I’m distracted by the fact that my windshield was cracked earlier this evening during a hail storm. Consequently I’m not much for writing original content this evening. Instead I’m reading things like a friend’s medical bill from an immediate medical care center.
The bill from the immediate care center is for the suturing of a finger. The immediate care center accepted insurance, but as he has a $1200 deductible he expected this to be something he had to pay in full because the deductible hadn’t been met. The bill has two columns of charges. The amount insurance would pay if he had no deductible is $329.78. The excess was 446.22. So he had to pay $329.78 because his insurance company has a contract with the immediate care center, which is owned and run by the local hospital.
This is good yes?
Is $329.78 a reasonable charge for the service? According to him the doctor spent 1/2 hour with him, at most, suturing his finger. That would mean the doctor portion could be $329.78 an hour ( 164.89 for the half hour) with the $164.89 going toward cost of equipment and administrative fees — I’m not sure exactly how they divide it up that is just one of many possibilities. That seems reasonable to me. Yet, if the individual going there did not have insurance it would have cost him $776 for the same service, jacking the doctor fee up to what is equal to $776 an hour ($388 for the half hour) with $388.00 in administrative/medical equipment fees. Not so reasonable.
There is apparently some kind of “gun to the head” situation going on here. Have insurance, even though we jacked up the premium 18 percent this year, or get charged double what you’d have to pay if you had insurance? I can only ask why. Why do people without insurance get what appears to be an unreasonable charge? Why is there not just a fair and reasonable charge?
Things I’ve read:
The biggest political fight of the week, sadly, over liberals not coming out and complaining loud enough about that ridiculous misogynistic playboy article (sorry about this link) touted proudly on Politico and complained about on some AOL political site. Both posts were pulled. The article was a sick piece of work about women Guy something or other would love to fuck even though he hates them. Having decried Playboy as a piece of misogynistic trash when I was 18 years old it is merely redundant to do so again. The more disturbing thing is reading the comments on various sites, where it doesn’t look like either liberal or conservative men have a great deal of respect for women. The largest difference I see is that conservative sites remove comments that show that to be the case, or don’t allow comments at all, and liberal sites do not, flaunting their misogyny for all too see. Men are way too skilled at attacking a women on their looks, sex appeal, choice of clothing, or their attitude, rather than her ideas. A reinforced nugget of previous knowledge was all that excursion onto the blogesphere got me.
Surviving the World. Loving it.
Top Ten Black Blogs for June. Some great blogs there, with more added every month.
The worst in-kind donations, from Good Intentions are Not Enough
Kabul’s K Street Project seeking more lobbyists. Where Afghanistan’s ambassador learns the rules of acceptable corruption in D.C.
What I Watched:
Mildred Pierce, pretty good movie if you like that kind of thing.
peace
That image shows Megyn Kelly, whom I’ve seen on Fox News, and don’t care very much for just as I hold little respect for much of Fox News.
Megyn Kelly as most all on Fox News are puppets to serve up tabloid redneck republican imitation news.
The only reason I watch Fox News is when I’m really bored to test how long it takes before it insults, and pisses me off. Usually it only takes no more than about a minute before I’m angry and change the channel.
So no I don’t dislike her as a person , or gender, but purely for the machine she works for that pumps out trash news to a large percentage of ignorant American small minded people.
Last month Megyn Kelly gave a report about Hubble being worked on and she asked:” Where did Hubble get it’s name?“
She then looked off camera & someone said:” It’s named after the company that made it.“
Megyn Kelly replies:” Can we get someone to look that up, and find out where the Hubble telescope got it’s name?”
No, I don’t hate woman, but I strongly dislike women dumber than 5th graders spreading their ignorance to millions Americans daily.
Bennet’s last blog post..Philosophical Quandary Of Our Existence
Sorry, I was distracted. I hate Fox New, obviously.
