$10,000 for a $10 Blood Test

[finnbow]

Researchers studied charges for a variety of tests at 160 to 180 California hospitals in 2011 and found a huge variation in prices. The median charge for a basic metabolic panel, which measures sodium, potassium and glucose levels, among other indicators, was $214. But hospitals charged from $35 to $7,303, depending on the facility. None of the hospitals were identified.

The biggest range involved charges for a lipid panel, a test that measures cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of fat (lipid), in the blood. The median charge was $220, but costs ranged from a minimum of $10 to a maximum of $10,169. Yes, more than $10,000 for a blood test that doctors typically order to check the cholesterol levels of older adults.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...390_story.html

Is there anything other than single-payer that'll rid us of this silliness?

[donquixote99]

The free market sure doesn't seem to self-regulate very well here....

[nailer]

Originally Posted by finnbow

... Is there anything other than single-payer that'll rid us of this silliness?

I don't think so and won't be holding my breath for private sector medicine to willing participate in implementing a single-payer system. A single-payer system would have to be provided by the social sector and I think that would be best for almost everyone.

[bobabode]

We have proposition 45 on the ballot here in California this November to finally fold in the regulation of health insurance premiums to our state insurance commission which oversees all other types of insurance in the California.

The advertising push is already in full swing from the likes of Anthem/Blue Cross and their ilk to kill it.

[Ike Bana]

And anybody wonders why our health care costs us twice what health care costs the Germans, or French, or Danes, or Canadians or...or...

PS - and for shit outcomes compared with the Germans, or French, or Danes, or Canadians.

[mpholland]

Nothing I like better than paying 12K/year for premiums and then getting to pay a bunch more for the privilege of using it.

[donquixote99]

Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!
Let's get better! Single payer!

[Oerets]

When you have a for profit business model. Then add no real oversight or regulation what do we really expect to occur?



Barney

[mpholland]

Originally Posted by Oerets

When you have a for profit business model. Then add no real oversight or regulation what do we really expect to occur?



Barney

Don't forget to make it mandatory

[4-2-7]

What you all fail to see is it's the insurance that has driven cost up. Any half wit can look back to hospital/medical cost prior to widespread insurance usage and see how low cost were. In the 30s & 40s people didn't really carry insurance and they didn't go bankrupt. It was a fair market that the consumer infused with their patronage. When you pull the individual consumer out of the transaction you loose the fair market. Hell my mom would call the doctor and they would do a house call for $5.00 and that was late 50s.

This carries over to more cost wherever Insurance is involved.