I really do hate GoFundMe, particularly the bastardized use for pathetic causes. That being said, being from a country with universal healthcare, I also think it's truly sad that people in wealthy nations need help with basic medical bills.... But I still side with the haters. As an actress who very makes millions, I would be far too embarrassed and hopefully self-aware to ask for help raising a measly $15k for a cousin. Brutal.
What would an ER visit cost you? Say EKG and chest xray, no admission.Quote:
Originally Posted by Godfather
Nothing. I've never seen a medical bill in my life. I handled the financial affairs and estate of my FIL who was sick and died from cancer over 2 years including several extended hospital stays. No bills.Quote:
Originally Posted by RBP
My monthly medical services premium is $75 (that's the highest bracket which you hit at $42k/year - if you make under $26k it's $0). No co-pay or deductible. My employer also covers 50% of the premium, and just deducts the other 50% from my salary so in effect I pay $450/year. Bills go direct from hospitals/doctor's to the province's public insurer M.S.P., so I've literally never seen a bill.
Some shit isn't covered like certain prescription drugs or guaranteed private hospital rooms with TV's if you're admitted, unless your employers provides added coverage, which mine does.
People try and say we have bad wait times but I've never waited more than a few hours in ER. I saw a specialist and had surgery last year for a hernia that wasn't really causing any pain or real issues but was uncomfortable and could've got worse. The whole process from GP>Specialist>Ultrasound appointment>Surgery was under 2 months. And that was extremely non-urgent. Overall I like our system. I worry it's taken advantage of by some, but that's another conversation I guess.
My wife had what she thought was bronchitis. The telemed doc said it was not bronchitis and she needed to go to a quick care. The quick care said she was at risk if a heart attack, so she needed to go to the ER. The ER took 6 hours before release, with no diagnosis - but a cardiac rule out. She was billed $2800 after insurance network discounts. The billing department told her that she has 4 months to pay in full or the account gets transferred to collections. She gave them $500 and said she was not approving recurring payments. The charged her card another $500 in a month, which she protested to her credit card company.Quote:
Originally Posted by Godfather
Oh.. $450 a YEAR is what you pay? Her employee portion of the premium is $200/mo and that's considered low.
That's so frustrating. It makes me sad to think of families being financially ruined by shit like that especially when they were diligent and bought insurance....
In your state does the State itself 'own' the hospital, or are they private? On medical TV shows (sorry, I'm uninformed on this :lol: )it sometimes it seems like the hospitals are kind of private companies but maybe I'm misunderstanding that.
Up here hospitals themselves owned and run by the Province (with a few exceptions). The nurses and staff work for the Province, the administration are provincial employees. Doctors are typically 'contractors' but their billing fees are all pre-set. While everyone who is a resident is covered and doesn't see the bill anyways, this set-up prevents gauging medical fees to the insurer, because the insurer and hospital essentially one in the same. It's not in their interest to charge any more for an IV or X-ray than the actual cost. If I understand correctly this seems like it's a big issue in the US, ridiculous bills for thousands of dollars for minor shit?
Some hospitals are run by counties, but they mostly provide indigent care and some inner city level 5 trauma. Great proving grounds for new docs. But most are private facilities.
And yes, billing is insane. I also have $3000 in bills, mostly from unnecessary diagnostics to cover liability and repeat testing.
So we have $6000 in net expenses with no major health events.
I got my ears cleaned out. They charged me for an outpatient surgical procedure (really?), a specialist (it was a nurse), an office visit, a procedure room, and an unknown and never explained $400 "facility charge".
By the way, I do NOT pay bill collectors. Never have. I pay the original company. They can argue it, that's not my issue. But I refuse to justify their existence.
The problem with the health care industry in this country is that everything is for profit. Hospitals used to run with the thought of taking care of people first and foremost. Now it's all about the bottom line, not to mention charging WAY MORE than needed for simple things. Hospitals are for profit. Insurance companies are for profit. Everyone in healthcare is for profit. And not just a little profit, but a lot of profit.
Collection agencies are low lifes worse than cockroaches.Quote:
Originally Posted by RBP
I don't know comrade, you seem awfully anti-capitalism here.
I agree by the way.
I'm not anti-capatalistic and I have no problem with people/companies making money. And the heathcare industry used to do just fine until the rise of the HMO. Since then, healthcare costs have skyrocketed and the price we pay for service (or lack thereof) has skyrocketed as well, far, far beyond the rate of inflation.
Agreed. Massive overhaul required.
https://i.imgur.com/5JUdUiGl.jpg
Here's my insurance card (personal info redacted). This is a very basic insurance plan because basically it's all the company can afford and I am VERY LUCKY to work for a small business where they pick up the premium for each employee (we have to pay for dependents, if any). Otherwise, this very average insurance plan would be costing me nearly $300/month. And since my step-daughter is on my plan, I have to hit the $5000 family annual deductible before it pays much of anything.
I have UHC also. High deductible plans suck when you're not well off. The piece that pisses me off to no end is the "copays" that are no longer copays, but just down payments. It used to be that a copay meant anything handled in the office that day was covered. Nope. No longer the case. Roll in the EKG machine? $600+.