[Pops]

Heard about the gov releasing standard hospital charges on NPR then saw this article that easily compares charges within Missouri. ( I tried downloading the spreadsheet yesterday but it crashed my excel)

Comparisson, In Springfield Mo there are 2 hospitals, one a non and one a for profit, just because it is the thing I know about I looked up the standard charge of each for admission for diabetes with complications, the for profit hospital's standard charge averaged about $24k, the non profits average charge was $12k. Now the killer, the average payment the 2 hospitals received was within $100 of $5,100. - that's right, they both get almost exactly the same payment from insurance cos and .gov, the for profit averages $100 more.

Typically the only people actually expected to pay the inflated bill are the uninsured self-pays. So, you say, obviously the for profit is a better hospital, they charge more because they are better, it's the mericun way!

Wrong! The reason I looked up this particular diagnosis was because I was admitted to the ER in the for-profit on the verge of a diabetic coma and they said I was too sick for them and I should go to the non-profit hospital! That's right, the non-profit who charges half as it's standard rate is the better hospital by the profit hospitals own admission

Then they charged me $4,000 for that diagnosis and an ambulance ride!


Typically the only people actually expected to pay the inflated bill are the self-pays. The non-profit discounted my bill by half after I whined a little but the for-profit sent me to collections when I didn't pay in full in 60 days. (I told them to kiss my ass, I'd give them $500 to go away, eventually they took it and dinged my credit rating but I'm in a position to not give a rip)

There is absolutely nothing rational about this system.

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