It may sound strange but many hospitals won't tell you in advance the
charges for a procedure, and they may add extra services at their whim which
obviously you pay for and to top it all if you develop some complications or
infection due to their oversight, you will be left holding the bill.
According to a study published in the Journal of The
American Medical Association in February, a researcher gathered prices and
information from 122 hospitals around the country as her healthy 62 year old
grandmother needed a hip replacement.
Health Insurance - Basics
Health insurance guarantees payments to a person in the event of sickness or injury.and works as protection scheme
Advertisement
!9 hospitals could not give her any price information, and 27 hospitals gave her either the physician's price or the hospital price but not a combined price. From 57 hospitals she was able to get both the prices but only after calling separately for each. 19 hospitals gave her the combined information.
There was a huge difference in the combined costs - this made her
research worthwhile. There was a tenfold difference, from $11,100 to $125,798
and the difference was among the top ten hospitals. Many studies have found
that this price difference is found not just in major surgeries, but also for
tests like an MRI can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to several
thousand. For the uninsured this can be a huge financial burden, and even those
insured under high-deductible health plans will pay 100% for many tests and
outpatient procedures.
![Health Insurance]( "Health Insurance")
Moreover, with the ongoing battle between UPMC and Highmark, Pittsburgher's will have to pay more if the doctor or hospital of their choice is "Out of network" in their health insurance plan.
Citizens, business leaders and public officials should demand best quality health care at affordable prices.
Hospitals should put up procedure rates on their websites, which should include all costs - physician services and facility charges. For a simple procedure like a colonoscopy, the charges can vary due to the type of anesthesia used and where the procedure is done.
Hospitals should provide detailed statistics on their quality of care. Regrettably the quality of hospital care in the Pittsburgh region has dropped and most hospitals in Pittsburgh are going to be financially penalized for poor quality care or high % of readmissions by Medicare.
Hospitals should offer a warranty for preventable complications. Geisinger Health System in Central Pennsylvania offers a warranty on services like a heart bypass surgery to maternity care. If you have a related problem or complication related to your original procedure, Geisinger does not charge anything and according to studies they deliver even higher quality care than earlier. Their cost has come down due to lesser complications and fewer readmissions. None of the hospitals in Pittsburgh offers any such warranty.
There should be a consumer friendly cost comparison website. There are some websites in Wisconsin and New Hampshire, though nothing in Pittsburgh till date. The governor and General Assembly need to provide the funding and the mandate to the Care Cost Containment Council to publish time and detailed reports on information regarding the prices and the quality of health care in the state.
References :
Hannah Punitha (IRDA Licence Number: 2710062)
Harold D. Miller, 3rd March 2013
Source: Medindia
Advertisement
Moreover, with the ongoing battle between UPMC and Highmark, Pittsburgher's will have to pay more if the doctor or hospital of their choice is "Out of network" in their health insurance plan.
Citizens, business leaders and public officials should demand best quality health care at affordable prices.
Hospitals should put up procedure rates on their websites, which should include all costs - physician services and facility charges. For a simple procedure like a colonoscopy, the charges can vary due to the type of anesthesia used and where the procedure is done.
Hospitals should provide detailed statistics on their quality of care. Regrettably the quality of hospital care in the Pittsburgh region has dropped and most hospitals in Pittsburgh are going to be financially penalized for poor quality care or high % of readmissions by Medicare.
Hospitals should offer a warranty for preventable complications. Geisinger Health System in Central Pennsylvania offers a warranty on services like a heart bypass surgery to maternity care. If you have a related problem or complication related to your original procedure, Geisinger does not charge anything and according to studies they deliver even higher quality care than earlier. Their cost has come down due to lesser complications and fewer readmissions. None of the hospitals in Pittsburgh offers any such warranty.
There should be a consumer friendly cost comparison website. There are some websites in Wisconsin and New Hampshire, though nothing in Pittsburgh till date. The governor and General Assembly need to provide the funding and the mandate to the Care Cost Containment Council to publish time and detailed reports on information regarding the prices and the quality of health care in the state.
References :
Hannah Punitha (IRDA Licence Number: 2710062)
Harold D. Miller, 3rd March 2013
Source: Medindia
Near Failure by US States to Fund Retiree Healthcare Costs may Produce Budget Crises
The US is trying to find a way to finance the projected costs of retiree healthcare.
Advertisement
 Preventing Complications in Post-Operative Patients Could Save $65 Million Annually in Healthcare CostsMore than $65 million could be saved annually in healthcare by preventing complications in patients who suffer from infection after hip or knee replacement surgery | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Latest Health Insurance News
The Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Advisory Committee (MRAC) is seeking input on the recommendations as part of its broader review of Medicare-funded telehealth services.
As a growing number of individuals with Down syndrome reach advanced ages, the Medicaid system should be prepared to deliver customized healthcare.
Discontinuities in health insurance coverage among older Americans, who experience a higher prevalence of health concerns compared to the broader population.
The distance one must travel can pose a significant obstacle to healthcare access for people dealing with chronic neurological conditions.
Inability to afford better healthcare is apparent in the appearance of the malnourished poor, just as the obese reveal the "cost" of their health.