Is This Why Health Insurance Is So Expensive?

Hospital Hotels are the new fad ... and while they effect Health Insurance costs to some degree, Insurance Fraud remains the biggest driver of costs ... as far as hospitals, depending on who you ask or what publication you read, 70-80% of the patients seen through the ER don't have Health Insurance so the hospitals have to make those losses up on the 20-30% that do have Health Insurance ... ever wonder why two 500mg of Tylenol cost $15.00 in a hospital but you can get 100ct of the 500mg at CVS for less than $10.00 ...

And best wishes for a speedy recovery! Originally Posted by hookem69horns

How the hell to you figure that as "insurance fraud." Not having insurance is poverty or foolishness. Not fraud.

How the hell to you figure that as "insurance fraud." Not having insurance is poverty or foolishness. Not fraud. Originally Posted by TexTushHog

exactly. no insurance, no medical care. greedy doctors.

Yeah, greedy doctors. Imagine wanting to get paid after spending 8 years in school, paying outrageous malpractice insurance premiums, accumulating massive student loans, learning how to save lives, on call 24/7. Greedy bastards!

Yeah, greedy doctors. Imagine wanting to get paid after spending 8 years in school, paying outrageous malpractice insurance premiums, accumulating massive student loans, learning how to save lives, on call 24/7. Greedy bastards! Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

doctors make much less money in the rest of the world. so ill say greedy american doctors. medical care shouldnt be capitalized. people need it or will die.

Well, I guess we should all let you decide how much anyone should make. I'll bet you would like to make more money than you do. Greedy bastard!

Well, I guess we should all let you decide how much anyone should make. I'll bet you would like to make more money than you do. Greedy bastard! Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

more money just means more child support. i got it easy now, so im good.

Hospitals are finding that "room service" type food is cheaper, I'm told. Lots less food ends up being prepared and wasted. Plus, if quality is high, patients families and visitors eat while there and food become an source of income, not a cost center. doesn't seem to make much sense to me, but it's what I've heard.

And remember, we're the only place in the world where health care is a marketable commodity. There ate several choices for hospital services in big cities. Your choice is going to be governed by what you can see, what you hear from other patients, etc. So amenities are important for marketing purposes. Sometimes, even if they have to scrimp where it counts, which you don't see. For example, did you do research on the infection rates of your hospital? Can you tell us as much about that, or their rates of compliance with evidence based "best practices" as you can about their room service and the TV's? Everybody sees the decor. Very few do the Internet research on the health care stats Originally Posted by TexTushHog

So, are you saying that the two star food in the restaurant is going to reimburse the hospital the cost of the building, the private rooms and the luxury items? If so, we’re all in the wrong business. We need to go into the mediocre food business post haste.

No people do not get to go where ever they want. Their choice is determined by their insurance carrier unless they want to pay for the it out of pocket. For those that can afford it, more power to them.

Perhaps their infection rate would go down and their profit margin would go up if they didn’t spend their money on luxury. TV’s, decent food, mechanical beds for the infirmed are all reasonable, but all out, splendor isn’t really needed. Especially when collective insurance that we all pay into is paying the healthcare provider for a flagship hospital and to increase the value of their asset.

Maybe I can just order the young hot nurse.
But they don't have my favorite drink on the menu, I'll have someone bring that for me. (50/50 gin/orange juice) Originally Posted by waverunner234

If you do have a hot nurse just keep pressing that buzzer that is wired into the nurses station! Keep her on her tip toes.

Once Obamacare kicks in you'll be checking into Motel 6.

I do wish you well.

The "shovel ready" jobs kick in as soon as Obamacare does!

exactly. no insurance, no medical care. greedy doctors. Originally Posted by Af-Freakin

Dude, you need to take a little field trip.

Walk into the waiting room of any hospital emergency room in the United States of America. Read the posters on the wall. They're generally printed in English and Spanish, take your pick, they say the same thing.

A couple of true stories. These are first-party recollections: I'm the guy they happened to.

Several years ago, in Dallas, at about 5 AM, I walked into the Medical City Dallas Hospital ER, in fairly acute status asthmaticus. I had just gotten in the door, and was leaning on the front desk. A nurse saw me, asked "Do you need to see a doctor?" "Yes." "Nature of the problem?" "Asthma." "Come with me."

She led me back into the main bay. Along the way to the closest available seat, she collected two other nurses and a respiratory therapist, and they all proceeded to get very busy on me.

EVERY WORD THEY SAID, EVERY QUESTION THEY ASKED, BORE DIRECTLY ON THE MEDICAL CONDITION. NOT ONE WORD WAS SAID ABOUT PAYMENT OR INSURANCE.

I was halfway through the second round of nebulizer breathing treatment before they got around to asking my name.

I've had similar things happen a few other times, at other hospitals, in other cities and states, when I was in really bad shape. The first focus has ALWAYS been on TREATMENT, and we'll worry about money later.

No people do not get to go where ever they want. Their choice is determined by their insurance carrier unless they want to pay for the it out of pocket. For those that can afford it, more power to them. Originally Posted by OliviaHoward

I have had health insurance with several different carriers, over the course of many jobs. Every single one of them had, in black and white in the benefits handbook, words to the following effect: In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room. It will be covered.

If it isn't an emergency, then they will expect you to go to one of their approved or preferred providers, and jump through the hoops. In an emergency, get to an ER, right now.

find a good looking nurse and keep dropping your newspaper on the floor so she can bend over and pick it up.
Act like you need help taking a shower because you are feeling dizzy and it's because you are nervous. wink wink

How the hell to you figure that as "insurance fraud." Not having insurance is poverty or foolishness. Not fraud. Originally Posted by TexTushHog

I did not say anything about people not having insurance is considered fraud ... I said that insurance fraud is one of the biggest cost drivers in Health Insurance (premiums) costing so much ...



[QUOTE=Af-Freakin;1726000]exactly. no insurance, no medical care. greedy doctors.


Ok. When you are in the hospital fighting for your life, ask yourself if your attending surgeon is greedy, then ask him if he feels overpaid right before he saves your life ...

Hospitals are finding that "room service" type food is cheaper, I'm told. Lots less food ends up being prepared and wasted. Plus, if quality is high, patients families and visitors eat while there and food become an source of income, not a cost center. doesn't seem to make much sense to me, but it's what I've heard.

And remember, we're the only place in the world where health care is a marketable commodity. There ate several choices for hospital services in big cities. Your choice is going to be governed by what you can see, what you hear from other patients, etc. So amenities are important for marketing purposes. Sometimes, even if they have to scrimp where it counts, which you don't see. For example, did you do research on the infection rates of your hospital? Can you tell us as much about that, or their rates of compliance with evidence based "best practices" as you can about their room service and the TV's? Everybody sees the decor. Very few do the Internet research on the health care stats Originally Posted by TexTushHog

Do you think the food would be different for the family (no salt diet, etc.)? I don't think they would send multiple meals to same room unless they color code trays or something to keep patient from getting wrong food. The short order grill at ADC is pretty good.