[lbo-talk] Modern medical "coverage"

[John Thornton]

Michael Pollak wrote:
>
> Last month I got a complete physical in honor of my 50th birthday.  As 
> always (so far) nothing was wrong (although I'm still awaiting my 
> inaugural visit to the proctologist).  The doctor charged me 20 bucks 
> for a co-pay, just like 10 years ago.  And then they billed me 4 
> dollars, by email, via PayPal. That didn't seem so bad.  But today I 
> just got a separate bill from the lab -- something I've never seen 
> before -- telling me that the total bill for the routine bloodwork was 
> over 400 bucks, and my share of that is $156.  So now it's up to $180 
> dollars for a routine checkup when nothing is wrong for a guy who's 
> got what's considered good coverage? How can that even be called 
> coverage?  20 years ago, it would have cost me half that with no 
> coverage at all.
>
> And like I said, I've always thought -- and always been told -- that 
> my coverage was the high end of standard, the kind of coverage people 
> really miss when they lose their jobs.  I think that's still probably 
> true.  So if I'm not covered, is anybody covered in this country?
>
> Michael

I've been told my coverage is pretty middle-of-the-road but my last 
annual cost me $20 for the office visit and $15 for lab work.
Maybe it's better than middle-of-the-road coverage but I kind of doubt it.
Maybe your lab was not an "in network system" lab or some such bullshit?
My wife's annual lab work was $80 because her doctor sent her pap to an 
"out of network" lab.
It was the same lab that was in network last year.
When she called the insurance company she was told the burden to assure 
lab work is sent to in system providers was totally with the patient.
They actually suggested she ask her doctor which labs would be used and 
then contact them directly to assure they were in system.
They also repeated made the claim that they DO NOT guarantee their list 
of in system providers is accurate so you must call.
They also suggested she drive 300 miles to an in system lab and deliver 
her sample!
A subsequent call I made led to a retraction of that last bit of nonsense.

John Thornton