Posted on 07/07/2009 1:50:07 AM PDT by Grumpybutt
The nation's hospitals agreed last night to contribute $155 billion over 10 years toward the cost of insuring the 47 million Americans without health coverage, according to two industry sources.
The agreement that three hospital associations reached with White House officials and leaders of the Senate Finance Committee is the latest in a series of side deals that aim to reduce the cost of revamping the nation's health-care system and to neutralize influential industries that have historically opposed such reforms.
With President Obama out of the country, a formal announcement is expected tomorrow from Vice President Biden.
"Getting health-care reform is absolutely critical," said one hospital negotiator, who was not authorized to speak for attribution about the deal before the official announcement. "This is our attempt to act in good faith."
Most of the savings -- about $100 billion -- would come through lower-than-expected Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals, said the two industry sources. About $40 billion would be saved by slowly reducing what hospitals get to care for the uninsured, they added. The reductions would probably not begin for several years, after a significant number of people have enrolled in the new insurance programs.
For their part, hospital officials have an understanding that, if the final legislation includes a new government-sponsored insurance program, it will not pay at Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement rates, which the industry has long argued do not cover the cost of services.
"We have concerns about a new public program where you have Medicare rates," one industry representative said. "That would not be part of the plan."
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(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
What a crock.
My doctor regularly charges me $50 to $55 per visit.
If so much money wasn’t thrown right down the commode by senseless taxation and spending, we wouldn’t be in such a pickle.
Our local hospital writes off millions, annually from caring for people without insurance or the means to pay. So a simple analysis of the new way, is to reduce payments and add millions of people into the program. Even a moron could understand the economics involved. Oh that is to simple an explanation? what then?
I had a recent viral infection attack at a local restaurant which temporarily incapacitated me and the owner sent me to the emergency room via ambulance. Total charges for a four hour visit came to almost $10,000 including $900 for a ten minute ambulance ride and thousands of dollars on various tests. Medicare paid 80% and gap insurance paid the rest, BUT the charges were EXHORBITANT. If I had gone home in a cab it would have cost me about $20. Something has to be done about medical costs now.
One thing you might not have noticed is that the big insurance companies have contract deals with the hospitals so that the retail price bill you see is not the bill they have to pay. Often this all happens behind the patient’s back.
I know what you mean. Last year I had some abnormal labs - white blood count was too high - so my doc sent me to a hematologist. Lab work there was $10,000. Luckily, because I had already reached my oom for the year (botched surgery in March 2008) I didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket. But my insurance sure paid.
Yes, there is something terribly wrong with healthcare, but government control is NOT the answer.
I agree with Rush wholeheartedly about people paying the doctors themselves, however we’re all too “scared” not to have insurance in case of major health issues we can’t pay for.
My husbands employer covers him 100% and the family 75%, so our premium costs aren’t as high as many - about $90/wk, however just this past week, they’re putting out notice that any employee who is covering dependents must show proof of dependency (marriage license, etc.) because the costs are going up and they suspicion employees covering their girlfriends/boyfriends instead of being legitimate.
(funny how we have to show proof, but Obama doesn’t have to show proof of birth).. another topic altogether
I posted a comment some time ago about how sad it is that back in the early 70’s, my husband was hospitalized with mono and nearly died and his parents who had no health insurance (mechanic and daycare provider) were able to pay for that stay out of their own pockets over a couple of months. You can’t do that now because costs are so high.
Now, I think part of the problem (as you see in many school districts these days) is the assistant to the assistant, to the assistant of (name your position here) - is that because there’s that much to do or is it because they have to have that many people to deal with insurance or the possibility of frivolous lawsuits?
And speaking of such - though my mishap last year consisted of 4 surgeries total - the thought of bringing a lawsuit against the doctor who initially made the mistake did cross my mind, but I chose not to persue the issue - my insurance covered it and I figured let the insurance companies fight it out between them, mine suing hers. Sometimes mistakes just happen - and though there were times during the ordeal I was very angry and scared to death of losing a kidney, I came out of it just fine and have no problems today.
(sigh) - that’s my 2 cents worth this morning.
Cash payment at time of service should get you up to a 50% discount. (no defaults here, they get they're payment immediately. Five years ago an outpatient surgery would have cost me $15,000. I was able to pay up front on the day of service. Price $7,500 and that price included the surgery, pre-tests, and medications, and one follow-up MRI.)
Credit or Bill me later instead of at time of service is full retail. (this is where many defaults occur)
Insurance is what ever the negotiated rate between your dr. and insurance company is.
Boy, Obama learned a lot from watching the Sopranos.
Somebody is going to cough up the money that these hospitals agreed to save the government.
Guess who that somebody will be.
Obama promised not to raise your taxes. This is just anoher tax he is hiding.
It means they will deny health care to those over 65 to save “health care dollars.”
Sure seems the end is coming really, REALLY fast. I feel so bad for my kids... this isn’t the America I grew up in....
Nice concept, but I have always paid in full up front and in cash or check......
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