I received a few informal bills from insurance company. I was shocked by the price of Provider's Charges. I didn't know the price was so high for people to see a doctor, even though I knew it should be high. It was beyond my imagination. It cost me $587, and I need pay $205 for the first time to see the doctor. And the second time, it would cost me more than that I guess. Because I had already received the first list which cost me $411. In addition, the doctor didn't give me any advice and treatment.
I didn't mean to offend them. I just really couldn't understand the way doctors act. Probably I am wrong, but I think the way American doctors act is not the way to help people. That's more like the way to earn money--a profit-seeking business. The purpose of doctor should be trying their best to help patients, not only to take the exam course and earn money. I'm not clear about the standard of charging for seeing a doctor in US. I think it's nonsensical policy, and it doesn't correspond with the way that is taken by humanism. In China, people only need to wait a few hours to get their lab result and in the same day they can be treated. No matter you go to the emergency room or go to the clinic room to see the doctor. Sometimes a doctor may see more than sixty patients a day. They still can manage everything well. In addition, people don't need to make an appointment to see a doctor. Whereas in America, people need to make twice or more times appointments to finish this simple course--take a physical exam and a few lab exams, get the results and get the treatment or suggestion. It's unbelievable. If I know this first, I wouldn't go to see the doctor. I was a doctor before, so I know how to cure illnesses. I also know some treatments for some diseases, of course I need some lab result to help to diagnose. I am disappointed in American doctors. It's unfair. Whatever how much unsatisfied people are, people need doctor and need hospital, even though the cost is high. It is sort of sad.
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4 comments:
Unfortunately, it's not the doctors who are greedy, especially at the resident clinic where you went. The prices are set by corporation who owns the hospital and clinics (Altru), and the doctor only sees a very small portion of this in their paycheck. In fact, the resident doctor that you saw is still in training and probably brings home less in their monthly paycheck than I do (which means they really don't make much at all!).
The high price of healthcare is a major problem in our country, but it's the insurance companies, coupled with government health programs like Medicare (for old people) or Medicaid (for impoverished or disabled people), that are causing these problems, not the physicians themselves.
I just didn't want you to think the doctors are bad or greedy because it is so expensive to go there. In fact, the rising cost of healthcare and the associated problems discourage a lot of people from pursuing a career as a doctor because it seems so unfair to their patients and it becomes harder to help people.
Ok,I guess I understand it.I know that the price is not set by the doctors,it is set by corporation or government. I just don't like the policy.
Yes, I don't like it either. There are a lot of people who don't seek medical treatment when needed because they can't afford to pay. If it's not an emergency situation, the hospitals or doctors' offices are not required to treat the patient if they can't pay.
Even with health insurance, I have not gotten treatment for a couple of things when I should have, because of the high cost. When I lived in Oklahoma, I had really excellent health insurance and I had to pay hardly anything out-of-pocket for medical procedures. Unfortunately, we moved to ND, and I never got to have my sleep disorders and potential asthma officially diagnosed and treated...but I haven't seen a physician here about it because my health insurance is not as good and I would be responsible for a larger portion of the cost than I was back in OK.
I think the Canadians have it figured out. They have a socialized, government-run healthcare system where health care is "free" to all Canadian citizens. Of course, the system (and the high taxes required to support it) is not without its problems, but at least everyone has access to healthcare, regardless of cost.
Yes, you are right. I heard about Canadian health care system. Although the government pay for Canadian citizens' health care fee, they need another way to get money to keep supporting this system. After all, the money still comes from people. I understand.
Why don't you get the same insurance here? Insurance companies are different in different places, aren't they? Probably I was wrong. I don't know that yet.It's pretty hard for me to figure it out.:-)However I guess I need to find out which company is much better for me later.(you know what I am talking about, don't you?) :-p
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