Anyone have any idea how much cost insurance companies add to medical procedures?

[ColbertWatcher]

That is of the procedures they cover.

Here is an undated, alphabetical list of common surgical procedures from something called http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/generalSurgery/patientEducation/common.html">Stanford Hospital & Clinics:

* appendectomy
* breast biopsy
* carotid endarterectomy (the removal of blockage from carotid arteries)
* cataract surgery
* cesarean section
* cholecystectomy (the removal of the gallbladder)
* coronary artery bypass (also called "bypass surgery")
* debridement of wound, burn, or infection (the removal of foreign material and/or dead, damaged, or infected tissue from a wound or burn)
* dilation and curettage (also called D & C.)
* free skin graft (detaching healthy skin from one part of the body to repair areas of lost or damaged skin in another part of the body)
* hemorrhoidectomy
* hysterectomy
* hysteroscopy (surgical procedure used to help diagnose and treat many uterine disorders)
* inguinal hernia repair
* low back pain surgery
* mastectomy
* partial (segmental) mastectomy
* total (or simple) mastectomy
* modified radical mastectomy
* radical mastectomy
* partial colectomy
* prostatectomy
* releasing of peritoneal adhesions (The peritoneum is a two-layered membrane that lines the wall of the abdominal cavity and covers abdominal organs. Sometimes, organs begin to adhere to the peritoneum, requiring surgery to detach them.)
* tonsillectomy

Anyone know how much insurance companies add to the cost of these procedures to cover their "services"?

[Karenina]

1. TOO MUCH. They are middlemen

committed to their own enrichment at YOUR expense and at times your LIFE.

[imdjh]

2. $85 = $28 at Tampa General

If you go see Dr. DIck for an office visit at Tampa General and use United Healthcare the bill is $145, knocked down to $85 by contract, you pay $20 copay and United pays $65.
If you pay cash on the spot, they charge you $28.

Now I don't know if that's because the visit actually costs $28 or if it's part of their effort to be accessible to the uninsured, but that's my experience.

[Oregone]

5. I normally see markups for uninsured

Because they know you can't pay it, and they "forgive" it for a tax write-off

[imdjh]

6. I have no idea what the behind the scenes game is

I just know that when my insurance lapse coincided with my having to see a doctor I regularly see (like once a year) they charged me $28.

[ColbertWatcher]

7. Excuse me for butting in, but do you know how much the markup would be? n/t

[Oregone]

8. No.

I haven't been uninsured in about a year (moved to Canada) and forgot paperwork at home which actually details markups. But that may of just been that group of hospitals

They forgave up to 60-70% of costs as write-offs, and sent the rest to collection. Very common in the area (Oregon coast)

[lefthandedlefty]

10. Dr here in KY chaged me $100.00 for simple DOT physical

Made me wait 4 hours after my appointment.The physical consists of checking eyesight,weight,blood pressure needless to say mine was through the roof by that time as I wanted to take my fist and beat him to a bloody pulp.I was there on time made me wait then tried to charge $100.00 for 15 minutes work.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. They extract, for their pushing paper, around 30% of total.

Every dollar spent on healthcare gives around 0.30 to the insurance companies. For doing nothing much more than transferring money from one account to another.

[ColbertWatcher]

4. Is this nationwide? Do you have a link? n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Yes this is the total cost and there are many links.

http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/administrative_waste_consumes_31_percent_of_health_spending.php

The 30% overhead of our corrupt system is one of the major reasons why we have the highest per capita costs to reach a grand level of 37th in quality of healthcare delivery. USA USA WE'RE NUMBER 37 IN RESULTS BUT NUMBER 1 IN COSTS!

The blatant corruption of our healthcare system exposes the fundamental rot that has infected our republic. The kleptocracy is exposed to the light as it scrambles to preserve the hundreds of billions in rent extraction it takes from the peasants every year under our rotten system. Watch as one corrupt senator after another rises to defend the malfeasance. Behold! Who do they represent? Not you, not me, not we the people.

[ColbertWatcher]

11. Thank you. n/t

[The Stranger]

12. I used the Google but could not find many links.

I am simply flabbergasted that there is not an active, Progressive organization out there showing how much money is sucked out of us by the vampire insurance companies.

Where is this? Why aren't we doing this?

[ColbertWatcher]

13. Monday kick. n/t

[kentuck]

14. I have read...

That the health-care business totals about $2.6 trillion per year. And that insurance companies make about $400 billion per year in profits. That would be about 1 out of every 6 dollars spent. Perhaps it is more?

[annabanana]

15. If your insurance company sends you an "EOB"

or "Explanation of Benefits". . You can see EXACTLY what the difference is.

The difference is what you would have had to pay vs what the insurance company actually DID pay...