Doctor tried to charge $59,490 for $74 Ultrasound

[RamboLiberal]

That's how much one New Jersey doctor charged for an ultrasound that typically costs $74. Aetna is suing six physicians in the state over medical bills it calls "unconscionable." The lawsuits could help determine what pricing limits insurers can impose on "out-of-network" doctors who don't have contracts with health plans that spell out allowable costs. Lawyers for the doctors said their clients did nothing wrong and declined to comment on specific claims.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/24/BUP61IIFQH.DTL#ixzz1Hd1twBvK

Greedy bastards! And I have no sympathy for Aetna either one of whom's death panels has condemned a 55 year old man in my area to death in not granting surgery and chemo that could extend his life according to his doctors by 5 years. They call it experimental and are running on 60 days appeals when he only has 3-9 months to live in current situation.

Was discussed on local radio Wed and some of the callers were disgusting basically saying let him die or for him to wait for his employer to be sued cause he was exposed to asbestos.

[Catherina]

1. Why oh why do I even click on these knowing how corrupt capitalism is?

But I click and I rec.

Down with a system that encourages profit so much that this kind of greed is rampant.

Rec'd.

[Donnachaidh]

2. we had a doctor that attempted to bill our insurance 6 grand for removing a callus

All the previous billings were 60 bucks a visit. But they *claimed* the insurance company told them to call it *surgery* and charge accordingly...

[Catherina]

5. Why do we even have insurance companies? Is judgement by your peers

not good enough?

The more I start thinking about profit and the corporations set up to profit just from accidents of daily living, the sicker I get.

*charge accordingly* to get reimbursed. WTF is going on here? The doctors don't even get reimbursed for many of their costs so they pad the bills and the cost just trickles down to we the people at the bottom.

There's the real trickle down economics in a nutshell.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Do you have a link for the man denied chemo?

I'd like to send that to some Rightists I know.

Thanks!

[RamboLiberal]

11. No it was a talk radio topic no podcast

Marty Griffin on KDKA Pittsburgh 9-Noon was discussing it on Wed for 2 hours. Apparently the man's wife called Marty to see if there was anything that could be done.

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Thanks. nt

[spinbaby]

15. I heard part of that

It reminded me about how KDKA was screaming about government death panels and Obamacare not so long ago.

[RamboLiberal]

16. I caught that irony too - thinking their Noon to 3 host Pintek (pinhead)

is just the clown to scream against "Obamacare".

[madmax]

4. I Googled the cost of Reclast

a yearly injection for osteoporosis. Princes ranged from 400 - 1,700. :wtf:

It's make it up as you go with everything in the medical profession, because it's that holier than holey realm of health care.

[FormerDittoHead]

6. Here's my suggestion: Become a doctor if you want to help people, not become rich!

If you're that smart and willing to work that hard to become a doctor, but you REALLY don't want to be a doctor and help people but to make a lot of money, DO SOMETHING ELSE.

When I grew up, my doctor (and I'm showing my age) MADE HOUSE CALLS.

Being a doctor meant you had a personal commitment to helping people get better and NOT as a means to the end of becoming rich.

Many doctors I knew growing up (my father was an attorney, so we knew a lot of doctors for his accident cases) lived modestly. I don't recall any of them having vacation homes, for example.

The whole infrastructure of becoming a doctor is upside down. First off: there shouldn't be a limit as to how many doctors we can have in schools. The gov't should look upon their services as vital to the security of our nation's economy and should better subsidize their education to remove that oft-touted excuse as to why they "have to" make $250,000 a year. Lastly, malpractice insurance should be either revamped or nationalized with the number one revision being the taking away of medical licenses of repeat-offender doctors, which I understand account for the majority of malpractice lawsuits.

/rant

[Donnachaidh]

7. both of my reps are former doctors

Phil Gingrey and Tom Price -- two Koch whores and the vilest slime to walk the earth.

[subterranean]

10. Tom Coburn, Rand Paul and Paul Broun are doctors too.

And they're all right-wing scum who think affordable health care should be a privilege reserved for the wealthy. They're happy to use government-subsidized health insurance themselves, but don't want ordinary Americans to have it.

On the other hand, Howard Dean is a doctor too. They're not all evil!

[FormerDittoHead]

19. FWIW, Rand Paul is not a real doctor just as Joe wasn't a real plumber

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/06/rand-paul-not-really-a-doctor-like-in-the-board-certified-sense.html

[Donnachaidh]

21. Gingrey, IIRC, was an obstetrician

And this scumbucket is all over Faux pushing the "Nuclear is safer than coal" talking point. :grr:

[Xithras]

8. Or, go into research.

My daughter is fascinated by medicine and the human body, but doesn't like dealing with people. Going into research is the obvious solution.

As a bonus, the money is very good.

[Bryn]

20. +1000

[unblock]

9. nice to know the insurance companies want the government to prevent "unconscionable" prices

i'm sure they must feel the same way about dramatic increases in insurance premiums....

[damntexdem]

13. What's wrong with that doctor? Couldn't he have rounded the bill to $60,000?

Hmm, I wonder why healthcare costs have been rising so fast. ;-)

[old mark]

17. They would have noticed that sooner...He probably billed the cost

of another Mercedes....with vanity plate DR BUX...

mark

[hunter]

14. Thieves suing thieves...

Aetna couldn't tolerate anyone else working their turf.

[Hutzpa]

18. It's not the Doctor but the Insurance company doing the charging. n/t

[jmowreader]

22. He's working for Rick Scott's hospital company, I assume.