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Re: Medical Insurance and Medical Industry
| quote: | Originally posted by Omega_M
Why is medical treatment so prohibitively expensive in the US ? Why do the dentists charge exorbitant amount of money to fix your teeth ? |
Because 1) they can, and 2) they know you'll sue them for everything they've got if they fuck up, so they have very expensive malpractice insurance! At least I'd guess that those are probably a major piece of it.
If a minor operation for appendicitis costs in excess of $ 18,000 then something is definitely wrong with the system.[/quote]
That's definitely an expensive surgery, but day-yum what hospital did you go to?
| quote: | (1) Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, 801 Oxford House, Nashville, TN 37232-4753, USA
(2) Department of Medicine and Center for Health Services Research, and Nashville Veterans Administration Medical Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University, 801 Oxford House, Nashville, TN 37232-4753, USA
Received: 3 April 2004 Accepted: 16 September 2004 Published online: 23 December 2004
Abstract
Background Despite multiple studies comparing laparoscopic and open appendectomies, the clinically and economically superior procedure still is in question. A cost analysis was performed using both institutional and societal perspectives.
Methods A decision analytic model was developed to evaluate laparoscopic and open appendectomies. The institutional perspective addressed direct health care costs, whereas the societal perspective addressed direct and indirect health care costs. Baseline values and ranges were taken from randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and Medicare databases.
Results From the institutional perspective, open appendectomy is the least expensive strategy, with an expected cost of $5,171, as compared with $6,118 for laparoscopic appendectomy. The laparoscopic approach is less expensive if open appendectomy wound infection rates exceed 23%. From the societal perspective, laparoscopic appendectomy is the least expensive strategy, with an expected cost of $10,400, as compared with $12,055 for open appendectomy.
Conclusions The decision analysis demonstrated an economic advantage to the hospital of open appendectomy. In contrast, laparoscopic appendectomy represents a better economic choice for the patient. |
source
And those figures come from a Vandy guy of all people! I can assure you, they charge top dollar at that place! But $18,000+? Sheesh! I think you need a 2nd opinion!
| quote: | | The insurance companies and medical industry appear to be hand in glove with each other. |
Of course they are. They deal with each other on a daily basis. They probably have dinner with each other! But if you have insurance, the cost of your operation just went down by 50%. Still expensive, but more manageable over time. But $18,000+? Sheesh! I think you need a 2nd opinion!
| quote: | | They stand to benefit from one another, at the expense of the patient. |
But if you have insurance, the cost of your operation just went down by 50%. Still expensive, but more manageable over time. So you stand to benefit too (in a sick, twisted way).
| quote: | | It just looks like a big fraud to me. |
Insurance is a necessary evil to ensure access to the best healthcare possible. It sucks, but it sucks more when you don't have it.
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