In case anyone didn't receive the memo...

[gerisullivan]

...how health care expenses are charged and paid for in the United States of America is utterly screwed beyond belief.

My own absurdity du jour? According to the outpatient billing department at medical center where I've been having lab work done for the past 3.5 years, they can't tell me what anything costs. Basic tests, ultrasounds, nothing. They can't (or won't) quote prices for any outpatient services because they might get it wrong, and they can't (or won't) say what past prices were because "prices go up." Y'know, I can allow for that in my planning. But I can't make wise or even sensible financial decisions about which of 100+ insurance plans to buy for the coming year without knowing at least the ballpark prices for the services I can reasonably expect to need.

The medical center has an ombudsman, but only for internal staff and physicians. There is no ombudsman for patients. The billing department rep referred me to the secretary for the vice president of ambulatory services. Her own supervisor wasn't available, and she didn't know who else to point me at.

At least my doctor's office was able to give me the price range for "normal" office visits. Of course, that took two days and a helpful desk clerk. Much as everything is computerized, the price list is kept only in a 3-ring binder in the Nurse Manager's office. The list is so lengthy and confusing that the clerk had a hard time figuring out what prices to give me, and even though they have a lab there, she couldn't find any prices detailing what the tests cost.

I'll see if my insurance company can (or is willing) to provide any useful information.

Comments

[madfilkentist]

Thanks to many political pressures and maneuvers, the customer of medical services is now the insurance company, not the patient, for nearly all purposes. Medical service providers have no economic reason to give a damn about you.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

The insurance company can't (or won't) tell me, either. They have a list of approximate prices paid by their customers for common services, but nothing specific to my use or consumption of heath care services.

[madfilkentist]

The insurance company isn't selling you medical services retail; they're selling you a policy. It's a losing proposition all the way around.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

It's a losing proposition for the patient. Insurance company profits would indicate that it's rather a win for them.