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#2051637 - 11/30/15 04:01 PM Prices for Medical Procedures
swiggles Offline
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swiggles
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Listened to a piece on public radio this morning regarding how secret the prices for medical procedures are. Even with insurance provider "shopping tools" on line, patients are at the provider's and insurance company's mercy. A patient can shop around, get a quote and then after scheduling gets notification that the procedure will be way more expensive....or.....get a surprise bill for far more than the expected after the procedure has been completed.

I think insurance companies and medical service providers should be required to provide an LE (with tolerances) and then a CD three days prior to the procedure. LOL laugh
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#2051640 - 11/30/15 04:10 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
edAudit Offline
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sorry to say but in my area the billing is done quite frequently by an outside group that only cares about payment. Review of insurance copies show a large bill and a smaller payment from the insurance co that is usually accepted as payment.

I am in battle with the insurance co's as I have two (primary and secondary) and they are not paying what they are required to due to the incompetence of both the insurance cos and the medical providers jointly.
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#2051644 - 11/30/15 04:27 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
HappyGilmore Offline
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Pulling people out of the ditc...
if you pay cash, normally the cost is cut by as much as 50%...which means they are stiffing insurance companies, and us, for having insurance...

and this I know fro my wife previously being the insurance billing person for a doctors office...and personal experience when between jobs and kid broke his arm...everyone reduced their charges by at least 40%, one by 65%, since I was paying cash.
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#2051652 - 11/30/15 04:40 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
noelekal Offline
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Posts: 116
Texas
I'm of the view that medical bills are both inconsistent and are whatever they can get away with. The "devil's in the details" and it seems that they are always revised downward after my wife and I merely question the itemized charges.
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#2051658 - 11/30/15 04:56 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
Wolfy Offline
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Mid West
I also find it interesting that certain medical procedures are not available depending on your insurance coverage or if you pay cash
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#2051679 - 11/30/15 06:36 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures Wolfy
swiggles Offline
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Or.....if you have no insurance, you can go to the ER and everything is free......... wink
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#2051691 - 11/30/15 08:08 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
MyBrainHurts Offline
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 960
Illinois
My wife just had cataract surgery. It was done by the doctor who previously did her lasic, and he recommended a lens that he said would give her good vision in that eye for the rest of her life. But, he warned that insurance would not cover it. My wife called the insurance company to verify, and they said they would cover it. The doctor's office told my wife to check again. On the third call to the insurance, we found out that in fact they would not cover it. The lens costs $4,000.

Now, we can manage that, though it will impact Christmas and vacation spending for a bit, but just suppose we were less fortunate financially and thought insurance would cover it, and then found out afterwards that the first two people at the insurance company didn't know what they were talking about. I have little faith in the competence of insurance companies and their ability to pay what they are supposed to.
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#2051695 - 11/30/15 08:21 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
HappyGilmore Offline
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Pulling people out of the ditc...
I still remember when child number 1 was born, I got the itemized bill from the hospital and there was a charge for C-section and another for natural childbirth...I called the hospital to ask for an updated bill, they asked what was wrong, I explained that I only came home with 1 kid, how could there be 2 birthing methods...the sad part is the insurance company paid it...after about 3 weeks, I got them to admit that it was an opps on their part in paying but they don't really review (this was a few years back)...flash forward, same insurance company, now if you catch a billing error they give you 10% of the error...wish they did back then when we were young and poor...
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#2051728 - 11/30/15 09:53 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
noelekal Offline
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Posts: 116
Texas
They never get it right. There are always billing errors and the errors are always in the hospital's favor. I've never failed to find gross errors on both our own and my parents' hospital bills. It's a racket of the worst sort.
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#2051874 - 12/01/15 06:56 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
HRH Okie Banker Offline
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Oklahoma
Years ago my dad got a $1,000 check from his insurance company for finding an error on his bill. I would guess, at that bonus, the error was pretty large. There should be more incentive like that and everyone would be more involved in what is going on.
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#2051897 - 12/01/15 08:13 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
swiggles Offline
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I was thinking.........while on the medical subject.........how much cheaper prescription drugs might be if drug companies didn't spend mega millions on television advertising for products that consumer cannot go to the store and buy. I have never figured out the point of these ads.
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#2051917 - 12/01/15 08:51 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
noelekal Offline
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Texas
Consumers can (and do) go to the doc and agitate for the prescription products they see in the ads.
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#2051939 - 12/01/15 09:38 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures noelekal
swiggles Offline
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Quote:
Consumers can (and do) go to the doc and agitate for the prescription products they see in the ads.


