Greetings:
We often hear about how the advent of medical insurance is responsible
for sky-high costs of care. In the two years now that I have been self-employed and
paying for my own insurance (just a catastrophic coverage plan with a $7,000 - yes seven
thousand - deductible), I have seen evidence of that being the case.
Recently,
I had a minor surgical procedure performed. The amount presented to the insurance company
(BCBS) for being applied toward my out-of-pocket deductible will total around $1,350.
The amount I paid on my credit card (I get 2% back on it) was $470. The cost for surgical
consultation cast me $95, but the insurance record shows $475. That's a significant
difference.
Melanie recently got a 10% discount on having a tooth crown replaced
by paying cash. The key is to ask.
An honest assessment is that if it were not
for the doctors being able to collect the higher amounts from insurance companies, my
costs would have been higher. It is like when doctors have to settle for the very low
amounts paid to them by Medicare and Medicaid - others pay more to compensate.
The only better deal is to sneak into the country illegally and get you to pay for
it all.
_________________
- Kirt Blattenberger
RF Cafe Progenitor & Webmaster
