> http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/20/bitter-pill-why-medical-bills-are-killing-us/
That was an interesting read in the magazine a couple of weeks ago. Assuming it's accurate it's very eye-opening and looks at a side of the costs that aren't usually discussed (e.g. why are rates so high vs. who's paying for it). The most recent issue has some responses from those who work in the industry as well which were just as interesting. One head of a medical center (I don't have it in front of me at the moment) basically said that they used to charge low rates based on costs, but the insurance companies wouldn't work with them because they wanted a discount for their members, but since rates were based on cost they couldn't afford the discount the insurance carriers demanded. So, they ended up jacking the rates way up so that they could "discount" them for the insurance companies... who ended up paying more than the original non-discounted rates, but it didn't matter because they were getting a good "discount" for their members. Ridiculous all the way around. The libertarian in me is screaming bloody murder, but I'm going to lock him in a cage for a moment and say that, based on what's presented in the article and on the basis of non-elective medical care being critical to people's survival, that I'd be in favor of regulations capping what providers can charge (based on region and with room built in for a healthy profit margin to encourage investment as medicare sets its rates for payouts). Not perfect, but far better than the mess we're in now. Cancer centers charging $300/hr for a nurse who's also billing 2-3 patients that rate at the same time while they stand there and monitor drug infusions? That sort of BS has to stop. -Justin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:361823 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
