The Hidden Costs of ObamaCare
By Floyd and Mary Beth Brown
How much is this going to cost?
This is a simple and reasonable question to ask before signing a document stating that you are responsible and will pay any amount not covered by your medical insurance when having a procedure done.
Try asking it the next time you have an x-ray (or any other procedure.) A family member of ours did recently when he was experiencing back pain, and when registering, asked the woman working at the radiology company how much an x-ray of the back cost. The x-ray was ordered by his doctor. The woman said she couldn't tell him the price because it varied and the rate was going to be worked out later with his insurance company.
"Can't you give me a rough idea how much an x-ray of the back costs?" he said. "Isn't there a set rate for each procedure that I can see?" "No," she said, "there is no way of knowing the price right now. I'm sorry."
Just imagine having any other service or purchasing a product and being told you couldn't know the cost beforehand, although you are required to blindly sign a legally binding contract saying you will pay whatever they later decide to charge you. That's unethical and ridiculous you'd say.
Well, welcome to the American health care system. Not letting a consumer know the price before a service is performed would not be allowed in any other business except health care.
This is a major reason the system and its escalating costs are out of control and so high. Medicare patients are charged one amount, Medicaid another and each private insurance company and individual policies are charged yet another rate for the very same procedure.
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