Re: who pays here? Ins., Medicare??

[Guest guest]

If you have medicare A and B, your hospital and whatever doctors you say there

should be covered by 80 % of what they think is a fair number. If you have a

supplement, the supplement will pick up the rest of the bill.

<>Roni

Immortality exists!

It's called knowledge!

 

Just because something isn't seen

doesn't mean it's not there<>

> >

> > ... It seems like the doctor I didn't see is better qualified to treat

> > thyroid disorders, and is in the same medical group as the one I saw.

> > Since I know nothing about the " United Kingdom System, " does anyone here

> > have any thoughts on this?

>

> My family has had mixed results with endocrinologists, all associated

> with major teaching hospitals and university medical schools, some

> fair, some excellent. However, I would suggest that you save the

> specialist for sorting out mixed or conflicting results, for example

> when several endocrine glands seem to be involved. From a very small

> sampling of opinions, mostly from lists such as this one, I think your

> odds of satisfaction are better with a GP.

>

> The guidelines for treatment of hypoT in the U.K. are to not treat at

> all until TSH exceeds 10. The only treatment considered is

> levothyroxine. The only test used for diagnosis and dose adjustment is

> TSH.

>

> ly, I would be terrified of treatment under the UK system. However,

> a doctor educated in the UK must still meet all the requirements to

> practice in another country. He might well be influenced by current

> local guidelines and accepted practices.

>

> Chuck

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Ann,

You wrote:

> ... That leaves close to $29,800 to be either

> cross off as a lost for the hospital or maybe Medicare picks it up. I

> went to the hospital on my Ins. How can the hospital take such a lost?

> I was just wondering.

It is built into their price structure. An aspirin can cost between $10

and $200, depending on the hospital. The fact that hospitals routinely

must write off a balance with Medicare or Medicaid is one of the

contributing causes to the high price of medical care. They are also

required to provide emergency care to people that cannot pay at all.

All of these costs get folded into everyone else's insurance premiums.

Now, the government plans will pay even less. Again, it will just get

passed on to everyone else. But it's not a tax.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

That's how it works except for the " fair number " . Federal and state

govenments have so much clout that they can force compensation for some

patients or procedures into a price that does not cover the cost of

service to the provider. Note as Chuck pointed out where one state

charges 5 times as much as another state for poorer coverage than the

more economical one provides.

When you limit the number of providers you make it easier for the

lobbists, politicians and assorted crooks; because they can devote all

of the shenanigans to just one or a few entities. When

medicare/medicaid or any other organzition is throwing around billions

of dollars you're going to attract the most proficient crooks. It's

better to have a number of competitors so the benefit for a crooked

politician is smaller from any one of them; and hopefully from a larger

number some will be more honest than the rest.

Rationing of medical services is consider bad. Unfortunately it will

always exist; simply because we desire more medical services than we can

possibly provide. With any kind of socialist system [whether it's the

system in the UK or Obamacare doesn't matter] you will have bureaucrats

making the decision as to who gets what. In a free market system you

can at least have some input. It is perhaps unfortunate that the size

of your bank account has an inordinate control over how much input you

have; but it does at least give you some input. And it provides an

incentive to increase your position to one of more control. That's

capitalism and the free market system.

Regards,

..

..

> Posted by: " Roni Molin " matchermaam@...

>

<mailto:matchermaam@...?Subject=%20Re%3A%20who%20pays%20here%3F%20%20Ins%2\

E%2C%20Medicare%3F%3F>

> matchermaam <matchermaam>

>

>

> Thu Jan 6, 2011 1:23 am (PST)

>

>

>

> If you have medicare A and B, your hospital and whatever doctors you

> say there should be covered by 80 % of what they think is a fair

> number. If you have a supplement, the supplement will pick up the rest

> of the bill.

>

> <>Roni

> Immortality exists!

> It's called knowledge!

>

> Just because something isn't seen

> doesn't mean it's not there<>

>

>

>

> From: Virginia A. Barker <timesharer2000@...

> <mailto:timesharer2000%40>>

> Subject: who pays here? Ins., Medicare??

> hypothyroidism

> <mailto:hypothyroidism%40>

> Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 7:01 PM

>

> I got my Health Care Ins. Notice from my complete thyroid operation.

> This is not to the true dollars, but close. Total bill was around

> $38,300.00, My Advantage Health Ins. Paid around $8,300 and me for the

> day in hosp. was $195.00. That leaves close to $29,800 to be either

> cross off as a lost for the hospital or maybe Medicare picks it up. I

> went to the hospital on my Ins. How can the hospital take such a

> lost? I was just wondering.

