Obama Tells Congress to Wait for Brown

[Winter_123]

I'm still for price transparancy. I know it would be challenging but if I want to compare prices for fixing my transmission I can do that. In fact in MD the repair shops have to post their labor rates.

I just got my brakes done this past Sunday. I didn't "wonder" what the bill was going to be. They printed out an estimate and again, by MD law actual charges cannot exceed 10% of their estimate without my consent.

However, people get lab work and here comes the EOB - pay it. $18? $1,800? You legally have to pay it. How about $3,800? Pay it. How about that outpatient surgery - oh, that's $8,000. And how did they arrived at that? Dunno - pay it.

It's an absurd system. OON pricing is also absurd. So it's $1,000 in-network....$6,000 OON? Really?

THIS is where the focus needs to be. Open the entire system up to competition which involves complete price transparancy.

You couple this with tort reform and there's the "change" we need.

Next up; mandate that every carrier must offer a GI plan, it cannot cost more than 50% of their underwritten rates. Gov't can offset the rates for the GI plans which would cost a fraction of this current cluster of a bill.

Healthy people are rewarded with lower rates, the sick get guaranteed access at slightly higher rates and it's done.

I would agree wholeheartedly with the above. We have not even scratched the surface as far as looking at alternatives for cost saving, including ones where the consumer has incentives to keep more cash in their pocket, even if that is front money from the government but nevertheless holds total costs down.

I do also agree that it is complex but holy shoot, we have billions/trillions of dollars being proposed to be spent here and the entire country is focused on the issue. I am all in favor of experimental/demonstration projects to try out different approaches. If many of them fail, I am okay with that too. That is the nature of progress. I am 100% sure the commie system is going to fail so it is very low risk in my view to try out many other alternatives.

 

[somarco]

Transparency does nothing when you are dealing with an ignorant consumer. Even with prices posted on auto repair shops you still have loads of consumer complaints about getting ripped off.

Most of my clients have HSA's or other HDHP's without copays. They have become educated consumers due to my desire to show them how to save money on health insurance.

Took an app yesterday on a 55 yr old female with Imerica. She insisted on a copay plan with a $5000 deductible. Due to health issues, Humana was the only real choice at $238 per month.

She needed something below $200 if possible.

Monogram was $171.

What can she do with that $67 monthly savings?

Go to the doc once a month for the next 12 months and STILL save money.

The biggest challenge with copay addiction is getting folks to not only understand how much medical care really costs but also showing them how to funnel the premium savings in to making better choices.

This is true not only on doc visits, but lab work and especially Rx.

Pricing on any procedure is available in advance from your carrier. Most are just too lazy to go online or make a 5 minute call.

There are independent resources as well for lab & Rx pricing. Lazy is just an excuse.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

There still might be complaints with auto repair but imagine my car being ready this past Sunday, I drive back down to see a $2,200 bill....for brakes.

Can I dispute it? No. Pay it or go to collections. And transparency works. We now go to either Minute Clinic or Nighttime Pediactics for all of our care.

Why? Because the rates are posted and FAR cheaper than even the repriced rates when we see our doctors. And the ultimate scam? The last time we took our son to see our "doctor" he was treated by a nurse practicioner.

Transparancy is EVERYTHING in a capitalistic society. For basic car services I can easily shop prices from All Tune & Lube to Jiffy Lube and Precision Tune and against my local repair shop.

MOST of what people see their doctor for is routine BS - it's not an episode of House where someone has some odd virus no one can diagnose.

 

[stuy119]

Lazy is the key word in this argument of HSA-compatible vs. non-compatible plans w/ co-pays, and it extends to consumer and broker. If brokers are unwilling to take the time to explain it, they are at fault, and if the consumer is unwilling to accept responsibility in researching the best and least expensive options for treatment, they are at fault as well.

 

[somarco]

I use this example on a regular basis.

Suppose you had an insured restaurant plan. Every meal, regardless of price, was $20.

A few miles from me we have a McDonald's next to a Wendy's. About 3 blocks further is Ray's on the River . . . a 4 star restaurant.

If you can eat for $20 per person, where will you go? McDonald's, Wendy's or Ray's?

BTW, a meal with a glass of wine will run about $50 at Ray's.

When you move folks off copay plans most of them suddenly get a lot smarter and love the savings.

 

[Monti_Ray]

We need an ' health care exchange' where hospitals, doctors and labs will be posting their prices.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

...and it's not hard to do:

Services and Costs

 

[TXINSURANCE]

Problem is most of the "doctors" at these minute clinics are nurse practitioners giving wrong advice. Wait until you get sick, get wrong meds and are miserable or end up in the hospital because the "doctor" at the grocery store didn't know a virus from a bacterial infection. Been there done that.

These are convenient and good for some items, but certainly not a replacement for your regular physician who is more qualified and knows your history. People seem to think, "why buy insurance when redi doc is only $62..." yeah but not for cancer treatment or a heart by pass!!! Ohhh wait I forgot about that.