Comments on: Recession Proof No More: Health Care Revenue Getting Slaughtered

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:59:11 +0000

I guess this is one point we can't see eye to eye on. I'm not the end-all, be-all authority on this subject, but I do know a little from working in the field and from my own experiences. The hospitals, especially non-profit hospitals, aren't the ones making the money. It's the insurance providers, some of the health care providers, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, and the corporate insiders of the "for-profit" hospitals who make the real money. Also, I will say that the person who gets screwed the most isn't the others who carry insurance, it's the one's without insurance. Uninsured patients are charged MUCH higher prices than those covered under some type of plan. This is the same case for dentists, pharmacies, DME providers, and others involved in your health care. It doesn't seem just, but they all charge higher prices to the uninsured. If you uninsured and have some type of catastrophic medical event happen, you can be assured that the costs will bankrupt you. Being uninsured is the biggest financial risk to one's life savings. Mike’s last blog post..Weekly Wrap

By: weakonomist

weakonomist — Sat, 16 May 2009 04:13:48 +0000

Mike, you’re right a hospital with such low volume cannot survive. However the losses from ERs are made up when the rest of us are billed and insurance premiums. It’s slippery accounting at best and the healthy patient gets screwed, but any program built for the greater of all man kind screws the good guy. Most hospitals have found a way to cope with the ER problem. A solution no, but it is working, and hospitals are making money.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 16 May 2009 02:22:38 +0000

"I don’t dispute that hospitals are losing more money from patients not paying, but they are still making big bucks and the only losses they are experiencing are “book losses”. So I take it back, health care isn’t suffering, they’re playing us for fools so we don’t crack down on health care costs" I respectfully disagree. I can attest to it personally that some hospitals are losing money hand over fist. The hospital that laid me off at the end of the year had a census of only about 15 patients daily for the last six months before my layoff. I don't think any community hospital can survive (pun intended) with such low numbers. Plus, patients are consistently visiting hospital emergency rooms for their primary health care, and ER visits have risen dramatically over the years. Hospitals lose significant amounts of revenue on their ERs because people have to be treated regardless of any ability to pay their bills. Mike’s last blog post..Variable Annuities - A Review

By: the weakonomist

the weakonomist — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:26:32 +0000

Ryan, I don't think the hospitals are in any position to fail. They are still profitable from their normal operations. They're only trying to get some media sympathy since Obama is eyeing them next. the weakonomist’s last blog post..Six Lessons Star Trek Can Teach You About Money

By: Ryan P Smith

Ryan P Smith — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:27:04 +0000

Hospital administrators certainly have a strong argument when other industries are deemed to important to let fail. How can you say the auto industry is more important than healthcare. A savvy move that ought to cost the taxpayers another few hundred billion. Ryan P Smith’s last blog post..Credit Score Chart Round-Up

By: My Journey

My Journey — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:55:49 +0000

This type of story angers me (not your view on it, but rather the crying done by institutions) because where were the state comptrollers and auditors checking up on schools, hospitals and jails. Who knows how much money was wasted by each institution prior to be in a bad enough sitution to complain to the media? My Journey’s last blog post..How Should I handle “Alternative Income” Opportunities when Friends and Family are Involved?

By: Dave C.

Dave C. — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:13:38 +0000

Well, Medicare does stand to be insolvent within ten years unless the government takes action, which it basically has to. Dave C.’s last blog post..Social Security Insecure?