The first of the "This is not a bill" statements are showing up in the mail. I have really mixed feelings as I scan the multiple pages. I am grateful to have insurance that will probably cover 100% of the
fees. I am glad my providers have all committed to accepting the reduced value assigned to the services. But I am shocked that an uninsured person would - could be charged four times (or more!) as much as I, that is my insurance, will have to pay for the same procedure.
An office visit to my orthopod is approved at almost 100% of his usual fee. But the surgical fee is reduced by a whopping 2/3, so he will only be paid 1/3 of his usual charge for my operation. It's even a greater reduction for the anesthesiologist. His approved fee amount is less than 1/10 of his actual charge. I don't know if the fees are artificially inflated or if budget cuts are unfairly reducing what doctors are being paid by government based health insurance plans.
I do know that I want the smartest young people going in to the medical profession. The price of a medical education is unbelievably high. The cost of setting up a practice is huge. The financial reward has to be commensurate with the time, effort, and expense our medical professionals have expended to get there. I don't want ALL the smart young people to become lawyers!
I'm going to have to bake more cookies!
No comments:
Post a Comment