Your heart attack bill: $3,300 in Arkansas, $92,000 in California

[rdean]

It pays to shop around,I needed some surgery last fall,looked at all the options in New York state,found a much better value out of state for much less,the charges varied greatly for the same service locally and all where on the expensive side. Quality care don't mean it cost you an arm and leg.

Fail.

This report says the costs can vary just within a few blocks. Nothing to do with out of state. Besides, if you get insurance out of state, it can't be regulated. You could get screwed balls deep and there would be nothing you could do about it.

 

[kiwiman127]

Your heart attack bill: $3,300 in Arkansas, $92,000 in California

For example, the average bill for treatment for a heart attack without major complications at a hospital in Danville, Ark., was $3,334. Across the country in Modesto, Calif., the same diagnosis incurred an average bill of $92,057.

Hospital bills show wide variations for same treatment - May. 8, 2013


Wow, same situation and same care, price gouging has become an art.

Price gouging is the American way in regards to healthcare costs. We pay about twice as much for healthcare than the rest of the world and the US does not have the best overall healthcare in the world. Of course, in the rest of the world, governments negotiate healthcare costs with providers. In the US we just bend over spread our cheeks in the name of free markets and pay double because we think we're fighting socialism. Single payer is not socialism.

 

[Harry Dresden]

True, patients are getting gouged. But it's more complicated than that. There are all kinds of heart attacks. Some triggered by blood pressure, some by an aneurysm, some by deteriorating heart muscles, some by clots. In fact, it's the same with most medical conditions.

However, the Republican Policy is "Let Him Die". Or "Die quickly", unless their brain dies, then we are duty bound to keep their bodies alive on machines.

and yet look at the difference in price.....those dam Californian liberals sure like to gauge you.....oh thats right.....Arnie was gov once.....im sorry....

In your zeal to attack California, you missed this part:

Even within the same region, costs can run to opposite extremes. HHS pointed out that the bills submitted for treating heart failure with some complications ranges from a low of $21,000 to a high of $46,000 in Denver, Colo., and from a low of $9,000 to a high of $51,000 in Jackson, Mississippi.

And yet ALL of California is the same? Really Harry, I thought you were smarter than that.

actually Dean if you were smarter you would have seen that the post wasnt an attack on California as much as goofing on you.....

 

[chikenwing]

It pays to shop around,I needed some surgery last fall,looked at all the options in New York state,found a much better value out of state for much less,the charges varied greatly for the same service locally and all where on the expensive side. Quality care don't mean it cost you an arm and leg.

Fail.

This report says the costs can vary just within a few blocks. Nothing to do with out of state. Besides, if you get insurance out of state, it can't be regulated. You could get screwed balls deep and there would be nothing you could do about it.

It was for me bright spark,the costs were all over the place,but best value was found out of state,so how was it a fail?

Besides, if you get insurance out of state, it can't be regulated.

thats why so many want to open state lines,but you disagree evrytime a Republican mentions it. Why would you contradict yourself so much??

Once again insurance played no roll,I wrote a check.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Sure it's higher, but no where near that much higher in CA vs AR.

The hospitals are price gouging, period.

You don't have enough information to make that determination.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Price gouging is the American way in regards to healthcare costs. We pay about twice as much for healthcare than the rest of the world and the US does not have the best overall healthcare in the world.

We rank #1 in health care quality.

 

[Mr Natural]

Price gouging is the American way in regards to healthcare costs. We pay about twice as much for healthcare than the rest of the world and the US does not have the best overall healthcare in the world.

We rank #1 in health care quality.

Number one right after the 36 that are ahead of us.


The 36 Best Healthcare Systems In The World - Business Insider

 

[Harry Dresden]

Price gouging is the American way in regards to healthcare costs. We pay about twice as much for healthcare than the rest of the world and the US does not have the best overall healthcare in the world.

We rank #1 in health care quality.

Number one right after the 36 that are ahead of us.


The 36 Best Healthcare Systems In The World - Business Insider

Quality and the type of system are 2 different things.....

 

[Underhill]

The cost of living is a lot higher in CA.

You could probably get that same $3,000 heart operation in India for 200 bucks.

Sure it's higher, but no where near that much higher in CA vs AR.

The hospitals are price gouging, period. There needs to be transparency and they need to stop charging 80 dollars for an aspirin.

Even within the same region, costs can run to opposite extremes. HHS pointed out that the bills submitted for treating heart failure with some complications ranges from a low of $21,000 to a high of $46,000 in Denver, Colo., and from a low of $9,000 to a high of $51,000 in Jackson, Mississippi.

The differances are numerous.

The number of uninsured makes a huge difference. A hospital in an area where the vast majority of patients are insured would cost a lot less than a hospital in an area with a high homeless populations.

And the hospital which bills for 92,000 isn't going to actually collect that from insurers or medicare.

So what happens is every person who walks through the door uninsured has to pick up the tab for the shortfalls the hospital may have for a dozen others.

