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Re: [OM] OT healthcare woes in the US

Subject: Re: [OM] OT healthcare woes in the US
From: "Bill Pearce" <billcpearce@xxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2017 22:48:32 -0500
I get a letter from CMS monthly describing what they have paid, what I pay and what is written off. Don't you?

-----Original Message----- From: Moose
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 6:34 PM
To: Olympus Camera Discussion
Subject: Re: [OM] OT healthcare woes in the US

On 3/22/2017 2:17 PM, Bill Pearce wrote:
I've been on Medicare, with the AARP supplement, for almost 6 years, and it's really painless. Most all good physicians take it, (and to be honest, several have said that Medicare reimburses at a higher rate that private insurance, with less paperwork and aggravation).

What we don't know is exactly that, what is being paid.

I have more of a clue now. We've been going without health insurance on Carol until she gets Medicare (4/1/17). Since the restaurant broke her foot in Oct., I've found out a lot more than I knew before.

The list price for direct medical has been $96k. The net after discounts so far is $41k, an overall 57% less. That may go down a little. The ambulance company didn't get around to billing for over three months, and doesn't seem to pay much attention to emails, either, so I don't know what discount may be available there.

If you say you have no insurance, hospitals seem to offer good to amazing discounts, without even a request. I imagine insurers would pay even less. I'm thinking any numbers we see about the cost of health care are probably bogus. (Well I
already thought that, just more so now.)

The outside administrative company for the restaurant is being cagey, collecting information, but not saying what they will or won't pay without a fight until it's all final. I'm hoping we don't need to take them to court, although we've
had the offer of good a Boston PI attorney.

What's amazing is that if they don't pay a cent, we may be at a push with insurance costs we didn't pay, considering
deductibles, for just the last 2, maybe 3 years.

I have arrived at the decision that physicians that don't take it let their crappy political beliefs, or maybe more just plain greed, get in the way of their oath. I'm fully for single payer systems.

As am I. But, I don't agree about all doctors who refuse insurance/medicare. Years ago, I had a GP I thought was rather good. I left when he stopped taking anything but PPO insurance and/or my insurance changed. Now, he's been Carol's GP,
and still seems good, and inexpensive.

His practice is tiny, him, one long time PA and a receptionist. He said he had a choice of becoming larger, in order to deal with all the paperwork, better capitalized, to deal with the payment delays, and spending more of his time
managing, or just do medicine. I respect his choice.

A friend simply quit, retiring early, as less and less of his time was actually doing medicine, and what he could do and how became more restricted. He is retired - except, he now volunteers part time at a clinic where all he has to do is
treat patients.

And I am biased, as my paternal grandparents were both MD's, licensed in 1911 and 1912, and just squeaked by financially. I understand the whole business of student loans

Yet another policy that wastes unbelievable amounts of money and throttles the lives of generations of us.

Say Ah Moose

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What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
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