[Freesail99]

Originally Posted by sailaway 21

I'm a bit confused by the above but do know that the insurance companies pay at the highest rates to physicians and hospitals. If you're paying cash, you can commonly negotiate a $225 X-ray down to $150. I don't think that anyone thinks that there is $75 worth of paperwork involved in submitting it to the insurance company or, if there is, that there is a valid reason for it. Paying cash for services is as close the the free market as we come in health care and it does reveal that prices are always negotiable. What this fact does reveal is that there is a lot of fat in the health care industry, much of it government originated, and that we can make it far more competitive.

Sailking is very close to being correct. There is also clarity care which he didn't mention. I have lived the insured and uninsured medical night mare with cancer, cancer surgery, heart attack, triple bypass and not one not two but as of right now, 14 stints in my heart. I have negotiated payments but I have not been dunned for more money. I also want to say thank god for walmart they save me at least $150.00 a month in drug cost. If you noticed many businesses have followed walmart's lead on this. Can we hope that a government program might do the same, in lowering cost ? I use to have money.