Perhaps it would be a good idea to find out from the physician’s office manager how these things are handled. Many times a physician has no idea how the office is being run and what the business policies are. I would start there and then move up the chain of command if you think it unjust.A visit is an encounter face to face.I would call your doctor’s office to clarify.Codes that represent an encounter,cannot be used on your phone case.Maybe it was a mistake,that is why I sugest calling them first.
This person doesn’t care about justice. Read post #51.Perhaps it would be a good idea to find out from the physician’s office manager how these things are handled. Many times a physician has no idea how the office is being run and what the business policies are. I would start there and then move up the chain of command if you think it unjust.
In fact, HSA’s and MSA’s have suffered from being severely restricted by many states (such as in New Jersey) and at the Federal level by restrictions originating from Ted Kennedy.But, we’ve had HSA’s in this country for over a decade and they haven’t help yet.
In fact, HSA’s and MSA’s have suffered from being severely restricted by many states (such as in New Jersey) and at the Federal level by restrictions originating from Ted Kennedy.But, we’ve had HSA’s in this country for over a decade and they haven’t help yet.
I am sure the doctor was driven to this by some pecil pusher who determined that you can not prescribe medicine with out seeing the patient and therefore there had to be an office visit which costs x dollars. they probably only give the doctor the option to charge x or nothing and if they charge nothing but pay for the two minutes of activity through procedes from other payments are probably violating some other rule. As a result the doctor only has the option to charge x. I am guessing that if the insurance company had an option y for a quick turn appointment the doctor would prefer to use it.This person doesn’t care about justice. Read post #51.
He/she and others like him are one of the reasons why our medical costs are so high.
look at the veterinary field. most medical costs are paid out of the owner’s pocket and prices are an order of magnitude less than for human doctors.Just my opinion:
Insurance created the monster that now insurance doesn’t want to support because they formed HMOs to insulate themselves from spiraling costs they no longer want to pay. The spiral needs to stop.
What would happen to heath care if health insurance was simply eliminated? Would hospitals go out of business? Would doctors start becoming grocery baggers? Would ordinary persons suffer? Or, would health care be forced to find a way to charge prices that ordinary people can afford? Even most of the the rich can’t really afford what is being charged today and alone would be unable to sustain the current heath system with the prices it bills.
Most are afraid to talk about it but the reality is that we are getting to the point where the average person’s medical costs exceed the amount of money that they can make in their lifetime an still afford a place to live and food. We need to be able to make desisions such as do I live in a trailer and have a life expectancy of 84 or do I live in a town home and have a life expectancy of 80. Unfortunately with the government take over of medicine, those choices are being taken away from us.From the previous post’s first link:
The hope is that patients will begin to “shop around” for cheaper drugs, tests, and physicians who charge less for regular office visits.
Who knows what area doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies charge? We can comparsion shop by price and quality for cars, homes, clothes, electronics, etc. We have rating sites for many items. AND we have time to decide before we purchase. NOT SO WITH INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL SERVICES. Or am I missing something?
My wife and I are in an HMO. Our large employer negotiates the best rates it can each year with several medical providers and we get to choose a provider for the coming year based on our satisfaction with our provider in the current year. Our employer pays 80% and we pay 20% (roughly $8,000/$2000 for two per year) plus a $15 co-pay per visit and $5 co-pay per drug. We can call the advice nurse and often avoid a doctor visit. There are cheaper and more expensive providers available to us and we could pay more or less. But we like our provider and have been there 20 years.
As for HSAs - I heard that a hip replacement cost $200,000. I know that in 1995 it cost my mother $2,000 A DAY to be in the hospital plus doctor & meds and tests, etc. Doesn’t seem that HSAs will cover it.
Group insurance is based on ALL paying and SOME using. Small employers should be allowed to ban together (by industry or local area) to negotiate lower premiums. The premium split is then negotiated between employer and workers or their representative. Better coverage attracts and keeps better employees.
I think providers should be required to advertise their fees and outcome rates. I think the providers should justify fee increases to a public oversight board especially when they exceed the area Cost of Living.