ok, let's bottom line it from my, the patient's, perspective.
1. I am not saying doctor services are not appreciated, nor do i think they should not make an assload of money for their services, as stated, you went to school till you were 30...AND you had to remember what you learned
2. I understand that the patient never really sees what is going on in a case like mine. All we see is a doc come in, look at an injury, send the person to xray, read the xray and probably send to a specialist who will treat based on the problem. Total time physically with the doctor..about 5 minutes.
3. rich and upper class generally have great health care insurance, but more and more people are currently without insurance for one reason or another. Let's say i'm middle class or so and my job does not offer health insurance bc i physically cannot get enough hours per week to qualify(the place is not open for that long if you do certain jobs) and i am obviously employed and have a good credit rating. Now, if i were poor/unemployed/uninsured, i could go to the emergency room, get charged an assload, and probably throw away the bill, what threat is a debt collection agency, really, and hte ER is forced to give care to someone in need. Since i am employed and i feel morally responsible to pay my bills, I am hit with a $1500+ bill smack in the face. I can probabyl set up payments, etc, but i cannot negotiate for a lower bill as an insurance company can, and an unpaid debt like this would kill my credit rating and send me in a downward spiral. No offense intended to the poor who are billed and cannot pay, not saying everyone does it, just that it does happen.
4. all i really wanted before i went to a doctor was to find out what the cost of treatment would be, within a range. I understand that something else may be wrong or the doc may have t odo quite a bit more than i may think, but i was hoping that i could get a price range so i could prepare myself for the shock. So, i called around...every single person sounded like i was the most socially uncouth person to ever pick up a phone...convos were normally something like, "hi, I think i have a broken bone in my hand, how much would a visit be to have it checked out and treated" "well, SIR, an office visit is...hold on...(4-5 minutes pass...seriously, this person writes up these things every hour of every day, do they really have to check to see how much you are charged for a visit)...$115 for the visit, and about...(3 minutes pass..ok, so you don't bill for xrays as often, but sheesh) $95 for an xray (actual prices) and as for treatment, it depends on what they will end up doing" reasonable, "Any idea if they have to put a cast or splint or something, any range of prices, anything" "no sir, It depends on what treatment route they take" "thank you" This went on for 4 offices in almost the exact same manner, with visits rangnig from $90-150 and xrays remarkably steady near the $100 mark. Ok, fine, $200 or so to be checked out plus treatment cost..i'm set to go, i can guess it will probably be another $400-500 for treatment...i guess...
Yeah...i guessed wrong and i had no clue where it came from. just BAM, here is $253 for office visit fr first doctor, then $135 for new patient admin for other doctor, then $525 for one roll of fiberglass tape for my cast, then $535 for another roll of fiberglass tape for my cast. by roll of tape, i mean, they charged for repair of metacarpal with manipulation, twice, as in, that charge appeared two times..and considering i only have one broken bone..
if you ever have an hour or so to kill and want to conduct an experiment, call around to various doctor offices and try to get a straight price on anything. seriously, they could have said to me, "well, a splint would be xxx and a cast would be XXX, but again, i do not know what they will do, so you could be charged moer or less" and i would not be so sticker shocked when the freaking bill came. I mean, would you take your car in to have it repaired without getting a cost estimate. I mean, sure, you would have to have it fixed anyway, but wouldn't you at least like to knjow how much money you aer about to spend.
I also find it odd that doctor's services are the only services i can think of offhand where you cannot get a price schedule. even lawyers tell you how much money per hour for their services...I can't see how any privately owned business can get away with hiding prices for services.
I don't begrudge the doctors, but i do have an issue with the whole system. We are one fo the wealthiest nations in the world and yet, we cannot provide basic health care. That, to me, is just sad, and i honestly do not know what will have to change in order to make this all work. Some say social healthcare, some say total privatization, some blame lawyers, some blame insurance companies, i just don't know what to say other than dont break a bone...ever...