Video on out of control health care costs.

[Savannahmann]

OK, first things first. A friend from work sent it to me. I'm sure he was giggling with a small amount of spittle running down his chin. Because it mentions the word "Obamacare" twice. But that's only because he didn't listen to the rest of it. Obviously he's a RW fan, and like many things he sends me, it doesn't prove his case at all, if anything, it goes a long way to proving ours.

The story is about a group of Doctors who wanted to get out of control costs under control, and started to provide medical care in their office for routine surgery. They offer the price online for the procedure, at least half, often as much as 1/10th the cost of the same procedure at the hospital.

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I've never posted an embedded video before, and I'm almost certain that it will screw up somehow. So the link to the video is &feature=player_embedded#!" target="_blank">HERE.

So the Hospital's excuse for the insanely expensive procedures is they are recouping losses from treating those who are uninsured. Shortly we'll all have insurance when the ACA makes it possible for us to. Does that mean that these insanely expensive procedures will go down? Some places, with Doctors who want to treat the sick will. Some places, with Doctors who want to drive top of the line Ferrari's, and live in big mansions with the trophy wife de jour in their bed and a girlfriend in a luxury apartment in town, I doubt it.

One thing my friend hasn't figured out. The details are what matter. Even with the "obamacare" tag, the video is an indictment on Hospital pricing.

[mucifer]

1. Tell him that President Obama has been fighting Medicare fraud and winning! Links:

President’s Budget Make Fraud Fighting a Top Priority Funds Programs That Will Result in Billions in Savings Over 10 Years

The Obama Administration has zero tolerance for fraud and abuse in Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP. Building on the work accomplished through HEAT, the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team established by Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in 2009, the President’s FY 2011 Budget includes historic support for anti-fraud efforts.

New funds are requested for programs that have a proven record of preventing fraud, reduce payment errors and returning funds to the Trust Funds. Some highlights from the President’s Budget include:

Smart Investments to Fight Fraud and Save Taxpayers Billions

The President’s Budget requests $1.7 billion for fraud fighting at the Department of Health and Human Services, $561 million of which in Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control (HCFAC) discretionary funding, an increase of $250 million over the FY 2010 enacted level. These investments will take money out of criminals’ pockets and return it to the Trust Funds where it belongs. Estimates indicate that these investments will generate $9.9 billion in savings from increased recoveries and prevention efforts. In addition, the Budget proposes legislative and administrative changes that will save$14.7 billion in Medicare and Medicaid over ten years.

xpanding Strike Forces

Since their inception Strike Force Teams, which are made up of local, state and federal law enforcement, agents from the FBI and the HHS Inspector General, and CMS anti-fraud experts have obtained indictments of more than 500 individuals and organizations that collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than one billion dollars. Strike Force Teams initially began in Miami and Los Angeles and in 2009, new Strike Force Teams began work in Detroit, Houston, Brooklyn, Baton Rouge and Tampa. The President’s Budget will provide funds to expand and build upon this proven approach.

Better Data Sharing

The President’s Budget will support investments in cutting-edge technology and techniques that allow for the analysis of potential fraud with unprecedented speed. Improving data-sharing will allow investigators to obtain snapshots of fraudulent claims activity in real-time. Previously, obtaining this data and identifying potentially fraudulent activities took months or years.

Strengthening Oversight and Stepping Up Efforts to Prevent Fraud

A series of proposals supported in the President’s Budget will increase oversight, improve data analysis and help ensure only legitimate providers participate in the Medicare program.


http://www.stopmedicarefraud.gov/healthcarefraud_factsheet.html

I'm sure rmoney would do the same if he was in office

[Savannahmann]

2. Arguing with him is useless. Rush Limbaugh is his Messiah.

That wasn't what I posted the video for. As I said, many of the things he sends me prove our case, not his. He'll never get it, and is a waste of time to even try. Yet, the video was interesting in the overcharging, and pricing the medical care out of reach of the citizenry. Three doses of a medicine that costs $1.50 each dose. The Hospital charges $229 three times for that. That is a markup of astounding proportion. It is just short of a hundred thousand percent markup.