Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us (Time Magazine)

[pinto]

By Steven Brill
Feb. 20, 2013

http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/20/bitter-pill-why-medical-bills-are-killing-us/

This is a great, detailed, comprehensive look at US health care costs. The author spent 7 months researching hospital billing practices, interviewing patients, health care professionals and hospital representatives to assemble a big picture review. Some of it may be familiar to many, some of it may be new info for many. A long read but I encourage you take a look. ~ pinto

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http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/20/bitter-pill-why-medical-bills-are-killing-us/

[Skittles]

1. it is outright fraud and theft

WHY are they allowed to get away with it? DISGUSTING.

[goclark]

7. Had gallbladder removed

In and out the same day surgery.

$41,000 after BC/Medicare as of the moment.

[Skittles]

8. it is just unbelieveable

I have long said they need to stop concentrating on how to pay for it and start focusing on why these bastards are allowed to commit outright FRAUD AND THEFT

[pangaia]

13. Do you mean YOU had to pay $41,000 after Medicare?

[John2]

2. Joe Scarborough

had this guy on his show and all the pundits present that day heard this story. Yet he continues to place focus on the receivers of Health benefits instead of the providers. That is what Congress needs to focus on, but they seem to be in their pockets just like the people on Wallstreet. I think Americans need to get better informed because this Congress will give them the shaft. Do the ordinary American citizen know that almost half of their Congress are millionaires? They are looking out for their own interests. This is all about profits or enriching themselves. It is not every person in Congress but you can tell the ones that are on the take. The same products and services Americans receive years ago cost more. The Health providers are doing the same thing the Oil Industry does because of the demand for their profession.

[GiveMeFreedom]

3. It would be better if politicians wore their sponsor's logos.

Peace:

[Bill USA]

14. love the picture. copied it. Thanks. Thanks for bringing it to DU!

[GiveMeFreedom]

4. I have renal cell carcinoma stage IV and I have

had better days. I have been retired for 2 years now and just started taking a drug called "Votrient" (pazopanib) a little over 4 months ago. The cost to me is a $30.00 copay every month, so far. Votrient comes in a 200mg tab, of which I take 4 a day or 800mg total. So, 30 days, times, 4 per day, equals 120 pills per month supply. I have heard of these pills costing as much as $12,000.00 for 120 (200mg) doses. I told my wife if our co-pay was going to be astronomical for Votrient, I would rather die than force her into any kind of poverty. I fear going to the hospital because of what they charge or the dentist for that matter.

About VOTRIENT
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Should a Chemo Drug That Doesn't Prolong Life Be Approved? Author: Billy Rubin's Blog
http://www.billyrubinsblog.org/2012/03/should-chemo-drug-that-doesnt-prolong.html
From the blog:

What made the article interesting and worthy of tweeting is that GSK was unable to demonstrate that Votrient actually prolonged the lives of the affected patients. GSK measured the drug's effectiveness in two ways: one by looking at survival, but two, by looking at something called "progression free survival"--or how long the tumors stay suppressed. The FDA summary notes: "median progression free survival was 4.6 months in the pazopanib arm and 1.6 months in the placebo arm...however, this improvement did not translate to an improvement in the overall survival...the median overall survival was 12.6 months in the pazopanib arm and 10.7 months in the placebo arm." [my emphasis]

[Skittles]

9. don't let those lying, thieving bastards defeat you, GMF

let's stay in the game and keep fighting

[GiveMeFreedom]

10. Thanks

Thanks Skittles, means a lot.

[Skittles]

11. I'm hoping this Time story prods some legal action

it is wrong, wrong what they are doing - it is fraud, deception, extortion - it is CRIMINAL what they are doing

[NV Whino]

5. A long read, but it must be read!

[pinto]

6. Yeah, Steven Brill did a good job with this piece.

[eridani]

12. Comment by Don McCanne of PNHP

Steven Brill's TIME article, "Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us," seems to be awakening those who have, until now, accepted the very high prices of health care as an inevitability for having a technologically advanced health care system here in the United States.

In his 36 page article - which will surely be required reading in many health policy courses - Brill makes it clear that we no longer need to take the "bitter pill" of medical bills that are killing us. Clearly, Medicare already has several tools to control costs and has the potential for further improving value in the nation's health care purchasing.

At the end of his article, Brill seems to be advancing a non sequitur when he writes, "The real issue isn't whether we have a single payer or multiple payers. It's whether whoever pays has a fair chance in a fair market... We don't have to scrap our system and aren't likely to." This certainly does not follow from what he had to say as the central theme of his article.

He then recommends some tired or inadequate remedies that would have very little impact on the problems that we face in health care. What is ironic is that he has built a tremendous case for the logical solution - an improved Medicare for all - and then he seems to dismiss it. You cannot read his article and escape the conclusion that a single payer national health program is an absolute imperative, that is, if we really do want affordable care for everyone.

Download this article (the full 36 pages is available for free at the following link), and share it with others. But put a Post-it note on it that states: WARNING! For the health of our nation, ignore the section at the end titled "Changing Our Choices" (that's the tired remedies section), but concentrate on what an improved Medicare system could do for all of us. http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/20/bitter-pill-why-medical-bills-are-killing-us/