So this week the president proposed that changes that would allow consumers to see how much a hospital charges different insurers.  Huh? What fresh hell is this?

Ok first off this is from NPR and can be found in the whole, here.

Under the proposal, hospitals would be required to post the prices they negotiate with every insurer for just about every service, drug, and supply they provide to patients, starting Jan. 1, 2020.

The proposal comes amid growing calls from consumer advocates, who argue transparency can help tackle rising health care costs. But the plan also has the potential to overwhelm patients with data.

Holy crap I’ll say it will overwhelm folks with data (the only Data I would like to be overwhelmed with is on Star Trek). Plans are very specific as to who gets what.  What I find to be funny is an administration that demands transparency, but Trump has provided no data requested and continues to go to court or use the cabinet members to block the release of information, but that is another argument.

So a quick insurance lesson. First, companies want to pay the smallest amount possible, so they get to keep the most of the money you give them. Thus in and out of network costs.  However, even “in” network costs can vary.  The idea reeks of art of the deal crap and honestly after working for an insurance company, I was (as well as you if you knew it all) would be appalled by the things that are said in case reviews about patients (yeah if you’re in the hospital there is a pretty good chance that your stay will be scrutinized and demands made on your treatment team to provide minimalist care.). Insurance companies use set criteria (most use criteria called Interqual, which is an industry-standard). Don’t meet the criteria? Well, you get nothing. Most base prices are set by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) It is what the government pays for Medicare claims, so lots of hospitals negotiate that price with other insurance companies.  Ok…heartless, back to (lack of) transparency.

So, “As deductibles rise, patients have the right to know the price of health care services so they can shop around for the best deal,” said Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, who announced the proposal Monday.

Huh, more consumerism in healthcare.  Ok, I agree you shouldn’t be taken, and you should be going to a provider that has a good relationship with the insurer that you have. Don’t have an insurer? Hated the ACA?  Well, it ain’t getting better. The simplest way to keep costs at bay is to be insured and to stay in that insurer’s network. You know what you will pay, and you will only have to meet the out of pocket expense that your insurer demands. Your comparison shopping should be done on the insurance side.

It looks at first glance that this system will be data-heavy.  You will end up in a mile of data to find single items, and in the end, you need that appendectomy sooner than later. In my review, all I have found is that you can be appalled by how much an alcohol prep is billed on the line item.

CMS and Trump say it will curb costs…bull. It won’t, but you wanna know what will?  Getting off your ass and fighting for insurance for everyone.  Yeah, people scoff at that because “I’m healthy I don’t need it.” Then one day you and your family go skiing at Park City, and you ram into a tree (showing off or because you can’t ski) and boom, traumatic brain injury or spinal injury.  Well, you aren’t insured because you are “healthy’ and who needs that anyway.  So, the hospital treats you to the tune of upwards of 800k and then sends you a bill.  You can’t pay that of course, so medical bankruptcy or the hospital eats that cost.  When they eat the cost, guess what?  Well, they have to make money somehow so they raise their prices.  THIS, more than anything is the reason costs are so high, people don’t pay the bill, or they don’t have insurance to pay for it. It has nothing to do with agreements made between insurers and hospitals.

In the end, this idea is about as screwed up as Trump’s hair and tie (he really should be nicer to the gays, at least he wouldn’t look so dumpy).  Your consumerism in health care should be to compare policies for which system they use and find a provider in that system and stay in it.  Simple. Don’t have insurance? Can’t afford it? Well if you voted for people who want to take away insurance opportunities from you, well I won’t say it (yeah I will), You’re dumb.

As I am finally up and moving and having more time.  This surgery has deconditioned me; you will see more.  I may also be adding podcast or other content.