You know how you hear 'United healthcare is the worst'?

[Craig234]

Here's an example of how a doctor faced absurd denial to approve a surgery.

 

[aociswundumho]

Here's an example of how a doctor faced absurd denial to approve a surgery.

I want two numbers: what the hospital bills for that surgery and what the surgeon actually takes home. Then line it up against what patients pay abroad. If we're multiples higher, the denial isn't the outrage - the pricing is.

 

[bongsaway]

I want two numbers: what the hospital bills for that surgery and what the surgeon actually takes home. Then line it up against what patients pay abroad. If we're multiples higher, the denial isn't the outrage - the pricing is.

Are you now saying you are against capitalism? Or should I say, so you agree, capitalism is out of hand.

 

[dseag2]

I have an equally bad story to share. I've been going to the same doctor for years. He's a great, thorough doctor who goes over every result after my annual physical.

When I signed up for United Healthcare, I went into their site to select him as my Primary Physician. His name was included but there was no way to select him. I called their 800 number, stayed on the line for at least 30 minutes, and the person I spoke with told me he had to override their system manually to choose him for me.

I spoke to my doctor about it and he indicated United Healthcare has certain doctors they would rather do business with and they make it difficult for patients to pick anyone but those, hoping they will just give up in the process. He thanked me for insisting on him.

United Healthcare does indeed suck.

 

[aociswundumho]

Are you now saying you are against capitalism? Or should I say, so you agree, capitalism is out of hand.

No, I'm against artificial scarcity.

 

[Grand Mal]

I want two numbers: what the hospital bills for that surgery and what the surgeon actually takes home. Then line it up against what patients pay abroad. If we're multiples higher, the denial isn't the outrage - the pricing is.

Here's something you need to look into- how much that surgeon and that hospital have to pay for insurance compared to abroad.
If I slip and fall in a hospital and break a finger I just hit the lottery.

 

[Pyrite]

Here's an example of how a doctor faced absurd denial to approve a surgery.

In January 2026, traditional Medicare is implementing a trial "pilot" program in 6 states (vance perhaps suggested his home state be one) in which certain procedures and treatments will have to receive prior approval. That's bad enough. Even worse, the tech companies that oversee the AI's yay or nay responses will receive a portion of the money "saved" by the Feds every time the response is, "NO!".

Yep, tech companies make more money, the more times seniors are told they cannot have a certain procedure, cannot receive that steroid shot....

Getting ****ed by the trump administration. I'm spreading the news to those of us who have opted for traditional Medicare. (We're in the minority.)

 

[Craig234]

In January 2026, traditional Medicare is implementing a trial "pilot" program in 6 states (vance perhaps suggested his home state be one) in which certain procedures and treatments will have to receive prior approval. That's bad enough. Even worse, the tech companies that oversee the AI's yay or nay responses will receive a portion of the money "saved" by the Feds every time the response is, "NO!".

Yep, tech companies make more money, the more times seniors are told they cannot have a certain procedure, cannot receive that steroid shot....

Getting ****ed by the trump administration. I'm spreading the news to those of us who have opted for traditional Medicare. (We're in the minority.)

All they have to get away with it is lie, 'Democrats are lying that there are cuts, there are no cuts, Republicans improved healthcare'

 

[bongsaway]

No, I'm against artificial scarcity.

You mean gouging? I've listened to enough of others on here tell me there is no such thing as gouging.

 

[aociswundumho]

You mean gouging?

No.

I've listened to enough of others on here tell me there is no such thing as gouging.

That was in the context of emergency situations.

 

[ataraxia]

I want two numbers: what the hospital bills for that surgery and what the surgeon actually takes home. Then line it up against what patients pay abroad. If we're multiples higher, the denial isn't the outrage - the pricing is.

All foreign countries are have socialist and universal healthcare. Are you saying that’s a better system that we should be benchmarking to and striving to emulate?

 

[ataraxia]

No, I'm against artificial scarcity.

Brain surgery is never going to be cheap and easy.

 

[aociswundumho]

All foreign countries are have socialist and universal healthcare.