In Arkansas that shortfall may only be $100 per patient (insurer pays 2500, actual cost is 2600 for example). In California that shortfall might be several thousand dollars per patient.

Also take into account that the author of the article is certainly pulling the cheapest he found and comparing it to the most expensive he found in the country. There could be variables in care, condition of the patient, etc.. that explains a large percentage of that difference.

None of this dismisses the issue. But it's not as simple as the article lays things out.

 

[Katzndogz]

Medical care costs are higher in California because everything is higher in California. What's the median rent in Arkansas? What is it in California. Malpractice insurance in California is astronomical compared to other states. So is car insurance. Comparisons of costs in different states really can't be made.

 

[lynn63]

Hospitals need to be regulated by the State since the state pays them a lot of money each year for our uninsured population. If they don't start addressing this issue there will come a time when hardly any of us can go to the hospital since we won''t be able to afford it, even with insurance.

 

[Underhill]

Hospitals need to be regulated by the State since the state pays them a lot of money each year for our uninsured population. If they don't start addressing this issue there will come a time when hardly any of us can go to the hospital since we won''t be able to afford it, even with insurance.

As I've pointed out, the problem isn't just hospitals. It is the entire industry, from anesthesiologist, to surgeons, to drug companies, to doctors, to lawyers...and on and on.

You cannot solve the problem without control of the industry. This is the entire reason most people who know this issue inside and out realize we will eventually have to switch to a single payer system. It's not just a good idea, it's inevitable.

 

[dblack]

Your heart attack bill: $3,300 in Arkansas,
And which hospital would you rather be treated in for a heart attack - assuming you didn't have to pay?

I'll be damned. You've stumbled on the core problem with the health care market. The complementary question - which would you choose if you DID have to pay - is mostly ignored, because we're all fixated on trying to finagle some way to get someone else to pay.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Your heart attack bill: $3,300 in Arkansas, $92,000 in California

For example, the average bill for treatment for a heart attack without major complications at a hospital in Danville, Ark., was $3,334. Across the country in Modesto, Calif., the same diagnosis incurred an average bill of $92,057.

Hospital bills show wide variations for same treatment - May. 8, 2013


Wow, same situation and same care, price gouging has become an art.

And which hospital would you rather be treated in for a heart attack - assuming you didn't have to pay?

Better question, assuming I don't have to pay,which hospital would you rather I be treated in?

Try to be honest.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I'd live in Arkansas if I could. But I think I would have a major case of culture shock.

Everyone I know in Arkansas is a lot like Bucs.

 

[dblack]

Your heart attack bill: $3,300 in Arkansas, $92,000 in California

Hospital bills show wide variations for same treatment - May. 8, 2013


Wow, same situation and same care, price gouging has become an art.

And which hospital would you rather be treated in for a heart attack - assuming you didn't have to pay?

Better question, assuming I don't have to pay,which hospital would you rather I be treated in?

Try to be honest.

Let's not get caught up with unreasonable to demands.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

The cost of living is a lot higher in CA.

You could probably get that same $3,000 heart operation in India for 200 bucks.

The cost of living is 42x higher?

I have been in both cities, and McDonald's is not 42x higher in California than OK.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

And which hospital would you rather be treated in for a heart attack - assuming you didn't have to pay?

Since I know nothing of either hospital I would have to state the one with the best doctors.

So the medical equipment available at each hospital is of no importance?

Believe it or not, the medical equipment is identical.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Your heart attack bill: $3,300 in Arkansas, $92,000 in California

For example, the average bill for treatment for a heart attack without major complications at a hospital in Danville, Ark., was $3,334. Across the country in Modesto, Calif., the same diagnosis incurred an average bill of $92,057.

Hospital bills show wide variations for same treatment - May. 8, 2013


Wow, same situation and same care, price gouging has become an art.

True, patients are getting gouged. But it's more complicated than that. There are all kinds of heart attacks. Some triggered by blood pressure, some by an aneurysm, some by deteriorating heart muscles, some by clots. In fact, it's the same with most medical conditions.

However, the Republican Policy is "Let Him Die". Or "Die quickly", unless their brain dies, then we are duty bound to keep their bodies alive on machines.

Rdean manages to blame Republicans for high prices in California, which is controlled by Democrats.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Your heart attack bill: $3,300 in Arkansas, $92,000 in California



Hospital bills show wide variations for same treatment - May. 8, 2013


Wow, same situation and same care, price gouging has become an art.

True, patients are getting gouged. But it's more complicated than that. There are all kinds of heart attacks. Some triggered by blood pressure, some by an aneurysm, some by deteriorating heart muscles, some by clots. In fact, it's the same with most medical conditions.

However, the Republican Policy is "Let Him Die". Or "Die quickly", unless their brain dies, then we are duty bound to keep their bodies alive on machines.

( emphasis added)

Right, that is why HHS took that into consideration as their report shows.

Don't confuse him with actual facts.