New Jersey Hospital Charges Man Nearly $9K to Bandage Cut Finger

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xeemzor

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2005
2,599
1
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You get this shit in markets without pricing transparency. Price transparency, while not a silver bullet, is a key solution to the health care issues in America. Google the Surgery Center of Oklahoma to see what the future could be.
 

Slew Foot

Lifer
Sep 22, 2005
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You get this shit in markets without pricing transparency. Price transparency, while not a silver bullet, is a key solution to the health care issues in America. Google the Surgery Center of Oklahoma to see what the future could be.

Americans dont want price transparency, they want dirt cheap shit with someone else paying the bill.
 

xeemzor

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2005
2,599
1
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Americans dont want price transparency, they want dirt cheap shit with someone else paying the bill.

You could apply that to everything. More and more people have HSAs and shop around for surgery. It can also be way cheaper for employers to contract with one of these insurance free surgery centers instead of dealing with insurance companies. Plus, physicians like yourself spend more time working and less time fighting insurance companies. Seems like a win for everyone except the established players.
 

-slash-

Senior member
Jan 21, 2014
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Are supplies not worth more money when supply chains are interrupted? That's not price gouging, if you have someplace else to get those things for less money, then by all means buy them there instead.

Oh, they're not available elsewhere? Then it's not price gouging.

Supply and demand. Simple economics. He may be a price gouging asshole taking advantage of a situation, but it is a wise business practice based on the simple economic principle of supply and demand.
 

xeemzor

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2005
2,599
1
71
Supply and demand. Simple economics. He may be a price gouging asshole taking advantage of a situation, but it is a wise business practice based on the simple economic principle of supply and demand.

Markets are dysfunctional and broken in health care to benefit a few. So no, it's not just simple supply and demand.
 
Feb 4, 2009
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Supply and demand. Simple economics. He may be a price gouging asshole taking advantage of a situation, but it is a wise business practice based on the simple economic principle of supply and demand.

While this guy appeared to be kind of dumb, I'd bet the ER made it appear to be an injury that required immediate attention. Should price gouging be accepted for perceived emergencies? How about the person with heart failure a real emergency based on this transaction it could be over a million dollars. Would this still be supply & demand? Its the only hospital that can be reached and demand is immediate or death.
How about basic ethics, is over billing good behavior?
What about the roofing guys that troll senior citizens to sell them roof work that cost 60k? When is the charge so high its immoral, unethical and illegal?
 
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Feb 4, 2009
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I only hope our government doesn't do the healthcare what it has done to education.

I agree Matt however its pretty hard to get worse than this:

fFkMJc0.jpg
 
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Strk

Lifer
Nov 23, 2003
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I only hope our government doesn't do the healthcare what it has done to education.

Our government is already spending more and giving us less

Yt5MQuq.jpg


I don't even want a fully socialized system like the UK or Canada. I think Germany has a great system. Japan's system is pretty good too, but I don't see our government willing to set prices so strictly like the Japanese do.
 

bradly1101

Diamond Member
May 5, 2013
4,689
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www.bradlygsmith.org
Our government is already spending more and giving us less

Yt5MQuq.jpg


I don't even want a fully socialized system like the UK or Canada. I think Germany has a great system. Japan's system is pretty good too, but I don't see our government willing to set prices so strictly like the Japanese do.

That's not because the government pays too much, but because medical supplies and procedures have ridiculous prices. We've brought profit where there should be none.
 

Veliko

Diamond Member
Feb 16, 2011
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It's only a key difference if you make it that. Business is business. You're putting medical care compensation on a pedestal it needs not be on. If you want to go to the ER for a bandaid, go for it. You must be prepared to pay for it. If your insurance is inadequate that is your own fault, boo hoo. Who do you want to pick up the bill? The hospital, great lets drive them out of business. The government, they'll just make us pay for it. The tax payers, see government. It's called self responsibility. If you are so irresponsible that you went to the ER with inadequate medical insurance, there is a stupid tax you need to pay.

Whos fault but his own is it he went to the ER? Nobodies, pay the bill and shut the fuck up.

Anyone who seriously believes that medical care is the same as car care is suffering from one of the following two issues:

- They're emotionally attached to their car to a degree that is unhealthy.
- They don't value their own life very much.
 

Veliko

Diamond Member
Feb 16, 2011
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Again, self responsibility. Dude was obviously intelligent enough to know that his life was not in danger due to massive blood loss. He went to urgent care and let them determine what needed to be done. They treated and released him. This is how the world works. Think. Use common sense. It's not as difficult as you are making it.

It's got nothing to do with self-responsibility and the moment anyone uses that phrase it's a good indication that what they're about to say is a load of nonsense.

And thus you've proven.

There is nothing intelligent about refusing to go to ER when you've had half of your hand crushed.
 

DCal430

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2011
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Actually in most civilized states, such as California such ER billing is ILLEGAL. Time for more states to make this practice illegal.
 

OverVolt

Lifer
Aug 31, 2002
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With Surplus in Hand, California Eyes Debt
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/10/us/with-surplus-in-hand-california-eyes-debt.html?_r=0


Any other talking points you got?

Tons of hippies?

I'm like... half kidding. I already knew it when I fact checked before posting its just that I don't care. Its not like one year of a surplus and now they are in the big money when just a few years ago they were issuing IOUs. Tons of wall street money is flooding into silicon valley so meh. Cali still spends too much. I think its going to be moot with the drought as I think they are likely screwed.
 
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kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
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It's got nothing to do with self-responsibility and the moment anyone uses that phrase it's a good indication that what they're about to say is a load of nonsense.

And thus you've proven.

There is nothing intelligent about refusing to go to ER when you've had half of your hand crushed.

Are you still talking about this? Shit, way to prove me right, again. Been awhile since I've seen anyone this committed to maintaining their ignorant assumptions, I see you still having nothing to stand on here. Just going to keep pretending you have enough of a clue to judge what you have no real knowledge of, eh? What a sad comment on your personality, I bet you are just a hoot at parties.

Dr Pizza even provided you with info that you didn't even acknowledge. Funny to see you deny cherry-picking when that's the only thing you've done consistently here.
Oh you can talk all the shit you want, it's just that none of it changes that you're wrong.

After rereading the whole thread, I'm now suspicious that you aren't this dumb or deliberately obtuse, instead possibly just incensed that I mocked what might have been a painful time for you when Facebook was down. If you don't actually partake of all that Facebookery, then maybe you should exercise that cautionary attitude of yours and get the MRI or catscan I alluded to. Really sounds like something up there isn't getting enough oxygen.

I want to think it's Facebook, but in the event I'm wrong, well more good luck to you.
 

kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
26,917
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Actually in most civilized states, such as California such ER billing is ILLEGAL. Time for more states to make this practice illegal.

Agreed!

I just listened to a show on the radio the other day about CA and some of it's laws and was pleasantly surprised. I was impressed with how in CA when you donate your organs and body before dying, you get to say "Hey, I want my goods to go to people who really need them." You can deny your body parts going towards non-essential or cosmetic procedures, as well as stipulations on age and the like, so people like Dick Cheney don't go to the front of the line when a 7 year bed ridden kid has been waiting for years for the right donor.

Should be like that everywhere IMO.
 
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MrPickins

Diamond Member
May 24, 2003
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No, it is you who has the reading comprehension issues. As I pointed out, I was responding to OverVolt's post when I mentioned the hospital.

And Overvolt was talking about kage69's injury/decision. What is your point exactly?