New Trump Rule Calls for Making Health-Care Rates Public

Newsmax ^ | November 15, 2019 | Newsmax

[trebb]

Yep - wife just had a lot of stuff done at Ochsners.
Medicare/Tricare statements show a huge variance in what is charged and what is allowed.

These days, since it’s so entangled with insurance, they inflate charges by multiples and let insurance companies establish the going rates as far as what they will pay....

I used to think it was a lot cheaper (as far as what was charged/paid) to pay direct and outside the insurance system - I’d wager one who does that actually overpays 2-3 times what a service should actually cost - even at the ‘discount’ rate.

I bet dentists love those of us who just pay for cleanings instead of carrying dental insurance....

[usnavy_cop_retired]

Here, in the Philippines, all hospitals and clinics are required to post the prices for their services, (lab, radiology etc.). For outpatient care the patient can chose to use a lab or clinic outside of the hospital if they wish. Prescription drugs, even for in-patients, are frequently filled by a relative at a pharmacy outside of the hospital because they are normally cheaper. However, most patients are not insured so it is necessary for them to seek out the best prices for the services/drugs. We even have several pharmacy chains that deal almost exclusively in generic drugs.