General Discussion

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)

53. I'd love to turn a set of forensic accountants loose on any hospital's books -

Sat Jan 5, 2013, 06:19 PM

Jan 2013

I bet a lot of money gets siphoned off for huge managerial salaries at the top!

Most hospitals seem to take months to put a bill together. Why is it so advantageous to them to have such a baroque billing system?

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my night in the hospital shows why we need universal health care [View all] backwoodsbob Jan 2013 OP

That was the discount rate Fumesucker Jan 2013 #1

it's just insane backwoodsbob Jan 2013 #3

Nurses. Doctors. Lab work. Administrative. Maintenance. Security. Housekeeping. Technicians. geckosfeet Jan 2013 #33

And the 'bottom-line' profit (prolly the highest tab). nt Amonester Jan 2013 #49

you left out the massive profit Skittles Jan 2013 #52

Hardly. geckosfeet Jan 2013 #56

it's a racket, and a sick one at that Skittles Jan 2013 #92

I agree. The insurance industry is simply an arm of the investment industry. geckosfeet Jan 2013 #95

No massive profit for me, but state of the art care for my tiny little patients tavalon Jan 2013 #96

At home you don't need 3 of those. Lady Freedom Returns Jan 2013 #64

Maybe not. That's just an off the top of the head list. geckosfeet Jan 2013 #84

It's true, though! LisaLynne Jan 2013 #8

That was the retail price davekriss Jan 2013 #48

ACTUALLY, without insurance.. pangaia Jan 2013 #66

As someone who lacks insurance and has for over four years now I'm pretty attuned to this subject Fumesucker Jan 2013 #68

Every medical bill I've ever received was always less with insurance obxhead Jan 2013 #73

Your experience is about more than Jenoch Jan 2013 #2

I had a baby in 1978 and had no insurance. proud2BlibKansan Jan 2013 #4

One of the reasons the OBGYN situations Jenoch Jan 2013 #12

I think you mean "artifically inflated" by the insurance companies, as NashvilleLefty Jan 2013 #41

More BS from the AMA... Sekhmets Daughter Jan 2013 #58

I hope they don't have to get a seperate policy, for each patient. julian09 Jan 2013 #67

I had a baby in 2004 130,000 abelenkpe Jan 2013 #57

$30,000 for a delivery Jenoch Jan 2013 #72

So true! abelenkpe Jan 2013 #82

Your insurance has negotiated a rate with the hospital and it is unlikely they will cbayer Jan 2013 #5

My insurance company always says how much they are paying . . . StatGirl Jan 2013 #16

Hospital charges are generally 3 times or more what they actually get from payers. cbayer Jan 2013 #17

THat's what the hospital bills SoCalNative Jan 2013 #6

I know they negotiate rates but backwoodsbob Jan 2013 #7

It's about 50% from my experience. Lasher Jan 2013 #13

I can only speak from personal experience SoCalNative Jan 2013 #34

Ten percent. 1800 is 10 percent of 18,000. Tess49 Jan 2013 #38

I don't doubt that. Lasher Jan 2013 #51

does the hospital Richard D Jan 2013 #36

I have no clue about that. Lasher Jan 2013 #50

My sister is employed, has health insurance, and had the flu. spiderpig Jan 2013 #9

what did they bill her for? dhol82 Jan 2013 #10

at this point I could backwoodsbob Jan 2013 #11

An office visit and 2 lab tests resulting that she didn't have influenza A or B spiderpig Jan 2013 #14

Yep, I have insurance (BC/BS) and went to a doctor at Mass General. smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #94

Day after Thanksgiving, 5 hours in ER, 3 day hospital stay Glitterati Jan 2013 #15

that must be so scary renate Jan 2013 #25

Thank you Glitterati Jan 2013 #31

My sister has had to have surgery without insurance, she was able to negotiate with the hospital to PATXgirl Jan 2013 #43

