5 ms·

I've said it before, but if I were allowed to make one rule in the current healthcare landscape it would be "consistent pricing". No charging different prices

by LanceH 7y ago

I've said it before, but if I were allowed to make one rule in the current healthcare landscape it would be "consistent pricing". No charging different prices depending on who is paying.

__blockcipher__ 7y ago
Agreed, the “charge master” system is crazy. In college I had to fight off debt collectors coming for a $3000 ER bill. $3000 to be given propofol and have my shoulder stuck back in the socket twice (they failed to restrain my arm after the first reduction, my arm flailed upon regaining consciousness and redislocated so they double charged me) I also wonder what a world where we removed almost all medical regulation would look like.we would at least get true competitive market dynamics. Why do I know exactly what I’ll pay at mcdonalds, but not what I’ll pay for a medical procesure? Instead we have just enough regulation to prevent healthy market dynamics, but not enough to have a single payer type system
- aabeshou 7y ago
  > we have just enough regulation to prevent healthy market dynamics, but not enough to have a single payer type system this seems like a very concise summary of the problem. and insurance companies see the profits of this no-mans land
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- danmaz74 7y ago
  At McDonald's you pay for a completely standardized product, delivered by a non specialized workforce. Healthcare is almost the exact opposite.
  - indymike 7y ago
    Interesting. McDonalds defines quality by consistency. Health care defines quality by the credentials of the providers. Maybe healthcare could learn a lot from quickserve?
nine_zeros 7y ago
> I've said it before, but if I were allowed to make one rule in the current healthcare landscape it would be "consistent pricing". No charging different prices depending on who is paying. Along these lines, POST THE DAMN PRICES ON A MENU FOR EVERYONE TO LOOK AT AND MAKE CHOICES!
- jjoonathan 7y ago
  If people are "willing" to give you a blank check, why on earth would you do that?
  - salawat 7y ago
    It took me the longest to come to the realization that was exactly what I was doing every time I signed one of those financial responsibility forms unaltered/unquantified.
refurb 7y ago
That would have HUGE ramifications to the provider side of things and would likely increase costs. Right now, insurers typically reimburse higher for larger practices (due to volume), but smaller rural providers can have amazing leverage as well because they are the only game in town. Generally, the smaller providers would get reimbursed less. If you force insurers to have only one "price", then they are going to set their reimbursement rates for the largest customers which would also apply to the smaller customers (so they'd get a bump).
- LanceH 7y ago
  Force providers to have one price.

by LanceH 7y ago

I've said it before, but if I were allowed to make one rule in the current healthcare landscape it would be "consistent pricing". No charging different prices depending on who is paying.

__blockcipher__ 7y ago

Agreed, the “charge master” system is crazy. In college I had to fight off debt collectors coming for a $3000 ER bill. $3000 to be given propofol and have my shoulder stuck back in the socket twice (they failed to restrain my arm after the first reduction, my arm flailed upon regaining consciousness and redislocated so they double charged me) I also wonder what a world where we removed almost all medical regulation would look like.we would at least get true competitive market dynamics. Why do I know exactly what I’ll pay at mcdonalds, but not what I’ll pay for a medical procesure? Instead we have just enough regulation to prevent healthy market dynamics, but not enough to have a single payer type system

aabeshou 7y ago
> we have just enough regulation to prevent healthy market dynamics, but not enough to have a single payer type system this seems like a very concise summary of the problem. and insurance companies see the profits of this no-mans land
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
danmaz74 7y ago
At McDonald's you pay for a completely standardized product, delivered by a non specialized workforce. Healthcare is almost the exact opposite.
- indymike 7y ago
  Interesting. McDonalds defines quality by consistency. Health care defines quality by the credentials of the providers. Maybe healthcare could learn a lot from quickserve?

nine_zeros 7y ago

> I've said it before, but if I were allowed to make one rule in the current healthcare landscape it would be "consistent pricing". No charging different prices depending on who is paying. Along these lines, POST THE DAMN PRICES ON A MENU FOR EVERYONE TO LOOK AT AND MAKE CHOICES!

jjoonathan 7y ago
If people are "willing" to give you a blank check, why on earth would you do that?
- salawat 7y ago
  It took me the longest to come to the realization that was exactly what I was doing every time I signed one of those financial responsibility forms unaltered/unquantified.

refurb 7y ago

That would have HUGE ramifications to the provider side of things and would likely increase costs. Right now, insurers typically reimburse higher for larger practices (due to volume), but smaller rural providers can have amazing leverage as well because they are the only game in town. Generally, the smaller providers would get reimbursed less. If you force insurers to have only one "price", then they are going to set their reimbursement rates for the largest customers which would also apply to the smaller customers (so they'd get a bump).

LanceH 7y ago
Force providers to have one price.