tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post4065319162143523375..comments2023-11-10T04:17:00.492-05:00Comments on View From The Porch: Need further proof that idiots go into politics?Tamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-61193337370252506082008-05-07T16:01:00.000-04:002008-05-07T16:01:00.000-04:00As far as just paying cash, there are two problems...As far as just paying cash, there are two problems:<BR/><BR/>1) I won't even know what the co-pay is for maybe a month. In the meantime, the cash price is still more than my co-pay, because no one is offering a reduced cash price. No competition. Autozone doesn't sell this widget.<BR/><BR/>2) My employer is paying over $900/month for my insurance. I was just pricing the lab work out because I wanted to get the best price for whoever ended up paying the bill. People who pay their bills also pay the bills of people who don't, but those folks would have got a better price if they did. That deal isn't offered at the car repair shop, either.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-12655681039554632742008-05-07T15:53:00.000-04:002008-05-07T15:53:00.000-04:00No, Mikee, I think that Igot the article. The rant...No, Mikee, I think that Igot the article. The rant that any business person should be allowed to purchase supplies at wholesale and resell them at retail. And I completely agree with that. <BR/><BR/>The government ends up footing the bill for lots of peoples health care, of course they are using tax-payers' money to pay these bills. I don't blame them for wanting to keep the costs down. It is just simple-minded to think the government can help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-53999089298201192452008-05-07T14:10:00.000-04:002008-05-07T14:10:00.000-04:00Living in Missouri and having had the misfortune t...Living in Missouri and having had the misfortune to experience the kind of billing becoming all too common here, I agree with the proposed legislation. The real issue isn't simply one of a reasonable markup on a contracted service. The issue is one of double billing.<BR/><BR/>The last time I had a serious medical problem requiring lab work, my doctor's bill included a fee for bloodwork. Then, two weeks or so later, I got a second bill from the lab and another from the lab's resident specialist. Plus a bill from my doctor for examining X-rays, followed by a bill from a radiologist for interpreting those X-rays. To add insult to injury, every one of those "contracting" labs was owned by the same clinic where I visited the doctor.<BR/><BR/>A more accurate analogy would be if your mechanic's shop was owned by the same company as the widget maker and both billed you independently for the same widget plus markup.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-34488187164224156192008-05-07T13:47:00.000-04:002008-05-07T13:47:00.000-04:00While I hope anonymous has quick healing of his le...While I hope anonymous has quick healing of his leg, I think he misses the whole point of the post and the linked article. <BR/><BR/>Of course your clinic is going to charge you more than it costs them to get your lab results. This allows the clinic to remain open.<BR/><BR/>And if you are complaining that your insurance copayment is higher than the billed charges from the clinic, just <I>pay the charges yourself</I> and leave the insurance company out of it. This saves you money....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-72830945323291328342008-05-07T11:03:00.000-04:002008-05-07T11:03:00.000-04:00I think the same principle applied to legislation ...I think the same principle applied to legislation might be beneficial: lawmakers can only introduce and vote on legislation they themselves have written. No aides, no consultants from lobbyists, no help from family members.<BR/><BR/>It would probably result in a lot less legislation, and laws that are a lot simpler.Brian J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10919837228673866495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-78930038736403098652008-05-07T10:23:00.000-04:002008-05-07T10:23:00.000-04:00I've just developed a blood clot in my calf, and I...I've just developed a blood clot in my calf, and I'm learning about the costs of blood tests. I need to have two PT/INR tests per week for another month or so, and I have insurance, but I wanted to be responsible in how I spent their (our?) money. The clinic I go to has a bulk rate on this test at about $5 from their lab, and they draw the blood themselves. The same lab charges $17 retail plus $15 drawing fee if you show up at their lab. <BR/><BR/>I sure as heck don't want the government to get involved any more than they already are, but it will be a shame if my co-pay on lab work is higher than it costs the clinic. <BR/><BR/>Clearly, health care is being driven through the roof by health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, the AMA keeping the supply of doctors low, continous fear mongering paid for by physicians groups, crazy lobbying done by drug companies and lets not forget plenty of lawyers suing the pants off of everybody. And of course the government is right in the middle of the whole mess. And we would really like their involvement in this matter and every matter to get smaller.<BR/><BR/>WAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com