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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,340
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From: Mid-Atlantic
I really need to increase my PPDs
The topic for today is:
The cost of Healthcare and how the system works.
In the mail yesterday was a bill for blood work I had done at a lab. My share of the bill was only about $20. But the bill started at $865, The negotiated rate with the Insurance company was $76. Meaning since I have Insurance the lab gets $96 of the $865 they billed (they wrote off $770). This is good news for me, but if I did not have Insurance the lab would expect the collect the entire $865. Some people would pay it others would default.
I heard a similar story from a friend who received a $30K hospital bill and the total they ended up collecting was about $3K since she had Ins. Without it she would have been responsible for all $30K.
The topic for today is:
The cost of Healthcare and how the system works.
In the mail yesterday was a bill for blood work I had done at a lab. My share of the bill was only about $20. But the bill started at $865, The negotiated rate with the Insurance company was $76. Meaning since I have Insurance the lab gets $96 of the $865 they billed (they wrote off $770). This is good news for me, but if I did not have Insurance the lab would expect the collect the entire $865. Some people would pay it others would default.
I heard a similar story from a friend who received a $30K hospital bill and the total they ended up collecting was about $3K since she had Ins. Without it she would have been responsible for all $30K.
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 65,409
Likes: 4,694
From: Smalltown
Touchy topic with me.
Like many we are dishing out thousands for our "share" in premium, larger co-pays and deductibles where there were none before, BUT we are thankful to have insurance.
I saw the bills from Rick's shoulder surgeries. The two done at the local hospital were "adjusted" down to about 30% of the billing. I doubt we would have been given the same deal had we not had insurance. The third surgery, was done in Boston. The hospital and doctor got about 80%of the billing. I guess because there is more competition in Boston hospitals, the contract was different.
When Rick's physical therapy visits ran out, I asked what our costs would be if we had to pay for the visit ourselves. The answer, because we had "no contract" with the hospital, we'd have to pay the full price.
Recently, a chest X-Ray and radiologist services were billed out at around $150.00. I think I paid $35.00 or $40.00 and I paid .50 CENTS for a $5.00 breathing treatment...Pity the poor soul without insurance who does not qualify for state/federal assistance.
Like many we are dishing out thousands for our "share" in premium, larger co-pays and deductibles where there were none before, BUT we are thankful to have insurance.
I saw the bills from Rick's shoulder surgeries. The two done at the local hospital were "adjusted" down to about 30% of the billing. I doubt we would have been given the same deal had we not had insurance. The third surgery, was done in Boston. The hospital and doctor got about 80%of the billing. I guess because there is more competition in Boston hospitals, the contract was different.
When Rick's physical therapy visits ran out, I asked what our costs would be if we had to pay for the visit ourselves. The answer, because we had "no contract" with the hospital, we'd have to pay the full price.
Recently, a chest X-Ray and radiologist services were billed out at around $150.00. I think I paid $35.00 or $40.00 and I paid .50 CENTS for a $5.00 breathing treatment...Pity the poor soul without insurance who does not qualify for state/federal assistance.
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 9,579
Likes: 157
From: West Deptford NJ
Originally Posted by Lainey8484,May 30 2008, 07:25 AM
Recently, a chest X-Ray and radiologist services were billed out at around $150.00. I think I paid $35.00 or $40.00 and I paid .50 CENTS for a $5.00 breathing treatment...Pity the poor soul without insurance who does not qualify for state/federal assistance.
This is truly an issue for the working poor. I have a close friend in that circumstance, he simply does not get treatment, and he does have a few serious issues, i.e. untreated hernia, can't afford to get it fixed when you exist on $35000/yr and no ins.