What should be done about this?

[Gail]

Ralph Nader comments on hospital gouging (money-wise)

Medical price gouging

[phkrause]

Exactly, and what's behind it? GREED

[bonnie]

Exactly, and what's behind it? GREED

It isn't quite as simple as all that. Who do you think is going to be hit for the lower payments from medicaid and medicare patients? They are going to get what they can from those that they can.

On average medicaid pays 40% less or did last time I checked.That may vary from state to state but it is much less than the insured and affluent pay.

During our recent and ongoing Dr visits and tests for my husband,I have tried to keep track of all those required. Being on medicare we are not paying the full price for MRI's,biopsies,

and the many procedures involved in planning his treatment.

One visit alone required a oncologist,x-ray tech,lab tech,and the radiation oncologist. These people all need to be paid salary and benefits.

Same as for those that are privately insured,only they are being paid far less for caring for my husband. Our clinic has a high number of medicare patients. Who do you think is going to pay for all the high priced care he is getting at a reduced price,then consider there were 10 patients

waiting for the same thing we were and all obviously on medicare.

Then there are the many,many on medicaid taking advantage of the high quality care at a reduced price.

Then you have many uninsured using the emergency room facilities and medical care that cannot pay and do not. Someone is going to pay and those on welfare,medicare and all those that do not pay are not the ones that will

[Narcah]

We need Walmart ran healthcare.