the insurance do not actually pay the $10k
they say its $10k. if the person was uninsured. because they know that a third of uninsured people default so they ramp up the cost to cover those that default
also to get the real money from people via the co-pay. they have to ramp up the fake cost to make it look like they are getting a great deal on it
what actually happens is that although there is a $10k charge. they actually settle for only a couple hundred to cover the doctors 20 minute consultation the receptionists 10 minutes check-in. and the costs of PPE and test
yep when people have a $10k debt for not having insurance they could actually negociate a pennies on the dollar settlement or claim bankrupcy.
insurance companies are happy to sell $10k of 'debt' to debt collectors for just $200 as its a break even amount
and thats how insurance companies never lose
the pennies on the dollar selloff of unclaimed debt covers their cost.
There's no reason to doubt that the health insurance actually paid the 10k in that case. And since it was covered there's no debt either, so that's irrelevant.
What insurance does when throwing out a little of their blood money (in that case 10k) is demonstrate its power and its usefulness. In all likelihood they've already made 10k in premiums from that client alone already.
They need that image that without us you're lost. They could even afford to lose money on 3 clients out of 10 and just because of the amounts involved they'd still be making out like bandits.
Healthcare should be one of the pillars of a society. I grew up in Greece. Hospitals felt sacred. A place for people to heal. The atmosphere of a strong social institution.
And private practices had a different character too. You'd have doctors work in both their private practice and the state hospital.
I had the privilege to visit a doctor in both settings.
The character of private practices in a country were healthcare is not a scam is similar to getting a hair cut or any other service. But doctors command more respect. And they also appreciate you more.
Here in the states you're made to wait inordinate amounts of times and people try to fleece you. Hidden charges. Extra charges that come in the mail. People not being able to tell you what your bill will be for simple things like fucking vaccines or STD checks.
Interacting with the healthcare system in the US is so unpleasant, I gave myself some stitches with a needle I bent to a hook like shape all bymyself. Even though I had health insurance.
College should also be free. Where I come from both college and trade schools are free and as long as you qualify to get in you only have to pay for books.
It's the least a society can do as every dollar spent on keeping people healthy and allowing them to get a good education probably brings 10 dollars back to society. We're infinitely worse off without offering these things to the population. I'm glad that the military at least is not privately run for profit.
