Just to show how much health care cost

[NPT]

have increased here's the bill for 4 days in the hospital when my wife was born. I went back and used the
inflation calculator in Bureau of Labor Statistics and in turn out to be around $1200 in today's dollars. I have no idea what a birth cost now but it was a lot more than that when our daughter was born in the 80s.

 

[meridian]

Not surprising.

I believe I've posted here what happened to me last year.

I slipped in a steam room in a health club, tearing my ear right in the middle. It did not hurt, so I didn't think much of it until I saw a bucket-full of blood, so to speak, on the flow. The club called the Ambulance service, which took me to a nearby hospital. A surgeon came in the next day to do a plastic surgery, and I was discharged about an hour after I woke up. I saw him a couple of times after the surgery to check how it was healing.. He did a good job except that the scar is still there, fully visible if you see me from the back.

Final bill? The total (Hospital plus surgeon) came to a bit over $85,000! Of course, the insurance paid most of it but ...!

That's the American healthcare system, amigo.

 

[SuperHoosierFan]

Not surprising.

I believe I've posted here what happened to me last year.

I slipped in a steam room in a health club, tearing my ear right in the middle. It did not hurt, so I didn't think much of it until I saw a bucket-full of blood, so to speak, on the flow. The club called the Ambulance service, which took me to a nearby hospital. A surgeon came in the next day to do a plastic surgery, and I was discharged about an hour after I woke up. I saw him a couple of times after the surgery to check how it was healing.. He did a good job except that the scar is still there, fully visible if you see me from the back.

Final bill? The total (Hospital plus surgeon) came to a bit over $85,000! Of course, the insurance paid most of it but ...!

That's the American healthcare system, amigo.

I'm just glad we don't do it like the rest of the industrialized world. Those people are suckers.

 

[Iudanapoint]

I'm just glad we don't do it like the rest of the industrialized world. Those people are suckers.

The rest of the industrialized world compensates doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians, clinics, hospitals, drug makers and other service providers at levels much lower than the U.S. That is the inevitability of effectively managing costs for the long term. Providers of goods and services will have to make less money. In many cases, it will need to be far less money.

 

[Sope Creek]

The rest of the industrialized world compensates doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians, clinics, hospitals, drug makers and other service providers at levels much lower than the U.S. That is the inevitability of effectively managing costs for the long term. Providers of goods and services will have to make less money. In many cases, it will need to be far less money.

I have no problem with health care professionals making less money; many, if not most, are in it for the money rather than for the purpose of providing quality health care. I'd rather have someone with a bit lower SAT score and a whole lot more interest in me and my health providing the care than someone who became a doctor because s/he wants to retire at 45.

 

[Iudanapoint]

I have no problem with health care professionals making less money; many, if not most, are in it for the money rather than for the purpose of providing quality health care. I'd rather have someone with a bit lower SAT score and a whole lot more interest in me and my health providing the care than someone who became a doctor because s/he wants to retire at 45.

I know quite a few who work in the medical community and my experience in terms of their motivations has been vastly different. Overwhelmingly, nearly all care deeply about their patients and providing a high degree of quality care. I'm sure many of them enjoy earning a good living from their efforts, but they also derive great satisfaction via applying their skills for the betterment of others.

That said, the inevitability of lowering their incomes (and that of their hospitals, clinics and other facilities and service providers) is the surest way to manage the cost of health care. The folly of health care reform as communicated by the ACA was just that - folly. It was a modest reform of health insurance, and it's already spawning a massive consolidation of private insurers. The drive to meaningfully push down reimbursements will follow.

 

[Rockfish1]

I have no problem with health care professionals making less money; many, if not most, are in it for the money rather than for the purpose of providing quality health care. I'd rather have someone with a bit lower SAT score and a whole lot more interest in me and my health providing the care than someone who became a doctor because s/he wants to retire at 45.

Health care professionals likely will make less money, but it's the suits and the corporate "people" who account for the vast bulk of our excessive costs. Hospitals, drug companies, device manufacturers, ambulance companies, and all the rest. That's where our money's going.