Right.....so the doctors can't automatically push the drugs they get kickback on prescribing. Is there a section 8 for medical?

But that's still a silly idea. Insurance companies ultimately decide what we can take........not the doctors. Because if the insurance company won't pay for a drug, chances are the patient won't be able to afford it.
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#2051949 - 12/01/15 09:59 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
YosemiteSamIAm Offline
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Guess
A truly smart drug company would run a 30 second ad with a link to their website for consumers to go to to see a list of the drugs they offer, and then at the end tell them they will use the advertising savings to help disadvantaged patients get the medicines. Public relations win!
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#2052002 - 12/02/15 02:54 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures YosemiteSamIAm
Wolfy Offline
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Mid West
Originally Posted By YosemiteSamIAm
A truly smart drug company would run a 30 second ad with a link to their website for consumers to go to to see a list of the drugs they offer, and then at the end tell them they will use the advertising savings to help disadvantaged patients get the medicines. Public relations win!


that requires work on the viewers part. Will never sell as many drugs as videos of old dudes getting lucky.
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#2052014 - 12/02/15 03:57 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
noelekal Offline
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Posts: 116
Texas
I'm approaching old dude status. What is this 'lucky' business of which you speak?
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#2052015 - 12/02/15 03:59 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
YosemiteSamIAm Offline
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Guess
Noel, if you have to ask... blush shocked laugh
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#2052023 - 12/02/15 04:23 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
noelekal Offline
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Posts: 116
Texas
Figures ...
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#2053851 - 12/11/15 08:09 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
Winning Offline
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Posts: 88
How great would it be for the entire HEALTHCARE industry to be regulated like banks?

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#2053856 - 12/11/15 08:26 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
Skittles Online
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TN
My husband had physical therapy three times (knew it was worthless so quit going). We had to pay $412 out of pocket - for three sessions. Ridiculous!!!!
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#2053861 - 12/11/15 08:50 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
MB Guy Offline
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Way, way south.
A few years ago, my wife had MUA Therapy by her chiropractor. MUA is Manipulation Under Anesthesia, which is putting someone into a twilight state with anesthesia and then stretching their body in ways that may be painful or unpleasant for them if fully conscious. It took about 1.5 hours a day for 3 days, spread out a week between therapies. This worked perfectly for her and she hasn't had any back pain or issues since.

The price for this therapy? Approximately $33,000.
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#2053863 - 12/11/15 08:53 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
Skittles Online
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TN
MB - I almost spit out my water reading that total. I'm glad it worked for her, but goodness.

Turns out my husband needs epidural steroid injections - he has arthritis in his back. No amount of PT would have corrected that.
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#2053867 - 12/11/15 08:59 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
MB Guy Offline
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Way, way south.
Yes, Skittles, I understand that reaction. Thank God we had really good benefits at the old bank we worked at. Ridiculous if you ask me, whether it worked or not (but I do appreciate that it worked).

Ugh, that sounds terrible. God Bless your hubby, that sounds painful.
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#2053871 - 12/11/15 09:03 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures Wolfy
Elwood P. Dowd Offline
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Next to Harvey
Quote:
videos of old dudes getting lucky.


Hmm, never saw any of those. I have seen them with the very attractive women (one who is apparently wearing only a football jersey) who are far too young for any of the old dudes.

I wonder what it is I'm supposed to be thinking about while she gazes coyly into the camera a extols the benefits of the little blue pill?
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#2053874 - 12/11/15 09:09 PM Re: Prices for Medical Procedures swiggles
DD Regs Offline
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DD Regs
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Somewhere in the middle
Well, if you are with your wife....


Football
Football
Football

whistle

What I don't understand is the commercial for the other pill, and it always ends with an old couple in separate tubs outside on a hill side.

First who has bath tubs outside crazy but I digress, anyway, If the pill worked, wouldn't they both be in the same tub smirk
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