I do not intend this to become an eye-health blog, but I do have to make another comment about health care costs.\u00a0 As many of you know, I need periodic injections in my left eye to eliminate fluid that collects behind my retina.\u00a0 I recently had to switch eye doctors and took this opportunity to select a (somewhat) closer facility.\u00a0 For now, let’s call the facilities University Hospital A and University Hospital B.<\/p>\n
I have met my health care deductible for this year, so I did not receive a bill from UHB after my recent visit there.\u00a0 I did, however, get an Explanation of Benefits from my insurer, showing how much UHB charged them and what the “allowed” charges were.\u00a0 It is the allowed charges that I would have been responsible for, had I not met my deductible.<\/p>\n
So, here was the eye-opener.\u00a0 I thought my original facility, UHA, was expensive, as the allowed charges per visit were $687 for the physician, $3,222 for the medicine (!) and $357 for the facility.\u00a0 I compared these charges to those for my first visit at UHB: $781 for the physician (which includes a new patient charge), $5,039 for the medicine (!!) and $621 for the facility.\u00a0 Overall, UHB would have cost me almost $2,200 more than UHA, mostly due to the pharmacy bill.\u00a0 How can two hospitals charge my insurer such wildly different amounts for the same drug, and why does my insurance company agree to pay them that?<\/p>\n
This is even more incentive for me to find a facility that can tell me upfront what it will\u00a0 cost me for my exams and injections.\u00a0 This should also be an incentive for all of us to vote for politicians who support fundamental changes to address health care and drug costs.\u00a0 Single payer anyone?\u00a0 I’m for it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I do not intend this to become an eye-health blog, but I do have to make another comment about health care costs.\u00a0 As many of you know, I need periodic injections in my left eye to eliminate fluid that collects … Continue reading