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Probably does exceed executive authority. Congress? How many more years to solve this? Honestly, I don't even know how secret prices stands up to basic contra

Probably does exceed executive authority. Congress? How many more years to solve this? Honestly, I don't even know how secret prices stands up to basic contract law. There's no meeting of the minds on the mutual consideration. Once, I broke my finger. I was about 90% sure the treatment would be to tape it and wait. But, given my profession, I might as well get an XRay at urgent care. They completely refused to tell me how much to examine me or treat me. A. Broken. Finger. Not some crazy treatment or exploratory surgery.

JasonFruit 7y ago
Like you say, fixing this is important, and it seems crazy that secret pricing is the universal norm in medicine. I'm pleased to agree with you on that, but I'm ecstatic to see you say it exceeds executive authority. It's rare to find anyone anymore who will see a law that should be made, and still remember that it should only be done by the correct people, i.e. Congress.
- dvfjsdhgfv 7y ago
  > it seems crazy that secret pricing is the universal norm in medicine ...in the USA. In other parts of the world these things are pretty transparent.
pkaye 7y ago
Looks like "freedom of speech" angle. Even congress will not be able to pass this law.
- duxup 7y ago
  The freedom of speech angle seems odd here as there are plenty of regulations about disclosing pricing in various forms.
- cannonedhamster 7y ago
  Freedom of speech should only apply to humans. Corporations are not humans they are made up of humans who have that right. There is no reason non living entities rights should exceed those of living humans the rights were intended to protect.
mushufasa 7y ago
They usually don't know what the cost would be. I once went to a walk-in clinic once for a cold, and they told me upfront the cost for the visit with co-pay (~$40 or something). Several months later, I hear from their collections office. Apparently, as they told it, my insurance company declined to pay their part of the co-pay because they insurance company claimed it wasn't part of routine care. Absurd. Anyways, the clinic's response was to retroactively increase the price they charged me. But because I paid in cash, they couldn't just take it from me. So they spammed an old mail address from when I was in college (poor student with the current PO box), and then called me on the phone. And the amount was only $10; far less than their staff time. Zero part of that seems square with common law. When is it possible to change a price months after a transaction? None of this makes sense, but if they have beef with the insurer that's on them. So if the hospital tells you the cost up front, and they're wrong, they stand to lose money if they can't swing the negotiations with the HMOs. The US system just makes no sense.
mnm1 7y ago
My PCP, chiropractor, physical therapist, massage therapist, and acupuncturist all refuse to tell me how much treatment will be despite knowing exactly what they will do and how much it costs. Unless I don't use insurance, then here you go, these are our prices. But with insurance? We don't know the prices. It's fucking absurd. It's not even a market. It's just a way for them to fuck people over. Because everyone wants to live and be healthy. But seriously, you think congress will solve this shit? They are the ones benefiting from all the bribes... sorry, I mean donations I forgot I was in the US for a second. That's rich.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

JasonFruit 7y ago

Like you say, fixing this is important, and it seems crazy that secret pricing is the universal norm in medicine. I'm pleased to agree with you on that, but I'm ecstatic to see you say it exceeds executive authority. It's rare to find anyone anymore who will see a law that should be made, and still remember that it should only be done by the correct people, i.e. Congress.

dvfjsdhgfv 7y ago
> it seems crazy that secret pricing is the universal norm in medicine ...in the USA. In other parts of the world these things are pretty transparent.

pkaye 7y ago

Looks like "freedom of speech" angle. Even congress will not be able to pass this law.

duxup 7y ago
The freedom of speech angle seems odd here as there are plenty of regulations about disclosing pricing in various forms.
cannonedhamster 7y ago
Freedom of speech should only apply to humans. Corporations are not humans they are made up of humans who have that right. There is no reason non living entities rights should exceed those of living humans the rights were intended to protect.

mushufasa 7y ago

They usually don't know what the cost would be. I once went to a walk-in clinic once for a cold, and they told me upfront the cost for the visit with co-pay (~$40 or something). Several months later, I hear from their collections office. Apparently, as they told it, my insurance company declined to pay their part of the co-pay because they insurance company claimed it wasn't part of routine care. Absurd. Anyways, the clinic's response was to retroactively increase the price they charged me. But because I paid in cash, they couldn't just take it from me. So they spammed an old mail address from when I was in college (poor student with the current PO box), and then called me on the phone. And the amount was only $10; far less than their staff time. Zero part of that seems square with common law. When is it possible to change a price months after a transaction? None of this makes sense, but if they have beef with the insurer that's on them. So if the hospital tells you the cost up front, and they're wrong, they stand to lose money if they can't swing the negotiations with the HMOs. The US system just makes no sense.

mnm1 7y ago

My PCP, chiropractor, physical therapist, massage therapist, and acupuncturist all refuse to tell me how much treatment will be despite knowing exactly what they will do and how much it costs. Unless I don't use insurance, then here you go, these are our prices. But with insurance? We don't know the prices. It's fucking absurd. It's not even a market. It's just a way for them to fuck people over. Because everyone wants to live and be healthy. But seriously, you think congress will solve this shit? They are the ones benefiting from all the bribes... sorry, I mean donations I forgot I was in the US for a second. That's rich.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]