I will try that next Glitterati Jan 2013 #77

Your hospital may have a system set in place to help you. Lucinda Jan 2013 #70

I have applied for financial aid, but Glitterati Jan 2013 #75

Last June my wife had severe cramping and vomiting DJ13 Jan 2013 #18

dayum backwoodsbob Jan 2013 #19

Yes, she had her gallbladder removed at Stanford in August DJ13 Jan 2013 #23

You are correct about the need for Medicare for All, but remember .... Scuba Jan 2013 #20

That is insane riverbendviewgal Jan 2013 #21

all that in the space of three years... I'm so sorry renate Jan 2013 #24

yes it is life changing but riverbendviewgal Jan 2013 #44

What you've been through Tsiyu Jan 2013 #30

my friends say I am strong but we all can go through this riverbendviewgal Jan 2013 #46

My wife's trip to the ER and overnight stay cost about twice that. Arctic Dave Jan 2013 #22

Wow. That's an expensive night. In_The_Wind Jan 2013 #26

For Profit Medicine At Its Finest cantbeserious Jan 2013 #27

Hey, we pay extra for 24/7 card guards, plus billing coder armies, and PROFITS! Festivito Jan 2013 #28

Answer: Risk Managers making decisions about "care" in order to keep staffing low & volume high. nt patrice Jan 2013 #29

nothing like that in Canada riverbendviewgal Jan 2013 #47

There's a little known provision in the PATIENT PROTECTION & Affordable Care Act of 2010, a.k.a. patrice Jan 2013 #74

and health care providers mislead you about what's covered zazen Jan 2013 #32

I'd say medical review is far more common than not. TheKentuckian Jan 2013 #71

For every one with insurance like yours they treat 8 without. ileus Jan 2013 #35

Thanks for this matt819 Jan 2013 #37

simple heaven05 Jan 2013 #39

My recent 13-night stay... spinbaby Jan 2013 #40

I sat down with a neurosurgeon last year for five minutes. Five minutes. Flatulo Jan 2013 #42

Last winter I paid almost $1,000 for a 30-second EKG Earth_First Jan 2013 #45

I'd love to turn a set of forensic accountants loose on any hospital's books - hedgehog Jan 2013 #53

each province has their own plan. riverbendviewgal Jan 2013 #54

And yet, the self proclaimed, "Greatest Country on Earth" right next door, has the worlds most RC Jan 2013 #61

A baseline sleep study or EEG runs about.... rppper Jan 2013 #55

oh, for christ's sake 4 t 4 Jan 2013 #60

It's Kind of sad...I agree.... rppper Jan 2013 #91

Hope you're feeling better.... Sekhmets Daughter Jan 2013 #59

Exactly. THAT is the problem with medical pricing. I know of doctors who charge a lot of money Lint Head Jan 2013 #62

I'd like to know how they come up with the prices. limpyhobbler Jan 2013 #63

We are lucky to collect 30 cents for each dollar billed pediatricmedic Jan 2013 #65

This is something that wingnuts don't understand. Turbineguy Jan 2013 #69

hospitals and health centers are raking in money Rosa Luxemburg Jan 2013 #76

Most Hospitals RobinA Jan 2013 #90

No, the hospitals are not raking in the money pediatricmedic Jan 2013 #98

Universal health care doesn't solve that...cost controls solves it. dkf Jan 2013 #78

They are building the "Backwooods Bob Pneumonia Pavillion and Conference Center"? FarCenter Jan 2013 #79

i must be worth a million MFM008 Jan 2013 #80

Two tiered society - those with insurance and those without Liberal_in_LA Jan 2013 #81

They all overcharge OccupyManny Jan 2013 #83

Medical care costs are exponential bongbong Jan 2013 #85

That was a bargain... SomethingFishy Jan 2013 #86

those who have facebook should look up SOCIALZED MEDICINE riverbendviewgal Jan 2013 #87

here is anothee good link from an american veteran riverbendviewgal Jan 2013 #88

I can relate rightsideout Jan 2013 #89

wow. What's your copay? liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #93

mines a weird but very good system backwoodsbob Jan 2013 #97