One of the major issues with healthcare is NOT knowing in advance how much it will cost. It has been an issue for years and continues to be top on the list. What I find odd is how we think it is normal. It is not normal; it encourages high prices, corruption, and poor quality of care.
My son recently went to the doctor for a possible emergency. I say possible because it was uncertain how bad the situation was until we either discovered the truth via a doctor visit or by waiting for time to pass. He landed poorly and within a day his foot and ankle swelled and turned black and blue. It could have been a sprain or a break but without X-rays it was hard to know.
He is new to the world of healthcare and because I have always made these decisions for him and it never dawned on me to say “you don’t have to accept everything a doctor prescribes”, he found himself with a bill for a product he didn’t really want or, as it turns out, need.
The doctor placed an ankle brace on him without asking if he wanted it, without explaining his options, and without mentioning he would have to pay for it. It may seem obvious that you need to pay for equipment of this sort but if you’ve never been in this situation and if the doctor acts like it comes with the service, it can be a bit of a surprise.
Well, my son was surprised when the bill came which included the doctor’s charge, two X-Ray charges, another diagnostic charge, and a charge of $94 for an ankle brace he wore for 2 hours and could have purchased down the road for $15. I understand his frustration but am concerned when he says things like “I’m never going to the doctor again”. Sigh…
Many of these providers don’t actually know much about cost (although they do know there will be charge). They are completely separate from that aspect of healthcare. The doctor gets paid even if the clinic does not so why should he bother with a financial discussion? It places an unfortunate distance between doctor and patient. My grandfather was a doctor between the 40s and 70s and dealt with all aspects of his clinic, including how much to charge for services. He had strong relationships with his patients. Today it’s amazing if they truly remember who you are without first reviewing your file.
We would be better off if there was true competition between providers allowing them to create their own fees rather than the insurance companies dictating them. We could shop and compare and it would be up to us to decide if we want to pay more for what is perceived as the best doctor or pay a bit less for another doctor. All doctors would still need to meet certain levels of education, licensing, etc. Credentialing all provider types is important as there are too many corrupt people to simply take their word for it.
Today, I can visit a clinic that has ten doctors and be charged the same fee for the same service no matter which person sees me. Some people believe this is a benefit; that set pricing means no one will be left without care. But paying the same price for a service that isn’t truly the same QUALITY is not a good deal. It means that you take a chance on receiving crappy service depending on which doctor is available.
If I want a high quality meal with a high price tag, I know where to go in my home town. The same is true if I want something quick or cheap. I make that decision and I suffer the consequences of less money in my bank account or an upset stomach. Still MY choice.
Today, we are not trusted to make choices for ourselves and this leads to poor options in areas like healthcare and so much more.
This post was originally seen on Alexandria (aleksandreia.com).
