Price Gouging--Reprise
As you may recall, in a previous post Wang suggested that he was shamelessly and egregiously overcharged for a post-hurricane hospital visit. He also suggested that the insurance company would say the reasonable charge for the services rendered is a half or a third of what the hospital billed, and the hospital would accept their determination. I'm going to have to admit that he was wrong about that.
He got he bill from the hospital today. Here's what it said:
They didn't say a reasonable charge was a half or a third of what the hospital billed. It was a fourth.
So if Wang's experience is any indication, all those uninsured folks who get taken to the emergency room get billed an unconscionable FOUR TIMES the reasonable price.
And these are the same folks who are telling Congress that they need special legal protections to save them from all those greedy trial lawyers.
He got he bill from the hospital today. Here's what it said:
Billed Balance 21,808.23
CON ADJ HMO/PPO (PATHWAYS) 16,218.72CR
BLUE CROSS PAYMENT 4,430.07CR
Account Balance 1,159.44
Estimated Insurance Liability 0.00
Patient Responsibility 1,159.44
They didn't say a reasonable charge was a half or a third of what the hospital billed. It was a fourth.
So if Wang's experience is any indication, all those uninsured folks who get taken to the emergency room get billed an unconscionable FOUR TIMES the reasonable price.
And these are the same folks who are telling Congress that they need special legal protections to save them from all those greedy trial lawyers.
Labels: Politics, The Wonderful World of Medicine
posted by Jack at 11/14/2005 10:22:00 PM
5 Comments:
Jack, you take care of good ol' Wang Chi. I can tell by the audio clip and by this post that the BTILC attitude will carry on here at the House of Pancakes.
I want my Wang back.
I had a crush on Wang. :(
I also have a trial lawyer (meaning, I'm sort of a plaintiff in a lawsuit). He signs his emails like this: "Imagine if the government took David's slingshot away and gave it to Goliath. Now you understand tort reform."
Happy Thanksgiving, Wang, er... Jack! ;)
Poor Wang! But you are absolutely right about what they expect us poor uninsured people to pay. I believe they have a vicious cycle going. Charge high prices the uninsured cannot afford to pay. Lose money. Charge more higher prices hoping some poor slobs will sell their daughters to pay the bill, and it goes on and on.
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