{"id":2263751,"date":"2024-06-10T08:24:01","date_gmt":"2024-06-10T12:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/one-awkward-chat-with-your-doctor-could-save-you-thousands-of-dollars-in-medical-bills\/"},"modified":"2024-06-10T08:27:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T12:27:59","slug":"one-awkward-chat-with-your-doctor-could-save-you-thousands-of-dollars-in-medical-bills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/one-awkward-chat-with-your-doctor-could-save-you-thousands-of-dollars-in-medical-bills\/","title":{"rendered":"A brief, awkward conversation with your doctor could save you thousands in medical expenses"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fone-awkward-chat-with-your-doctor-could-save-you-thousands-of-dollars-in-medical-bills%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2263751&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the escalating costs of healthcare and the lack\u2062 of\u200c transparency encountered by patients regarding\u2063 treatment options and pricing. It delves into a \u200cpersonal narrative where\u200c the author had an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pot-use-is-up-for-all-age-groups-in-us-but-one-alarming-demographic-is-trying-it-the-most-study\/\" title=\"Pot use is increasing among all age groups in the US, but one concerning demographic is experimenting with it the most, according to a study.\">emergency\u2064 room visit<\/a> for kidney stones and was pushed towards\u200c a CT scan without being informed of cheaper alternatives like an ultrasound, only later finding \u2062out the high cost billed for the\u200c scan.\u2062 This experience highlights\u200b a broader \u200bissue\u2064 where patients often\u2062 aren&#8217;t given enough information to \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-drops-plan-to-track-chinese-communist-influence-in-american-schools-report\/\" title=\"Biden Drops Plan To Track Chinese Communist Influence In American Schools: Report\">make informed choices<\/a> about their \u200bcare. Furthermore, the article \u2062touches\u200b upon another incident involving an expensive medical \u2064boot prescribed post-surgery, \u2063prompting a discussion about\u2063 its necessity and cost. Taken together, these experiences \u200billustrate the gaps in communication about medical expenses, suggesting\u2064 a need for greater upfront\u200c transparency to enable patients to make\u200c better-informed decisions about their healthcare.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>For practically everyone with incomes south of Bill Gates, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aoc-issues-major-warning-to-democrats-ahead-of-2022-midterms\/\" title=\"AOC Issues Major Warning To Democrats Ahead Of 2022 Midterms\">health-care costs<\/a> have become a regular irritation. <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/468176\/americans-sour-healthcare-quality.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Polls<\/a> suggest that while most Americans generally approve of the care they receive, they don\u2019t appreciate its cost.<\/p>\n<p>All sides in the system, doctors and patients alike, have a role to play in addressing this problem. While medical facilities should <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/12\/05\/when-no-one-really-knows-what-health-care-will-cost-prices-skyrocket\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">provide the prices of medical procedures<\/a> and treatments in advance, Americans should also get used to the idea of talking about the price of the services they receive.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1786072230\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-cb290e31f702379bf030a29f82070224 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-cb290e31f702379bf030a29f82070224\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cheaper Alternative Treatment Never Mentioned<\/h2>\n<p>Consider my recent trip to the emergency room with a bout of kidney stones. While discussing care with the resident physician, I made a reference to staff doing a CT scan, as had occurred the previous times I had kidney stones. At first, the staff seemed hesitant to go down this route but eventually sent me for a scan.<\/p>\n<p>When I reviewed the chart following my stay, because of <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/15\/when-woke-medicine-becomes-dangerous-to-your-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">concerns about subpar care<\/a>, I found the doctors had noted I \u201crequested\u201d a CT scan. I also discovered an order for an ultrasound, a procedure the doctors never mentioned to me.<\/p>\n<p>I honestly don\u2019t know whether I received the proper care while in the hospital. The copy of the internal \u201creview\u201d that George Washington University Hospital undertook about my case contained nothing about the substance of my care, other than its claim that it acted appropriately (they would say that, wouldn\u2019t they?). But the physician assistant I saw for follow-up care, who moonlights at Georgetown University\u2019s emergency room, seemed surprised that the GWU staff didn\u2019t immediately order a CT scan.