Wal-Mart isn't making $$ on $4 scripts...it is bringing more people in the doors to hopefully buy more profitable items.

Barry,
Ultimately this is America and we will provide emergent care to anyone. Thus, health care for all intents and purposes is socialized funded by those who pay covering the cost of those who do not or can't. We can do better then this. If we would use the buying power of the government say like the way wal mart does $4 SCRIPS much savings can be found.

Speechfree
You are right in your assessment of healthcare billing. I am opposed to govt healthcare but our current system needs regulation.
In 2001 my wife and I had heart attacks in the same week. She went to the emergency room and was transferred to Bayou City Hosp in Houston. Her quality of care left something to be desired. She had a stint put in. The hospital billed us for over $90,000 and settled for $11,000+ with the insurance company. I went into Hermann Memorial SW (a non-profit hosp) and had a double by-pass done. The hospital charged $40,000 and the insurance company agreed. My care was excellent. There was a fellow who had a by-pass at the same time I did. He had no insurance and the hospital wrote off his charges and provided him with a 20 day supply of medication when he left the hospital.
The secret to the problem of healthcare billing is:
"If the provider accepts the insurance, they accept the amount the insurance pays for the service". Some will try to get more money but just ignore them. Healthcare providers have different prices for everyone based on the ability to pay. I have not noticed anyone being sued lately over healthcare charges and with the variable billing they have, I don't think a court in the land would rule in their favor if you are overcharged.

AB:"if you read anything this guy writes you'll be as unhappy as he is"!

You darn right I am unhappy, but it has nothing to do with Mr. Schustereit's blog. I have been lied to and misled by our president, who it turns out is a socialist in sheep's clothing. Everyone should be unhappy. I'm tired of Obama throwing money around like it is his...but wait...isn't that YOUR wallet he is using?

Ruki you are right. You would have been tormented by debt collectors and your credit standing affected that has so many diverse effects on your life - credit, job prospects, security clearances. It is not like you bought a Porsche and couldn't afford it. You had a life sustaining surgery.

That's gross profit, not net profit. A 10% net profit is considered outstanding, most business hardly ever reach that goal.

Legion if insurance companys are only makeing 3% profit then they need to do something different.

7. What is the commission with Tupperware?

You will automatically receive 25% commission on all orders. In a given month if your sales reach $1200 you’ll receive an additional 5% and if your sales reach $3200, you’ll receive an additional 10% commission.

There are also team bonuses that run from 4% to 16% depending on your personal level.

Looks like you read the talking points handbook............I think.

Observer,
Have you observed folks dieing of horrible diseases on our streets ? That is because if you are loud enough you will get treated. This means that most get health care but in the most convoluted, expensive way possible - charities, write offs, and improper utilization of emergency rooms. If you do not believe you are not paying a hidden tax in those $6 Tylenol then you are the one who does not get it. Once a system is in place that providers of health care know that they know that they know they are going to get something for their work [universal coverage] and not have to write off much of their services prices will stabilize and savings from the cost of collections will help cost to become more realistic.

A two for one car deal???????

Why didn't I hear about that? That's way better than the cash for, (perfectly good vehicles), clunkers program.

Do some research speechfree, the insurance companys make roughly a 3% profit per each insured individual.
Most of there income is invested in the stock market, you do not think they just keep it in a bank account to pay claims do you? IF you do, I guess you believe the government has all the social security money set aside in a separate account.

The $6 Advils are what the hospitals charge. The insurance companies pay on what the providers charge, ex: your $1400 lab work, the insurance company didn't do your lab work did they? The $6 Advil, did the insurance agent give it to you?

Noooo, they didn't, the hospital/ clinic/ lab charged that amount and expects the insurance companys to pay it.

I continue to be amazed by the economic illiteracy displayed by the defenders of Obamacare. If you propose to reduce supply, which is what cutting $30+ billion from both physician and hospital payments will accomplish, while at the same time adding 45 million patients to the demand side of the equation, the inevitable result is obvious to anyone with two brain cells to rub together. Costs are going to explode, healthcare inflation is going to go through the roof, and the only tool left in the government's bag to address the problem is rationing. This is not rocket science or PhD-level economics, just common sense, something that seems to be very lacking at the moment.

Health Care cost is smoke and mirrors. A 1400.00 lab bill to my insurance became 104.00 since they deemed it hoarse hockey to me. Just like car dealers who before the economic down turn said they could not go down on the sticker were offering 2 for 1 deals when the economy turned. You conservatives are star struck by the wealthy defending the right of the "talented" to get millions of dollars in bonuses then crying as unfair to business a raise in the minimum wage. It is almost a sick pathology to defend a 1000% profit to health care providers that someday somehow it will trickle down on you. That moister from above ain't rain. Yes savings will be found when they settle for a 400%-500% profit say only $3 for a Tylenol and not the $6 they believe they so much deserve since it is dispensed by their expert hands.

that goes for all his comments in general!

And one more thing, you have to listen closely to what they say - things like we are not going to deny granny any medication. Yep that's right they are just not going to pay for it. And yes they are going to cram down what they do pay to doctors and hospitals.

So the doctors and hospitals will try to charge as much as they can to private insurers. This is a problem, because if they can't charge the private insurers then they will reduce service, there will be fewer doctors and hospitals. If they can charge them then the private insurers will go out of business something most of them will do anyway.

These are the kind of things that make socialism so interesting and fun - you just never know what's going to happen, like what unintended consequence is going to rear it's ugly head and bite everyone in the.....

I think we are just seeing the tip of this smelly iceberg. Wait till next year when Obama kicks in the stimulus spending. It will not be a mystery as to who gets it and who doesn't - excuse me but that's how political patronage works.

The huge stimulus package is being held high over everyone's head, particularly wayward Democrats. They will fall in line like obdient little lemmings once the pressure is applied. We have already seen the TV ads coming out against any democrat stepping out of line. This is nothing new, this is a page right out of FDR's handbook on how to steal elections and how to pass questionable, unpopular legislation.

if you read anything this guy writes you'll be as unhappy as he is!

Liberal whiners, ah the irony. Each and everyone of your blogs (this term is used loosely since all you do is cut and paste) is a whine. As to the e-mail...so what. It's another form of getting the message out. No different than tv, blogs, radio, town halls, and snail mail. This is why it's not news.