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Topic: American Health care: $10,169 for a blood test? - page 2. (Read 2529 times)

DrG
legendary
Activity: 2086
Merit: 1035
This is how the greedy insurance companies are squeezing the hard working American citizen. Forget about the blood test, every single type of medical treatment in the US costs as much as 500 to 1,000% more than what it costs in the EU. A surgery which costs $100,000 in the US can be performed for just $15,000 in Belgium, or $10,000 in Russia. Only one solution for this. Nationalize the healthcare sector.
You also have to wait a lot longer to get the same procedures, sometimes resulting in a surgery being unnecessary because the patient has either died or the problem has become so severe that surgery would not be effective.

I don't think you understand that if you make these things cost less unilaterally then the people who perform these services will ultimately get paid less which would mean less people would enter the field and those that do enter the medical field will be less qualified.

Don't go to board UNcertified doctors.

5 years ago I would have agreed with you.

I am boarded and am re-certifying my boards this year.  It's basically extortion by the medical establishment and doesn't really focus on ensuring physicians meet any standards of care since lot of the stuff in the boards is stuff that is not pertinent to real world application.

I would recommend having a malpractice attorney do a little digging for $50 or $100 and they can find out quickly what suits any physicians has been involved in.  State Medical Boards are pretty much useless.  Hire a private attorney if you want to know a physician's history.

The only reason I am retaking my boards is because I need to be boarded to keep my license in CA.  Otherwise the boards are just a scam.  A physician who keeps up with modern CMEs and attends meetings at the local hospital will be more up to date that one who just passes test after test without any meaningful understanding of population and demographic changes.
legendary
Activity: 3766
Merit: 1217
You also have to wait a lot longer to get the same procedures, sometimes resulting in a surgery being unnecessary because the patient has either died or the problem has become so severe that surgery would not be effective.

No. May be that is the case in Russia, but in the EU nations there is absolutely no delay.

I don't think you understand that if you make these things cost less unilaterally then the people who perform these services will ultimately get paid less which would mean less people would enter the field and those that do enter the medical field will be less qualified.

Doctors in the EU earn almost as much as their counterparts in the US. The difference is that the middlemen don't walk away with a significant amount of money, as it happens in the US.

The second part of your argument is not supported by facts. Russia, which is having more doctors per capita than the US pays only around $1,000 to $5,000 per month for its doctors, while those in the US are paid up to $40,000 per month. And still, there is a shortage of medical seats in Russia and the demand is lower in the US. But off course, medical education in Russia costs only 1/20th of the same in the US.
member
Activity: 76
Merit: 10
This is how the greedy insurance companies are squeezing the hard working American citizen. Forget about the blood test, every single type of medical treatment in the US costs as much as 500 to 1,000% more than what it costs in the EU. A surgery which costs $100,000 in the US can be performed for just $15,000 in Belgium, or $10,000 in Russia. Only one solution for this. Nationalize the healthcare sector.
You also have to wait a lot longer to get the same procedures, sometimes resulting in a surgery being unnecessary because the patient has either died or the problem has become so severe that surgery would not be effective.

I don't think you understand that if you make these things cost less unilaterally then the people who perform these services will ultimately get paid less which would mean less people would enter the field and those that do enter the medical field will be less qualified.

Don't go to board UNcertified doctors.
If someone spends a decade in post-secondary school becoming a doctor they are going to expect to earn a lot, or else they will not spend this amount of time working on this goal.
legendary
Activity: 3038
Merit: 1032
RIP Mommy
This is how the greedy insurance companies are squeezing the hard working American citizen. Forget about the blood test, every single type of medical treatment in the US costs as much as 500 to 1,000% more than what it costs in the EU. A surgery which costs $100,000 in the US can be performed for just $15,000 in Belgium, or $10,000 in Russia. Only one solution for this. Nationalize the healthcare sector.
You also have to wait a lot longer to get the same procedures, sometimes resulting in a surgery being unnecessary because the patient has either died or the problem has become so severe that surgery would not be effective.

I don't think you understand that if you make these things cost less unilaterally then the people who perform these services will ultimately get paid less which would mean less people would enter the field and those that do enter the medical field will be less qualified.

Don't go to board UNcertified doctors.
sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
This is how the greedy insurance companies are squeezing the hard working American citizen. Forget about the blood test, every single type of medical treatment in the US costs as much as 500 to 1,000% more than what it costs in the EU. A surgery which costs $100,000 in the US can be performed for just $15,000 in Belgium, or $10,000 in Russia. Only one solution for this. Nationalize the healthcare sector.
You also have to wait a lot longer to get the same procedures, sometimes resulting in a surgery being unnecessary because the patient has either died or the problem has become so severe that surgery would not be effective.

I don't think you understand that if you make these things cost less unilaterally then the people who perform these services will ultimately get paid less which would mean less people would enter the field and those that do enter the medical field will be less qualified.
hero member
Activity: 588
Merit: 501
The US healthcare is one of the most broken healthcare system among 1st world countries heck even some 3rd world countries has a better system, and sadely this isn't a problem of $$ but it is more related to mismanagement and strong lobbying from the private sector, and this is why I disagree with total capitalism and liberalism economy/politcal system and prefer a system that associate capitalism with socialism to keep a certain balance in sociaty
full member
Activity: 179
Merit: 100
This is how the greedy insurance companies are squeezing the hard working American citizen. Forget about the blood test, every single type of medical treatment in the US costs as much as 500 to 1,000% more than what it costs in the EU. A surgery which costs $100,000 in the US can be performed for just $15,000 in Belgium, or $10,000 in Russia. Only one solution for this. Nationalize the healthcare sector.

Hard to target the insurance sector if they already have their hands full of cookies.

