Submitted by: “Jeremy”
We’re all up in arms about the high cost of health care. And we should be. The last time I went to the doctor for a sniffle, I had to wait 45 minutes in a waiting room, told the doctor what I had and what medication I thought I should receive, he agreed, filled out the form, and I left. My total time in front of the doctor was about 5 min. And I left.
And you know what I realized on my way home? I didn’t even know how much he charged me for the visit. You know what else? I didn’t really care. Why? Because someone else was paying the bill.
More specifically, I was insured at the time. And I knew my insurance would cover it. That’s when it hit me – I hadn’t paid attention to the cost of doctors visits, prescription medications, etc for a long time. Why should I? Someone else is paying the bill. At least, they’re paying the vast majority of the bill. I’d never ask before hand how much the visit would cost, how the rates work, or what the bill would be on the way out of there. The only thing that mattered was how much it would cost AFTER insurance paid their part.
Then it got worse. I had to go in for surgery. It was quick. In one day, out the next. Several days later I got the summary of the bill. I had made a commitment to myself that even though insurance was covering basically all the bill, I’d take a look at the costs, and procedures. What I found blew me away! $8.00 for a single dose of asprin. Billing for visits from specialists that never exsisted. Etc, etc, etc! So I called the hospital, and started to go through the bill, and after a few minutes of going through line by line, you know what they said? “Well, you know your insurance as already been approved on these costs, so it won’t really cost you.”
Well, there you have it. Doctors, pharmacies, the entire medical field bills us whatever they want. And they can get away with it. Why? Because WE allow them to. And we allow them to because we have insurance. And (although I hope it’s not true) I’ll bet many have fallen into this same mentality. If it doesn’t cost me out of MY pocket, then I’m not going to bother to spend my time comparing costs, checking bills, etc. The safe feeling of insurance has turned us into a spend-happy people.
And you know what else? The sad thing is, it DOES cost us… it costs us in the end, because Insurance companies want to stay in business. Just like any business. They need to pay their sales staff, associates, building costs, electricity, etc. They need to make money too, so when we get spend-happy, they raise their premiums.
Not till I lost my insurance did everything change. I started to research costs, ask upfront what things would cost. I got some surprised looks from some people at the desks, but I wanted to know. I was even told sometimes “we’ll give you a lower rate since you don’t have insurance.” Which was nice for me, but sucks for the industry overall considering the spiral it’s in.
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{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
I went through the same shock when I opened my own business after having insurance at work for almost 20 years.
Several times in the nearly 9 years that I’ve had this business, I have seriously considered closing it just so I could get a job with insurance. That’s pretty sad. I have to wonder how many other independent businesses have closed for the same reason.
I now research everything I need done, and it’s a scary world out there.
You went to the doctor for the sniffles?
Seriously?
People like you are why there are such long lines at the doctor.
I know what you mean. I never look at the bill. And my kids never check to see the cost of their clothes when I’m buying. I see a complete change of attitude when they are paying themselves.
James,
I believe it. If it doesn’t cost, people stop in for just about anything. I’ve seen people in the doctor’s office for an ingrown toenail before.
Have you ever had an ingrown toenail? I have had 2 removed by my Dr. The procedure is not plesant by any means, it is a condition that at times does require you see a doctor. Bad example.
Fixing the sniffles is cheaper than fixing pneumonia. If regular checkups and visits to the doctor were commonplace, we would end up paying far less than we do now for all medicine. We’re a very ill nation, and we are not getting any healthier. One way or another, we all end up paying pneumonia prices for sniffles that weren’t attended to. Which bill do you want? $30.00 or $30,000?
C’mon boomer. No one is advocating not “attending to” the sniffles. But the mindset that “attending to” every little itty-bitty illness means going to the doctor is ludicrous. Take some Ny-Quil, drink a bunch of OJ and go to bed.
Hi, James…
That’s up to the individual, isn’t it? I never go to the doctor, but that’s my choice. If someone else goes for every little thing, so what? They’re just as free to go often as I am to never go.
If Americans went more preventively, there would be fewer who end up in hospitals with serious illness that went unattended for too long.
