]

This can't be true. Can it?

What a joke. Everything ther US government touches turns to ####### in 3.5 seconds. Why would anyone thin, health care would be different.

It will be abandoned soon, thank goodness. It simply cannot work and won't get anyone elected...so what's the use?

Funny you should say that Cheech, because over the last five years, my experiences with any government here has been nothing but positive. In fact, if I was to list my anger inducing incidents, all of them involve the private sector and its utter incompetence. Sure there are things the government can do better, but I have not been ###### around as I have by the private sector.

Naturally overseas we have independent governmental consumer protection bodies, which do not all this screwing over to occur. Your type over here on the other hand, are crying foul over the establishment of a similar yet vastly powerless department by Obama. Go find me a subprime down under, go setup a cable company and bill me incorrectly, then come report back how it went. Just for reporting a billing error that has not been resolved in two months is a $1k fine for the company.

[Heracles 417]

That may (or may not) be. But the fact remains that ObamaCare is not delivering as promised. Obama repeatedly warned of the disreputable practices of health insurers. Insofar as companies "do it all the time," and insofar as Obama himself warned of it, he should have seen it coming. Couldn't one of the 2000+ pages have addressed this?

That is, there may be thousands of reasons why Obamacare doesn't work, many of them intertwined. But if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. When Obama spends months upon months creating something and parroting that it will work and forcing me to use it, if it ends up not working, I really frankly don't care why.

Pleeeease, you know this was a strategy by the repubs. The Repubs didn't want a more efficient and cheaper NHS, so they cried foul and forced a Medicare style system.

Furthermore, those with a brain prefer to receive HMO equivalent government coverage, than end up bankrupt for a simple cold infection; which can easily happen in the US.

What was the grand repuyb idea, buy across state border. Riight, because that is going to help Americans not be shafted by their employer's choice of provider, insurance companies or the gouging within the industry.

[Heracles 417]

i recently had to do 2 sleep studies for sleep apnea. the hospital bill was $7,206.

my insurance company paid $1,150. the hospital ate the rest. i paid $40 total(copay).

the medical supply company billed me $1,325 for the cpap machine & supplies.

my insurance paid $392. the medical supply company ate the rest. i paid $20 total(copay).

you feel free to do the math. i was billed $8,531. i paid $60. i benefited from that b@stard insurance company.

Rest assured they will tack it onto the fees.

I don't get how it works for you. If I am billed $400 for a service and the insurance only pays $200, I am left paying the copay [if any] and the balance.

[SMOKE 1,426]

Rest assured they will tack it onto the fees.

I don't get how it works for you. If I am billed $400 for a service and the insurance only pays $200, I am left paying the copay [if any] and the balance.

i have a ***** employer that provides ***** insurance for his employees. the despicable pirate providers were trying to gouge me, like they do everyone w/ & w/o insurance. my insurance company stepped in w/ the pimp hand. they have the providers under contract to provide services & equipment @ a deep discount. i'm out w/ a reasonable copay, the providers are paid fairly...win/win.

Edited October 5, 2010 by SMOKE

[Nina~ 431]

Rest assured they will tack it onto the fees.

I don't get how it works for you. If I am billed $400 for a service and the insurance only pays $200, I am left paying the copay [if any] and the balance.

He probably went to an in-network hospital. Insurance companies negotiate the price for service/procedures with their in-network hospitals and get deep discounts.

[SMR 368]

Pleeeease, you know this was a strategy by the repubs. The Repubs didn't want a more efficient and cheaper NHS, so they cried foul and forced a Medicare style system.

Furthermore, those with a brain prefer to receive HMO equivalent government coverage, than end up bankrupt for a simple cold infection; which can easily happen in the US.

What was the grand repuyb idea, buy across state border. Riight, because that is going to help Americans not be shafted by their employer's choice of provider, insurance companies or the gouging within the industry.

When the health care bill passed there was a solid Democrat majority in the house and a filibuster proof Dem majority in the Senate. If my memory serves me right no Republican even voted for the bill (even if I am mistaken and 1 or 2 did, that hardly makes much of a difference). Explain to me how it can possibly be the Republicans' fault that the health care bill is the way it is when none of them voted for it and the Democrats could pass it without them.

And buying across state borders was only a small part of the Republican plan. Tort reform, medical savings accounts, and tax breaks for insurance costs by individuals would have been a good start. But none of that was even discussed.

[Heracles 417]

When the health care bill passed there was a solid Democrat majority in the house and a filibuster proof Dem majority in the Senate. If my memory serves me right no Republican even voted for the bill (even if I am mistaken and 1 or 2 did, that hardly makes much of a difference). Explain to me how it can possibly be the Republicans' fault that the health care bill is the way it is when none of them voted for it and the Democrats could pass it without them.

And buying across state borders was only a small part of the Republican plan. Tort reform, medical savings accounts, and tax breaks for insurance costs by individuals would have been a good start. But none of that was even discussed.

None of the repub options battle costs, especially not some clownish tax breaks or medical accounts. The cheapest option is the same as the one used by the military,

basically NHS.

Apart from sticking to some lame party line of low taxes, [failed] Laissez-faire and making government the scapegoat, even [unbelievably] in a this financial crises caused directly by the private sector, repubs are generally all out of ideas; apart from the last ingenious yee ha idea of abolishing minimum wage.

They wasted trillions in two pointless wars, yet now want to talk about fiscal responsibility. It was also no surprise that the Mayor in Tennessee, who allows houses to burn, was a Repub. Welcome to future Brazil 2.0, a US under Tea-party / Libertarian control.

Edited October 5, 2010 by Heracles

[sly_wolf 199]

Misleading article only to promote a political agenda.

Our outlay increased significantly well before ... it's all about profit and the excuses to make more profit ... period!