Re: Be afraid, be very afraid Health Info

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Karl Auerbach <karl () cavebear com>
Date: April 6, 2009 8:23:32 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net, lord () emf net
Subject: Re: [IP] Re:      Be afraid, be very afraid Health Info


Thanks for posting the link to the WHO report.

It strikes me, as one who has gone through some medical events of late  
that that there is a very inexpensive and easy thing that could be  
done immediately - it's "shovel ready".

And that would be for the medical system to give patents clear  
statements of prospective costs before a procedure and a clear  
statement of actual costs after a procedure.

Right now the world of medical billing is filled with arcane 3270-era  
codes, providers that operate under a multiplicity of names,  
contractors, subcontractors, independent providers, negotiated  
discounts.  All of which is made more confusing by inconsistent  
methods of applying co-pays, deductibles, and such.

Today it is nearly impossible to be an informed consumer of medical  
services.  With decent standardized cost estimating and billing  
systems a consumer would at least be able to make informed cost/ 
benefit decisions and chose between providers and procedures.

Today one can make a more informed choice about auto repair than about  
the choice of medical care.  Medical care ought to be at least as good  
as automobile repair.

                --karl--




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