To bad their isn’t a system that regularly audits medical bills, especially at hospitals. Maybe there is a system in place, but I’m not aware of it.
For my line of work, I am audit on a regular to validate that the work being charge for is the work being performed and that it is done in as efficient as manner possible.
Because insurance takes care of the majority of most billings, the consumer doesn’t read the fine details as you described.
boomer,
of course it’s your right to go to the doctor whenever you want. No one is saying it’s not. But people who go to the doctor for the sniffles and for minor cuts and scrapes clog up our medical system and make it so doctor’s won’t spent more than 6 minutes per patient.
“Preventative” medicine does NOT mean going to the doctor whenever you sneeze. It means not putting yourself in a position where you will NEED to go to the doctor. Having a first aid kit and being trained in first aid, or getting the proper rest when you get the sniffles. Losing weight, quitting smoking, getting regular screenings for chronic disease. THAT’s preventative medicine.
I quit smoking 19 months ago, and my medical bills have more than tripled since I was smoking. How do you explain that? I smoked for over 45 years, had over 3000 hours of unused sick leave in my account when I quit work (this was even after 2 major surgeries). Almost anything that could go wrong with my immune system since I quit has gone wrong. So, I am not convinced that quitting smoking is a preventative medicine.
Idaho Native, who’s to say that you wouldn’t have still gotten sick if you hadn’t quit smoking?
Do you have COPD?
No one knows if I hadn’t quit smoking what would have happened. And no, I do not have COPD. Even the doctor admitted that while I was smoking I was in excellent health. And, he also admits that he can trace the beginnings of my problems back to when I quit. I know it doesn’t make sense to anyone. None of my problems seem to be related to smoking. But I am not a poster child for quitting smoking.
Ask your doctor if Spiriva is right for you. Side effects may include dry eyes, constipation, headaches, high blood pressure, chronic sweating, acne, anal leakage, gas & bloating, suicidal tendancies, and in rare cases death. Feel better with Spiriva! If it doesnt cure ya, it’ll kill ya!
I’m like really glad I read this thread.
I am disabled and have to live by my 80% rule. Except for regular Dr. visits, which I do get a break on or would otherwise be around $150+ per, I cannot afford to call and ambulance or go to the ER unless I am 80% CERTAIN that if I do not go, whatever the ‘issue’ is will be fatal.
I have no choice as I am paying nearly 50% of my SSA income just for Rx’s and Medical Payments to EIRMC, etc. (Medicare, in my book is crap and very little better than none at all.)
Have you tried contacting the drug companies that make the particular prescriptions you purchase on a regular basis? Nearly all of them have programs available for people just like you and for those with limited incomes. They’ll provide your monthly medications at a tremendous cost savings to you and often times completely free of charge. Ask your Doctor for more information or visit your drug companies website directly. Good luck.
America is not only being dumbed down, we are being made sick. Mercury and disease laden vaccinations that every kid is now nearly forced to get, chemically engineered and genetically modified foods, pesticides on our foods, chemtrails in our skies.. No wonder we are all so sick.
Outside of that, those of us that don’t have insurance are left w not being able to go to the doc for anything except life threatening things, and then when we do we end up having to file bankruptcy as we couldn’t afford the insurance let alone the doctor bill.
But hey, at least the doc can drive his Mercedes out to the golf course this weekend. The entire system is broke, not just ‘healthcare’.
Oh here we go. The vaccine conspiracy theorists are here now…..God help us all.
Smokin Joe makes some very important and valid points. Dont be so closed minded James.
No one has mentioned the real reason health care costs are skyrocketing and I’m surprised because its so obvious. Quite simply our population is getting older and the diseases faced by old people are astronomically expensive compared to those by younger people. The percentage of our population that is elderly is getting larger all the time as the baby boomer generation reaches it and they are living longer because many have quit smoking and exercised more. And its only going to get worse since so many of the younger generations are taking so much better care of themselves than past ones.
