OT: father is visiting and hospitalized by stroke

[Eugene]

[quote=ocrenter]

breaking everything down, we can only account for $5000, so where did they get the other $25000 in extra charges? that’s the big question.[/quote]

Those are the ones you’re supposed to negotiate away. They are fictional charges which have no bearing to the real cost of healthcare, because almost no one would pay them.

In other words – even if the hospital would charge everyone honestly, we’d still spend 16% of GDP on healthcare.

If this weren’t the case, and you could really expect to cut OP’s hospital bill from 30k to 5k through single-payer healthcare reform, you would’ve cut spending from 16% of GDP to 3% of GDP. Which is significantly less than what everyone outside sub-Saharan Africa spends.

[Cube]

Now wait a minute, when they’re bandying about the cost of health care as a percentage of GDP, are they using the sticker price for healthcare or the actual price paid?

I always assumed the latter, but my inner cynic suddenly saw that the former is a great way to twist the numbers to make them look much worse than they are. I hope that’s just my inner cynic and not reality.

[Cube]

Now wait a minute, when they’re bandying about the cost of health care as a percentage of GDP, are they using the sticker price for healthcare or the actual price paid?

I always assumed the latter, but my inner cynic suddenly saw that the former is a great way to twist the numbers to make them look much worse than they are. I hope that’s just my inner cynic and not reality.

[Cube]

Now wait a minute, when they’re bandying about the cost of health care as a percentage of GDP, are they using the sticker price for healthcare or the actual price paid?

I always assumed the latter, but my inner cynic suddenly saw that the former is a great way to twist the numbers to make them look much worse than they are. I hope that’s just my inner cynic and not reality.

[Cube]

Now wait a minute, when they’re bandying about the cost of health care as a percentage of GDP, are they using the sticker price for healthcare or the actual price paid?

I always assumed the latter, but my inner cynic suddenly saw that the former is a great way to twist the numbers to make them look much worse than they are. I hope that’s just my inner cynic and not reality.

[Cube]

Now wait a minute, when they’re bandying about the cost of health care as a percentage of GDP, are they using the sticker price for healthcare or the actual price paid?

I always assumed the latter, but my inner cynic suddenly saw that the former is a great way to twist the numbers to make them look much worse than they are. I hope that’s just my inner cynic and not reality.

[Diego Mamani]

NicMM: I just sent you a PM with some real-world experience. You need to think back of what papers you signed at the hospital. Most likely they were for a next of kin authorizing care. However, they could have been about assuming financial liability. OTOH, if you signed with your dad’s name… then maybe you’re already off the hook.

I remember reading something about a teenager (maybe pre-teen) who had an accident, not life threatening, and was taken to the ER by his grandfather. When the hospital staff asked the old man “who is the (financially) responsible party?” he pointed at his grandson and said “he is!” That was a smart thing to say, by the way. In this case, the ER staff proceeded to stabilize the patient and grandpa didn’t have to worry about paying anything.

[Diego Mamani]

NicMM: I just sent you a PM with some real-world experience. You need to think back of what papers you signed at the hospital. Most likely they were for a next of kin authorizing care. However, they could have been about assuming financial liability. OTOH, if you signed with your dad’s name… then maybe you’re already off the hook.

I remember reading something about a teenager (maybe pre-teen) who had an accident, not life threatening, and was taken to the ER by his grandfather. When the hospital staff asked the old man “who is the (financially) responsible party?” he pointed at his grandson and said “he is!” That was a smart thing to say, by the way. In this case, the ER staff proceeded to stabilize the patient and grandpa didn’t have to worry about paying anything.

[Diego Mamani]

NicMM: I just sent you a PM with some real-world experience. You need to think back of what papers you signed at the hospital. Most likely they were for a next of kin authorizing care. However, they could have been about assuming financial liability. OTOH, if you signed with your dad’s name… then maybe you’re already off the hook.

I remember reading something about a teenager (maybe pre-teen) who had an accident, not life threatening, and was taken to the ER by his grandfather. When the hospital staff asked the old man “who is the (financially) responsible party?” he pointed at his grandson and said “he is!” That was a smart thing to say, by the way. In this case, the ER staff proceeded to stabilize the patient and grandpa didn’t have to worry about paying anything.

[Diego Mamani]

NicMM: I just sent you a PM with some real-world experience. You need to think back of what papers you signed at the hospital. Most likely they were for a next of kin authorizing care. However, they could have been about assuming financial liability. OTOH, if you signed with your dad’s name… then maybe you’re already off the hook.

I remember reading something about a teenager (maybe pre-teen) who had an accident, not life threatening, and was taken to the ER by his grandfather. When the hospital staff asked the old man “who is the (financially) responsible party?” he pointed at his grandson and said “he is!” That was a smart thing to say, by the way. In this case, the ER staff proceeded to stabilize the patient and grandpa didn’t have to worry about paying anything.

[Diego Mamani]

NicMM: I just sent you a PM with some real-world experience. You need to think back of what papers you signed at the hospital. Most likely they were for a next of kin authorizing care. However, they could have been about assuming financial liability. OTOH, if you signed with your dad’s name… then maybe you’re already off the hook.

I remember reading something about a teenager (maybe pre-teen) who had an accident, not life threatening, and was taken to the ER by his grandfather. When the hospital staff asked the old man “who is the (financially) responsible party?” he pointed at his grandson and said “he is!” That was a smart thing to say, by the way. In this case, the ER staff proceeded to stabilize the patient and grandpa didn’t have to worry about paying anything.

[investor]

As a physician, I sign up to accept insurance at reduced rates all of the time. My “usual and customary” fees really are meaningless and these are what are typically sent out for payment first. If someone eventually owes the hospital, start with the medicare fees and negotiate down from there. Medicare is one of the lower paying insurance carriers out there. good luck.

[investor]

As a physician, I sign up to accept insurance at reduced rates all of the time. My “usual and customary” fees really are meaningless and these are what are typically sent out for payment first. If someone eventually owes the hospital, start with the medicare fees and negotiate down from there. Medicare is one of the lower paying insurance carriers out there. good luck.

[investor]

As a physician, I sign up to accept insurance at reduced rates all of the time. My “usual and customary” fees really are meaningless and these are what are typically sent out for payment first. If someone eventually owes the hospital, start with the medicare fees and negotiate down from there. Medicare is one of the lower paying insurance carriers out there. good luck.

[investor]

As a physician, I sign up to accept insurance at reduced rates all of the time. My “usual and customary” fees really are meaningless and these are what are typically sent out for payment first. If someone eventually owes the hospital, start with the medicare fees and negotiate down from there. Medicare is one of the lower paying insurance carriers out there. good luck.

[Author]

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