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

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Understood. But they can't (or won't) tell me "your insurance company pays us X dollars" for a pelvic ultrasound, or "if you came in off the street, you'd pay Y dollars it," OR "if you had one today and were on a deductible plan with your insurance company, we'd send you a bill for Z dollars."

I was on a deductible plan from 2004-2005; I can look up some of the lab costs from then and adjust them for price increases. But I didn't have any ultrasounds, dammit.

And my insurance company won't tell me, either.

Yet one of the ways I make my living is designing and laying out wellness newsletters that constantly promote and stress the importance of Health Care Consumerism. It's the latest magic pill that's supposed to solve all of our problems and bring prices down.

So I'm left with over 100 health plans to choose from, and insufficent data with which to evaulate what my actual total health care costs (including insurance) are likely to be under any of them. Well, except for the premium plans that have no deductibles. 'Cause co-pay amounts are reasonably clear. Not perfectly so -- about once a year, I get a refunt check in the mail for a copay they charged me that I didn't actually owe, but I'm not looking for that level of precision. I'm trying to ensure that changing to a plan with a lower premium that I can pretend to afford won't actually end up costing me more than the plan getting hit with the $148/month premium increase.

Much as I personally like the leafy green, "I say it's spinach, and I say to Hell with it!"

[sethb.livejournal.com]

It probably won't help in time this year, but I'd suggest getting hold of some of your elected representatives and asking them (1) to get the data for you (they might), and (2) to pass a law requiring that the prices be made easily available so that consumers can make informed choices.

The companies will fight it, of course, but at least you'll have the fun of watching their purchased politicians attempting to weasel.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Good suggestion! Thanks.

[voidampersand.livejournal.com]

People worry about global warming, but what about the rising levels of irony? We're being inundated. Enough already.

I'm afraid the only real fix for this mess is going to be political. I say afraid, because political solutions are slow, and in the meantime you need to take care of yourself and stay healthy. I've been white-hot angry about this for years, what with my sister's problems with recurring cancer, and my cousin's death from an easily preventable heart attack. Search for "murder by spreadsheet" and what blogger nyceve is writing about health care, it expresses a lot of what I feel.

Good luck. Maybe you can lightly sauté the spinach with some garlic in a bit of olive oil.