health care professionals (e.g., doctors and pharmacists) and health care administrators have to spend time learning ICD9 codes so they can bill for care given
what is not talked about is the fact that how much is paid by the patient depends on what health care insurance/plan they have (if any - these people pay the highest amounts - how do i know? i used to work for a bodily fluids testing organization - there were tables to determine how much a patient paid depending on insurance and doctor - uninsured clients paid OVER 10 TIMES more than the next level of care (medicare paid the least with MEDICAID in the ballpark regarding amount paid)
now we come to pharmaceuticals, the amount that you pay is determined by a contract negotiated between you insurance (if any) or the pharmacy that supplies you with your pharmaceuticals - again with the uninsured paying the most...unless they can afford to shop around
doctors; the amount that you pay a doctor is also determined by your insurance or lack thereof - but the doctor (if in private practice) has to not only pay his salary or profit, but for nurse(s), office space, support equipment low level personnel and general overhead - some doctors join with other doctors, a PPO or an HMO and have to have hospital privileges (if they use a hospital and most do, psychologists and psychiatrists generally do not have assistants (they may have a receptionist, but usually have a service process their claims/bills and an answering machine & cell phone, some do need hospital affiliation/privileges) managed care is a wonderful thing until you notice how much is not covered, like non-generic pharmaceuticals (non-generic pharmaceuticals may be had, but at a higher price or co-pay - but some pharmaceuticals are not covered at all)
of course if you the rolls-royce of medical insurance like our high level appointed and elected federal officials, you may have anything without co-pays or deductions or even oversight by 'bean-counters'
healthcare professionals and providers in some cases have to treat emergency presenters regardless of their ability to pay and are usually stiffed or in the case of los angeles county usc medical center, you may pay $60 when treated or be billed for $300 (these amounts have likely changed as these rates were in effect back in 1989)
so one or another we pay, either through taxes or higher medical costs
the overhead includes administrators (billing), unpaid bills (how do you collect from indegent people or people with no id who leave false names and addresses
or for healthcare providers that have to take time filling out forms justifying a particular procedure or course of treatment, or paying health care professionals (e.g., doctors and pharmacists) and health care administrators have to spend time learning ICD9 codes so they can bill for care given
what is not talked about is the fact that how much is paid by the patient depends on what health care insurance/plan they have (if any - these people pay the highest amounts - how do i know? i used to work for a bodily fluids testing organization - there were tables to determine how much a patient paid depending on insurance and doctor - uninsured clients paid OVER 10 TIMES more than the next level of care (medicare paid the least with MEDICAID in the ballpark regarding amount paid)
now we come to pharmaceuticals, the amount that you pay is determined by a contract negotiated between you insurance (if any) or the pharmacy that supplies you with your pharmaceuticals - again with the uninsured paying the most...unless they can afford to shop around
doctors; the amount that you pay a doctor is also determined by your insurance or lack thereof - but the doctor (if in private practice) has to not only pay his salary or profit, but for nurse(s), office space, support equipment low level personnel and general overhead - some doctors join with other doctors, a PPO or an HMO and have to have hospital privileges (if they use a hospital and most do, psychologists and psychiatrists generally do not have assistants (they may have a receptionist, but usually have a service process their claims/bills and an answering machine & cell phone, some do need hospital affiliation/privileges) managed care is a wonderful thing until you notice how much is not covered, like non-generic pharmaceuticals (non-generic pharmaceuticals may be had, but at a higher price or co-pay - but some pharmaceuticals are not covered at all)
of course if you the rolls-royce of medical insurance like our high level appointed and elected federal officials, you may have anything without co-pays or deductions or even oversight or by pharmaceutical manufacturs (i need a particular pharmaceutical that costs $300 per syringe (self administered) and i need 10 syringes for my upcoming operation)
i could go on, but i am too depressed by writing this
one last thing, consider how much can be saved if we can reduce the overhead of medical cost and a system where everyone pays...admittedly not the same amount, but we would all be covered regardless of our work status
ps; people on government assistance sometimes get better healthcare than people that are not!
i repeat - one way or another we pay
i forgot to add a comment about our older son's health insurance, he pays for health insurance for his wife, daughter and himself and provides group health insurance (paid principally by his employees) for his employees (kaiser permanente california) he discovered that is former office administrator did not negotiate for hospital coverage and as a result he had to pay over $3000 for the NORMAL delivery of their daughter and care for his wife...no complications - also, he pays nearly $700/mo for my wife's insurance (i have medicare, permanent disability) - my wife will be 65 next year and will be eligible for medicare at which point she will have doctor, hospital and drug coverage for about 1/2...
