THE SUMMIT ----- or the pits?
Here are some comments prompted from watching the healthcare summit.
HSA's are no solution for the unemployed or the retired.
The best care doesn't necessarily cost the most.....I know because for years I have been getting my pulmonary care at Mayo Scottsdale and believe me, their billings are more reasonable than any other physician/specialists that I use. True, they do not accept Medicare assignment, but they do the billing and the client/patient knows exactly what the itemized charges are because you get a monthly detailed statement. The benefits are paid directly to the insured and it is the responsibility of the insured to then pay Mayo. I have had minuscule out-of-pocket amounts in using their services. Their efficiency in delivery of health care is remarkable as is the scheduling program.
What I had hoped to hear never got mentioned today. I would like to know why insurers are not prohibited from overcharging for individually purchased medicare supplemental coverage. In my case, which I doubt is unusual, the premium for covering the 20% that medicare doesn't pick up, is 157% greater than the medicare premium I pay. This is just upside down. So let's look at it this way. If my total monthly premiums for medicare and the supplement total $311 -- then medicare should be getting 80% and the remainder would be the supplement ratio. This would help put medicare in the black and keep the insurance corporation vultures from eating red meat.
Another situation that irks me, are the doctors in Congress who are still practicing. That is so blatantly greedy and I certainly wouldn't care to be a patient of theirs. If they want to be a Senator or a Representative then give up the practices. Or let someone else run for the offices.
Tort reform is a huge Replug TP. Personally, there have been occasions when medical neglect resulted in tragedy and a case could have been brought, but this would have just continued the trauma because the insurers pockets would outlast mine. I know of others that have also refrained from suing. Of course there are the shyster lawyers trolling out there for cases and the bait is tempting to many people but not to the extent that is touted. The declaration that doctors order unnecessary testing as defensive techniques is more a condemnation of the lack of confidence in their profession than otherwise. I can guarantee you that an unnecessary test has never been ordered for me in all the years I have needed treatment for an uncommon pulmonary set of diseases, cystic bronchiectasis, traction bronchiectasis, hemoptysis, and mycobacterium avium-intercellulare.
And what specialist do you think is worth $524 for an initial visit? I recently moved from Arizona to Oregon and this is necessitating finding replacement physicians. I just recently reviewed the charges submitted to medicare. And that figure was like a bomb. And this is not a brain surgeon. All together the prices of medical services here are much higher than in Arizona.
Too bad every state can't have a Mayo Clinic.
graysmoke
HSA's are no solution for the unemployed or the retired.
The best care doesn't necessarily cost the most.....I know because for years I have been getting my pulmonary care at Mayo Scottsdale and believe me, their billings are more reasonable than any other physician/specialists that I use. True, they do not accept Medicare assignment, but they do the billing and the client/patient knows exactly what the itemized charges are because you get a monthly detailed statement. The benefits are paid directly to the insured and it is the responsibility of the insured to then pay Mayo. I have had minuscule out-of-pocket amounts in using their services. Their efficiency in delivery of health care is remarkable as is the scheduling program.
What I had hoped to hear never got mentioned today. I would like to know why insurers are not prohibited from overcharging for individually purchased medicare supplemental coverage. In my case, which I doubt is unusual, the premium for covering the 20% that medicare doesn't pick up, is 157% greater than the medicare premium I pay. This is just upside down. So let's look at it this way. If my total monthly premiums for medicare and the supplement total $311 -- then medicare should be getting 80% and the remainder would be the supplement ratio. This would help put medicare in the black and keep the insurance corporation vultures from eating red meat.
Another situation that irks me, are the doctors in Congress who are still practicing. That is so blatantly greedy and I certainly wouldn't care to be a patient of theirs. If they want to be a Senator or a Representative then give up the practices. Or let someone else run for the offices.
Tort reform is a huge Replug TP. Personally, there have been occasions when medical neglect resulted in tragedy and a case could have been brought, but this would have just continued the trauma because the insurers pockets would outlast mine. I know of others that have also refrained from suing. Of course there are the shyster lawyers trolling out there for cases and the bait is tempting to many people but not to the extent that is touted. The declaration that doctors order unnecessary testing as defensive techniques is more a condemnation of the lack of confidence in their profession than otherwise. I can guarantee you that an unnecessary test has never been ordered for me in all the years I have needed treatment for an uncommon pulmonary set of diseases, cystic bronchiectasis, traction bronchiectasis, hemoptysis, and mycobacterium avium-intercellulare.
And what specialist do you think is worth $524 for an initial visit? I recently moved from Arizona to Oregon and this is necessitating finding replacement physicians. I just recently reviewed the charges submitted to medicare. And that figure was like a bomb. And this is not a brain surgeon. All together the prices of medical services here are much higher than in Arizona.
Too bad every state can't have a Mayo Clinic.
graysmoke
posted by graysmoke @ 3:41 PM
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