Yes Renee its the big bad medical-industrial complex. Never mind that those "overpaid doctors" have not had a real raise in medicare rates since....Bill Clinton was president. What was your salary in 1999 and how about now? Doctors are now seeing more and more patients, that makes sense...not. Never mind that you said it yourself, "Since I'm insured and don't have to pay these ridiculous bills, why should I care about the costs?" You have no skin in the game Renee, if you and all patients did those "outrageous" costs would be less likely. Very likely the free market (I know that is a dirty word here) would come to play and decrease costs. Speaking of the "outrageous" costs, was this the amount billed or the amount the insurance company actually paid. In my experience the amount paid by the insurance company is actually 10-50% of the amount billed.
People this is the crux of the issue. American health care cannot do everything for all the people all the time....period. You want a European-type system that covers all for a reasonable price (defined by the government) then very simply we as Americans will have to accept rationing....period. There is nothing wrong with that. The European system does ration but by and large in a "rationale" way. We certainly don't. The Europeans do not pay for outrageously expensive drugs in cancer treatments. The Europoeans by and large do not allow people over 65-70 not getting dialysis or CABG's (this is country specific). In my opinion Americans have never been accepting of this trade-off. I certainly have not seen a politician bring up this important conversation. it needs to happen but it won't because Americans by and large a too selfish to look at what is best fro society as opposed as for themselves. Case in point Europeans are MUCH MUCH better at recruiting for cancer research studies than Americans are. Americans are infamous for not accepting anything but the most aggressive care...no matter what. Honestly Renee speaking of research do you know that recent research shows that outside of acute MI's that medical management for coronary syndromes has the same results as stents/angioplasty. The problem is most docs know this research but also know if they counsel for less aggressive care (ie medical management) and things go south, a lawyer will be serving them. Renee, America is the land of unrealistic medical expectations. Are you really surprised at the cost? But do shoot the messenger.
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People this is the crux of the issue. American health care cannot do everything for all the people all the time....period. You want a European-type system that covers all for a reasonable price (defined by the government) then very simply we as Americans will have to accept rationing....period. There is nothing wrong with that. The European system does ration but by and large in a "rationale" way. We certainly don't. The Europeans do not pay for outrageously expensive drugs in cancer treatments. The Europoeans by and large do not allow people over 65-70 not getting dialysis or CABG's (this is country specific). In my opinion Americans have never been accepting of this trade-off. I certainly have not seen a politician bring up this important conversation. it needs to happen but it won't because Americans by and large a too selfish to look at what is best fro society as opposed as for themselves. Case in point Europeans are MUCH MUCH better at recruiting for cancer research studies than Americans are. Americans are infamous for not accepting anything but the most aggressive care...no matter what. Honestly Renee speaking of research do you know that recent research shows that outside of acute MI's that medical management for coronary syndromes has the same results as stents/angioplasty. The problem is most docs know this research but also know if they counsel for less aggressive care (ie medical management) and things go south, a lawyer will be serving them. Renee, America is the land of unrealistic medical expectations. Are you really surprised at the cost? But do shoot the messenger.