another reason the US needs single-payer health care

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another reason the US needs single-payer health care - 3/4/2012 2:02:02 PM

defiantbadgirl

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http://news.yahoo.com/medical-bills-wreck-credit-even-paid-off-183216201.html

Medical billing departments rush to turn debts over to collection agencies. What if it's still being determined whether or not insurance will pay and if so how much? It's difficult to pay a bill without knowing how much to pay. What if the bill goes to collections before the insurance pays it? What if the insurance company tells the patient they will pay and then for whatever reason they forget? At least congress is trying to pass a bill to fix these people's credit, but if we had single-payer this never would've been an issue.

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RE: another reason the US needs single-payer health care - 3/5/2012 10:01:57 AM

kalikshama

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Based on my limited understanding from merely reading this article, I support the bill:

http://news.yahoo.com/medical-bills-wreck-credit-even-paid-off-183216201.html

Congress is considering legislation — the Medical Debt Responsibility Act — that would require credit agencies to delete paid-off medical debt from credit reports within 45 days.

"We're not talking about somebody buying a big screen television and not having the ability to pay. This is debt incurred because of a health condition. That makes medical debt unique," said bill co-sponsor U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, an Illinois Republican.

The bill has bipartisan support in the House, said co-sponsor U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat. Shuler said the health care industry sends delinquent bills to debt collectors quicker than any other industry.

"If it wasn't an industry that sent it straight to collections, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Shuler said. A Senate version was introduced last week.

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RE: another reason the US needs single-payer health care - 3/5/2012 10:38:40 AM

fucktoyprincess

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I have family in Canada and in the U.K. They avoid a lot of costs by not having the whole private insurance system (and all of the paper work, etc. involved). It also makes it much easier for the doctors' offices administratively, and absolutely easier for the patients who rarely have to deal with the paper work issue. (I am not going into a discussion here of whether the systems are better from a medical delivery standpoint - I am just pointing out that the administrative side of the system is much more streamlined and efficient.)

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RE: another reason the US needs single-payer health care - 3/5/2012 10:56:09 AM

Lucylastic

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Having lived in Canada for half my life and UK for the other half, ..In the UK, (this is only going on what I remember as I havent lived in the UK for 25 years, but all my family are there) you are given an National Health number at birth. When you sign on with a doc, you give him the card number.
You carry that with you everytime you change docs. The only paperwork is(was) referrals,
Canada, you are given a health card with a magnetic strip, which must be shown at every docs appointment, bloodwork, xray, ultrasound, hospital visit, dental and eye care( dental and vision care arent covered beyond a basic emerg care).
Again, the only needed paperwork needed are referrals to take to the clinic, hospital dept and or consulting doc.
The local HC Body doesnt cover many things tho but a lot of companies offer private insurance to cover the costs of other treatments and prescriptions.Thats where the paperwork comes in.
I just found this from the WAPO about costs in comparison with the US and other "developed countries" (Argentina, Canada, Chile, India,France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland)
you can see yourself the differences in cost for procedures
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/business/high-cost-of-medical-procedures-in-the-us/
and the parent page..why an MRI costs $1,080 in America and $280 in France
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/why-an-mri-costs-1080-in-america-and-280-in-france/2011/08/25/gIQAVHztoR_blog.html?tid=pm_business_pop

As with the UK Canada costs arent given to the patient.
I had surgery last year, which I had a tumour, and cysts/fibroids removed. During the first six months of the year, I had three MRIs, three ultrasounds, many many blood tests, a colonoscopy, and gastroscopy, a decent OBGYN with eight visits, a oncologist consult and a five day stay in hospital with full surgery. I didnt have to worry about the cost, I could concentrate on getting myself well and not stress.
I wouldnt change that for the US version if you paid me a million a year.Truthfully

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RE: another reason the US needs single-payer health care - 3/5/2012 11:22:27 AM

tweakabelle

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The sheer stress caused by worrying about the paperwork, whether the insurance company will honour its obligations and all the other needless petty hassles I see Americans complaining about here must have a cumulative and negative effect on people's health in the US.

