Should Obama stop this?

[JazzGal]

I had a minor outpatient procedure last week. The hospital bill is over $13,000, the doctor fee is $1,100, and I haven't yet seen the anesthesiologist bill and radiology bill. There is no reason that my minor procedure of 1.5 hours should cost as much as a car.

Of course my insurance company and I will not pay all of this, because they will cut a bunch of it off due to "contractual" negotiations. My question, why do they even bill for this much if this isn't what they will accept? Do they really charge people without insurance this much? The health care problem in this country will never be solved while such ridiculous pricing continues.

 

[Scat]

I had a minor outpatient procedure last week. The hospital bill is over $13,000, the doctor fee is $1,100, and I haven't yet seen the anesthesiologist bill and radiology bill. There is no reason that my minor procedure of 1.5 hours should cost as much as a car.

Of course my insurance company and I will not pay all of this, because they will cut a bunch of it off due to "contractual" negotiations. My question, why do they even bill for this much if this isn't what they will accept? Do they really charge people without insurance this much? The health care problem in this country will never be solved while such ridiculous pricing continues.

Let the free market and competition take over. Get Wal-Mart involved in surgeries. Prices will drop.

 

[TheSilencer1313]

Let the free market and competition take over. Get Wal-Mart involved in surgeries. Prices will drop.

Yeah, and then Wal-mart can undercut the vendors of surgery equipment as well.

 

[Stoked]

Ugh, I just watched ANOTHER episode of the Blackyardigans. "Yo, I'm Unique-wa..." I despises that show, but the girls love it. Between that and Strawberry Shortcake on "The Hub" (a whole 'nother rant, but seriously, The Hub has to be one of the worst stations I've ever come across. It is ALL about advertising and commercials targeting kids and stupid people alike -- really horrible), I want to die.

Trout my friend it has only just begun. The shows dont get any better. Total Random makes me want to cut out my eyes.

 

[TroutBum]

Trout my friend it has only just begun. The shows dont get any better. Total Random makes me want to cut out my eyes.

How can it get worse? I caught myself singing "The Wonder Pets!" song while I was cleaning my garage this weekend, except I was mixing and matching words to make it derogatory. I wish I was making this up. Micky is actually gay, The Little Einsteins aren't on anymore (the only good show my kids ever watched), and the Republican in me just can't stand Dora the Explorer or Handy Manny. WTF?! What happened to kids shows?

 

[TroutBum]

Trout my friend it has only just begun. The shows dont get any better. Total Random makes me want to cut out my eyes.

How can it get worse? I caught myself singing "The Wonder Pets!" song while I was cleaning my garage this weekend, except I was mixing and matching words to make it derogatory. I wish I was making this up. Micky is actually gay, The Little Einsteins aren't on anymore (the only good show my kids ever watched), and the Republican in me just can't stand Dora the Explorer or Handy Manny. WTF?! What happened to kids shows?

 

[LogGrad98]

Ah sexual orientation ambiguity in cartoons of the 80s. The good olds days.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Ugh, I just watched ANOTHER episode of the Blackyardigans. "Yo, I'm Unique-wa..." I despises that show, but the girls love it. Between that and Strawberry Shortcake on "The Hub" (a whole 'nother rant, but seriously, The Hub has to be one of the worst stations I've ever come across. It is ALL about advertising and commercials targeting kids and stupid people alike -- really horrible), I want to die.

So it looks like they hit their target demographic at least 3x (your girls and you).
Sorry, trout, you set yourself up for that one.


My girl LOVES the Backyardigans (still). I've enjoyed watching most of the other shows with her, through Little Bear, Blues Clues, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Wonder Pets, etc. We have a running gag with Swiper from Dora. Always makes people smile at the food court or McDonald's when I pretend to reach across to take some of her fries and she slaps my hand and says, "Swiper, NO SWIPING!"

I'm just glad at 6 1/2 she still believes in Santa Claus and Peter Pan and Neverland. They grow up so fast...gone are the days of my Little Princess, when she wanted to dress up every day and watch Cinderella or The Little Mermaid.

And look on the bright side, Trout...at least we're not forced to watch the Smurfs, Barney or Teletubbies!

 

[TheSilencer1313]

How would the free market correct health care??? People sick and die would choose to not go to the doctors. Problems solved lets just quite going to the doctors and or hospitals. It will solve our problems in two fold hospitals will have to lay off workers and reduce what they charge; Plus, there will be less people in the world hence you don't have to get those losers jobs.

The free market just does things naturally, because in a free market everything wouldn't be dictated by the government.
It would be a natural correction of over saturation of a certain market place.
Once government subsidies get involved in the private sector, it makes them next to impossible to take away..... because that part of the private sector now relies on the government to stay afloat.

I myself rarely go to the hospital or doctors office, because I rely on all-natural cures to sickness.
I have a bottle of apple cider vinegar that has cured me of any sickness I've had in the last 5 years.

 

[TheSilencer1313]

How would the free market correct health care??? People sick and die would choose to not go to the doctors. Problems solved lets just quite going to the doctors and or hospitals. It will solve our problems in two fold hospitals will have to lay off workers and reduce what they charge; Plus, there will be less people in the world hence you don't have to get those losers jobs.

The free market just does things naturally, because in a free market everything wouldn't be dictated by the government.
It would be a natural correction of over saturation of a certain market place.
Once government subsidies get involved in the private sector, it makes them next to impossible to take away..... because that part of the private sector now relies on the government to stay afloat.

I myself rarely go to the hospital or doctors office, because I rely on all-natural cures to sickness.
I have a bottle of apple cider vinegar that has cured me of any sickness I've had in the last 5 years.

 

[TroutBum]

I myself rarely go to the hospital or doctors office, because I rely on all-natural cures to sickness.
I have a bottle of apple cider vinegar that has cured me of any sickness I've had in the last 5 years.

Everyone who is surprised by this, go in the corner and stand on your head.

 

[Scat]

When I was a little kid cartoons were only run on Saturday mornings and holidays. Of course I could never get out of bed before 9:30am on Saturdays so missed all the cools shows. I got stuck watching whatever ran between 10-12. Usually this stuff.

And then the young adult stuff would kick in...