<\/p>\n<p>The punchline came when the bill arrived, and I saw the line item for the CT scan: $12,040. Thankfully, my insurer would not pay a separate charge for the scan and only paid a general fee for my ER stay.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-eca7923a5d85593df0954a60e21b7969 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-eca7923a5d85593df0954a60e21b7969\"><\/div>\n<p>But the episode brought home a larger point. The ER staff at GWU never mentioned the option to have an ultrasound, nor the astronomical cost the hospital charges for a CT scan. If it had, I might have chosen the ultrasound, which I can only assume was the cheaper option. But I was never given the opportunity to make an informed choice. And because I had previously had CT scans done during past bouts of kidney stones, I unwittingly defaulted myself into the more expensive option.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Not Talking About Costs<\/h2>\n<p>A few weeks later, before all the bills from my hospital stay had fully arrived, I discovered I needed another surgery on my ankle, my <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/11\/stop-scrolling-and-use-your-phone-to-reach-out-to-others\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fourth in just over a year<\/a>. Before the procedure, my surgeon told me he would get me a new boot for after the surgery. When I reminded him I already had a boot, he replied that I needed a new boot for a new surgery.<\/p>\n<p>My initial reluctance turned into shock and outrage when I saw my insurer\u2019s statement. The company charged $495 for the boot, which my insurer reduced to $230.62. Even that \u201cdiscounted\u201d price seems outrageous for a piece of plastic likely costing one-tenth that amount.<\/p>\n<p>That exorbitant bill prompted a belated discussion with my surgeon about its utility and cost. He rightly pointed out that he needs to guard against infection, not least because he could get sued if one of his patients develops one. My prior boot had gone through half a dozen surgeries since I had acquired it from his practice over a decade ago, meaning it had developed some wear and tear.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-a10b80f0c9437047d0e6032e867f102d fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-a10b80f0c9437047d0e6032e867f102d\"><\/div>\n<p>By the same token, if I had followed my surgeon\u2019s mantra of \u201ca new boot for a new surgery\u201d to the letter, I would have incurred nearly $1,000 in boot-related costs for my four procedures during the past year alone. Given that I already paid over 15 percent of my income on medical expenses last year, those added costs would have increased my own sizable medical outlays. And even if my insurance had covered some of the expense, I and other patients ultimately pay those costs anyway, in the form of higher premiums.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Need for Prudent Spending<\/h2>\n<p>In the end, as I reminded my surgeon, money is an object for me and most other Americans facing the ever-growing burden of health care costs. If we don\u2019t get more comfortable talking about the cost of health care, the expense will eat the country alive.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, it\u2019s difficult for patients to talk about health care because, in many cases, we don\u2019t know what we don\u2019t know. <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/12\/05\/when-no-one-really-knows-what-health-care-will-cost-prices-skyrocket\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Transparency about prices<\/a> will help, particularly when it comes to nonemergency care. But it also requires patients and doctors to have conversations in the exam room that might seem awkward to both sides. However, as I discovered in recent weeks, awkward conversations might forestall astronomical bills and also prevent the system from becoming more unsustainable.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-c0d7741ced1a71ab73b0ef21ff17b49c fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-c0d7741ced1a71ab73b0ef21ff17b49c\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Healthcare costs are a constant annoyance for nearly everyone earning less than Bill Gates. Most Americans are satisfied with the quality of care but not its price. Both doctors and patients must work together to tackle this issue, as all parties involved in the healthcare system have responsibilities to address these escalating costs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":521,"featured_media":2263752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/healthcare-e1717616766601.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2263751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/healthcare-e1717616766601.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2263751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/521"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2263751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2263751\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2263752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2263751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2263751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2263751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}