Think about it this way. A guy who smoked and didn’t exercise had a good chance of dying of a heart attack in his 50’s. Now imagine that same guy hadn’t smoked and exercised. Now he lives to be 95 but developed cancer which was treated. Then around 80 he developed Alzheimers and spent fifteen years in a nursing home all paid by Medicare. Diseases of old age are catastrophically expensive to treat and manage compared to those of younger age.
Are you kidding me? The younger generation is by no means more healthy than the older generation. The obesity epidemic has spiraled out of control in this country and that my friend is a huge factor in our health woes. Think about it. Obesity affects so many different aspects of ones poor health. The only way to fix health care is for every single American to make drastic changes to their lifestyles beginning at home. Stop eating fast food and processed junk food and excercise more. These two things alone will fix a large portion of the problem. The rest is up to the Doctors and Pharmecutical companies who over-charge us for medications and procedures we more often than not don’t require.
Obesity isn’t an epidemic, it’s a way of life.
Saying that obesity is an epidemic (insinuating that it’s a disease) is the same as saying homosexuality is a mental disorder.
I apologize if you misunderstood my comment. I wasn’t insinuating that obesity is a disease. Epidemic has a number of meanings and what I meant in comment 22 by saying it’s an epidemic, is that obesity is excessivily prevelant in this country. Unfortunately it is a way of life for many people as you noted. I happen to believe that if we fix the obesity problem in this country, we’ll fix a large portion of our health care problems.
Dr Bob, I’d love for you (or Joe) to show me some published reports/studies from the AMA or some other similarly respected medical community saying that children’s vaccines are tainted and directly cause diseases.
Not holding my breath, though.
A side note: I think Obamas plan for taxing the rich to pay for the poors healthcare is wrong. He’s in a sense punishing people that have worked hard and made something of their lives by being financially well off. Unfortunately thats the liberal way.
And it’s the conservative way to look at taxes as punishment. Taxes are what make the country run.
You may not like the level of taxes (BTW, Barack Obama wants to raise the top marginal tax rate to Bill Clinton’s former rate, which is 12%+ LOWER than the average for all Republican presidents combined), but don’t act like taxes are a punishment. You, Dr Bob, derive a lot of privileges from paying your taxes.
As long as we have to pay taxes on what is potentially available to us rather than what we use we’ll continue to be in a bad spot.
What I’m saying is, if he wants to fund his healthcare program with more taxes, how about taxing everyone across the board and not just a certain population. I love the way Obama continues to talk about inheriting such a large deficit. What he doesn’t tell you and what you liberals continue to ignore, is the fact that Obama will quadruple it two years with his absurd spending practices. I don’t want to get off track here but what I would like to hear from him is specifics on this health plan of his. All he spewed last night was more fluff and rehtoric like he was still on the campaign trail. Give us some specifics Mr Obama. With him it’s get the money first and figure out a game plan second.
In terms of health care costs Dr Bob obesity is a good thing because fat people die younger. As I explained, a fat person who dies young is cheap, a skinny person who dies old is not.
And my comment about the younger generation taking better care of themselves is true. We smoke less and we exercise more. While obesity has gone up there are are a lot more “fit” fat people if that makes sense: people that exercise, don’t smoke, but are still fat because of their food choices. While its not ideal its certainly more healthy than the the obese person who doesn’t excercise and smokes.
There was a study done in Europe recently where researchers were trying to show the cost benefit to the health care industry of quitting smoking. They ended up getting the opposite results because of the reasons I mentioned, i.e. people live longer, some as many as 30 years, and accrue all the extra costs of those 30 years and the very expensive elderly diseases.
Fit fat people? That doesn’t make sense. Its an oxymoron. Fat people have a whole host of health problems. Bad circulation, bad knees and backs, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, higher risk of stroke because the heart has to work harder to pump blood, just to name a few. Your fat/fit statement doesn’t fly. Obesity is killing this nation. Have you taken your children to school and seen all the little fat kids walking around, it’s sad. and it’s not healthy, I don’t care how you want to spin it.
Jim-
Please don’t lump all overweight people into the unhealthy category. Some, like many in my family unfortunately, have things that are not within their control (i.e. Thyroid problems) though they do live a healthy lifestyle. Many in my family are more healthy than some of the “skinny” people I know.