Like Fox news these stories from such magazines are designed to generalize everything, in order to dumb everything down, and make a story out of nothing, verses real stories
I don’t hate or dislike women, even though I sometimes hate their motives. Generalizing in general is usually quite unwise. I believe any women, or anyone of any race can do anything so long as they want to. Pretty basic I know. Just disregard, like I do Fox News…even though the horrible truth is that millions of people feed into these simplified dumpster diving ignorance of so called News every day.
What else can we do?
Bennet’s last blog post..Philosophical Quandary Of Our Existence
ignoring things isn’t always the answer
It makes me glad that I’m in Germany, and don’t have to waste my time with things like that Playboy article — they just never make it over here.
Excellent point about the medical costs. What if some doctor just opened up shop and charged fair hourly prices for the work. It could start a revolution.
indeterminacy’s last blog post..Indeterminacy #428
Inde, you are lucky in that way anyway. lol
We need more than a revolution I’m afriad.
I am glad to see you I hope you are well. It seems you have fallen off the face of the earth.
I have a friend from Canada who’s contemplating having her wisdom teeth pulled out. She’s worried because she’s never been to a dentist before (which is crazy) and because she doesn’t know how she’ll pay for it if it ends up being expensive.
I don’t know what kind of system we live in where people are afraid to get the care they need to become healthy or stay healthy for fear of winding up in the poor house.
mojo shivers’s last blog post..There’s A Reason For The Sunshiny Sky, There’s A Reason Why I’m Feeling So High, Must Be The Season When Those Love Lights Shine All Around Us
Oh and that reminds of this why is dental not considered routine medical insurance? We know that teeth are the key to good health and bad teeth can kill you?
She also told me eyes and teeth aren’t covered by Canada’s Universal Health Care system. That’s insane that they can cover everything else, but not those.
mojo shivers´s last blog ..Every Little Step I Take, You Will Be There, Every Little Step I Make, We’ll Be Together
They aren’t covered here unless you buy them separately as well. I am not sure why Canada is the only comparison people use, there are many good systems in Europe that are nationalized or partly so and work much better than ours. Canada is used as the example, as is the UK because they are the worst.
I usually just bleed.
Doug’s last blog post..Truthful
Is that just for spite?
Everything about the American medical system has to be changed. It’s too bad Hillary forced her program onto congress and that people fell for absurd “Harry & Louise” commercials – this could have been changed fifteen years ago
I have insurance but it doesn’t cover everything yet I pay the same premium as a person who does get everything paid and often is sicker than I and uses the insurance more often. It doesn’t make sense but an underwriter decides and the insurance company and insurance reps get to play “nice guy” and blame it on the underwriter
pia’s last blog post..Life’s a bitch
Sorry about your windshield
I wish Bill and Hil hadn’t been so heavy handed in 94 and went to Congress with their proposal without having Congress participate. And the infamous health industry “Harry & Louise” commercials which for some reason scared people
I also wish “pre existing conditions” clauses would end today as you pay the same as somebody without them – who might be much sicker. I have paid into the insurance industry all my adult life yet when I moved it was as if I never had insurance before. That said all people should be given equal access to health care
pia’s last blog post..Life’s a bitch
So hopefully this time around things will work out better? I do not have high hopes, due to all the misinformation out there. The guy who is running ad campaigns against a more national plan was fired from his job due to stealing millions from the company …hope the public starts using the internet to dig for truth…if there is such a think.
Is there a category for “insured, but can’t afford to go to the doctor?”
Bone’s last blog post..Saved By The Bell: The Reunion
Most people but not the people working in the legislation. That is the reason nothing will get done, they have health insurance.
The offer of dog food to Kenya to help with their food crisis??? That sounds like a sick, perverted joke.
And $329.78 to suture a finger. We’re living in a Catch-22 society. It’s all craziness, and there’s no way around it.
actonbell’s last blog post..Of Jerkiness and Luckiness
The list is even worse than that really.