what is not talked about is the fact that how much is paid by the patient depends on what health care insurance/plan they have (if any - these people pay the highest amounts - how do i know? i used to work for a bodily fluids testing organization - there were tables to determine how much a patient paid depending on insurance and doctor - uninsured clients paid OVER 10 TIMES more than the next level of care (medicare paid the least with MEDICAID in the ballpark regarding amount paid)
now we come to pharmaceuticals, the amount that you pay is determined by a contract negotiated between you insurance (if any) or the pharmacy that supplies you with your pharmaceuticals - again with the uninsured paying the most...unless they can afford to shop around
doctors; the amount that you pay a doctor is also determined by your insurance or lack thereof - but the doctor (if in private practice) has to not only pay his salary or profit, but for nurse(s), office space, support equipment low level personnel and general overhead - some doctors join with other doctors, a PPO or an HMO and have to have hospital privileges (if they use a hospital and most do, psychologists and psychiatrists generally do not have assistants (they may have a receptionist, but usually have a service process their claims/bills and an answering machine & cell phone, some do need hospital affiliation/privileges) managed care is a wonderful thing until you notice how much is not covered, like non-generic pharmaceuticals (non-generic pharmaceuticals may be had, but at a higher price or co-pay - but some pharmaceuticals are not covered at all)
of course if you the rolls-royce of medical insurance like our high level appointed and elected federal officials, you may have anything without co-pays or deductions or even oversight by 'bean-counters'
healthcare professionals and providers in some cases have to treat emergency presenters regardless of their ability to pay and are usually stiffed or in the case of los angeles county usc medical center, you may pay $60 when treated or be billed for $300 (these amounts have likely changed as these rates were in effect back in 1989)
so one or another we pay, either through taxes or higher medical costs
the overhead includes administrators (billing), unpaid bills (how do you collect from indegent people or people with no id who leave false names and addresses
or for healthcare providers that have to take time filling out forms justifying a particular procedure or course of treatment, or paying health care professionals (e.g., doctors and pharmacists) and health care administrators have to spend time learning ICD9 codes so they can bill for care given
what is not talked about is the fact that how much is paid by the patient depends on what health care insurance/plan they have (if any - these people pay the highest amounts - how do i know? i used to work for a bodily fluids testing organization - there were tables to determine how much a patient paid depending on insurance and doctor - uninsured clients paid OVER 10 TIMES more than the next level of care (medicare paid the least with MEDICAID in the ballpark regarding amount paid)
now we come to pharmaceuticals, the amount that you pay is determined by a contract negotiated between you insurance (if any) or the pharmacy that supplies you with your pharmaceuticals - again with the uninsured paying the most...unless they can afford to shop around
doctors; the amount that you pay a doctor is also determined by your insurance or lack thereof - but the doctor (if in private practice) has to not only pay his salary or profit, but for nurse(s), office space, support equipment low level personnel and general overhead - some doctors join with other doctors, a PPO or an HMO and have to have hospital privileges (if they use a hospital and most do, psychologists and psychiatrists generally do not have assistants (they may have a receptionist, but usually have a service process their claims/bills and an answering machine & cell phone, some do need hospital affiliation/privileges) managed care is a wonderful thing until you notice how much is not covered, like non-generic pharmaceuticals (non-generic pharmaceuticals may be had, but at a higher price or co-pay - but some pharmaceuticals are not covered at all)
of course if you the rolls-royce of medical insurance like our high level appointed and elected federal officials, you may have anything without co-pays or deductions or even oversight or by pharmaceutical manufacturs (i need a particular pharmaceutical that costs $300 per syringe (self administered) and i need 10 syringes for my upcoming operation)
i could go on, but i am too depressed by writing this
one last thing, consider how much can be saved if we can reduce the overhead of medical cost and a system where everyone pays...admittedly not the same amount, but we would all be covered regardless of our work status
ps; people on government assistance sometimes get better healthcare than people that are not!
i repeat - one way or another we pay
i forgot to add a comment about our older son's health insurance, he pays for health insurance for his wife, daughter and himself and provides group health insurance (paid principally by his employees) for his employees (kaiser permanente california) he discovered that is former office administrator did not negotiate for hospital coverage and as a result he had to pay over $3000 for the NORMAL delivery of their daughter and care for his wife...no complications - also, he pays nearly $700/mo for my wife's insurance (i have medicare, permanent disability) - my wife will be 65 next year and will be eligible for medicare at which point she will have doctor, hospital and drug coverage for about 1/2...
Last edited: