Total bill for my hospital stay last year

[michbich]

That was my point. "Valid" can be manipulated to fit a pre-existing condition.

[grEnAlEins]

That was my point. "Valid" can be manipulated to fit a pre-existing condition.

I was agreeing with you They are upfront about the conditions though, so they cannot really surprise you out of nowhere.

I get $5M lifetime, $1 or 1.5M per incident/illness, and it has to paid for (duh ).

They cannot drop you for a condition unless you hit a cost limit that they define upfront. If you switch policies the new insurer might not cover a pre-existing condition for obvious reasons. Many states limit their ability to do this altogether though, or will limit it in the case of group policies.

[Coralis]

The problem with our health care system is too many people don't pay and those with insurance end up getting to pay ridiculous amounts of money to make up for those who can't or won't. My wife is a O.R. nurse at a community hospital and a good 60% or more come in for surgery are self pay ( read no pay ) . For all you people complaining about socialized medicine we already have it, its just not fair you get to pay for your own care via insurance and taxes and then you get to pay for the uninsured via ridiculous hospital rates when you require that level of care.

Im not advocating socialized medicine but if its so bad then why do our government officials have it and we are stuck with our system? Personally I don't think its going to change until congress and the president's taxpayer supported socialized medicine is "upgraded" to a free market health care system that the rest of us are "blessed" with.

[pyrodragon]

what i hate is when my doctor charges my insurance company over $400 for a regular check up. to take blood pressure, pusle, temp and some other vitals and spend less than 30 minutes to check over you and ask you questions. that's what wrong with our problem with healthcare in the US.

[maxama10]

AMC has this tv show about a highschool chem teacher who got cancer and decided he didn't want to leave his family in debt or poor so he started cooking meth. It's called breaking bad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

maybe you should buy a trailer and some acreage

[Lohman446]

what i hate is when my doctor charges my insurance company over $400 for a regular check up. to take blood pressure, pusle, temp and some other vitals and spend less than 30 minutes to check over you and ask you questions. that's what wrong with our problem with healthcare in the US.

Often done, if you are lucky, by a nurse, though often enough not even someone with that much medical certification. Very seldom done by the doctor themselves

[MANN]

what i hate is when my doctor charges my insurance company over $400 for a regular check up. to take blood pressure, pusle, temp and some other vitals and spend less than 30 minutes to check over you and ask you questions. that's what wrong with our problem with healthcare in the US.

What you have to remember is that doctors pay over 100k a year for their insurance. Maybe the problem lies in our judicial system where you can sue anyone for anything. Including burning yourself from coffee.

In that 400 fee that he sent to your insurance company I am sure it broke down like this
20-30 building rent
50-60 lab work
10-20 nurse
10-15 receptionist
80 dr ins
150 taxes/accounting/benefits for employees

So that leaves what 60 bucks for the Dr. You figure uncle sam is going to take 20.00 of it (more if you live in a liberal state)

After going to school for 10-12 years, having the responsibility of others lives in my hands, working ridiculous hours, and having to be available on Saturday and Sunday. I would not wake up for less than 60.00/hr. But that is just me.

Every time I hear someone talk about how it can be done cheaperr I would like to say either do it, or pay what others are asking for it to be done.

[pyrodragon]

[QUOTE=MANN]After going to school for 10-12 years, having the responsibility of others lives in my hands, working ridiculous hours, and having to be available on Saturday and Sunday. I would not wake up for less than 60.00/hr. But that is just me. [QUOTE]

Sorry to put it this way, but this is what i consider greed. the way i look at it is we all have a choice in what we want to be in this world. if you want to be a doctor then guess what, there are higher cost of living in order to be a doctor. if you want to be a teacher, there is a price to pay in order to be a teacher. i hate seeing our healthcare system being run by drug companies more and more. everytime you go into a doctor office, there is some drug company poster for whatever flavor of the month med. i know a lot about the spiffs offer by drug companies that are given to doctors. doctors are bringing extra income off spiffs too (like that nice paid vacation to hawaii that's worth $5k-$6k) . why are the drug companies allowed a 17 year patent on drugs?(we can go into all the R&D costs but 17 years? how would you like it if SP was granted the same?) this needs to be change for sure.

[michbich]

Sorry to put it this way, but this is what i consider greed. the way i look at it is we all have a choice in what we want to be in this world. if you want to be a doctor then guess what, there are higher cost of living in order to be a doctor. if you want to be a teacher, there is a price to pay in order to be a teacher. i hate seeing our healthcare system being run by drug companies more and more. everytime you go into a doctor office, there is some drug company poster for whatever flavor of the month med. i know a lot about the spiffs offer by drug companies that are given to doctors. doctors are bringing extra income off spiffs too (like that nice paid vacation to hawaii that's worth $5k-$6k) . why are the drug companies allowed a 17 year patent on drugs?(we can go into all the R&D costs but 17 years? how would you like it if SP was granted the same?) this needs to be change for sure.

That only works in an ideal world. You can call it greed if you want but the simple fact is that the more education you have, the more responsibilities you have and the more knowledge you have to solve problems in that feild. Should a school janitor have the same salary as a dentist?

But i agree on the pharmaceutical subject, they are out of control. If a company can produce the same drug but cheaper, they should be allowed. After all, a patent on a drug is the right to produce a molecule. If someone can produce the same molecule with a different procedure, they should be allowed to sell it.

[Lohman446]

After going to school for 10-12 years, having the responsibility of others lives in my hands, working ridiculous hours, and having to be available on Saturday and Sunday. I would not wake up for less than 60.00/hr. But that is just me.

What about administrators making just as much or more?

[MANN]

Sorry to put it this way, but this is what i consider greed. the way i look at it is we all have a choice in what we want to be in this world. if you want to be a doctor then guess what, there are higher cost of living in order to be a doctor. if you want to be a teacher, there is a price to pay in order to be a teacher. i hate seeing our healthcare system being run by drug companies more and more. everytime you go into a doctor office, there is some drug company poster for whatever flavor of the month med. i know a lot about the spiffs offer by drug companies that are given to doctors. doctors are bringing extra income off spiffs too (like that nice paid vacation to hawaii that's worth $5k-$6k) . why are the drug companies allowed a 17 year patent on drugs?(we can go into all the R&D costs but 17 years? how would you like it if SP was granted the same?) this needs to be change for sure.

Greed? LOL. That is the facts of life. Their has to be a reward for hard work. It is Supply & Demand. Medical school Demands ALOT so their are few doctors (short supply). Why would you through all of the trouble of medical school to get a salesmans, bankers, nurses salary. Just remember if it were easy everyone would do it. If everyone did it it would be cheap. What is cheap nothing other than jr bacon cheese burger or the taco special for the month. There is no reason to not compensate someone well (better than others) for footing the time and responsibility as our doctors.

Go ahead. Lower the pay for doctors. Let anyone be a doctor. Get what you pay for

[MANN]

What about administrators making just as much or more?

I know mechanics & day care workers that make more

The fact is that when you are the best you can make the best. Usually people that put time/efffort into their job get it out in return.

[SCpoloRicker]

lol, $60/hr.

[MANN]

lol, $60/hr.

I dont mean to state that drs only make 60/hr. I am just stating that they dont get 400/ half hour.

[Lohman446]

I know mechanics & day care workers that make more

The fact is that when you are the best you can make the best. Usually people that put time/efffort into their job get it out in return.

But thats not a best scenario. These are often in very poorly rated hospitals. The best make far more than that.

I don't know of any mechanics around here at least who, without capital investment (business ownership) make $60 an hour.