Medicine's Big Mystery: What Does Treatment Cost?

[Malaria Doc]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-...ry-what-does-treatment-cost-mimi-ferraro.html

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[painmd87]

Sounds about right for many offices. A good billing and coding person is an invaluable tool for a physician. In the practice where I recently worked, we collected and verified insurance information prior to any patient showing up, which meant that we knew how much of their deductible was left, what their coinsurance and copays were, etc. No patient scheduled an appointment until this information was in our system, and every patient got an e-mail or a letter with how much they would owe when they walked in the door (be it $20 or $749.89).

A large number of doctors are not very good at the whole business side of things, and it leads to experiences like this patient's. My internist wouldn't give me a physical in June 2011 because I had one in July 2010. I explained that I had called my insurance company and they assured me that I had a calendar-year policy and could get 1 physical a year. They wanted me to pay $650 up front. I had the insurance company call them. That put the issue to rest and they were reimbursed $189.

 

[Malaria Doc]

I think my MBA could be a great asset in the practice of Medicine. I would love to run a free clinic. Let's hope the adcoms agree.

 

[CodeBlu]

Interesting article.

Sounds like price markup if I've ever seen it. Sort of disgusting. Lupron should NOT cost $4099. Just plaaaaaain stupid.

 

[Bacchus]

Interesting article.

Sounds like price markup if I've ever seen it. Sort of disgusting. Lupron should NOT cost $4099. Just plaaaaaain stupid.

Well, then we need to reign in the amount of free care given. The price you pay is a direct correlation of free care that has been given out. Less free care = less inflation of medical costs to recoup money lost on charity cases.

You want to see some expensive things try to find prices on biologic patches for simple hernia repairs (inguinal and ventral). You're looking at anywhere from $7000 upwards of $20000 for the patch alone.

 

[DrBowtie]

Treatment for PNH is like $500k per year.

 

[JESSFALLING]

I remember being billed $24 for two 250mg Tylenol........2 pills!! Thank goodness I had insurance, as the rest of the ER bill was equally outrageous.

 

[kcin]

" As a freelancer -- I am a singer, an actress and a yoga teacher, among other things"

Get a career, hippie.

 

[theseeker4]

" as a freelancer -- i am a singer, an actress and a yoga teacher, among other things"

get a career, hippie.

+1

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

" As a freelancer -- I am a singer, an actress and a yoga teacher, among other things"

Get a career, hippie.

haha