2013 will be tougher (Reuters)

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by jms62

Don't we have that now with healthcare providers Caremark, United Health etc?

Not familiar with their internal business practices, but I'd say no, since the main reason that the costs climb so much is the absorbtion of the costs from those who do not pay. There is a reason that an aspirin costs $20 in the hospital: you're paying for all the deadbeats that didn't pay their bill, whether through an insurance company or individually. Every business needs to make a profit or it will fold, including the health care business.

When was the last time you heard of someone financing, after the fact, the costs that their insurance (if they had it) didn't pick up? If it gets lumped into the loss column for the hospital as uncollected revenue, you, me and every other future patient gets soaked for that bill.

So in that way, no, it is not a market like others. Certainly, no one should be turned away, regardless of ability to pay (immediately) but most of us can pay something over the long term. At least those financing a Cadillac Escalade over 5 years can. If you can buy a luxury car or go get more tattoos or buy Armani suits, you can pay for health care too. Note that those few anecdotal examples are not likely to all be done by the same person - not stereotyping here- but we all have wants and needs, and the wants seem to command more of our spending than the needs.