Our system here is similar to the Canadian . I have a plastic card issued by the Govt which I present at all my doctors appts. My health needs are taken care of without any additional hassle. The[link=http://www.pbs.gov.au] Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme] guarantees all Australian citizens and residents affordable medicines - from about $5 per prescription.

< Message edited by tweakabelle -- 3/5/2012 11:23:34 AM >

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RE: another reason the US needs single-payer health care - 3/5/2012 11:47:55 AM

fucktoyprincess

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I have to tell you. I spend a lot of time filling out paperwork, submitting paperwork, and then arguing with insurance companies about what ought or ought not to be covered. The basic tactic they will take is to deny coverage for anything out of the ordinary, and leave it to the patient to fight for their rights. This takes up my time (and money), but also takes up the insurances company's time (and money) because they have to pay for all of these employees at call centers to deal with the constant phone calls (for pre-authorizations, for disputes, etc. etc. etc.) There is a whole layer of waste to our system that really shouldn't be there. And this is true even for the most routine office visit to an extended hospital stay.

Most doctors I deal with no longer deal with insurance. In other words, I pay out-of-pocket, and then submit for insurance separately. The reason many doctor's offices no longer want to handle the insurance is the sheer administrative burden that it places on them. They have to hire more people in the doctor's office in order to handle the administrative side of insurance - something for which the doctors don't really receive anything extra. So the doctors have started to download this onto patients. And it takes perseverance sometimes with the insurance companies.

I think prices for some procedures could come down if we could eliminate some of the administrative costs.

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RE: another reason the US needs single-payer health care - 3/5/2012 1:14:14 PM

GrandPoobah

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quote:

ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess

FR

I have to tell you. I spend a lot of time filling out paperwork, submitting paperwork, and then arguing with insurance companies about what ought or ought not to be covered. The basic tactic they will take is to deny coverage for anything out of the ordinary, and leave it to the patient to fight for their rights. This takes up my time (and money), but also takes up the insurances company's time (and money) because they have to pay for all of these employees at call centers to deal with the constant phone calls (for pre-authorizations, for disputes, etc. etc. etc.) There is a whole layer of waste to our system that really shouldn't be there. And this is true even for the most routine office visit to an extended hospital stay.

Most doctors I deal with no longer deal with insurance. In other words, I pay out-of-pocket, and then submit for insurance separately. The reason many doctor's offices no longer want to handle the insurance is the sheer administrative burden that it places on them. They have to hire more people in the doctor's office in order to handle the administrative side of insurance - something for which the doctors don't really receive anything extra. So the doctors have started to download this onto patients. And it takes perseverance sometimes with the insurance companies.

I think prices for some procedures could come down if we could eliminate some of the administrative costs.

The real irony of your situation...and millions of others just like you...is that any time the idea of Single Payer, aka "socialiszed medicine" is brought up, the first complaint is "I don't want some government official deciding what's covered, or how I can be treated." Okay, that's a reasonably valid question to address, but I always look at it this way:

You don't want a government official making those decisions, but you seem okay with the idea that somebody you've never met...the infamous "Plan Administrator" gets to make the same decisions that concern you....AND...this "guy" works for a company that's trying to make a profit. So...which of these two seems more likely to be concerned about your health?

Get the doctors out of the bill processing center and back into the treatment rooms. Get the profit motive out of health care decisions. It's really that simple.

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RE: another reason the US needs single-payer health care - 3/5/2012 8:13:12 PM

erieangel

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quote:

You don't want a government official making those decisions, but you seem okay with the idea that somebody you've never met...the infamous "Plan Administrator" gets to make the same decisions that concern you....AND...this "guy" works for a company that's trying to make a profit. So...which of these two seems more likely to be concerned about your health?

That is exactly what I have been saying to all of my conservative friends who seem to think they are the only ones making any decisions about their health care. But what do you expect from a party which has a wing that proudly proclaims they want government out of their medicare?

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