All o-bull@#$% aside

[Indo]

Originally Posted by steelreserve

True, insurance isn't cheap, and it pisses me off how the insurance companies always seem to look for ways to shirk their responsibility. But I don't think that would be as big of a problem if the people providing the health care hadn't artificially jacked up the price so high in the first place. If you put a law in place that told the hospital "No, you can't try to bill $60,000 for something that costs maybe $1,000 or $2,000 to provide," then all of a sudden insurance gets a lot cheaper, your out-of-pocket costs go way down, and there's not so much fighting over what's getting paid for and what's not.

This is a common fallacy.

In fact, the INSURANCE companies do set the prices--they dictate how much they will reimburse a hospital and a doctor for services provided. The hosp and the doctor can bill whatever they want. But the Insurance company says, for example, we will reimburse the hospital XXX dollars for your patient's hospitalization for his episode of congestive heart failure. Period. The hospital can TRY to charge 6 bazillion dollars, but they will get XXX and ONLY XXX. It is related to something known as the DRG (Diagnostic Related Group). This goes for physicians as well. Doesn't matter how much they bill the patient. They will get ONLY what the insurance co. pays. Period. AND a physician generally CANNOT bill the patient the difference. It IS NOT legal.

It can get a little complicated, but I don't really have time right now to explain this any further...maybe later today or in the near future.

[Vincent]

Originally Posted by Indo

This is a common fallacy.

In fact, the INSURANCE companies do set the prices--they dictate how much they will reimburse a hospital and a doctor for services provided. The hosp and the doctor can bill whatever they want. But the Insurance company says, for example, we will reimburse the hospital XXX dollars for your patient's hospitalization for his episode of congestive heart failure. Period. The hospital can TRY to charge 6 bazillion dollars, but they will get XXX and ONLY XXX. It is related to something known as the DRG (Diagnostic Related Group). This goes for physicians as well. Doesn't matter how much they bill the patient. They will get ONLY what the insurance co. pays. Period. AND a physician generally CANNOT bill the patient the difference. It IS NOT legal.

It can get a little complicated, but I don't really have time right now to explain this any further...maybe later today or in the near future.

Indo, Indo, Indo.

Don't confuse us with the facts. Our minds are made up. We must do this NOW. We can't delay. We need to do it f-f-f-for t-t-the ch-ch-children. And anybody that disagrees is a racist.

We hear that repeatedly on tv.

[Godfather]

Originally Posted by stlrtruck

My only problem with the HSA is how much to put in and if I understand correctly, which I may not, if I don't use all that money in the year, then I lose it.

Never heard that part. If that's the case it would defeat the purpose, and it needs to be fixed. There should be no time limit.

[stlrtruck]

Originally Posted by Godfather

Never heard that part. If that's the case it would defeat the purpose, and it needs to be fixed. There should be no time limit.

As I mentioned, I could be wrong but I remember interviewing for a job about a year ago and the guy was describing it. I may have gotten it mixed up with the FSA as far as the not getting money back.

[Indo]

Originally Posted by Vincent

Indo, Indo, Indo.

Don't confuse us with the facts. Our minds are made up. We must do this NOW. We can't delay. We need to do it f-f-f-for t-t-the ch-ch-children. And anybody that disagrees is a racist.

We hear that repeatedly on tv.

I know! It's unbelievable the spin these people (News--er,i mean--- Opinion Agencies and Reporters, etc)

I'll probably be reported on one of those "problem-causer" websites