Competition and capitalism are what make our health care system the envy of the world

[Dennis S]

I don't have health insurance since I can't afford it (after paying for my own for 23 years and having it raised ninefold and then having it dropped after trying to use it), so I decided to call around and get some prices on a gallstone removal surgery. So, I started called the main number for a hospital in driving range. I told them I wanted a gallstone operation and asked how much it would cost. All hell broke loose. I got transferred around and around with no one ever even trying to give an estimate. I tried another hospital the next day with the same results. It would make a good thing for Michael Moore to film. Maybe he did already in his healthcare movie - I never saw it.

Here is an article with lots of graphs you'll enjoy:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonk...tid=pm_pop

[deckeda]

There is hope:

Heard something on NPR this morning. A hospital decided to not use a drug because a competing one cost half as much. But it then did something interesting and wrote publicly about it. Then the drug company called them and announced a 50% price cut.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/03/2...e-new-drug

[RgrF]

Maybe a road trip to Canada?

[Todd's keyboard]

Medical tourism. India or the Philippines?

[Dennis S]

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply I was needing an operation now. It has cleared up a lot. I was trying to show how (1) our system can't be very competitive since the rates were so high relative to other countries, and (2) how can you even begin to think there is competition when you can't get anyone to give you a price. Yet the knuckleheads who have kept us from having a better system are always harping on free enterprise, competition, and capitalism.

[Mac-A-Matic]

Todd's keyboard wrote:
Medical tourism. India or the Philippines?

Oddly enough, a friend of mine was on business in the Philippines when he was hit with a bacterial infection, sent to the ER, admitted to the hospital and then had emergency knee surgery. Ended up in the hospital for a month. He even had round the clock private nurses in addition to the hospital staff.

Total price? About US$25,000

I'm guessing that this same event and hospital stay would have cost here well over $100,000

[samintx]

Well, we shall see if the Obamacare brings the Nirvana you are all anticipating. Even their offices (HHS) says it will cost more than they thought.

[mick e]

You have a lot of gall in posting this topic Dennis.

[deckeda]

samintx wrote:
Well, we shall see if the Obamacare brings the Nirvana you are all anticipating. Even their offices (HHS) says it will cost more than they thought.

Perhaps you have a better idea besides the status quo, given that "competition and capitalism" brought us to this point.

[$tevie]

mick e wrote:
You have a lot of gall in posting this topic Dennis.