My Thoughts on Doctors and Insurance Companies

"Doctors are men who prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing. " - Voltaire               

We've all been to a doctor's office. And anyone who has been to a doctor knows that no prices are listed anywhere for anything the doctor plans to do.  I like to refer to this as ex post facto rape.    The doctor runs all sorts of tests and treatments and then bends you over a few months later by sending an outrageous bill that he/she never once gave you the slightest hint would be so high.  Basically, a doctor could say your visit cost $10,000,000 and really what can you do 2 months later when you get the bill?  Ask them to take back the check up?  Or undo the tests they ran?  Shouldn't doctors have to tell you prices up front?  Shouldn't patients have to sign an agreement before hand explaining all the fees that will be incurred for the medical services.  What other job gets to make up its fees without telling anyone what they will be until after the service?   It is the equivalent of going to McDonalds and being handed your meal without having to pay.  After you finish eating it, the cashier comes out and tells you some random price that your meal costs and informs you that you have to pay whatever they say because you ate the meal.  And then, my favorite part of the whole deal is getting the insurance notice letting you know how much was billed, how much the insurance company agreed to pay, what was paid by insurance, and what you still owe.  My favorite was the time I had blood drawn for an allergy test.  The hospital billed the insurance company $210 (which is insane to begin with).  The insurance company had agreed to pay $350 for the service.  So they sent the hospital $250 and said that I owed a $100 co-pay.  In short, the insurance company was paying more than the hospital was even asking for the service.  And they still stuck me with a $100 bill.  This is not just ex post facto rape, rather ex post facto gang rape by the both the doctor and the insurance company.  No wonder insurance costs more than buying a home.  I believe the premium for insurance for a family of four is around $1400 a month.  That is more than a mortgage payment for most people.   It is pretty messed up that when you meet someone with some catastrophic illness, your first thought is "that's terrible" but the second thought is "at least someone is getting his money's worth from his insurance premiums."