Just how much does this cost, doctor?

Another NY Times article on the actual costs of health care.

You go to a restaurant, peruse the menu, take your waiter’s suggestions, and order a meal. But there is something odd: the menu has no prices and you have no idea what you will be required to pay until a few weeks later when the bill arrives in the mail.

This is one of the main problems I have with our current system. When I was in the hospital, at some point, probably 30 hours in, I got the feeling that every time a nurse came in and fiddled with something, offered a blanket, a drink, etc. that there was a “cha-ching” at every little moment. Had I been more “with it” I might have asked the cost of the pain killers, and used that to choose whether or not I wanted to take what they had to offer (or call a local pharmacy to see how much getting it called in there and picked up would cost.)

America’s Health Insurance Plans, which represents health insurers, is also trying to draw attention to out-of-network doctors’ fees. Last Tuesday, the group released results of its own survey to show how high such fees can go. It included, for example, a patient in Colorado who was charged $26,000 for gall bladder surgery, compared with Medicare’s fee of $681, and a patient in California who was billed $15,870 for cataract surgery for which Medicare pays $638.

For some, miraculous reason, Medicare is able to pay less than those who are privately insured or not insured at all. This is why our current system is messed up.

Earlier today, I responded to a friend who is against having a system like Canada’s. I said that if it’s a problem to offer government run health care to all, then why is it OK to offer it to the indigent, sick/disabled and old? Why isn’t anyone currently arguing AGAINST Medicare and Medicaid? Why aren’t people shouting that we should dismantle Social Security as well? That’s what I really want to see. If people are going to take their arguments to ridiculous levels/places, might as well take it to the logically ridiculous level.

Kinda like, “Don’t like gay marriage? Then no state-recognized marriage for ANYONE!”

Seriously – if people are so afraid of the government’s involvement in micro-managing their lives, then there’s a lot of things the government should just let go of and get out of.

Or on the other side, maybe us regular folk should be able to benefit from the government’s ability to get the same care for a lower cost. Of course, I’d prefer if the health care industry would just grow a pair and reform themselves without the government stepping in.

But that’s just me.

See previously: The High Cost of Health Care