Bernie Sanders: 'What Was Your Most Absurd Medical Bill?' Here Is The Response

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

These are just a few of the responses. Listing all 17.1K responses would have made for a really, really long article. Nevertheless, you get the picture. Lots of people could offer examples of “absurd medical bills.”

It’s not clear how much of the money charged in such bills ended up reaching the doctors and other health professionals who actually took care of the patients. Substantial portions of a medical bill can instead go to many different people whom you never ever get to see. In fact, medical billing can be quite opaque even to those who directly take care of you. Doctors who work in large health systems often do not even know who is getting paid for a clinic or hospital visit, how much the bills are, or even whose insurance network they are in, i.e., which insurances that they can and can’t take. These contracts may be negotiated or established by others without a physician’s involvement or knowledge, except for perhaps the occasional letter arriving in his or her work mailbox after the fact.

Medical billing has gotten out of hand and, in some cases, out of home and out of solvency. Stories of unexpected and outrageous charges have become way too commonplace. Even if you are eventually able to argue a medical bill down to a reasonable level (i.e.., less than the auction price of an NBA championship ring), the time and effort that it takes and the stress involved can have their own costs as well. Moreover, worrying about the possibility of medical bills alone can adversely affect change your career and personal decision making.

This is yet more evidence that our current health care system is seriously broken in so many different ways. It is a system where so many patients and physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals are not happy. Claiming that the system is working would be like saying that the Pet Rock is still popular. Unless something is done soon to overhaul and fix the system, you may someday end up paying for it, a lot.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2019/09/17/bernie-sanders-what-was-your-most-absurd-medical-bill-here-is-the-response/#7a0103931696

[Hoyt]

1. Unfortunately, it won't get overhauled anytime soon by those supporting Medicare-for-All.

MFA might be the best long-term approach. But unless more people believe it or want it, it won't pass.

[aidbo]

2. Brilliant analysis.

[vsrazdem]

3. It is so depressing listening to people tell us what we can't have, instead of pushing us to try to

get what we need.

[George II]

4. Many people already have what they need and what they want. The "MFA" that's been proposed...

...is not what I'd say the majority of people want, so why shove it down our throats.

"MFA" as an OPTION, not a dictated plan, would be much more appealing to the majority. Some of the other candidates' plans are much closer to what people want.

And using the word "Medicare" to describe the plan propose is misleading - it's an attempt to prey on those who are not fully informed and think this plan is just like the existing Medicare program when, in fact, it's not even close.

[corbettkroehler]

5. JFK Said, "Don't Ask 'Why', ask instead, 'Why Not'" (n/t)