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You'd be hard-pressed to make a system that keeps hospitals from being abusive. Your BATNA to accepting their terms is literally dying, and especially the older
by ThrustVectoring 9y ago
You'd be hard-pressed to make a system that keeps hospitals from being abusive. Your BATNA to accepting their terms is literally dying, and especially the older folks who need more care have giant piles of cash. The cynical profit-maximizer in that position will raise uninsured prices high until the losses due to "eff this, I'm declaring bankruptcy and my various creditors can squabble over my assets" outweighs the increased collection from payment plans.
62% of bankruptcies in the US are caused by medical debt.
The only saving grace in this all is that you can save enough for retirement in creditor-protected retirement accounts, and can otherwise secure yourself financially while telling your creditors to pound sand if they're being ridiculous.
- jacquesm 9y agoOther countries hospitals are doing just fine.
- Consultant32452 9y agoI could design such a system overnight. Starting tomorrow instead of paying for medical care the US Medicare and Medicaid programs will simply cut a check to the people who they were previously funding care for. Then those people may choose to spend the money on anything they wish, healthcare or otherwise. The days of not being able to price shop are over, competition will drop prices through the floor. The hospital can try to be as evil as they want, but their ability to do so in a market that has actual price and service competition will make it very difficult to do so.
- selectodude 9y ago“Let me price compare my heart attack operation before I decide on which hospital I want this ambulance I found on Expedia to take me to before I die.” I mean this nicely but sincerely, are you high?
- fvdessen 9y agoMost medical interventions are not about immediately life threatening situations.
- Consultant32452 9y agoThe other poster is exactly right, the type of emergency life or death situation you're describing is a very small percentage of medical care, even within hospitals.