Colonoscopies Explain Why U.S. Leads the World in Health Expenditures

[avaistheone1]

ERRICK, N.Y. — Deirdre Yapalater’s recent colonoscopy at a surgical center near her home here on Long Island went smoothly: she was whisked from pre-op to an operating room where a gastroenterologist, assisted by an anesthesiologist and a nurse, performed the routine cancer screening procedure in less than an hour. The test, which found nothing worrisome, racked up what is likely her most expensive medical bill of the year: $6,385.

That is fairly typical: in Keene, N.H., Matt Meyer’s colonoscopy was billed at $7,563.56. Maggie Christ of Chappaqua, N.Y., received $9,142.84 in bills for the procedure. In Durham, N.C., the charges for Curtiss Devereux came to $19,438, which included a polyp removal. While their insurers negotiated down the price, the final tab for each test was more than $3,500.

“Could that be right?” said Ms. Yapalater, stunned by charges on the statement on her dining room table. Although her insurer covered the procedure and she paid nothing, her health care costs still bite: Her premium payments jumped 10 percent last year, and rising co-payments and deductibles are straining the finances of her middle-class family, with its mission-style house in the suburbs and two S.U.V.’s parked outside. “You keep thinking it’s free,” she said. “We call it free, but of course it’s not.” …

Whether directly from their wallets or through insurance policies, Americans pay more for almost every interaction with the medical system. They are typically prescribed more expensive procedures and tests than people in other countries, no matter if those nations operate a private or national health system. A list of drug, scan and procedure prices compiled by the International Federation of Health Plans, a global network of health insurers, found that the United States came out the most costly in all 21 categories — and often by a huge margin.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/health/colonoscopies-explain-why-us-leads-the-world-in-health-expenditures.html?_r=0




Wow!

[mnmoderatedem]

1. just had mine last month

haven't got the bill for it yet. Should be interesting....

[Wait Wut]

2. Nothing new.

I'm still working on a $15,000 miscarriage from 8 years ago. I've been shocked too often by medical bills to be shocked, anymore. The excuses hospitals, med suppliers, pharm companies give have gotten so old they found a copy on Noah's Ark.

There is only one excuse: Greed. To hell with the patient.

[matt819]

4. You're right

You are 110% correct. This is nothing new, but this article shows more clearly than before, in my view, that situations such as yours are widespread - and many are worse. Read the comments. The one that got to me was the guy who took 14 years to pay off medical bills associated with the birth of one of his children. Some of the comments are hearbreaking.

The article addresses a host of cost-related issues, including, well, the ridiculously high costs of medical care in the US, as well as the lack of transparency in medical billing. The fact that the words "free" and "market" are used in conjunction with health care is shameful.

In short, it's worth a read.

[Wait Wut]

5. I apologize if I seemed flippant.

I wasn't trying to be. It makes me sad. Very sad. I'd say it makes me angry, but I can't afford to get angry. It's bad for my health.

I fought hard against all this years ago. I'm not well enough to fight, anymore. Now...I vote. I donate. I speak up when I can. But, mostly, I just become more heartbroken with every story.

"The world's greatest health system that money can buy." And the broke and sick teabaggers/Cons/Republicans will defend it to their death. It almost makes you wanna feel bad for their stupidity. Almost.

[djean111]

3. Aaaaand - we are going to just keep on doing it this way.

As far as I can see, even single payer will use the current rip-offs as a starting point.
Also, if single payer is just lowering the age of Medicare eligibility, Medicare still cannot bargain with Big Pharma, correct?
Not sure what kind of cataclysmic event would have to happen in order to get the obscene profits out of all of this, but that event is not going to be initiated by the current president and Congress. Almost all of them are beholden to the big profit takers.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. not if done correctly.

but you are probably right - it will be done, if at all, with abject corruption first and foremost.

[lame54]

7. It's definitely an apt metaphor