Political funny pictures thread, part V *** If I don't laugh, I'll cry***

[nonobaddog]

You might want to verify your healthcare provider accepts medicare assignment.

 

[actaeon277]

Whoever wrote this is under the impression that Medicare does not do the exact same thing...only with less efficiency and more waste.

No kidding

 

[jamil]

Whoever wrote this is under the impression that Medicare does not do the exact same thing...only with less efficiency and more waste.

There are more differences than just that. The cost of Medicare is spread across society whether individuals want it or not. If you’re insured, you opted in. But aside from that the main point is right. The things that are similar enough are the things that cause healthcare to be so expensive. In both cases, the market that is created involves the payor and provider, but excludes the actual consumer, so there’s no incentive to provide the highest quality product for the lowest price.

I think we would have a much better system if we broke the relationship between insurers and providers. The way it is now, and would be made worse with medicare for all, the transaction is pretty much between the payer and provider, neither of which, are you. In both cases, you’re the product.

I think a better system is a free market system where all the transactions are with the consumer. So, insurers describe their coverage and compete on coverage and price, and consumer’s buy whatever level of coverage they want. Healthcare providers compete on quality and price. You shop around for the best healthcare providers. When you need healthcar, you file the claim with your insurance company, they pay you the agreed upon amount for the service. You pay the provider.

Healthcare should be like any other market. You shop around. You know what the insurance will pay (which is none of the provide’s business) maybe you find someplace that will provide the servers for less than the insurance company pays for that procedure. You pocket the difference. Maybe your standards are high, and that costs more than your insurer will pay out, you’re willing to pay the difference so you go to that provider. That market transaction is then between you and the provider.

 

[BugI02]

If you think you have trouble assembling unbiased news, wait until you try to assemble an accurate assessment of a doctor or surgeon or hospital group. Added bonus, making a mistake in who to believe in the news field won't kill you or wreck your quality of life

 

[BugI02]

View attachment 80711

 

[ghuns]

The Onion is killing it these days. This satirical letter is funny as hell...

Uhhhhh... What? It's real?

 

[ArcadiaGP]

EXCLAMATION MARKS

 

[daddyusmaximus]

 

[Phase2]

 

[Phase2]

 

[spencer rifle]

There are more differences than just that. The cost of Medicare is spread across society whether individuals want it or not. If you’re insured, you opted in. But aside from that the main point is right. The things that are similar enough are the things that cause healthcare to be so expensive. In both cases, the market that is created involves the payor and provider, but excludes the actual consumer, so there’s no incentive to provide the highest quality product for the lowest price.

I think we would have a much better system if we broke the relationship between insurers and providers. The way it is now, and would be made worse with medicare for all, the transaction is pretty much between the payer and provider, neither of which, are you. In both cases, you’re the product.

I think a better system is a free market system where all the transactions are with the consumer. So, insurers describe their coverage and compete on coverage and price, and consumer’s buy whatever level of coverage they want. Healthcare providers compete on quality and price. You shop around for the best healthcare providers. When you need healthcar, you file the claim with your insurance company, they pay you the agreed upon amount for the service. You pay the provider.

Healthcare should be like any other market. You shop around. You know what the insurance will pay (which is none of the provide’s business) maybe you find someplace that will provide the servers for less than the insurance company pays for that procedure. You pocket the difference. Maybe your standards are high, and that costs more than your insurer will pay out, you’re willing to pay the difference so you go to that provider. That market transaction is then between you and the provider.

Good luck with that. Last year my wife called around to get prices for a shoulder x-ray. The most common answer by far was "We don't know." How could you not know? What, you've never done a shoulder x-ray before? Could you imagine going into a car dealership and they couldn't tell you how much the car sells for? Or a hardware store? Or almost ANYWHERE else?

Prices ranged from $2500 to $60 (with a reading fee). It really depends on who is paying.

 

[printcraft]

 

[nonobaddog]

Good luck with that. Last year my wife called around to get prices for a shoulder x-ray. The most common answer by far was "We don't know." How could you not know? What, you've never done a shoulder x-ray before? Could you imagine going into a car dealership and they couldn't tell you how much the car sells for? Or a hardware store? Or almost ANYWHERE else?

