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Why would it? Hospitals in America aren't actually a free market. You cannot choose not to buy, and in emergency situations you can't actually compare prices b
by mabbo 8y ago
Why would it?
Hospitals in America aren't actually a free market. You cannot choose not to buy, and in emergency situations you can't actually compare prices between sellers. Hospitals charge whatever they can get away with and insurance companies get a discount because they have some leverage- but you and I don't.
All this would really do is help lower the medical providers costs. Likely it will give them additional funding to lobby against socialized health care.
- mbostleman 8y agoGenerally speaking, when exactly can you compare prices in a non-emergency situation? I have gotten to the point that every time I see my doctor, I ask for the costs because I enjoy the awkward and ultimately unanswerable question and I like bringing the problem to the surface rather than pretending it doesn't exist.
- ksdale 8y agoIt's truly ridiculous how hard it is for hospitals to answer this question sometimes. We've occasionally received the answer that they won't know the price until after the appointment because they won't know which code to charge until they've provided service. Then you ask what the cost of the likely codes are and they still have no idea.
- mbostleman 8y agoRight. There's too many levels of abstraction. It's like trying to find the implementing code and all you keep finding is interfaces.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- pandler 8y agoThe cost of what? The end-user cost that you’re billed or their costs to provide the service?
- mbostleman 8y agoSorry, I should have said price. The price to me is what I'm referring to.