Jessica Bennett's story on medical debt has drawn comments from all segments of the medical sector. There are insurance workers explaining how the system works, doctors insisting they need to get paid and even some who say the anecdotes in the story can't be true (of course, they are). Most interesting, however, were these two comments from readers' own suffering with medical care:
Posted By: cindydrake @ 11/25/2008 8:49:08 AM
I have no problem with doctors and hospitals making a good salary, but
the rates hospitals charge are out of this world. I had an Essure
sterilization procedure done 2 years ago. This procedure is outpatient
and involves no incision. Three hours at the hospital, and they send me
a bill for $11,000. That is ridiculous for something with no incision
and where I had no complications. Once I went to the ER with what
turned out to be pneumonia, and that hospital wanted $1,600 for putting
an IV in me and prescribing some antibiotics. Thankfully, I have
insurance, but so many people don't, or if they do, the coverage would
leave them owing huge amounts.
Yes, doctors are talented and
trained and do wonderful things, and I'm OK with them being well-paid.
But the bills I've had from hospitals seem out of proportion for the
work done, at least in my case. Regular capitalist market theory does
not work on health care unless it's cosmetic surgery. If market forces
worked, then every time a new doctor or hospital opened up, prices
would go down and practices would try to keep their prices in line with
the market norm. But health care keeps going up every year, regardless
of how many doctors are in your town.
I'm wondering why we can
find money to fight the war in Iraq and bail out the greedy banks, yet
we can't fund national healthcare, at least basic services.
Another comment boils down this argument:
Posted By: ekay1946 @ 11/25/2008 2:17:25 PM
The current medical care crises is a continuing example of our need for universal affordable health care. We are the only country in the western world where people are going into poverty and catastrophic financial debts to pay for medical services. the private for-profit model of health care is unacceptable as well as immoral, and it doesn't work. The multi-tiered delivery of health care based on the ability to pay is criminal. Health care is not a business, it is a public service and a right, not a privilege or a luxury. It is a god given human right.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on universal health care. Is it worth the Government expense? And speaking of the government, many in the comments section played their Econ. 101 cards, arguing that it is time for a "medical bailout." It's doubtful that will ever happen, but one version of that dream happened for one of the sources that Bennett interviewed, as the Editor's Note at the end of the story explains: "Since this story was published, Tufts Medical Center has offered to waive all of Maria McNamara's medical fees at the hospital, including that of an upcoming laser treatment she has scheduled for Dec. 19. She hopes that treatment will be the last one she needs to regain her sight." Before the debt was forgiven, McNamara owed more than $30,000.
