There's much more R&D than in other countries. Less expensive systems did not come up with a COVID vax, for example.
I was giving a source for an outline of the reasons healthcare is expensive. If you have a better source, by all means share it with all of us.Interesting article but it never goes very deep on reasons for the "truths" that it describes.
Okay, but meanwhile I will source this med overseas and pay <$130.00 perhaps. It's a ripDo you have the details on how the US gummint paid for "development" of that drug? I ask because a lot of drugs are created by gummint money - often at universities with gummint funding. I'm guessing most drugs are "found" that way. Most "Big Pharma" drug companies farm that part of the business out to universities and smaller drug companies.
And yes, drug companies "license" those drugs which are now a "chance" at treating/curing something.
But generally speaking, drug companies "develop" them and get them through the lengthy and expensive approval process. The drug companies are the ones who get sued when the one person has an adverse event that was not discovered among the 10,000 people in clinical trials.
Ordinary looking pills? Likely cost the drug company what? A dollar to make, right? Right. Maybe only 10 cents. But the clinical trials to get approval to treat a few thousand cases per year with that dollar (or 10 cent) pill cost a billion dollars (with a B).
How many treatments will a drug company create if they are not allowed to recoup costs and make a profit for their large investments?
Plenty of issues and lots of folks to blame for high health care costs. Drug companies are greedy and totally profit motivated. Not much altruism there, that's for sure. But we all want safe and effective health care. I can't think of too many things more valuable to spend my money on than that. I'm okay with making a drug company rich if they cure me or provide me quality of life. (Heh, heh and I buy their stock too). YMMV
I scrolled thru that article but I can't stop laughing at the term health economists...if healthcare needs its own economists we are doomed.I was giving a source for an outline of the reasons healthcare is expensive. If you have a better source, by all means share it with all of us.
All I see is that the EOB states (My issue really is why an injection was coded as an incision or minor surgery)this is unusual, are you saying that your Medicare EOB, did not reduce the original billing by even one dollar. My DH had an open heart surgery on Medicare and they reduced literally every single item on the multi-page EOB. Sometimes the charge was reduced by a few bucks and other times they literally zeroed out the charges saying this item is already covered under another charge in the billing summary. So in our experience they CAN charge whatever they want but Medicare actually decides what and how much they are going to pay out. Something doesn't sound right in your case
Your trigger finger were exactly the same as mine. rates you mentioned are reasonable.I have a couple questions, I have/had a trigger finger, I would describe it different though. When I closed my hand the finger would get stuck, when you tried to open it, it would trigger open. "TV commercials analysis would suggest you are describing Dupuytren contracture.'
I have been in twice in the last two years to have a trigger finger injection. The most recent in March 2025, For the outpatient visit, the provider charged $210, Medicare Approved Amount $74,66, Medicare Paid $58,55. For the Tendon Injection, the provider charged $172, Medicare Approved Amount $47.91, Medicare Paid $37.56. The cost for the triamcinolone acetonide 10mg, the provider charged $24, Medicare Approved Amount $1.80, Medicare Paid $1.41.
Have you received your Medicare statement? I have seen Medicare Approved amounts that are less than 10% of what the provider charged. The provider must eat it.
Exactly. First patient in the world to have a COVID-19 vaccination was in England. Vaccine was developed by Oxford University who then partnered with Astra-Zeneca on the condition that it would be produced and sold at cost to 3rd world countries.AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, for example.
All I see is that the EOB states (My issue really is why an injection was coded as an incision or minor surgery)
Billed $5,655.00
Insurance covered $5,488.94
payments and adjustments- Medicare ($5,488.94)
- Humana ( $0 ) - due to deductible
reviewed the EOB again, its for the supposed "incision" , x-ray and office visit in total and I am still being billed by doctor for the balance. maybe I'm reading it wrong?
Something is seriously amiss if a finger joint injection under ultrasound guidance netted the provider more than a couple hundred bucks. Maybe they put someone else's codes on your account. They could claim "clerical error" to skirt the fraud charge.Your trigger finger were exactly the same as mine. rates you mentioned are reasonable.
in a word: litigation
I don’t disagree but Medicare is headed toward insolvency, so it’s not sustainable as is? I assume seniors will have to make sacrifices along with other generations, though I know some here will strongly disagree.As to the thread title, I know we pay more, and the outcomes aren't as good on average, but there's nowhere in the world better for over 65 year olds, according to Peter Attia. And Medicare is reasonably priced, IMO. Sure, it's far from perfect, but it works for most retired people.
Unfortunately true, in my experience. so many hoops I had to go through to help my patients get their medical care covered. Even in a low cost government health clinic, patients were still charged some part of their care( as appropriate on sliding scale) and would forgo said care if they could not afford the co payment. So making sure everything done was "covered by insurance" as best as I could required doing what the insurance company required, not necessarily what the Dr wanted or desired. So many denied claims for needed care, then calling the insurance company to find out what hoops to go through. Frustrating! And formularies changed all the time! Just when I thought I had the right ones so I could relay to Drs what RX would be covered and what needed PA, they would change.I have a friend who is a doctor. He has sort of has an interesting take on all this. He said the days of practicing medicine are behind him. Now he has to fit your cure into what the insurance will pay for and he spends an inordinate amount of time documenting all of it. He said he feels more like a bureaucrat than a doctor.
Not being able to find a PCP replacement for months happens where I live in California. If you live in the rural north in California your health care availability can be dicey. I assume that happens in other areas of the country.in Canada, if your GP retires, you can't even find a replacement GP that will take new patients. And one of our fellow e-r buddies that I've kept in touch with has dealt with these kinds of issues too.