Do you think medical insurance is a money-making scheme?

US medical insurance, the ultimate magic show! It's like they play hide and seek with coverage, offer deductibles taller than NBA players, and speak in insurance jargon that's harder to crack than secret codes.

But here's the real kicker: Prior authorization denials are their favorite disappearing act! "Poof! Denied!" Then, "Abracadabra! Approved!" Just when you thought you needed a PhD in insuranceology, they surprise you. It's a wild ride, folks!

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twiigss · M

The entire US health system is for profit. That is the number one problem with this world. Greed. Money is the world's worst invention. It does nothing but hold us back from being our best selves.

But because of money, everyone who works as a nurse, a doctor, a surgeon, a secretary, lab technicians, all want their share fair of this huge pile of money.

And that's why healthcare in this world sucks. At the end of the day, they only care about money, not you. Oh sure, they'll do what they have to do, to take care of you, but you better pay that $2137.44 bill.

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

someone,something does need to pay the cost of the "salaries" of those nurses, physicians, pharmacists, house keepers, orderlies, the cost of the equipment, etc. Without that care would vanish.

Insurance is about spreading the risk, so that those costs are shared over a larger group. Without that sharing, modern care could not be possible, because someone who needs intensive, very costly care, would have to decide either to be treated, or suffer the consequences.

In the US, medical insurance is mostly regulated. But, the mark-up allowed is about 20%. If that was all profit, most people would call that excessive profit. It covers the administrative costs. In the hospital I worked in, the number of administrators, and their salaries, ballooned over the nearly 50 years I worked as a physician. That put the stress on the care providers to cut costs as best they could, often, cutting corners that impacted the quality of care.

twiigss · M

@samueltyler2 but imagine if money just didn't exist. I'm sure there would have to be some kind of give and take, but it feels like it's money that is the barrier from getting the best service of health care possible.

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@twiigss the alternate is barter, but, if you need open heart surgery, what would you barter?

twiigss · M

@samueltyler2 most likely supplies and/or offer services/skills.

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@twiigss that works for minor care, but not fir big price services.

twiigss · M

@samueltyler2 well money is the world's number one problem. So we are concerned with future proofing the human race. So why can't that be done if it's so important? Why does money have to be an issue?

I'm sorry but if I wanted to get something done that benefitted the human race, I would say to hell with money. What good is money if you're dead?? Exactly.

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@twiigss I we t onto academic medicine so I wouldn't have to worry about seeing a set number of patients a day to pay for my office expenses. Unfortunately even academic medicine changed a lot. I was lucky enough to have my research grants pay my complete salary, so I could spend whatever time I wanted saving lives.