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greenman3610

(3,959 posts)

6. while I'm sure price gouging does occur here and there

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 10:29 AM

Dec 2013

it is far too facile for ignorant journalists (is there any other kind?) to simply list the price for some seemingly simple
gizmo or procedure, and then huff and puff about it.
The fact is, hospitals have to pay the salaries of a whole lot of extremely hard working people, people who do often unpleasant and brutally tough work for just decent middle and lower middle class incomes - and to do that, they often have to charge more for a band-aid than the cost of the band-aid. They have to charge so that someone is there to bring it to you and put it on.

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Hospital Price-Gouging Widespread [View all] unhappycamper Dec 2013 OP

This matches up with JimDandy Dec 2013 #1

Weird hospital pricing is a product of our payment system. 95% of US hospitals are not-for-profit. Scuba Dec 2013 #2

when they charge $10 ea for tampons like they did to my wife, they're gouging. hobbit709 Dec 2013 #3

They're doing it to cover for the free care they are required to give in the ER .... Scuba Dec 2013 #4

Hospital executives are being paid up to 7 figure salaries. The money may not go to share holders R Merm Dec 2013 #11

I agree that some hospital execs are overpayed. Most are underpaid ... Scuba Dec 2013 #13

non profit hospitlas spent 2% or less on charity care rdking647 Dec 2013 #7

Apples and oranges. That unpaid ER visit isn't categorized as charity, it's a straight loss. Scuba Dec 2013 #14

Do you have any backup for your assertions? Paolo123 Dec 2013 #18

30+ years as a hospital administrator Scuba Dec 2013 #23

OK thanks Paolo123 Dec 2013 #36

There's a concerted effort being made to confuse the public about healthcare costs. Scuba Dec 2013 #37

no it is not maindawg Dec 2013 #21

Wrong. If the patient has Medicaid, that's an insurance payment. Scuba Dec 2013 #24

Not for profit? Define what that means, please. erronis Dec 2013 #28

Certainly employees, which sometimes include physicians, get paid, but there are no owners that do. Scuba Dec 2013 #30

exactly. thank you. magical thyme Dec 2013 #31

Amazing how many people still don't get this. Scuba Dec 2013 #32

I would like a simple reform... sendero Dec 2013 #5

while I'm sure price gouging does occur here and there greenman3610 Dec 2013 #6

the hospital in the story has 28 execs making 1m a year rdking647 Dec 2013 #8

And there you have it. freebrew Dec 2013 #9

No, they don't "just give themselves a raise". Scuba Dec 2013 #15

American medical personnel work five times as hard as those in other developed countries? Fumesucker Dec 2013 #19

Well said. erronis Dec 2013 #29

do those other countries have some kind of single payer system? magical thyme Dec 2013 #33

You have to have insurance to get the insurer's negotiated rates. FarCenter Dec 2013 #10

And once again R Merm Dec 2013 #12

Of course, if I had the described cut or gash, I wouldn't go to a hospital emergency room. FarCenter Dec 2013 #16

This summer R Merm Dec 2013 #22

The local ones are open until 6 pm on the weekends FarCenter Dec 2013 #27

k/r solarhydrocan Dec 2013 #17

My kid needed stitches for a gash on his head AllyCat Dec 2013 #20

This message was self-deleted by its author maindawg Dec 2013 #25

LOL, these are NOTHING Glitterati Dec 2013 #26

I have a pretty good idea pediatricmedic Dec 2013 #34

So it took 5 HOURS to call in an on call nurse? Glitterati Dec 2013 #38

Not to worry, the capitalists are in charge. Take your case and extrapolate... Egalitarian Thug Dec 2013 #35

Oh, that was just the ER Glitterati Dec 2013 #39

But we mustn't upset the industry, else they will take their toys and go home. Egalitarian Thug Dec 2013 #40