Medical tests in the US

[headoverheels 291]

Interesting article on the convolution way medical tests are prescribed and billed in the USA.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/the-odd-math-of-medical-tests-one-scan-two-prices-both-high/ar-BBgRa7E?ocid=iehp

I've looked into the cost of procedures, specifically a TEE for detection of PFO, and found cost varied 12:1. Gives some numbers and insight as to why we pay so much for what we get, compared to most of the first world countries.

[RonD1120 58]

If only we had a federal government program to oversee and manage all medical care. Prices would stabilize and everyone would live exactly the same length of time. Their years of productivity could be accurately determined. The population could be controlled through mandatory birth control measures. Pharmaceutical medications could dispensed as needed at no extra cost. Research and development in the field of medicine could be reduced to undergraduate courses in universities.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[BIGUN 1,055]

Quote

The community hospital had charged about $5,500, while the Harvard teaching hospital had billed $1,400 for the much more elaborate test. “Why would that be?” Mr. Charlap asked. “It really bothered me.”

Here's a much shorter article... Because the community hospital has to make a profit after costs of goods sold, operating expenses (capital expenditures for equipment) and general & administrative (G&A) costs.

Harvard received the machine on a grant, gets the supplies either donated or at a minimal cost from the supplier so that future Doctors will use their brand, has students doing the procedure and is supported by tax dollars. So, probably according to the grant, they are capped at X dollars per procedure and are using the metrics of each exam in some study.

I can go to any one of the local hospitals for an evaluation on my heart and it's a half million dollars. I can go to OSU Medical School for an evaluation and its a flat $100.00 out of pocket. I sign an agreement that they can use certain data for research purposes. Pretty much everything except my name & SSN.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[headoverheels 291]

Around here, treatment at Stanford cost significantly more than "competitive" providers. One set of my standard blood tests (just routine physical stuff) was paid to them at over $1100 by my insurance. I could go online to econolabs.com, and get the same tests done (at LabCorp) for $337, and you know that econolabs must be taking a cut of at least 15%. More recently, I have insisted on getting a test prescription and taking it elsewhere, rather than having it referred internally.

[lawrocket 3]

Interesting that the idea is that the machine is inexpensive, and therefore the cost should be inexpensive. LEt's see what goes into a cardiac echo.

Show up and meet the receptionist who sets up a record file. Perhaps there is another assistant to enter history into the EMR system. Then the sonographer shows up and does the scan (expect a half hour with a doppler study). Then the images/video are read by the radiologist/cardiologists. Then those dictated results are transcribed. Then report reviewed and issued and then sent to the referring physician. Then the back office has to get it billed to MEdicare, and Medicare will pay the $92 hopefully within a hundred days.

$92 is what Medicare pays. Sure as hell isn't what it costs.

Mind you, they could probably make money with $100 cash up front. But a miserly Medicare means that others must cover the losses.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[jclalor 12]

When it comes to getting most labs done, I go to this place (2 miles from my house) and pay cash. For a cholesterol screening and CBC, I paid $59 last week, much easier for me just paying the 59 bucks and not fucking with copays and my insurance.

I think they have thousands of labs nationwide.


https://www.directlabs.com/mobile/OrderTests.aspx

[Remster 24]

It's not just tests.

Any med procedure is like dealing with smokes and mirrors. "Advocates" have been saying for at least a decade in the US that "consumers" of health care must do their due diligence to shop around, get rates, and understand what they are going to pay. This is completely impossible to do for 3 main reasons:

1- Hospitals have no clue what prices are. The "free market" insurance system has insured that there are dozens of different prices for the same procedure. They usually have no clue what will be the price they charge you with your particular procedure until it goes through the insurance process.

2- The total price of a treatment is so convoluted with add-on procedures that you cannot know what "going in for x" will cost you, even if you ask in advance. Hospitals do that because they know prices will be adjusted down when going through insurance. I know. I disputed a not-that-large bill (6 years ago I think) and the accounts receivable clerk reduced the bill by 60% on the spot, without even checking what was in there, if I paid right then. That's even worse than the Marrakesh souk.

3- Often, when you need something done, you don't have time to shop around. Most large expenses on health care are urgent.

Remster

[Southern_Man 0]

Yes. Watched this play out last year--guy asked how much an X-ray was going to cost him--cash. The desk had no idea.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"