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WHY Hospital Sleep Studies So Much More Expensive
'Facility Fees' Are Surprise Cost For Many Patients.
Called "provider-based billing," it allows hospitals that own physician practices and outpatient clinics that meet certain federal requirements to bill separately for the facility as well as for physician services. Because hospitals that bill Medicare beneficiaries this way must do so for all other patients, facility fees affect patients of all ages. Doctors' offices owned by physicians and freestanding clinics are not permitted to charge them.
NOW I know WHY our local hospitals are building outpatient clinics all over town and the area! NOW I know WHY my husband's family doctor's office calls went from $35 to $85 over night!
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/06/patients_fume_over_clevelan..." target="_blank">
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/October/06/fees.aspx" target="_blank">
Called "provider-based billing," it allows hospitals that own physician practices and outpatient clinics that meet certain federal requirements to bill separately for the facility as well as for physician services. Because hospitals that bill Medicare beneficiaries this way must do so for all other patients, facility fees affect patients of all ages. Doctors' offices owned by physicians and freestanding clinics are not permitted to charge them.
NOW I know WHY our local hospitals are building outpatient clinics all over town and the area! NOW I know WHY my husband's family doctor's office calls went from $35 to $85 over night!
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/06/patients_fume_over_clevelan..." target="_blank">
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/October/06/fees.aspx" target="_blank">
Views: 123
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on
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As far as today's health care issues he feels something needs done to contain costs -- but not the plan currently under consideration.
What worries me is with a 2000 page proposal, how many of our esteemed congressman have taken the time to really, really study it and have read it.
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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You mean some of them CAN read? Is that a requirement to be a congressman or senator? If so, why?
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There are times we joke that most of them probably qualified for special services when in school!!
Well I am off to work so I can pay taxes so THEY can get paid with MY money.
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Permalink Reply by dave foster on
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I think you folks are missing the point on health care. The insurance companies make about 1. 8 trillion dollars a year gross from the American public, thats in 1 year! Wow!!!!... now net for them is only 17% which is still a nice pocket of change. but think about it, they recieve about $1 in every $5 that we pay in premiums. The profit they make is DIRECTLY related to not paying for sick people, why do you think they delay, confuse, and avoid paying [don't forget about pre-existing conditions]. Thats why your bills are in CODE. Health care is all about the money, not about your health. Oh and about the public option, the congress is already on it>>> we pay ALL [100%] of thier medical costs !!!!!! Talk about hypocrisy. The U.S. is the only civilized country in the world not to have some kind of health care for evryone.
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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
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Preach it Dave. Insurance companies decide who gets treatment and how much they will pay for that treatment. There are alot of thins wrong with the current sytstems. I believe that quite a bnit of the fault lies with the insurance companies and the lawyers.
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But others with government sponsored health care have long waits, even longer waits for specialized care, and why is it that many end up coming to the States for treatment.
Whether we like it or not, many of the advances in health care has come from the US and not from the other industrialized countries due to the profit margins. I am not saying that the huge profit margins are right.
Do we really want the government telling what treatment options we have access to? Do we really want the government telling us what procedures we can have and when? Do we really want the government telling us which doctors we can use, with little say on our part?
If you study history, typically when the government gets involved things get worse and not better. I am afraid that will be the case in this instance. I know that the state run Medicaid programs, at least in our area, reimburse doctors so little that the vast majority of doctors in our region will not accept Medicaid patients. When you ask a doctor why they do not accept Medicaid assignment (patients) they tell you it is due to the reimbursement schedule. Why not start there and equalize the reimbursement schedule so that those within certain income guidelines can purchase coverage through this type of program? I know that our state has a program for kids where if you do not have access to coverage and fall within certain guidelines you can purchase insurance through the state run program – only catch is finding a doctor that will accept payment under this plan.
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I have heard differing opinions on the wait in other countries. My mentor is a doctor from Egypt. He says that Egypt does medicine well with very little wait for it's citizens. For most countries I believe it depends on who you ask.
Carol I like a tiered medicare system. Give everyone an opportunity to have and pay for healthcare based on their income. Not only do I believe that this may solve some of the inflation problems, but the psychological ramifications behind allowing someone the opportunity to protect their families would be huge. My opinion anyway.
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I agree that medical care should be more affordable. I just don't have the answers, and don't think the government has it either. Especially when a 2000 page bill can hide its own ugly issues. With that many pages how many exclusions, loopholes, wiggle room, etc. is included. That is what worries me. Make the bill simple, readable, and understandable.
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SleepyCarol, you DO realize that most of these politicians are LAWYERS, don't you? You really can't expect a lawyer OR a politician to write or say ANYTHING in clear, simple, easy to understand English.
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Duh!!! What was I thinking Judy. In fact, our congressman is a lawyer. Yep, it is his son that was giving me some insight on his opinions on the health care bill.
Let's see, 13 years of public education, a bachelor's degree, and then law school -- yep they are so edumacated (as Jethro would say) like Jethro Bodine that they are vastly superior to us lowly working class. The politicians have rode their families money into power, so they are smarter than the rest of us. Yep, they are as smart as Jethro (who wanted to be a brain surgeon since he had graduated 6th grade).
Yep, Judy I understand now!! Whatever was I thinking!!
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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Hi Carol,
Let's take something you said in an earlier post:
Do we really want the government telling what treatment options we have access to? Do we really want the government telling us what procedures we can have and when? Do we really want the government telling us which doctors we can use, with little say on our part?
... and re-write it like this:
Do we really want the insurance companies telling what treatment options we have access to? Do we really want the insurance companies telling us what procedures we can have and when? Do we really want the insurance companies telling us which doctors we can use, with little say on our part?
It seems to me, the only change with these new health care proposals is that we'll have a different group of people telling us what to do!
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