"Medical Tourism" a big industry and growing.

[Lancer]

http://www.rxpinoy.com/healthtourismphilippines/index.html

That was among the many sites that were listed when I did a search using the words 'medical tourism'.

Here's a little background on what got me looking into this subject.

About a year ago I had cramps in my gut while I was at work and had to go home sick for the first time in ages. Cramps continued to get worse throughout the rest of the day and evening until I finally called in sick for the next day and Dolores took me to the emergency room of our local hospital. The doc determined it was my apendix and so at 4AM it came out. Good surgeon, did a good job. I stayed that day and night and went home the next day.

The insurance at work covered 90% of it, but I still had to pay a whopping $1800. Total bill? Around $18,000.

Had I been in the Philippines when this happened the total bill would have been $500 or less according to a nurse that is a friend of the family and works at the local hospital in Jagna, where our house is.

Once when I was in that same hospital for three days and nights (dysentary, ugg) the bill came to $200, which included a private room, all my meds and an IV. Three doctors visited me and nurses were allways checking to make sure I was ok.

$200.

So now there is a whole travel industry springing up taking patients all over the world to get treated for a decent price that won't leave them destitute. If I had to pay that entire $18,000 for a day and 2 nights, it would have been more than I made at work for that entire year. Though I have other income, most people don't.

So what is wrong with this picture? Why is western medicine so expensive?

I had a cap put on my tooth, cost something like $1600. My father in law got three new caps plus some cavities filled before coming to the US for $100.

I mean wtf? Can someone explain this? What should be done?

[Fake Boris]

Private healthcare

[Lancer]

Rising popularity of medical tourism reveals deterioration of U.S. healthcare system

Here's the link for the article

http://www.newstarget.com/007097.html

[Lancer]

no...

[Zkribbler]

A recent study done by Boston College shows that the adminstrative costs of U.S. healthcare now takes up 50 cents out of every healthcare dollar. Imagine trying to run a car dealership or a grocery store if 50% of your net sales went to pay for administration.

Last Sunday on This Week George Will said it's just a matter of time before corporate American starts demanding socialized medicine. Last month (or maybe the month before) a survey in L.A. Business Week shows that the majority of small business owners in L.A. favor a single-payor system.

Currently making its way through the California Legislature is SB 840 (which is a reincarnation of SB 921, which expired last year without getting to a vote on the Assembly floor). SB 840 would move California onto a single-payor healthcare system, dropping adminstrative costs down to a nickle per heathcare dollar. More savings would be gained from bulk buying of drugs. This system would provide comprehensive healthcare to all California residents, with no deductables and no co pays.

A study done by the Lewin Group shows that, if adopted, SB 921 could have saved Californians $ 8 billion the first year and $343 billion over ten years.
Link

Better healthcare; for everyone; at less cost.

[Lancer]

Go in and win Zkrib!

What about the erm... lawyers.

Malpractice...

Read this if you get a chance Zkrib.

http://www.newstarget.com/007097.html

[Lancer]

Regarding my dental work, look here...


<----Before the procedure, I couldn't smile for fear of being embarrassed.

<----Now look at me, a beautiful smile...I have a whole new attitude, my friends say I seem so much happier and full of life. I feel so...fulfilled.

Now we take you back to your regularly sceduled programming...

[Lancer]

Zkrib, I'm reading your link...Won't this put alot of insurance company people out of work? Union people? I know this needs to be done to bring costs down, but you are a union guy...

[Zkribbler]

Malpractice suits are a problem, but nowhere near the monster they're made out to be.

Notice that the recent firestorm over insurance rates didn't start with a huge uptick in malpractice suits. It began with the bursting of the dot.com bubble, when all of a sudden insurance companies had to find some way of shoring up their losses of their investments. They started jacking up their premiums but, rather than telling the truth, they tried to lay all the blame off on trial lawyers.

Second, if you're utterly screwed up for the rest of your life, I don't think anyone has a problem if the person responsible has to pay for it...no matter if its a drunk driver or a doctor.

Third, a fact almost everyone overlooks is that about 50% of all malpractice actions are dismissed without even a penny of settlement money changing hands. Plaintiffs' attorneys have to bring suit in order to be able to get the medical records. In lots of these cases, the records show no malpractice, and the actions dropped.

On the bad side are anesthesiologist and pediatricians. They do have astronomical malpractice insurance, and it's a real problem. Whenever anything, anything goes wrong in surgery, the anesthesiologist is always sued. And, if a pediatrician screws up, especially during childbirth, the result goes on for decades. We really do need a way to shelter these people because we need them so badly, and they're leaving the profession in herds.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Lancer
Zkrib, I'm reading your link...Won't this put alot of insurance company people out of work? Union people? I know this needs to be done to bring costs down, but you are a union guy...

Well, I doubt that a lot of the bureaucrats are unionized. In fact, more and more adminsitrators are found in India and Pakistan. But even if they are unionized Americans, there are overriding issues.

First, nurses are unionized as are many doctors. This bill would mean more work for them.

Second, $8 billion is savings in the first year along mean $8 billion more that Californian have to buy stuff with. This means an upsurge in the economy, which is good for everyone.

Third, companies with health benefits are really struggling with costs. With SB 840, they'd be paying IIRC 16% less to cover their workers. This means more solvency in employers.

Forth, Government workers usually have healthcare as a benefit. The amount each agency pays would go down, meaning more cost-efficient government.

Fifth, the biggest cause of bankruptcies is healthcare emergencies. These would all now be paid for, reducing personal bankruptcies by over 50%...making creditors very happy because they'll now be paid back.

[Lancer]

Great answers Zkrib, you're da man.



This works...the next beer we drink in the Phils is on me pal.

[Zkribbler]

Only if I can buy the second round.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
Second, if you're utterly screwed up for the rest of your life, I don't think anyone has a problem if the person responsible has to pay for it...no matter if its a drunk driver or a doctor.

We really do need a way to shelter these people because we need them so badly, and they're leaving the profession in herds.

Que?

[Zkribbler]

Dino, consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.

[Lancer]