General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A Doctor Delivers Bad News--today's LA Times. [View all]Algernon Moncrieff
(5,790 posts)There is a segment of the population that isn't a bit bothered about incidents like the one in the article and the attendant huge bills, because it apparently never enters anyone's mind in this group to pay these bills. These folks basically shrug, and say "well they can't come after me if I set up a payment plan, so I make a payment plan where I send $5 a month, and that's it." So these folks don't really have any desire to pay the premiums for an actual insurance policy, much less the taxes that would support single payer.
The article indirectly brings up one thing I've told many people: medical bills are one of the few instances of the cash buyer being at a disadvantage. Cash payers pay the highest rates available for medical services. Don't be shy about getting on the phone and trying to negotiate lower figures. Reductions of 50-75% are not out of the question at all.