Hospitals Often Charge Uninsured People the Highest Prices, New Data Show

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Raul Macias was rushed to an emergency room last November, with pain shooting from his back to his legs. His breathing was shallow.

Doctors at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen, S.D., discovered a potentially life-threatening tear in the lining of his largest artery. They moved him to Avera Health’s heart hospital, where he stayed for three days.

Avera then billed Mr. Macias, who was uninsured, some of the highest prices the hospitals charge to any payer, the Wall Street Journal found in an analysis of Avera’s previously confidential hospital price data.

A Journal study of thousands of prices at hundreds of hospitals revealed that many charge top prices to patients like Mr. Macias, who must pay cash out of pocket, compared with the prices the hospitals have negotiated with insurance companies.

-more-

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/insurance/hospitals-often-charge-uninsured-people-the-highest-prices-new-data-show/ar-AALPZHw

[Turbineguy]

1. If you can't afford insurance you get a 500% upcharge.

[jimfields33]

6. Send 10 bucks a month and that's it

They can no longer ding your credit report for medical.

[Dave says]

8. I'm not sure, but I think that's no longer true

[jimfields33]

9. Crap!

[sarisataka]

2. I noticed that in the 90s

When I received the bill summary for an ER visit.

The bill included a burn treatment when I had been treated for a GI issue. After having the charge corrected I asked about a line at the bottom labeled "Insurance Reduction". The person explained that was to account for a deal with the insurance they accept and out if network insurance would not get that reduction. My follow-up question was naturally what if I didn't have insurance. She said there would be no reduction.

I'm glad to see WSJ is catching on to what has been happening for decades.

[CurtEastPoint]

3. This needs to be challenged. Supply/demand does not come into play as in airline seat prices...

all over the board. Finite supply of that. Healthcare? It's how much can we gouge. MFers

[Phoenix61]

4. Insurance companies have contracts with in-network service providers.

The service providers are willing to provide a discount to be in-network with the expectation it will increase the number of users. My question is when the hospital writes off indigent services, what amount do they use?

[davsand]

5. This has been going on for a very long time.

Medicare charges are also established by "agreements" or a master charge list so Medicare doesn't get ripped off quite so much. We discussed it back in 2002 when we were fighting to make local hospitals pay property taxes if they didn't provide charity care/reduced fees for people who are poverty level and below. We all subsidize this bad behavior when we pay taxes and they don't. It is still an issue and will probably remain one as long as health care isn't a single payer system.




Laura

[marie999]

7. Last month I had a colonoscopy. They billed the VA $3,120 and the VA paid $835.94.

The smartest thing I ever did although I didn't know it at the time was enlistment in the army, May 31, 1963-May 29, 1967.