House passes health care bill on 219-212 vote

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Hospital for the x-Ray but the $105 consultation was at an urgent care. And I forgot to add that after making me pay a $30 copayment before seeing the Dr, then charging my insurance $70 they sent me a bill for $5.

I understand that healthcare is expensive due to equiptment and personnel costs but I fail to see how insurance reform is going to lower the total cost of healthcare. You'd think the best way to lower the total cost is to cap what the providers can charge you ( i.e. Dentist legally cannot charge more than $300 for a root canal, $70 for a cleaning).

That consultation fee is for the ability to go to an afterhours style urgent care facility and see a doctor. You pay more for that convenience. The doctor doesn't actually get that money. The physician is an employee of that center and gets paid somewhere between $50 and $75 and hour to staff the center depending on the contract. A business runs the center and will shut down, leaving you with no convenient place to see a doctor for your broken wrist, if they cut back on the fee allowable.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

That consultation fee is for the ability to go to an afterhours style urgent care facility and see a doctor. You pay more for that convenience. The doctor doesn't actually get that money. The physician is an employee of that center and gets paid somewhere between $50 and $75 and hour to staff the center depending on the contract. A business runs the center and will shut down, leaving you with no convenient place to see a doctor for your broken wrist, if they cut back on the fee allowable.

Also he went o an urgent care center and not the ER...so he probably spent less time there too.

[aggieAXO]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

That consultation fee is for the ability to go to an afterhours style urgent care facility and see a doctor. You pay more for that convenience. The doctor doesn't actually get that money. The physician is an employee of that center and gets paid somewhere between $50 and $75 and hour to staff the center depending on the contract. A business runs the center and will shut down, leaving you with no convenient place to see a doctor for your broken wrist, if they cut back on the fee allowable.

Not to try and compare veterinary medicine to human medicine but this is exactly what I try tell my clients that see me at the ER. Yes we are more expensive but at least we are here at 2 AM to see Fluffy who has been very sick for a week- then I ask "why again didn't you take her to your regular vet?" I love the blank stares I get when I ask that question. I am so sick of people bithcing about the prices we charge when 80% of the things i see are preventable or could have been dealt with for a lower cost by their regular veterinarian.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by aggieAXO

Not to try and compare veterinary medicine to human medicine but this is exactly what I try tell my clients that see me at the ER. Yes we are more expensive but at least we are here at 2 AM to see Fluffy who has been very sick for a week- then I ask "why again didn't you take her to your regular vet?" I love the blank stares I get when I ask that question. I am so sick of people bithcing about the prices we charge when 80% of the things i see are preventable or could have been dealt with for a lower cost by their regular veterinarian.

It's an apt comparison! The same thing happens at your 24hr pharmacy. They jack up the prices for the convenience. Talk to your plumber or air conditioner repair man at MN...they charge you double to fix something in the middle of the night, as well!