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Does anyone know if a lawsuit has been lodged questioning these practices? I've always thought that my informed consent should also apply to cost of procedure

Does anyone know if a lawsuit has been lodged questioning these practices? I've always thought that my informed consent should also apply to cost of procedure - I have a right to say "NO" to something in the medical establishment. And had I known the price and the success rate, I would have said "No". Now, I'm not asking "What is my exact rate?", although that would indeed be nice. But given minimal complications, I should be able to get a range of what to expect.

advisedwang 9y ago
Price transparency is pretty meaningless for ER care. Anything that is serious enough for an ER visit probably distracts you from making good economic choices, plus it's likely impractical to change ER (plus you'll pay for that ambulance ride!) Further, it shouldn't be necessary for people to be making financial decisions in the middle of medical emergencies, even if it was easy.
- sigstoat 9y ago
  > Anything that is serious enough for an ER visit probably distracts you from making good economic choices, plus it's likely impractical to change ER (plus you'll pay for that ambulance ride!) there are all sorts of folks using ERs for non-emergency issues, simply because ERs are required to treat everyone. both of my trips to the ER (subluxed knee; particulate matter lodged in my eye) would've been amenable to at least a few moments of financial consideration, had any information been available to me.
- novia 9y ago
  If the pricing was transparent you could factor in the potential costs when deciding where to live.
maxxxxx 9y ago
The range for most things is somewhere between $0 and $100000, sometimes higher. Is that good enough :-) ?
cortesoft 9y ago
Lots of patients in the ER are incapacited; either unconcious, in severe pain, or under a serious time constraint to get their problem fixed. They can't just ask about price while unconcious.
- vkou 9y ago
  And most of them are conscious, in control of their capacities, and may be willing to trade off some time for cheaper treatment. They can't get a quoted price, either. According to the article, ~50% of hospital admissions today go through the ER.
spinlock 9y ago
I tried to get a doctor to tell me how much they would bill me for an office visit (not ER) and they kicked me out of the office. It was literally, sign this document agreeing to pay any charge we decide to bill or we will not see you. This was a doctor that I went to only because they were recommended by my insurance company as being in network. They also didn't understand why anyone would even ask the question. They kept saying, "for patients that can't afford to pay we usually work out a payment plan." They didn't understand that I could afford anything and that was the problem. I can write a seven figure check which is why I'm careful not to open myself up to that kind of liability.
- deathanatos 9y ago
  I also tried to ask "how much?" on my last doctor's visit. I was looking for a ballpark estimate, not an exact figure. The person at the desk refused to give me one, citing that insurance plans make that too difficult. I insisted that since I was covered by a major insurer that she must surely deal with regularly given their customer base, and that their office was in-network for my plan, she must have some idea, but again, she refused, saying she didn't know. It's ridiculous, and it should be illegal. At the time, my reason for visiting was a condition that required treatment, so not going to the doctors really wasn't an option. But the inability to even begin to determine what I'm going to pay is ridiculous. (I did this after a prior visit to a different doctor stiff'd me something like $3k for the use of what amounts to glorified camera. A camera whose photos I never obtained, despite asking for them — to which the doctor replied "we've never had anyone ever ask for that" — i.e., for their medical records. I could understand that medical-grade cameras might not be cheap, but at $3k per use, my gut says money is raining from the sky.)

advisedwang 9y ago

Price transparency is pretty meaningless for ER care. Anything that is serious enough for an ER visit probably distracts you from making good economic choices, plus it's likely impractical to change ER (plus you'll pay for that ambulance ride!) Further, it shouldn't be necessary for people to be making financial decisions in the middle of medical emergencies, even if it was easy.

sigstoat 9y ago
> Anything that is serious enough for an ER visit probably distracts you from making good economic choices, plus it's likely impractical to change ER (plus you'll pay for that ambulance ride!) there are all sorts of folks using ERs for non-emergency issues, simply because ERs are required to treat everyone. both of my trips to the ER (subluxed knee; particulate matter lodged in my eye) would've been amenable to at least a few moments of financial consideration, had any information been available to me.
novia 9y ago
If the pricing was transparent you could factor in the potential costs when deciding where to live.

maxxxxx 9y ago

The range for most things is somewhere between $0 and $100000, sometimes higher. Is that good enough :-) ?

cortesoft 9y ago

Lots of patients in the ER are incapacited; either unconcious, in severe pain, or under a serious time constraint to get their problem fixed. They can't just ask about price while unconcious.

vkou 9y ago
And most of them are conscious, in control of their capacities, and may be willing to trade off some time for cheaper treatment. They can't get a quoted price, either. According to the article, ~50% of hospital admissions today go through the ER.

spinlock 9y ago

I tried to get a doctor to tell me how much they would bill me for an office visit (not ER) and they kicked me out of the office. It was literally, sign this document agreeing to pay any charge we decide to bill or we will not see you. This was a doctor that I went to only because they were recommended by my insurance company as being in network. They also didn't understand why anyone would even ask the question. They kept saying, "for patients that can't afford to pay we usually work out a payment plan." They didn't understand that I could afford anything and that was the problem. I can write a seven figure check which is why I'm careful not to open myself up to that kind of liability.

deathanatos 9y ago
I also tried to ask "how much?" on my last doctor's visit. I was looking for a ballpark estimate, not an exact figure. The person at the desk refused to give me one, citing that insurance plans make that too difficult. I insisted that since I was covered by a major insurer that she must surely deal with regularly given their customer base, and that their office was in-network for my plan, she must have some idea, but again, she refused, saying she didn't know. It's ridiculous, and it should be illegal. At the time, my reason for visiting was a condition that required treatment, so not going to the doctors really wasn't an option. But the inability to even begin to determine what I'm going to pay is ridiculous. (I did this after a prior visit to a different doctor stiff'd me something like $3k for the use of what amounts to glorified camera. A camera whose photos I never obtained, despite asking for them — to which the doctor replied "we've never had anyone ever ask for that" — i.e., for their medical records. I could understand that medical-grade cameras might not be cheap, but at $3k per use, my gut says money is raining from the sky.)