Prices ranged from $2500 to $60 (with a reading fee). It really depends on who is paying.

Sometimes the same exact service costs a different amout for different patients too.
If the provider accepts medicare assignment and a medicare patient comes along then the price of the service is whatever medicare pays.
Frequently this payment is not enough to cover the actual cost of the service.
So another patient comes along with private insurance and the price of the same service is higher and attempts to make up for the loss with the medicare patient.

Naturally if all patients are medicare patients this healthcare provider will have to seriously consider closing its doors.

 

[Ingomike]

Good luck with that. Last year my wife called around to get prices for a shoulder x-ray. The most common answer by far was "We don't know." How could you not know? What, you've never done a shoulder x-ray before? Could you imagine going into a car dealership and they couldn't tell you how much the car sells for? Or a hardware store? Or almost ANYWHERE else?

Prices ranged from $2500 to $60 (with a reading fee). It really depends on who is paying.

This is so common, the medical staff have no idea what the changes are. A recent news story told of a woman who needed a procedure under her deductible, she diligently determined the costs by checking with all involved as she was on a tight budget, when the bills arrived there was one that doubled the total expense, the hospital never informed her of the charge when she asked.

For scheduled procedures the patient should be given an itemized disclosure of the costs much like mortgage lenders are required do for their customers. And since the hospitals are buying out the practices and labs, make them responsible for the accuracy of the disclosure.

 

[Alamo]

Most excellent. Must spread rep etc.

 

[indiucky]

 

[nonobaddog]

This is so common, the medical staff have no idea what the changes are. A recent news story told of a woman who needed a procedure under her deductible, she diligently determined the costs by checking with all involved as she was on a tight budget, when the bills arrived there was one that doubled the total expense, the hospital never informed her of the charge when she asked.

For scheduled procedures the patient should be given an itemized disclosure of the costs much like mortgage lenders are required do for their customers. And since the hospitals are buying out the practices and labs, make them responsible for the accuracy of the disclosure.

Keep in mind the difference between cost and price. The cost to a provider is one thing and the price charged is another.
Lets say it costs the provider $1000 for a service.
The medicare bean counter bureaucrats decide they will pay $300.
A medicare-only patient comes in and the price will be $300 but the cost is still $1000. The provider loses money.
Now a well insured patient comes in and the price might be $1700 but the cost is still $1000. The provider makes up for the medicare-only patient and breaks even between the two patients.
So the more medicare-only patients that come in the more the provider gets behind and the more they need to make up to stay in business.
Right now there is an overabundance of medicare-only patients because the baby-boomers are getting to the age where they need more medical care. This is tough on providers.

 

[mmpsteve]

A lot of private practices will not even accept new medicare patients now. If it's such a good system, you'd think they'd be all over it. My older uncle down south had a hell of a time even getting someone to see him.

.

 

[jamil]

Good luck with that. Last year my wife called around to get prices for a shoulder x-ray. The most common answer by far was "We don't know." How could you not know? What, you've never done a shoulder x-ray before? Could you imagine going into a car dealership and they couldn't tell you how much the car sells for? Or a hardware store? Or almost ANYWHERE else?

Prices ranged from $2500 to $60 (with a reading fee). It really depends on who is paying.

If we break the link between insurers and providers, it’s always YOU who is the payer. Providers would have to figure out the real market value of their services.

I know it’ll never happen. It’s currently designed to extract the most wealth from the most people possible. No one with any power wants to upset that cash cow. Providers would be clueless how to operate in an open market.

 

[nonobaddog]

A lot of private practices will not even accept new medicare patients now. If it's such a good system, you'd think they'd be all over it. My older uncle down south had a hell of a time even getting someone to see him.

.

Exactly. Medicare does not pay what the care actually costs, sometimes a small fraction of the real cost. So if they started this 'medicare-for-all' crap, medicare would almost have to pay even less and it would really mess up medical care in the United States. Supplemental insurance would be needed more than ever if one actually wanted to receive medical care. Or really deep pockets.