> Does anyone have an answer? Ann

[Guest guest]

I agree that the fees to doctors and some fees for hospitals shouldn't get cut

again from Medicare, but I also know that if one doesn't have insurance they pay

ridiculous fees. The

fees the doctors and hospitals charge are purposely high so that they can show a

deficit

and still make money. The dentists are the worst offenders. If one doesn't have

dental insurance it can bankrupt you. I am still paying off a huge dental bill

that is keeping me in poverty. I'm trying my best, but the interest rate is

taking half of my payment towards that, and so the number goes down very slowly.

Seniors should not be put into this position.  I'm sure that will say that

I didn't plan right, and maybe I didn't, but we were not taught to do that when

I was young and got married. Women didn't even have the right to their own

credit till sometime in the 70's I believe.

 

Illness, a divorce, and then becoming widowed and ill did the rest. If

knows how to plan for all that, I would certainly like to know how.

<>Roni

Immortality exists!

It's called knowledge!

 

Just because something isn't seen

doesn't mean it's not there<>

> ...  That leaves close to $29,800 to be either

> cross off as a lost for the hospital or maybe Medicare picks it up.  I

> went to the hospital on my Ins.  How can the hospital take such a lost?

> I was just wondering.

It is built into their price structure. An aspirin can cost between $10

and $200, depending on the hospital. The fact that hospitals routinely

must write off a balance with Medicare or Medicaid is one of the

contributing causes to the high price of medical care. They are also

required to provide emergency care to people that cannot pay at all.

All of these costs get folded into everyone else's insurance premiums.

Now, the government plans will pay even less. Again, it will just get

passed on to everyone else. But it's not a tax.

Chuck

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

The hospital portion of my thyroid operation was about $40,000.00. My insurance

company repriced this to $3800. I have a very high deductible, and so am

responsible for paying the entire $3800.00. No one is paying the $36,200

balance. It's a bogus number that the hospital uses so that it may write off

large " loses " . All of my bills, from endo to anesthesiologist to surgeon are in

a similar vein: e.g. surgeon's charge $5300. repriced to $1200.

So when the politicians are touting all these high healthcare costs, are they

using this made-up upper number, or the numbers that people actually pay?

Marla

>

> I got my Health Care Ins. Notice from my complete thyroid operation. This is

not to the true dollars, but close.  Total bill was around $38,300.00, My

Advantage Health Ins. Paid around $8,300 and me for the day in hosp. was

$195.00.  That leaves close to $29,800 to be either cross off as a lost for the

hospital or maybe Medicare picks it up.  I went to the hospital on my Ins. 

How can the hospital take such a lost?  I was just wondering. 

> Does anyone have an answer?   Ann

>

[Guest guest]

Isn't that the truth!!!

>

> My impression is that when politicians are involved, ALL the numbers are

> made up.

>

> Chuck

>

[Guest guest]

I don't recall saying anything about planning; but of course we all do

need to do whatever we can in that arena. Once we've done what we can

then if we need more help a meaningful charity system [NOT some kind of

entitlment system like Medicaid] should IMHO be part of that answer.

There is an article on page 13 of the front section of the Tampa Tribune

today [TIME TO SCRAP MEDICAID FOR TRUE, MEANINGFUL CHARITY] that

addresses one of the possibilities in an insightful manner. It's under

OTHER VIEWS in the editorials. I hope this link works:

..

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/jan/07/MEOPINO2-time-to-scrap-medicaid-for-true\

-meaningfu

..

>

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/jan/07/MEOPINO2-time-to-scrap-medicaid-for-true\

-meaningfu/

..

If not here's the article. It's just one of the many possibilities IMHO:

..

..

>

>

> Time to scrap Medicaid for true, meaningful charity

>

>

>

> BY ALIETA ECK

>

> Special Correspondent

>

> Published: January 7, 2011

>

> A 53-year old man, shoulders slumped, sat on the exam table at the

> Zarephath Health Center, a non-governmental free clinic in central New

> Jersey. He was asking me, one of several volunteer physicians, to fill

> out forms to apply for Social Security disability. His story depicted

> a safety net that is broken and beyond repair.

>

> He was afflicted with severe nasal polyps that left him unable to

> breathe through his nose. Only high-dose prednisone gave him a sliver

> of relief. He told the tortuous tale of going from an industrious

> builder to an exhausted, dejected and unemployed man.

>

> He had qualified for Medicaid, the state/federal " insurance " for the

> poor that so underpays physicians and surgeons it becomes a cruel

> offering of false hope. Last year, surgery was cancelled at the last

> minute when the surgeon realized that he not only would receive very

> little compensation from Medicaid but also would incur full liability

> if anything went wrong.

>

> For $1,600 the surgeon would have agreed to operate, but it may as

> well have been $60,000. The man was penniless, barely able to pay his

> rent. Someone told him about our free clinic, founded in 2003, and now

> seeing 300 to 400 patients per month at a cost of $18 per patient

> visit. Taking no government funds, it operates on donations of time

> and money from the community.

