House passes health care bill on 219-212 vote

[DaemonSeid]

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).

But think of how much you would have been charged if you had NO coverage.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

But think of how much you would have been charged if you had NO coverage.

Probably the same, maybe less. I've been without insurance before man, I know how it works. I've been to clinics that had discounted pricing for non insured patients.

Also, my current Derma doesn't accept my insurance but I still see him and only pay between $40-80 per visit, depending on the treatment.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I don't like the bill itself. It doesn't go far enough. I do think that it's good in that it creates an entitlement which will never go away. My prediction is that the insurers will do what big companies with monopolies do and continue to drive prices up and coverage down forcing Congress to act later on to restructure costs, create a public option and all of those things we all know would really make a difference here.

For now though, baby steps work for me.

I agree. I'm settling for this one now because we have to start somewhere. I feel confident that we won't stop here.

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Kevin I don't see how this is going to work for us without a public option. How about Stopping hospitals charging $40 for an aspirin or $300 for an xray of my wrist or me having to pay $30 out of pocket with my insurance picking up $70 for a three minute consultation with a Dr. That might lower costs.

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).

Part of what you're paying for when you pay for your healthcare are the reimbursed costs that the hospital/medical center is having to absorb under the current system. If they are only paid for 30% of the treatment they provide, they have to make enough money off of those 30% to cover their costs. If everybody has insurance, everybody's health care costs will go down.

Ultimately, I'd still like to see health insurance completely removed from the employer. Hopefully we'll get there someday.