Changing The Way Doctors Do Business

California Medical Practice Tells Patients In Advance What Procedures Will Cost

(CBS)  If you ask most patients how much their doctor visit costs, it's a good bet they won't know until the bill comes in the mail.

Now the largest state's largest private physicians practice, Southern California-based HealthCare Partners Medical Group, is changing the way doctors do business by listing on its Web site the prices of 58 of the most common procedures, reports CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker.

Listings include a chest X-ray for $61, a flu shot for $15, and a physical exam for $100 to $120.

"An informed patient becomes an empowered consumer," said Dr. Rob Blackman, a partner in the group.

They call it "transparency in pricing."

"I think the patients need to know that medicine is a business, and it does cost, and to the extent they know what it costs, they can work with their doctor to minimize costs and yet maximize quality of care," said Blackman.

"For once we are not being kept clueless," said patient Maisha Pajardo.

Pajardo says patients can comparison shop. "I think it's great when the consumer has all the information up front, especially when they are paying for their own bills and their own health care," she said.

Which is happening more and more, either because patients have no insurance, or employers are pushing medical costs off on them with higher deductibles and co-payments.

"If you know what the price is, then you can plan for that in your budget," said patient Sandy Britton.

In the past, doctors considered listing prices crass commercialism, until big pharmacy chains, even Target, started offering routine medical services and listing flu shot prices right along with toothpaste and T-shirts.

Still, some doctors say it's a good idea but ...

"If patients begin to focus just on price, then they may forego certain preventative services or little problems that might become big problems and that in the long run may drive up the cost of health care," said Dr. Rick Kellerman, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The California doctors see price listing as a booster shot for an ailing medical system, and predict doctors around the country will soon agree that giving patients the cure and the cost is the right prescription.

[sonotso1]

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[sonotso1]

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[mrassekh]

"Dr Kellerman needs to open his eyes - thousands of us already forego preventative services, because we just can''''t afford to go to a doctor unless we''''re horribly sick!"

Posted by agnessmash at 12:47 AM : Oct 29, 2007

Absolutely right! I couldn''t have said it better myself.

[tnt1954]

many would rather just pay cash. in the hunt
for fame, fortune and fun, good luck. world famous
doctors like dr. schweitzer, then the doctor of
evil, dr. mengele. mr. malpractice himself.
under the guise of perpetuating medical and scientific knowledge. would you go to dr.mengele''s
research lab to be in a big study? anaesthesia is
illegal, you vust die sober. lol. dr. vincent
price will see you now. peter lorre is his assistant.
dr. peter lorre. right this way. lol. they gave
up the quest for the almighty dollar, to save
mankind. and also eventually zee universe.
i will heal you all vor vree. right this way.
how do you like my laboratory? all donated by
those who love science more than life itself. lol.

[carolrhill]

This is way past due because it just costs too much to go to the doctor it just does and that is fact. The problem is most doctors don''t want to tell you because if you have insurance the insurance picks-up the bill and you have to pay the deductable. But I want to know because that is why the insurance preimums are going through the roof because the doctors are over charging the insurance companies left and right.
The thing is the doctors say if they don''t charge a lot they will go out of business REALLY!!!

[agnessmash]

Dr Kellerman needs to open his eyes - thousands of us already forego preventative services, because we just can''t afford to go to a doctor unless we''re horribly sick!

[Snerdguy]

My doctor is one of many who use my condition to milk my health insurance provider. He has equipped his office with many test instruments for heart function and stress tests and allergy tests ect.. He never sends me to an outside specialist for tests. It''s always tests done in his office.

The co-payments for all of these tests are bad enough for me. I know that it costs my provider a lot. He puts me through these tests year after year saying that I need them because of the medicines I take. Previous doctors I have had didn''t do this.

What aggravates me most of all is that when I try to discuss this with my provider (Blue Cross/Blue Shield), they give me a run around. I can''t get straight answers because of their internal bureaucracy. They won''t even question why my doctor is doing these tests.

This is the way many doctors do business. They make money by piling on tests. I find the whole situation to be frustrating. Insurance companies aren''t as cost conscious as they let on.

[hermit22]

may you all live to be happy,healthy OLD OLD people!

Psalm 89:47 Remember how fleeting is my life.
For what futility you have created all men!
48.What man can live and not see death,
or save himself from the power of the grave?

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
14....that we may sing for joy
and be glad all our days.
17: May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;

[rudy654-2009]

Excertp: "I think the patients need to know that medicine is a business, and it does cost," said Dr. Rob Blackman

LOL! Like we didn''t know that!!!! And here is the thing about that business: the research for new and better medicines, we already paid for with our taxes!! That''s right! Those pills that cost you 200 dollars a piece were brought to you by the taxpayer. And what do you get in return? You get to pay 200 dollars for each pill! The government fed corporations get the pure profit. They should do a reality show.

[rudy654-2009]

According to Stupid Hannity, we have the best health care in the world!!! Yeah!! Of course, he neglects to tell you that it is only available to you if you have enough money and can get the doctor to take enough time off from the golf course to see you before it gets worse. No waiting in line in America!! Yeah, right.