Something to watch out for

[Bamaman]

All of our local hospitals are "in network" for Blue Cross, United Healthcare and the big national insurance companies.

My gripe is with the emergency room physicians--none of which accept "in network" payments. Heck, they don't even work for the hospital. They're working for whatever they can squeeze out of insurance companies and individuals' pocketbooks. Don't pay'em and watch your FICO score drop as they'll report you as a chargeoff.

When I go into the emergency room, I've seen the same bunch of people (as 5 years ago) using it as an unpaid clinic. They're the subculture group of people that don't know enough to even sign up for O'Bamacare. They wouldn't pay co-payments or deductibles--even if they could afford it.

But I'm still thankful that my wife and I have Medicare with a fine supplement purchased at reasonable prices through my ex-employer, MegaCompany.

 

[John Galt III]

.... I've heard many stories of out-of-network doctors providing unneeded services. I have come to believe that it is done on purpose in order to generate fees that are not subject to insurance company reimbursement schedules, and which can thus be more lucrative.

Yes, this is the screaming elephant in the hospital that people don't seem to see or hear. As the old cliche says, follow the money.