They probably spend much of their profit lobbying the congress for even more rules in their favor.
legendary
Activity: 3766
Merit: 1217
This is how the greedy insurance companies are squeezing the hard working American citizen. Forget about the blood test, every single type of medical treatment in the US costs as much as 500 to 1,000% more than what it costs in the EU. A surgery which costs $100,000 in the US can be performed for just $15,000 in Belgium, or $10,000 in Russia. Only one solution for this. Nationalize the healthcare sector.
legendary
Activity: 1067
Merit: 1000
This is the magic of government's interventionism. Everything government touches turns into crap.

What the report didn't mention is the blood test come with a hand job from a hot blonde nurse.

Still think it is over price?
legendary
Activity: 1199
Merit: 1047
This is the magic of government's interventionism. Everything government touches turns into crap.
legendary
Activity: 2926
Merit: 1386
Im glad I live in a country like Denmark..

If you get hurt, you either call 112 or you go to the ER yourself..
You get fixed up, and if you need meds for it then you can choose to get something for free, or some premium meds that cost a little..

You dont need a medical insurance like the US.. You are born with one, and you dont pay for it..

Its basicly free for everyone in Denmark.

(Ofc its paid through tax.. But we dont pay tax and get 1000$+ bills from a hospital)

Yeah, it's really amusing that someone in the USA would pop up and say "I'm Soooooo glad we have the Affordable Heath Care Act, because I would never have been able to pay the $10,000 for a blood test!"

Note the underlying problems are not touched, nor talked about.  But the political "solution" that allows massive graft and corruption, layered on top of a dysfunction insurance driven non free market system, is advocated.

Well, what should we expect?  Should we expect them to push for a system that didn't allow for graft and corruption?
legendary
Activity: 1022
Merit: 1000
Im glad I live in a country like Denmark..

If you get hurt, you either call 112 or you go to the ER yourself..
You get fixed up, and if you need meds for it then you can choose to get something for free, or some premium meds that cost a little..

You dont need a medical insurance like the US.. You are born with one, and you dont pay for it..

Its basicly free for everyone in Denmark.

(Ofc its paid through tax.. But we dont pay tax and get 1000$+ bills from a hospital)
full member
Activity: 153
Merit: 100
I think it's more along the lines of specific blood tests, I had a blood test earlier this year and it cost $8000, but it was looking for a specific rare disease that thankfully, I didn't have, but insurance did cover it.

Sound more like the insurance industry is colluding with the medical industry to overcharge your company for insurance coverage. Ultimately, it is you who have to pay the cost in term of lower salary and benefit.
member
Activity: 62
Merit: 10
I think it's more along the lines of specific blood tests, I had a blood test earlier this year and it cost $8000, but it was looking for a specific rare disease that thankfully, I didn't have, but insurance did cover it.
legendary
Activity: 3108
Merit: 1359
Which kind of test? Complete blood count or something more specific?

In any case, $10000 it's hilarious... In commercial clinics here in Moscow, the cost of a general analysis of blood varies from 1500 to 2100 rubles (ie from 42 to 60 dollars). In public hospitals this can be done for free, if you have physician's referral.
legendary
Activity: 2926
Merit: 1386
Again, these RWNJ's seem to have little respect for a human life.

My friend is alive because of ACA - allowing her t obtain insurance coverage in spite of preexisting conditions and testing proved her cancer and now she's finished 6 chemo treatments.  Wednesday her doc will view her scans and tell her she's ok - or that she needs more chemo.

I am hoping for the best, of course. 

Beside, one cannot have an intelligent conversation about ACA with RWNJ's - they are illogical and too political to be honest.
Actually, these kinds of issues, such as $10k for a blood test, validate a lot of the arguments that the anti-ACA people have been saying all along.

You don't take a broke system, then shove lots of government money at it.

You fix the system.
sr. member
Activity: 350
Merit: 250
Again, these RWNJ's seem to have little respect for a human life.

My friend is alive because of ACA - allowing her t obtain insurance coverage in spite of preexisting conditions and testing proved her cancer and now she's finished 6 chemo treatments.  Wednesday her doc will view her scans and tell her she's ok - or that she needs more chemo.

I am hoping for the best, of course. 

Beside, one cannot have an intelligent conversation about ACA with RWNJ's - they are illogical and too political to be honest.
sr. member
Activity: 994
Merit: 441
I had blood work done in April and it was over $740.  I was SHOCKED!!!  I have blood work routinely but it's never cost more than $400.

I paid it in thirds.  Who has $700 sitting around?
sr. member
Activity: 448
Merit: 250
Actually if you wanted it to stop you do away with insurance… Make everyone pay for their care out of their own pocket…

Doctors used to do house calls for a couple of chickens…

Then came along insurance…

Look what it cost to fix a car before mandatory car insurance came along.

But actually the price of the blood test is nothing compared to what it's going to be now that health insurance is mandatory…

I do tell people if they want their problem fixed in one visit just tell them you don't have any insurance… Years ago I had an issue and did not have insurance and in one office visit I got what was needed to take care of it… It reoccurs every so often and now with insurance, it's a doctors visit, three specialist, CAT scan, and then finally some antibiotics… and I tell them why not just give me the antibiotic , we can skip all the other stuff
legendary
Activity: 2926
Merit: 1386
These are hospitals clearly taking advantage. A lot of people don't have the luxury of shopping around for the best price hospital or what if it's an emergency?

It's unfortunate how for-profit these medical institutions are instead of helping those that are sick/injured.

One effect of socialism on hospitals is to take institutions that were once do-gooder, non profit institutions and turn them into a machine that sucks on a government tit, while overcharging the paying customer.

Notice there's no consumer protection agency rooting for the customer of PRIVATELY PAID health care costs.
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