Re: Hospitals Hose Uninsured: For Herman


"Herman Rubin" <hrubin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:duhse1$b9is@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In article <j1NOf.3157$6I.2355@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
George Conklin <georgeconklin1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Tonight's 60 Minutes on CBS gave the case of the uninsured when they hit
a
hospital for care.

Hospitals keep their list prices secret so you cannot comparison shop.

Then they charge everyone the same, but offer automatic discounts to
insurance companies, but bill the uninsured the full amount. They gave
two
cases. One man had a mild heart attack, and was billed about $50,000 for
a
short stay after a heart attack. An insurance company would have paid
$13,000 for the same care. Another man from the West Coast got an
advocacy
group on his side but was charged about 4 times more than an insurance
company would have paid, with a total bill of about $250,000. (That bill
was forgiven after the show).

So without someone to speak for you, Herman, you cannot get a fair price.
Cash customers with medical savings accounts are going to really be hurt.
MSA's are a disaster waiting to happen. George Bush obviously knows
this.

Simple legislation would take care of this.


But we have MSA's NOW and no way to administer them.


Also, cash customers with medical savings accounts and
major medical insurance, which is likely to be required
with it, will have insurance companies speaking for them.

Not until after you have spent your CASH at list prices. Then the
insurance company will give you credit only for the discounted cost. You
will lose on both sides of the equation.



.

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