Lobbyists set prices for medical care
 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...wpisrc=al_excl

AMA lobbyists determine how much you will pay for that next colonoscopy or any other procedure.

One of my first jobs out of collage was in a Industrial Engineering Department. Figuring the production rates for the manufacturing. Never would any company allow the workers to determine the production rate for incentive. No way, human nature to set it low so they could make more money.

Will the ACA (Obamacare) address the prices charged? I know Medicare reviews the charges yearly.

On a side note, I once was talking to the head of radiology at a local hospital. Asked how they figured out the charges for a CAT scan. She said they just charged 300% the max amount Medicare would pay. Knowing they will get that. I thought here would be some formula of cost of equipment, life of use and repairs plus operator or something like that.





Barney

They all do that, quote a totally rediculous figure knowing Medicare will cut that back to its maximum.

I'm no tax wizard but it sure seems to me doing that sort of thing could make for some mighty big write-offs.



Carl

Hmmm, I hadn't thought of it in that light. Gaming it front to back wouldn't surprise me in the least. Time to dig when i get some time.;)

The whole healthcare setup is rigged front to back. We the consumer and he government are the pigeons. Just today had to call a 1-800 number to activate a discount on a new medication. Never a good sign on the cost now is it?

Well they inform me that if you have Medicare Tricare prescription plans or any plan that pays 100% for medications. The discount will not apply. A big WTF!!



Barney

Again it is the American idea that there has to be a middleman. Your local drugstore does not buy direct. There are only about four or five major drug wholesalers (middlemen) and they set the prices.