Text 3425, 74 rader
Skriven 2006-07-05 23:16:00 av Robert E Starr JR (3898.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: Atheists: America's m
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* * * This message was from Amy Guskin to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.m * * *
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>> On Wed, 5 Jul 2006 12:29:32 -0400, Charlie Edmondson wrote
(in article <44abe8ed$1@news.cadence.com>):

> Rob Perkins wrote:
> 
>> ravend03x wrote:
>> 
>>> IIRC, most practices take the average of what "everyone else" charges
>>> or charge up to as much as they can get from the insurance companies.
>> 
>> 
>> My brother is a dentist; I watched him do exactly that to game the 
>> system for the most money he could get for his favorite procedures.
>> 
>>> In order to cut overhead and maintain their profit margin, the same
>>> offices now tend to hire less educated/experienced assistants/techs vs.
>>> LPN's/RN's.  I guess what I am saying is that posting prices for
>>> services wouldn't address why some pay more for office visits
>>> (co-pay/co-deductible) unless you go the fee-for-service route.
>> 
>> 
>> The single greatest difficulty I had last year when I was getting 
>> treated for two problems was discovering the full cost of the treatment. 
>> Health care, at least around here, suffers from monopolistic practice 
>> problems and price fixing problems, much of it sanctioned by the 
>> government, as any other industry in peril. It's impossible to shop around.
>> 
>> And that goes even for individual health insurance, of which there are 
>> two providers in my area. One charges x, the other five times that, and 
>> you can only get on the second one if you've been denied coverage on the 
>> first.
>> 
>>> Makes my head all muzzy...
>> 
>> 
>> You ain't kidding.
>> 
>> Rob
>> 
> A few years ago, my wife was going to go to a chiropractor.  She had 
> been having several different problems and thought it would help.
> 
> She was recommended to try one particular doctor, who took Medicare (she 
> is on it since she is disabled...)  She went in, was adjusted, and then 
> was put on a 'machine' that basically was a roller that went back and 
> forth along her back.  She didn't like it, it hurt!  But the doctor 
> insisted.  After a few visits, and looking at the bill, we figured it out.
> 
> The doc charged $49 bucks for a visit.  MCare only paid like $35, but 
> would also pay $15 additional for physical therapy!  That was what the 
> machine was for - he could bill for it, and get his money!  When we 
> realized that getting his fee was more important that helping his 
> patient, we found a different doctor. <<

To be fair, there are a lot easier ways to do physical therapy if that's 
what's required for extra billing.  He could have raised and lowered her leg 
five times and called that physical therapy.  It's possible he actually 
thought that particular device would be helpful for her condition.

It's pretty cynical to just draw that conclusion without any other 
information.  I can't speak for chiropractors, but all of the physical 
therapists I know, and have worked with, are extremely caring people who 
wouldn't just give you exercises unless they were actually going to help you.

Amy

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