The charges are ridiculous and seems set up to defraud insurance. And if you have no insurance or you are indegent, a lawyer (note: all lawyers are crooked) will buy your debt(marker) and sue you adding 25% for their trouble. Only in America huh?
2006-08-06 16:06:20 · 8 answers · asked by John 3 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Only the uninsured are charged these prices. Insurance companies negotiate bulk rates with health care providers and pay only a percentage of the rack rate.
This is the problem of a third-party payer system. If people were responsible for their own health care, things would be different. For starters, we'd be more careful with our health. However, once you pay a fixed price for health care, why not become an obese smoker?
This is exactly what a lot of people do.
A second problem is government-funded health care. The government pays an even lower percentage than insurance companies. Health care providers then "cost-shift." That means they charge you more because the person who got treated on the government plan paid less. Just ask any doctor who takes medicaid patients. They call for service for every little thing because it doesn't cost them anything. In reality, you're paying for it twice.
Yup - only in America.
2006-08-06 16:20:04 · answer #1 · answered by szydkids 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Healthcare is expensive, the $250 for the injection covers not just the service but the cost of the nursing care, the hospital equipment used to administer the service, and the facility charges (do not forget for each visit there are dozens of people behind the scenes ensuring you receive quality service.)
The same kind of pricing goes on in the auto industry, retail, housing, jewelry and just about every service industry out their.
2006-08-06 16:23:11 · answer #2 · answered by Seeking 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a complicated situation where the fees are based upon
-the cost of the goods (shot, bandage) being given
-the cost of the time of the person who applies it
-a suitable cost to pay for the time of the administrative and janitorial staff
-a prorated cost of liability insurance for the hospital and individual liability insurance for any professional touching you.
The biggest variable is the last one. A surgeon in the US pays as much liability insurance as a Canadian surgeon makes. A large part of this is the propensity of Americans to sue for large sums of money and for what the rest of the world calls frivilous reasons.
2006-08-07 01:04:10 · answer #3 · answered by Buzz s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ah, John, you've made my day. I keep saying I'm going to run for public office with health care reform being my platform. Our health care system is atrocious. Our country is too well off not to provide health care for it's citizens. Yes, $250.00 is too much for an injection.
We need to take a look at not for profit hospitals who pay NO taxes, I repeat, no taxes yet make millions of dollars monthly. Shame, shame. I could go on and on.
We need to be shouting from the rooftops that we need health care reform. It is getting worse by the day. God help us boomers who will need health care and don't have good insurance or money. Soylent Green, here we come!!!
2006-08-06 16:36:53 · answer #4 · answered by wanninonni 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Agh! Money for things like that! No offence put toward any citizen of the United States what-so-ever, but, in my opinion, the US Gov't takes Capitalism too far. Here in Canada, visiting the doctor is free. Getting injections, immunizations are free, as far as I know Cancer treatment costs nothing, the only thing we pay for (as far as I know..) is prescription medication. So, we have less an economy than the US, but we can afford free/nearly free healthcare. Confuses me.
2006-08-06 16:15:54 · answer #5 · answered by Stephen P 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
George W Bush...Iraqi freedom..high gas prices...crime out of control.....teachers that need to speak 5 different languages....what more do you need to know??? Republicans have failed me and they all have their hand in some healthcare CEOs pocket so they don't pass a universal healthcare bill for Americans!!! They won't be able to make their yacht payment if some healthhcare law is passed!
2006-08-06 16:33:47 · answer #6 · answered by Damned fan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
canada pays for all medical insurance via thru taxes, and they arne't able to get everything they need at a decent time (ex: you need a hip replacement, and ur 60 or older-good luck)
if your unhappy with your insurance, try calling different companies and get price quotes, you could tell them what u would like to pay for dr visits, meds, whatever.
they may have a plan that will suit your needs
2006-08-06 16:24:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the drug companies kickback the doctors, then the doctors to the pharmacy. a drug that cost a buck to make will cost you 25 bucks.
2006-08-06 16:12:18 · answer #8 · answered by hollywood71@verizon.net 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