💰💰Healthcare💰💰
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He's got a point. Patients should know the price of a procedure or test, before it's done.
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That story with the MRI happened to us too - my father in law was visiting from the UK and had back problems. The doctor suggested an MRI, and gave a cost estimate, which was about a quarter of what was billed. He seemed to have absolutely no idea of what this procedure he was recommending was going to cost. At the time, it was a concern, since we weren't sure whether travel insurance would cover it. Thankfully, it did.
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We don't.
I don't do billable charges anymore, but I glanced at the rough billing Sunday in the lab. 80053 (The old CPT 80016 for me and Mik) was gross billed at almost $250.
I don't have the Medicare rate schedule anymore, but I bet the Feds ain't paying over $15-$16 for that one, along with somewhere around a $10 venipuncture charge.
Private insurance will pay more, but not full boat. Lord help you if you're a cash customer.
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I really dont understand why US healthcare is so expensive.
Medical tourism is a big thing in Asia (Thailand, Singapore, etc.)
A lot of non-emergency situations can be 3-10 times cheaper than the US.
Equipment is the same, most of the doctors catering to foreign medical tourists are Western trained.
It cant only be labour costs I dont think?
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There’s no cost control mechanism.
Insurance providers compete on providing all you can eat plans that only really vary by co-pay and maximum spend terms.
Doctors don’t really know what their procedures cost - they generally just choose high efficacy options.
I’m over simplifying- but if procedure A costs $100k and has 95% efficacy and procedure B costs $20k with 90% efficacy - no one is really making an effective trade off as to which should be used.
It’s gold plated care if you’re insured - or the bare basics.