That being said, I agree, obesity is (in general), a very bad thing. Especially when it starts in childhood, which is becoming more and more common.
We all know that there are exceptions to every rule. Don’t take Jim’s comments so personally. He (She?) is just make a general statement.
Jim,
I would fall into the fit / fat category. Oh the BMI index I’m in the overweight category. In body fat % I’m in the low 20’s (I’m a guy so this is high). Yet I exercise every day, I run the Pancheri to John Holes bridge loop twice a week (nearly 4 miles), my resting pulse rate is the in the high 50’s, and I have excellent blood pressure for my age. But I like my pizza, burgers, beer, and fries too much to give them up. Clearly I’d be even healthier if I ate better and got my weight / body fat down a bit but I guarantee you that I’m fitter and healthier than a lot of people with optimal BMI’s and body fat who don’t exercise like I do.
this post has gotten off track and turned into a fat fit issue. But I do enjoy reading all the excuses from fat people as to why theyre fat and the always popular excuse of, i would be fit if I didnt do this or didnt do that. duh We turned into a nation of fatties when people stopped eating their meals at home and started eating 2 out of 3 meals from the drive thru each day.
I believe a big reason that people have gotten larger is because we have to actively look for something to do.
Many years ago, people expended all their energy simply surviving. Now we don’t have to grow our own food, keep our own livestock, carry water or walk to the outhouse. We don’t have to chop wood in order to cook dinner. We don’t have to go out and collect eggs or decapitate and de-feather a couple of chickens either.
Can you imagine telling someone on a farm 100 years ago that there would be a time when people would pay to go to a gym and workout “x” times a week just to keep themselves moving and healthy? They would laugh themselves silly at my Wii Fit.
Our lifestyle has evolved into something comparatively sedentary, it’s pretty simple.
Now, more on track with the topic, I do have a question. I’ve never actually signed up for health insurance, I had it supplied at work. Do they ask any weight related questions, and do the answers to those questions reflect in any way on your policy? Just curious.
Obesity didn’t become prevelant in this country until the late 80’s earlier 90’s. It has nothing to do with “survival” or working on a farm. It happened around the same time the divorce rate skyrocketed and families no longer sat down at the dinner table to eat at least breakfast and dinner. Suddently everyone started hitting the fast food line and stuffing their faces with super sized, fat laden, artery clogging junkfood. Plain and simple. So please don’t blame it on survival. That’s a load of crap.
By the way our family doesnt work out and none of us are fat. What we don’t do is eat anything that has a label with dozens of ingredients we can’t pronounce. It’s that simple
I do agree that eating crap food is a culprit, probably a very large one. Fast food isn’t really “food”. I can’t believe that a Taco Bell 89c burrito has any nutritional value.
It is getting more and more difficult to get away from garbage food, but it is doable, and much more healthy.
I still think, though, that people now have way more expendable time, and being sedentary instead of doing something does further the problem. Kids are playing video games and watching DVDs and playing on their computers when years ago they had physical chores and then played outside all day.
And before THAT gets jumped on, I do realize that not all kids are going chore-less and sitting on the couch all day… but what I’m saying is that THOSE kids probably aren’t the ones that are having the problems with their weight.
The main culprit for people being overweight is eating out, nothing to do with having to go hunt our own food.
Europe a nation of overall healthy weight people is now undergoing a transformation to a obese nation….in fact some countries there are already really close to the american epidemic.
The culprit, mcdonalds, burger king and even those chains like applebees etc………..a burger smothered in cheese and pizza covered in even more cheese and more cheese, a pasta swimming with high calorie sauce have the same calories whether you eat it from a fast place or a full service restaurant.
All of these restaurants push their employees to upsell, upsell, upsell…and in fact a certain restaurant in town will fire you if you dont maintain a certain per person sales average.
I’m fat and proud. Guns and religion baby, guns and religion.
Thanks for the epic lawls, everyone. I like coming to sites like this because it shows how ill-informed the right wing is about health care reform.
Health care is for pansies.
Please enlighten us with your wisdom Jeremy.
Silence….That says it all.