Aid in general is very strange, we give aid in many cases by profiting from the aid we give..ie corn, arms, and so on and so forth. There is no real evaluation in timely manner as to if that aid works…it’s complicated but sad really how much money goes to things which are almost useless.
In this state that is what happens. Not sure about other states but the fees for uninsured are often double that for those insured. That is an insurance greed issue. I guess the medical facilities use the uninsured to make up for the amount they don’t get from the people with insurance contracts. I think 329 is high for a suturing, never mind 776.
I’m with you. I read less of those kind of sites these days the arguments are about stupid things, why give Playboy any press, they are failing anyway and on their way out
jacob’s last blog post..Vacation House Hunting
yes I’m not health care person, I don’t study it at all specifically, but that bill was kind of interesting. I know different states operate differently regarding health care and Maryland does have some of the strictest laws or rules to those who provide healthcare here but it is getting worse. I can’t imagine what happens in other states.
That playboy hullabaloo was garbage you are right. What they should be talking about is
MEDICAL FLEECING. The 776.00 is robbery but the 329.00 is not that reasonable either, depending on how many sutures there were. We pay for the administrate fees usually caused by insurance company red tape, most doctors now have people who spend all day long dealing with insurance companies, and even then it’s not easy. Makes no sense. We also pay for the excess litigation.
I like the surviving the world, it’s a non stress read.
johnm´s last blog ..While I’m Working
fleecing is a good word.
Yep, most doctors/hospitals adjust for insurance. I’ve been going to the chiropractor for a couple weeks and because I have insurance my bill was $1200, without insurance the bill would be $2600. So the chiropractor adjusts for insurance payments and then I pay a co-payment of $20. Insurance covers the difference. In other words, insurance companies get to set the prices and depending on if you have insurance or not, the price is adjusted accordingly.
It’s good for those who have insurance but terrible for those who don’t.
Chris´s last blog ..You Can Be Part Of Big Love Too!
It’s just not right that there are two sets of prices, makes no sense.
The insurance companies don’t always set the right price. If there is a reasonable fee for a service that should be the reasonable fee. Why there is such a discrepancy is a question answered differently by the medical establishment than by the insurance mafia. I give up.
gdp gdp gdp
Playboy sucks should be enough of a statement and it should only have to be given one time.
I always like the links.
jake´s last blog ..Welcome to Bawlmer Hon, 2009 Hon Fest
hon fest?????
yikes
The insurance situation is a nightmare. One of my students and his mom both had such bad teeth, and even though they have health insurance she paid more than she really could afford for it and couldn’t afford dental plan or to pay for a cleaning. No dentist would take payments. I talked to my old dentist who is such a hunk of a nice guy and he found someone near them who was good and would take payments, they were too far away from my guy.
Sometimes people just need a little of that kind of help.
As if everyone doesn’t already know PB is a peace of crap. It’s like they just figured it out.
kait´s last blog ..Great Ideas in Black and White
Don’t get me started on the dental thing again either. I know if your teeth are in good condition you feel better and are likely to be healthier overall. You’d think they’d include it just for preventative measures.
Medical insurance is over-rated. It only provides partial coverage as so many things are exempt and doctors often send their own separate bills. I had a visit to the ER last year. The insurance was supposed to cover everything. Despite insurance paying several thousands of dollars, I still get bills from various doctors offices for procedures and services I do not even recall. Hell, I only remember talking to a couple of doctors. But I’ve gotten “consult with patient” invoices from at least 8 I never talked to.
Your friend is better off paying the 329. Probably cheaper and he won’t be getting invoices for the rest of his life.
The 329 wasn’t my real concern it was that if he didn’t have insurance he would be charged 776.00, and expected to pay it.
I must have great insurance. I get no bills for anything at all. Then again I have a ppo, no referrals needed. In this state, I think it differs from state to state, if a doctor or clinic has a contract with an insurance company they can only charge what the insurance company calls reasonable and can’t recoup the extra. That is not necessarily the case in other states.