Worst part of our health system?

[Ingomike]

We should not have to depend on health insurance for regular standard care, but should be to avoid catastrophic loss, but that's not the way it is due to the crazy cost of most any healthcare procedure.

The truth is the least cost procedures, relative to how complicated are total electives. Get government and insurers out and the cost drops…

 

[Ingomike]

Agreed, I have really good insurance (used to be even better before the concerns about taxing "Cadillac" plans and ever increasing health care costs) but we still very good. Largely because I have highly prioritized benefits each time I've gone to a new job, as I'm the one with the paycheck and carry the benefits, etc. I'm not in any way looking forward to having to deal with Medicare at any point down the road.

The worst part of our system is the huge amount of overhead costs, and legal costs embedded into both sides of the health care system. These aspects greatly increase the cost of Healthcare. We should not have to depend on health insurance for regular standard care, but should be to avoid catastrophic loss, but that's not the way it is due to the crazy cost of most any healthcare procedure.

Also the lack of portability and insurance being largely relegated to being an employment benefit is also not the best scenario. It does tend to impede folks moving in the labor market as easily, but is also a competitive edge for companies that do offer good benefits.

A huge problem in medicine is wealth redistribution in the so called insurance. I see ads on TV from my insurance offering my plan as low as $10 (based on income). You can be sure my four figure payment is subsidizing that. Thank you obummercare…

 

[Ingomike]

Most doctors have some incentives with a Pharmaceutical company to push/use some drug.

Not true. The hospital on the other hand, yes…

 

[bgcatty]

Insurance companies denying coverage for all sorts of medical treatments! This is often done by corporate “bureaucrats” who have no brains outside of their “scripts” and routinely deny coverage. This despite a doctor’s carefully investigated diagnosis of a medical problem. Ouch!

 

[radar8756]

Medical Insurance has Contracts for Specific Services / Drugs at Agreed Prices -
Which is why the big In-Network rule

yet when I ask How much will it cost? ... the reply is can't say until we submit & get reply from Insurance

 

[indiana22native]

You said this:
“. I feel like we get the white, firm on our gender, employed (but no where Rich) penalty”

The white, male, tax-paying, straight person tax is real and saw it happening when I was in manufacturing, I see it happening everywhere.
As a female , I would be appalled if someone gave me a job just because I was a female. I would want it because I’m qualified. If you are a white tax paying straight men- and are a Christian or second amendment supporter- that’s even worse (if possible) you are suddenly wronged just for breathing.
I sympathize with you and that mindset is destroying the country.

Thank you. Especially after disagreeing yesterday, I’m glad that someone agrees with me. I worry about the future of my (now adult) kids. Seems like there will literally be a tax for them.

 

[phylodog]

Medical Insurance has Contracts for Specific Services / Drugs at Agreed Prices -
Which is why the big In-Network rule

yet when I ask How much will it cost? ... the reply is can't say until we submit & get reply from Insurance

Health care is far and away the most corrupt “service industry” in existence. Apparently the doctors were making too much money and it needed diluting so tens of thousands of completely unnecessary individuals could get their grubby mitts into the cookie jar. All pushed for by bought and paid for politicians.

I honestly don’t recall the last time I saw a medical professional and walked away feeling like my health was anywhere near the top of the priority list throughout the experience.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Health care is far and away the most corrupt “service industry” in existence. Apparently the doctors were making too much money and it needed diluting so tens of thousands of completely unnecessary individuals could get their grubby mitts into the cookie jar. All pushed for by bought and paid for politicians.

I honestly don’t recall the last time I saw a medical professional and walked away feeling like my health was anywhere near the top of the priority list throughout the experience.

And hospitals are the worst. I needed an MRI. Outpatient MRI at the hospital was MINIMUM $1500. Some charging as much as $3,000 in the actual hospital vs hospital owned outpatient labs. (usually in the same medical building as their docs)

I went to methodist sports med and got the same image for $400 cash.

 

[Shadow01]

I just got a medical bill and insurance paid so little it’s comical. I’m getting so fed up with health insurance and our health system. I can’t afford to go to the doctor! I’m nearly retired, never stolen anything, worked my a$$ off and just curious if anyone else has these issues? Or what they view the worst part of our current system.

Thank Obama. He gave private insurance an out by creating obamacare . Now YOU have a choice to get away from your insurance that doesn’t pay well.

 

[Shadow01]

And hospitals are the worst. I needed an MRI. Outpatient MRI at the hospital was MINIMUM $1500. Some charging as much as $3,000 in the actual hospital vs hospital owned outpatient labs. (usually in the same medical building as their docs)

I went to methodist sports med and got the same image for $400 cash.

I have an annual blood screen for my cholesterol. Old doc retired and replaced by a young nurse practitioner. She wants me to come in for the screening results in case my meds need changed and wants to have me rescreened 3 times a year. I told her to make the script for a year and call me with the results or I would move to another physician in a different medical facility. She frowned and then agreed. I hurt their attempts to pad the bottom line.

 

[Shadow01]

But not for every procedure. And even then, you may have to wait months to be seen.

