Did you know your local hospital can charge you $10 for a Tylenol? We have often discussed on this blog, some of the inconsistencies in hospital rates. For example, if you have Blue Cross insurance, they may have a contract with the hospital that says they will only pay $7 for the Tylenol. Medicare (which is a really hot topic in Washington right now) may have an agreement to pay $8 for the Tylenol. No insurance, no Medicare —- the Hospital can charge whatever it wants. There are no rules, regulations or laws in Virginia and most other states, regulating what can be charged for healthcare….. so would you be alarmed if you were charged $50 for a Tylenol? I would say so…
See this article out of San Fransisco aout a recent victory for the uninsured, and frankly all of us who don’t want to pay through the roof when we need medical help.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/01/12/BUGE4NHF3H1.DTL&type=business