The stunning truth about healthcare pricing

[cynatnite]

2. A lot of medical institutions have cash payer rates...

My son's pediatrician had a system in place as well. Between two visits we paid a total of $19. We had no insurance coverage for him.

These are usually for those cash payers who do not have insurance. Many times these folks just can't afford the insurance so they get completely different rates.

The insurance companies and the government are involved with setting rates for medical services. Cash payer rates that are considerably lower are rarely high enough to cover the costs to provide care. If everyone were to get the cash payer rates, the expense could not get covered.

These rates are specifically designed for low income folks who don't have insurance. That is if a facility has a system such as this in place. Some flat out don't have it.

More people should know about this, but it's not something that's advertised for obvious reasons. You have to ask about cash payer rates.