When I was in high school, we had a German exchange student living with us. One day, he sliced his arm open. I took one look and knew it needed stitches so I drove him to the ER. He got signed in, and then had to wait, bleeding all over the floor for a half hour. They finally took him back and stitched him up and he was out in about 20 more minutes.

We got to my car, and he was amazed at the hospital. He said in Germany, he would have been waiting for 8-10 hours to get seen.

I know a girl in Sweden who needs some emergency treatment for some of her girl parts, and her appointment with the surgeon is in 8 months!

Yeah, it's "free," paid by their exorbitant taxes, but there's no sense of urgency to handle patients.

My mother stays in a trailer park in Florida in the winter that is about 80% canadian. They tell her all the time to not let the government become your sole insurance provider and caregive.

 

[Shadow01]

Having just experienced my first serious foray into the medical world, I'll offer my two cents. First off, the doctors, rehab staff and most of the nurses were great. It's after the fact, when I was home, that I learned the dark secret of healthcare. The system is designed to get your money and the staff is trained to NOT be helpful, NOT give you pertinent information (or really ANY information) and it's all a huge money grab. The only people in the medical field that want to help are the actual people fixing your physical body-EVERYONE ELSE IS THERE TO GET AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE.

The day big pharma got its hooks in the government, we all got screwed. First it was tobacco companies, then oil and gas, now big pharma. I'm only sharing my personal experience, not my opinions on all the drugs they want you to take, all the specialists you get referred to for tests that are inconclusive and so on.

Lobbyists are called lobbyists because back when congressmen stayed in hotels when they'd travel to Washington to do their job, representatives from the railroad would be in the lobby with bags of cash to influence lawmakers in their company's favor. How this was ever allowed is, well, obvious, but also gut wrenching. If you think the government is here to save you or help you, well I'm sorry. It's a money grab from those of us just trying to make a little money and achieve the American dream.

And THAT'S what's wrong with the health system.

Have a high school buddy that went into corporate real estate after college. Someone he knew told him to move into hospital administration to make good money. He found his way in and after 10 years in the administration business he runs not one but 5 hospitals and has an 8 figure salary. He said that you can practically write your own check. He said buying hospitals in trouble can net you millions extra a year if you buy them right and make the proper cuts.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I think I'd only need ten million a year once, what do you even do with that much money?! I guess you don't focus on healthcare reform!

 

[Ingomike]

I think I'd only need ten million a year once, what do you even do with that much money?! I guess you don't focus on healthcare reform!

Ummm, pay $250,000 to take a sub trip to see the Titanic?

 

[bwframe]

Many of us said back before Obama care...

"Healthcare will never be so expensive as when it is free."

 

[ghuns]

Daughter's MIL had abdominal pain yesterday, bad. Went to the ER at EGH. When she described her symptoms, nurse said, it could be your appendix.

She sat for hours amongst the morons waiting to be seen for non emergency care. Most of whom will never pay dollar one for the care they'll receive.

At the 4 hour mark, she was finally taken to a room.

At 5 hours, she got the CAT scan.

At 6 hours she went in for an appendectomy. Somewhere between the CAT scan and surgery, her appendix had burst.

Now she's in for an extended hospital stay that even with her insurance is sure to cost thousands.

 

[WebSnyper]

The truth is the least cost procedures, relative to how complicated are total electives. Get government and insurers out and the cost drops…

I agree about getting govt and insurers out and the costs drop, but you also have to deal with the malpractice insurance costs, etc on some of this.

That said, I'm not clear on the comment about electives, etc and what you are trying to state there?

 

[Ingomike]

I agree about getting govt and insurers out and the costs drop, but you also have to deal with the malpractice insurance costs, etc on some of this.

That said, I'm not clear on the comment about electives, etc?

I meant true electives, not the new definition that includes hernia as elective. Eye surgeries, breast augmentation, and other cosmetic procedures are cheap compared to other similarly complex surgeries.

 

[WebSnyper]

And hospitals are the worst. I needed an MRI. Outpatient MRI at the hospital was MINIMUM $1500. Some charging as much as $3,000 in the actual hospital vs hospital owned outpatient labs. (usually in the same medical building as their docs)

I went to methodist sports med and got the same image for $400 cash.

Varying costs is crazy and that the transparency laws regarding medical pricing transparency are not being followed but also not being enforced makes it difficult to shop around.

I'm not trying to make excuses, but hospitals with fully setup ERs have to recoup a lot of costs for all the equipment, etc that they have to have and those costs often get spread elsewhere as I understand it.

Vs when I go to somewhere that is an MRI in a box in a strip mall, they have the cost of that MRI machine for sure, but not all the other overhead costs, etc of other places.


Not saying I agree with it, but it is what it is. The real problem is the lack of transparency that would allow us to easily shop around.

 

[WebSnyper]

I meant true electives, not the new definition that includes hernia as elective. Eye surgeries, breast augmentation, and other cosmetic procedures are cheap compared to other similarly complex surgeries.

ah, gotcha, yes, because of the more straight forward payment requirements and the Dr knowing what they are billing will get paid (in advance, etc).