Medical billing and debt collection in the US

[Lorizael]

That's why I always waive the anesthesiologist when I go in for surgery. What's a little pain?

[MikeH]

Jesus.

And when people want to reform that ****storm some people disagree?!

[MikeH]

#welovethenhs

[Elok]

There is something ridiculous about U.S. health care. It would cost us twelve times as much to have the kid there as it will to have it in Peru--and we're talking bare-basics, no anesthesia, no nothing. Nor is there a significant difference in quality of care; Peruvian medicine isn't that bad, and for a no-frills delivery there's not much doctors need to do anyway. I'm guessing that particular procedure is padded so the doctors can afford malpractice suits or something? Who knows...

[MikeH]

You have to pay to have a baby in hospital?! #welovethenhs

[loinburger]

My brother (born in 1978) was born at 11:45 pm, and so the hospital charged my parents (who were flat broke) for a full day in the nursery for that fifteen minutes (even though he wasn't actually put in the nursery until a few hours later). They still shake their heads in wonderment at that.

[Dr Strangelove]

Medical bills are the single largest cause of bankruptcy in the United States.

[MikeH]

#1 reason I'd never live in the US.

[Lorizael]

Bah. Just don't get sick, I say.

[Elok]

You have to pay to have a baby in hospital?! #welovethenhs

The cheapest my wife could find was $6000 for our local, rural hospital. Now, I should have mentioned that we don't have insurance which will cover childbirth, but still, this is basically the fee for use of a room, continuous fetal monitoring, and having the doctor catch. If he actually does anything, that raises the price quite quickly.

[MikeH]

Bah. Just don't get sick, I say.

Or have kids.
Or get old.

[MikeH]

The cheapest my wife could find was $6000 for our local, rural hospital. Now, I should have mentioned that we don't have insurance which will cover childbirth, but still, this is basically the fee for use of a room, continuous fetal monitoring, and having the doctor catch. If he actually does anything, that raises the price quite quickly.

We had a 63 hour labour, were in hospital for about 40 hours, saw 5 sets of midwives, 3 doctors, eventually hormone drip and ended up with forceps... hate to think what that would have cost.

[Lorizael]

Or have kids.
Or get old.

I'm not planning on doing either of those things. Although my knees and I don't seem to be on the same page as far as that goes.

[MikeH]

[Fake Boris]

That complexity is not requisite any more than it would be requisite for a car company to send you 12 different bills for various stages in the production process.

Don't be disingenuous. You are correct that this problem is not necessary, though it is made more likely by the system. Just like, BTW, public bureaucracy doesn't have to be inefficient, though it often is.