only 5 to 10% of patients pay off their medical debt, collections gets another 12%

[Liberal_in_LA]

The economics of medical debt

The interviewer asks why so much effort taken to get such a low return. it's explained that the government requires that hospital try to collect on all debt.

Other info from the interview - pressure on patients to pay their debt often causes them to be readmitted due to depression. :-(

http://www.scpr.org/programs/madeleine-brand/2011/09/20/20742/the-economics-behind-medical-debt/

[Warpy]

1. I feel like a sucker.

I've always paid mine off and I've been uninsurable since 1987.

I have, however, raised holy hell when I've caught them padding the bill.

[aikoaiko]

3. You can often renegotiate payoffs. Up to 50% with the hospital in some cases.

[Warpy]

4. Oh, I do. Hospitals and doctors are reasonable

although that 50% isn't a bargain when I see what insurance companies are allowed to pay them.

Pharmacies, labs, and other services are not so reasonable.

[aikoaiko]

5. Agreed on labs and pharmacies. I never negotiated with them successfully after service rendered.

[sam11111]

6. sick people are not up to negotiation conflict - stress hormones also worsen any illness

Nationalize all 4 corners of healthcare:

Drs
Hosppitals
Insurance
Big Pill

[sam11111]

2. $10,000/yr dr's paid in Sweden about 1990. they dont have to be paid like gods here either

The only way to get greedheads out is to cap income at the avg for a US family - 50 000/yr.

Nationalizing would make this possible.

Our dr ranks are overrun with greedheads - IMO, 95%.

If you have another way to get greedheads out post here.

PS greedheads also deliver sloppy and disrespectful care...even when they scored higher on med sch entrance tests earlier in their life.

Sloppy care kills thousands IMO.

"Sloppy with a snarl.....
And a claw through your wallet"


(Sums up US healthcare - we are #49th in longevity - abysmal- we pay twice as much as any other nation PER PERSON)

[Codeine]

7. It's an incredibly specialized skill set that only a few folks are capable of learning.

It takes years of total dedication to become a physician, and you want to cap their income at less than that of a grocery manager?

Asinine.

[sam11111]

9. they find folks to learn the skills in Sweden for (10,000 pay in 1990, prob. 25 000 now)

Adjust for possibly higher cost of living here... $35,000/yr income for a dr. using swedish pay scale.

How else will you get the greedheads out?

Priests study many yrs, get modest pay

Healing here, as in Sweden should be a calling - like priests

We are around 48th in longevity with the greedhead drs in control now.

You also need to educate yourself viz DU rules on personal attacks -- ("asinine" was your word)

[Codeine]

11. There's no rule against calling an idea asinine,

as your idea clearly is.

[Codeine]

13. In 2002 the average rate of pay for a GP in Sweden was 48,000 SEK/month.

That's around $86,000 a year. Presumably a bit higher nearly ten years on.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Ep3z16y5X5IJ:portal.iefp.pt/pls/gov_portal_iefp/url/ITEM/F06098885342108EE030A8C00A2A113B+pay+scale+swedish+physicians&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi5i-o1Ch8Zgw6-S2wvPmtpY3Vkdo3_uoJCcR0Dr-6AgAvVExA-Mv4psI0NMi87Cz_6TAockpjW77BRQGora8PYXdtH8JeqzX5QhuPZ5nFxTfjqTSAx6r87fg02u6uxhgd7tJna&sig=AHIEtbS7NJteRX16_iq7G8rFPOZI7BAh3w

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. In the American Religion of Wealth, cost = quality.

If you're paying through the nose, you know you must be getting the best. A car that costs $250k is obviously better than one that costs $25k - so clearly, a doctor who earns $750k is clearly better than one who takes home $75k, right?

[Tallulah]

10. The more a Dr. makes

the more arrogant and Godlike he/she becomes. Saw this firsthand recently.

[JVS]

12. +1