All of them have private clinics as well. Remember, it always has to be a two-tiered system, so that the elites don't get stuck in the shit public system. Just like education in the US.

Are you saying that’s a better system that we should be benchmarking to and striving to emulate?

No. Their prices are inflated too - but if the US system is charging two or three times more, then the blame for a denial doesn't lie with the insurance company.

 

[ataraxia]

All of them have private clinics as well. Remember, it always has to be a two-tiered system, so that the elites don't get stuck in the shit public system. Just like education in the US.

Sure. They have a better public health system as a result. What’s the problem?

No. Their prices are inflated too - but if the US system is charging two or three times more, then the blame for a denial doesn't lie with the insurance company.

Things like brain surgery, MRIs, and a course of chemotherapy and radiation for cancer are never going to be cheap. Many things on the free market are like that.

So the alternative is either to let poor people die because they can’t get it, or have some kind of universal healthcare system.

But no moral and sane people with any sense of conscience are going to just accept masses of poor people dying off, going blind, becoming debilitated, etc… just as a price of maintaining free market capitalism. They may be fine with someone not being able to afford a car or a watch. But death as a price for hitting hard times is not acceptable.

Healthcare is fundamentally different than other commodities.

 

[aociswundumho]

Sure. They have a better public health system as a result. What’s the problem?

Better than what?

Things like brain surgery, MRIs, and a course of chemotherapy and radiation for cancer are never going to be cheap. Many things on the free market are like that.

MRIs cost a couple of hundred in Turkey or Hungary.

Chemo is a few hundred in India.

So the alternative is either to let poor people die because they can’t get it, or have some kind of universal healthcare system.

That's the exact same argument your beloved socialist states use to control the production of food.

But no moral and sane people with any sense of conscience are going to just accept masses of poor people dying off, going blind, becoming debilitated, etc… just as a price of maintaining free market capitalism. They may be fine with someone not being able to afford a car or a watch. But death as a price for hitting hard times is not acceptable.

Healthcare is fundamentally different than other commodities.

Healthcare is a private good, and markets handle private goods more efficiently and affordably than government could dream of.

 

[jaeger19]

I want two numbers: what the hospital bills for that surgery and what the surgeon actually takes home. Then line it up against what patients pay abroad. If we're multiples higher, the denial isn't the outrage - the pricing is.

Pricing is completely immaterial . It means nothing.
Tge insurance allowable is what matters.

 

[jaeger19]

In January 2026, traditional Medicare is implementing a trial "pilot" program in 6 states (vance perhaps suggested his home state be one) in which certain procedures and treatments will have to receive prior approval. That's bad enough. Even worse, the tech companies that oversee the AI's yay or nay responses will receive a portion of the money "saved" by the Feds every time the response is, "NO!".

Yep, tech companies make more money, the more times seniors are told they cannot have a certain procedure, cannot receive that steroid shot....

Getting ****ed by the trump administration. I'm spreading the news to those of us who have opted for traditional Medicare. (We're in the minority.)

Um … Medicare advantage already does that. They are way worse than traditional Medicare.

 

[jaeger19]

Sure. They have a better public health system as a result. What’s the problem?

Not when there is a two tiered system . That tends to cause issues as better aging patients leave the public system.

Things like brain surgery, MRIs, and a course of chemotherapy and radiation for cancer are never going to be cheap. Many things on the free market are like that.

MRIs can be cheap. Cancer treatment unlikely as there is not enough volume to be done cheaply.

So the alternative is either to let poor people die because they can’t get it, or have some kind of universal healthcare system.

The type of universal system is the key.

But no moral and sane people with any sense of conscience are going to just accept masses of poor people dying off, going blind, becoming debilitated, etc… just as a price of maintaining free market capitalism.

Of course. Which is why we don’t allow it in America and why our costs are higher because we wait until a life threatening situation develops.

They may be fine with someone not being able to afford a car or a watch. But death as a price for hitting hard times is not acceptable.

Healthcare is fundamentally different than other commodities.

Not really.