Uninsured? You Pay 2x More!

[dgridley]

U.S. hospitals are charging uninsured patients about two-and-a-half times more than those with health insurance, a mark-up that has been steadily rising despite pressure to level prices, a study released on Tuesday found.

In 2004, the most recent year for which data was available, hospital patients without health insurance and others who pay for medical care out of their own pockets were charged an average 2.57 times more than those with health insurance, according to the study published in the May-June issue of the journal Health Affairs.

That number has been rising steadily since 1984, but has jumped more quickly since 2000, the analysis of government data said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/hospitals_overcharge_study_dc

While I realize the insured have power in numbers, this is a situation that definitely needs to change.. there is NO ONE in the US that should be denied or have to pay exorbitant charges for quality health care..

 

[Barrucadu]

And that is why I love the NHS - It may not be brilliant, but free healthcare for the nation!

 

[dgridley]

Well, on the other hand, there are people who have a job and don't make enough money to pay on their own because they're making minimum wage and don't qualify for decent insurance at work becausework may require them to work a set number of hours (30+).. some companies deliberately keep your hours down so you don't qualify for benefits.. in my case, my health is poor enough, it's all I can do to work a 20 hr week so I don't qualify. Similarly, to qualify for medicaid because I'm not disabled, you have to virtually sell your soul to get it, unless you're an illegal alien (then you automatically qualify )