 

[NPT]

Health care professionals likely will make less money, but it's the suits and the corporate "people" who account for the vast bulk of our excessive costs. Hospitals, drug companies, device manufacturers, ambulance companies, and all the rest. That's where our money's going.

The last I read (which has been a little while ago) drugs on accounted for 10% of health care costs and the article I read said that didn't take into account the amount of money they saved. This is not the same thing I read a while ago but it's similar.

 

[NPT]

Why does the US spend so much more than other countries as people get older? Rock, I know you've studied this so what is your explanation. Looks like we are pretty equal with other countries until around age 55 then we take off and other countries stay kind of level or rise a little.

 

[mike41703]

have increased here's the bill for 4 days in the hospital when my wife was born. I went back and used the
inflation calculator in Bureau of Labor Statistics and in turn out to be around $1200 in today's dollars. I have no idea what a birth cost now but it was a lot more than that when our daughter was born in the 80s.

Our 1st child in 08 cost us about 2k. Our one last April cost just over 4500. They were all C-sec but still. I was surprised. This is our cost obviously. Not the actual full bill.

 

[Rockfish1]

Why does the US spend so much more than other countries as people get older? Rock, I know you've studied this so what is your explanation. Looks like we are pretty equal with other countries until around age 55 then we take off and other countries stay kind of level or rise a little.

That shows that our costs soar as people begin accessing health care, which is disproportionately expensive here.

 

[Rockfish1]

The last I read (which has been a little while ago) drugs on accounted for 10% of health care costs and the article I read said that didn't take into account the amount of money they saved. This is not the same thing I read a while ago but it's similar.

Federal law prohibits the federal government from negotiating prices with drug companies. This is among the reasons why we pay so much more than everyone else for prescription drugs. That won't solve everything, but it's a significant part of the problem.

 

[tigerchump]

have increased here's the bill for 4 days in the hospital when my wife was born. I went back and used the
inflation calculator in Bureau of Labor Statistics and in turn out to be around $1200 in today's dollars. I have no idea what a birth cost now but it was a lot more than that when our daughter was born in the 80s.

I had two different outpatient foot surgeries in 2014,and I kept my second bill,which was 28,000 dollars and almost 2000 of it was for the recovery room,where I stayed for less than one hour.Of course,my employer provided health insurance paid for almost all of it,but 2000 bucks for me to wake up?

 

[Rockfish1]

Of course,my employer provided health insurance paid for almost all of it,but 2000 bucks for me to wake up?

Your employer didn't pay for that. You did. From your employer's perspective, the cost of your health insurance is regarded no differently than your wages. It's your cost as an employee to your employer. If your insurance costs weren't so high you'd be earning higher wages. This is among the reasons why wages have been flat for so long.

 

[mjvcaj]

have increased here's the bill for 4 days in the hospital when my wife was born. I went back and used the
inflation calculator in Bureau of Labor Statistics and in turn out to be around $1200 in today's dollars. I have no idea what a birth cost now but it was a lot more than that when our daughter was born in the 80s.

We are expecting to pay around $5000 out-of-pocket this fall/winter. I'll follow-up with the actual bill when I see it. After I have recovered from fainting of course.

 

[hootch1]

Both my kids were born before the company changed the birth insurance. There was a fairly nominal fee for the first visit. Everything after was covered.

 

[tigerchump]

Your employer didn't pay for that. You did. From your employer's perspective, the cost of your health insurance is regarded no differently than your wages. It's your cost as an employee to your employer. If your insurance costs weren't so high you'd be earning higher wages. This is among the reasons why wages have been flat for so long.

Yes,I know what you mean,I just used employer provided as a phrase.

 

[twenty02]

My son was born 6 weeks ago. To date, we've received only 1 bill, from the hospital, our total cost was $646. We haven't been billed a penny for all the prenatal care, which included a lot of visits and ultrasounds every 2 weeks.

I was very surprised, I had set aside quite a bit more in my HSA. I'm still sure how much the insurance has paid. My wife has different coverage than I, and it's much more comprehensive....and more costly. But in speaking with her co-workers, it seems the ACA has caused a lot of this to be covered at 100%, no copay. Heck, we ever got a ' free' breast pump.