>

> I examined this man and realized that the surgery could be

> life-transforming. I called an ear, nose and throat specialist friend

> of mine. The clinic had some extra funds donated by people who

> understand our mission, and we agreed upon a very reasonable fee.

> After applying for charity care at our local hospital, pre-op tests

> were completed, and the surgery was done. He can now breathe easily

> for the first time in many years.

>

> When Judge Henry Hudson ruled that ObamaCare was unconstitutional, we

> at the Zarephath Health Center breathed a sigh of relief. For this

> monstrous law will increase bureaucratic red tape, place millions more

> into a Medicaid system that is beyond repair and expand the rolls

> without solving the problem of access to affordable health care.

>

> Unable to find a doctor willing to work within the system, Medicaid

> recipients over-utilize emergency rooms where they only receive a

> quick fix and a Band-Aid on medical issues that often run very deep.

>

> A proposal recently was made to New Jersey Senate Republican Leader

> Tom Kean to scrap the Medicaid system and replace it with a far

> simpler program to be administered out of one state office. Even

> forgoing the $4.5 billion in federal aid, New Jersey taxpayers would

> come out ahead.

>

> New Jersey physicians would be asked to donate four hours per week in

> a free clinic like the Zarephath Health Center. Surgeons could agree

> to do one operation for free or spend the time in a hospital clinic.

> The only compensation would be a big " thank you " from the state in the

> form of medical malpractice coverage applied to their entire practice

> — the same coverage given any physician who teaches in medical school

> university hospitals.

>

> No medical malpractice premiums would need to be paid; the state would

> just stand behind and protect the doctors willing to help the poor for

> no compensation. No billing, no claim forms, no checks, no corruption,

> no fraud and abuse — only a return to real charity, not entitlement.

>

> Doctors would be compensated by the reduction in office overhead.

> Patients would find access to doctors. Volunteers would step in and

> help, and taxpayers would finally get relief. A real sense of

> community would result.

>

> Maybe it is time to think outside the box. Admit that Medicaid does

> not work for the majority of people who need it the most, and replace

> it with an assertive, basic, challenging, diverse, effective, gradual

> and sometimes even faith-based program that is simple, ennobling and

> empowering.

>

> After 45 years of a failed social experiment, it is time to replace

> Medicaid with real charity.

>

> Dr. Alieta Eck, MD, has been in private practice with her husband, Dr.

> Eck, in Piscataway, N.J., since 1988. She and her husband founded

> the Zarephath Health Center in 2003.

..

..

The bottom line is that most of us could possibly find ourselves in

desperate need, although probably most won't. When that happens if we

expect a compassionate response in a timely manner that is efficient and

economical then the government is probably about the last entity you

would want to be helping you.

I have lived through the kind of poverty that today exists only in third

world countries so I can sympathize with your pain.

Best,

..

..

> Posted by: " Roni Molin " matchermaam@...

>

<mailto:matchermaam@...?Subject=%20Re%3A%20who%20pays%20here%3F%20%20Ins%2\

E%2C%20Medicare%3F%3F>

> matchermaam <matchermaam>

>

>

> Thu Jan 6, 2011 12:39 pm (PST)

>

>

>

> I agree that the fees to doctors and some fees for hospitals shouldn't

> get cut again from Medicare, but I also know that if one doesn't have

> insurance they pay ridiculous fees. The

> fees the doctors and hospitals charge are purposely high so that they

> can show a deficit

> and still make money. The dentists are the worst offenders. If one

> doesn't have dental insurance it can bankrupt you. I am still paying

> off a huge dental bill that is keeping me in poverty. I'm trying my

> best, but the interest rate is taking half of my payment towards that,

> and so the number goes down very slowly. Seniors should not be put

> into this position. I'm sure that will say that I didn't plan

> right, and maybe I didn't, but we were not taught to do that when I

> was young and got married. Women didn't even have the right to their

> own credit till sometime in the 70's I believe.

>

> Illness, a divorce, and then becoming widowed and ill did the rest. If

> knows how to plan for all that, I would certainly like to know how.

>

> <>Roni

> Immortality exists!

> It's called knowledge!

>

> Just because something isn't seen

> doesn't mean it's not there<>

>

>

> > ... That leaves close to $29,800 to be either

> > cross off as a lost for the hospital or maybe Medicare picks it up. I

> > went to the hospital on my Ins. How can the hospital take such a lost?

> > I was just wondering.

>

> It is built into their price structure. An aspirin can cost between $10

> and $200, depending on the hospital. The fact that hospitals routinely

> must write off a balance with Medicare or Medicaid is one of the

> contributing causes to the high price of medical care. They are also

> required to provide emergency care to people that cannot pay at all.

>

> All of these costs get folded into everyone else's insurance premiums.

> Now, the government plans will pay even less. Again, it will just get

> passed on to everyone else. But it's not a tax.

>

> Chuck