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> they straight-up can't or won't answer me, what's going on The answer is they probably don't know. Or if they do know, they can't be 100% in their answer. -

> they straight-up can't or won't answer me, what's going on The answer is they probably don't know. Or if they do know, they can't be 100% in their answer. ----- There are literally thousands and thousands of insurance combinations. Aetna might approve one thing while Blue Cross won't. Even within the same provider network, your specific medical history (or even your claim processor) can affect if you'll be covered for a specific procedure. Even if the doctor contacts insurance, it won't guarantee something will be covered. You have to wait until things get billed to resolve specifics.

yazaddaruvala 7y ago
Lol if it’s too difficult for an MD to know. For all their capability of understanding and working as a professional to answer a simple question about costs, then something is wrong. If doctors were obliged to answer this question, I bet we would have a simpler system because the physicians would put pressure on the system to simplify.
- SkyPuncher 7y ago
  If MD's controlled billing, they'd absolutely be able to answer. You see this with doctors that have switched to entirely cash pay. They can provide quotes and estimates much like automotive maintenance or general contracting.
PhasmaFelis 7y ago
> The answer is they probably don't know. Or if they do know, they can't be 100% in their answer. So whose fault is that? It's inexcusable to be forced to accept a service before being told how much it costs. If the doctor really is completely helpless, I want to know who's forcing them to go along. "That's just the way things are" is not an acceptable answer.
- SkyPuncher 7y ago
  >"That's just the way things are" Unfortunately, that's what it comes down to in practice. ----- It really comes down to insurance companies. Some doctors are switching to private pay only (i.e. you pay out of pocket). This allows them to operate much more closely to a traditional business, like auto repair or general contracting. They have easily itemized costs for materials and a standard labor rate. When insurance comes in, absolutely all of that goes out the window. * Insurance never wants to commit to exact costs. Doing so removes their leverage to minimize bills. * You remove the incentive for high efficiency (which simply becomes an issue in every aspect of health care). * Patients never even attempt to shop around for costs. * Patient satisfaction scores are completely at odds with billing efficiency. You either do too much to minimize visits or risk loosing money if you choose to tackle something iteratively. ----- In general, I think the entire health system would be drastically better if health insurance took the approach of automotive insurance. Insurance is only for catastrophic events. Standard care and maintenance is an expected cost that comes out of pocket.
  - PhasmaFelis 7y ago
    It sounds like insurance is causing the problem, then. I don't believe that this is the only, or best, way to provide across-the-board medical coverage, given how many countries seem to manage fine.

yazaddaruvala 7y ago

Lol if it’s too difficult for an MD to know. For all their capability of understanding and working as a professional to answer a simple question about costs, then something is wrong. If doctors were obliged to answer this question, I bet we would have a simpler system because the physicians would put pressure on the system to simplify.

SkyPuncher 7y ago
If MD's controlled billing, they'd absolutely be able to answer. You see this with doctors that have switched to entirely cash pay. They can provide quotes and estimates much like automotive maintenance or general contracting.

PhasmaFelis 7y ago

> The answer is they probably don't know. Or if they do know, they can't be 100% in their answer. So whose fault is that? It's inexcusable to be forced to accept a service before being told how much it costs. If the doctor really is completely helpless, I want to know who's forcing them to go along. "That's just the way things are" is not an acceptable answer.

SkyPuncher 7y ago
>"That's just the way things are" Unfortunately, that's what it comes down to in practice. ----- It really comes down to insurance companies. Some doctors are switching to private pay only (i.e. you pay out of pocket). This allows them to operate much more closely to a traditional business, like auto repair or general contracting. They have easily itemized costs for materials and a standard labor rate. When insurance comes in, absolutely all of that goes out the window. * Insurance never wants to commit to exact costs. Doing so removes their leverage to minimize bills. * You remove the incentive for high efficiency (which simply becomes an issue in every aspect of health care). * Patients never even attempt to shop around for costs. * Patient satisfaction scores are completely at odds with billing efficiency. You either do too much to minimize visits or risk loosing money if you choose to tackle something iteratively. ----- In general, I think the entire health system would be drastically better if health insurance took the approach of automotive insurance. Insurance is only for catastrophic events. Standard care and maintenance is an expected cost that comes out of pocket.
- PhasmaFelis 7y ago
  It sounds like insurance is causing the problem, then. I don't believe that this is the only, or best, way to provide across-the-board medical coverage, given how many countries seem to manage fine.