Original Post
A broken Healthcare System.
The united states might be leading the world in medical technology and education but even with our vast knowledge and tech people can't afford to utilize them. We (the united states) have the highest spending per capita of any industrialized western nation.
While there are many contributing factors to why we've gotten to this point we need to look at what the biggest factors are. In 1986 the EMTALA was enacted to protect the poor and uninsured from being denied life saving medical treatment. The problem that arrises with this is that if hospitals are forced to treat people who are uninsured they may not be reimbursed for that treatment. MedStar Washington Hospital in 2008 saw over 400 uninsured ER visits costing the hospital $107.2 Million in costs which weren’t reimbursed. Nation wide people who are uninsured drive up the cost of healthcare by using the EMTALA as a primary care if they didn't have insurance. The medical bill doesn't just go away, it affects every tax payer and insurance company because hospitals are forced to raise the prices on medical treatment. A great analogy for this would be if a store was robbed and people stole goods for free the store would have to raise the prices of their products just to achieve the same results. In turn, the customer is paying more for the product.
What are your thoughts on our current system? Should we adopt a one payer system or simply let the uninsured die because we shouldn't pay for their medical bills? What are other countries doing correctly that could be transferred to our system?
While there are many contributing factors to why we've gotten to this point we need to look at what the biggest factors are. In 1986 the EMTALA was enacted to protect the poor and uninsured from being denied life saving medical treatment. The problem that arrises with this is that if hospitals are forced to treat people who are uninsured they may not be reimbursed for that treatment. MedStar Washington Hospital in 2008 saw over 400 uninsured ER visits costing the hospital $107.2 Million in costs which weren’t reimbursed. Nation wide people who are uninsured drive up the cost of healthcare by using the EMTALA as a primary care if they didn't have insurance. The medical bill doesn't just go away, it affects every tax payer and insurance company because hospitals are forced to raise the prices on medical treatment. A great analogy for this would be if a store was robbed and people stole goods for free the store would have to raise the prices of their products just to achieve the same results. In turn, the customer is paying more for the product.
What are your thoughts on our current system? Should we adopt a one payer system or simply let the uninsured die because we shouldn't pay for their medical bills? What are other countries doing correctly that could be transferred to our system?
Last edited by Goat; Nov 30, 2015 at 07:17 PM.
First off, as a pharmacist who works at an inpatient pharmacy in a hospital, let me just clarify something
That $107.2 million you mentioned is not an accurate figure. The number itself is extremely exaggerated. Hospitals do not sell things at market value. Doctor has to use rubber gloves to examine the patient's tonsils? Bill the insurance $100, they won't contest it. Call them "hand safety devices". The patient needs some generic off the shelf ibuprophen? The patient needs some form of medicine? The patient is in mild pain and would like some ibuprophen or some shit? Get the necessary pill or liquid dosage, overbill it by ~1000%. Bill the insurance $300 for the medicinal transportation device(read as: paper cup) and the two pills of ibuprophen. Insurance companies simply do not contest ridiculous charges and just pay them because they're still making a shitton anyways. The real cost of the materials and services rendered wouldn't even be a 10th of that.
The same thing applies to the government. We pay the bill with our taxes, regardless of what it is because the government does not audit hospital services well enough. It's downright criminal, but the government's been in their back pocket for years so they don't give a fuck.
Big Pharma is a different matter altogether. Those greedy cunts inhibit research tremendously. I have a device on my hip right now that does a few mathematical calculations and moves a cylinder (relatively)precisely over about ~7 centimeters, with accuracy to about half a millimeter. How much did my insurance get billed for? $21,000
Enough to get a brand new car.
The problem is that hospitals essentially regulate themselves and insurance companies overcharge people tremendously.
That $107.2 million you mentioned is not an accurate figure. The number itself is extremely exaggerated. Hospitals do not sell things at market value. Doctor has to use rubber gloves to examine the patient's tonsils? Bill the insurance $100, they won't contest it. Call them "hand safety devices". The patient needs some generic off the shelf ibuprophen? The patient needs some form of medicine? The patient is in mild pain and would like some ibuprophen or some shit? Get the necessary pill or liquid dosage, overbill it by ~1000%. Bill the insurance $300 for the medicinal transportation device(read as: paper cup) and the two pills of ibuprophen. Insurance companies simply do not contest ridiculous charges and just pay them because they're still making a shitton anyways. The real cost of the materials and services rendered wouldn't even be a 10th of that.
The same thing applies to the government. We pay the bill with our taxes, regardless of what it is because the government does not audit hospital services well enough. It's downright criminal, but the government's been in their back pocket for years so they don't give a fuck.
Big Pharma is a different matter altogether. Those greedy cunts inhibit research tremendously. I have a device on my hip right now that does a few mathematical calculations and moves a cylinder (relatively)precisely over about ~7 centimeters, with accuracy to about half a millimeter. How much did my insurance get billed for? $21,000
Enough to get a brand new car.
The problem is that hospitals essentially regulate themselves and insurance companies overcharge people tremendously.
Last edited by Hyde; Nov 30, 2015 at 08:17 PM.
Hoss.
holy wow. toribash forums are awakening?
And i didnt even have to finish the story?
holy shit, it's apocalypse everywhere!
Okay that nonsense aside, i am glad to see you are rationally discussing this particular aspect of civilization:
Money.
Yes, its about a healthcare system, but the fault lies on monetary reliance.
The power of the currency is the power to deceive and to enslave.
This particular topic will help shed light on that fact. Keep up the awakening, people!
(mods will delete useless posts, so be glad anyone even ever read this one!)
And i didnt even have to finish the story?
holy shit, it's apocalypse everywhere!
Okay that nonsense aside, i am glad to see you are rationally discussing this particular aspect of civilization:
Money.
Yes, its about a healthcare system, but the fault lies on monetary reliance.
The power of the currency is the power to deceive and to enslave.
This particular topic will help shed light on that fact. Keep up the awakening, people!
(mods will delete useless posts, so be glad anyone even ever read this one!)
SuicideDo, the Brewtal Drunken Immortal.
Do you have anything relevant to add about America's healthcare problem (other than the same old tired line, 'money is the root of all evil')? Maybe something about Hyde's thought that they lack proper regulation?
It's hard to appreciate any points you make when they're usually abstract nonsense that don't answer any problems. You've been banned for trolling/being silly here in the past, we don't want a repeat of this.
It's hard to appreciate any points you make when they're usually abstract nonsense that don't answer any problems. You've been banned for trolling/being silly here in the past, we don't want a repeat of this.
To Hydes comments, the hospital might be a place of health care but it is also a business. This means they will bill with profit in mind, the hospital inflates the prices (without understocking items) to make money from insurance companies. The companies in turn ask for more from the patient because of the outrageous prices.
