They were never covered by HDHPs, until the law required it be covered by all insurance plans.
That’s what we have now.
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Even if it were not fake, the root cause of rapid growth of healthcare costs is suspiciously narrow and misses the forest by a pretty large margin.
It ignores all other potential causes like administrative costs due to complex system of intermediates, lifestyle changes, increase in chronic conditions, insurance coverage mandates, aging, end of life care, higher availability of care technology, etc.
Calling it back solely to AMA action at the turn of the 20th century seems extremely tentative considering how societies (and healthcare) have evolved since then. Not only does it ignore all other potential causes, it also requires an inability of the labor market to adjust over 100+ years including 2 world wars…
At this point, if this did not trip your BS meter, it’s probably broken. 
We have universal free annual physicals for all? Well damn, and here I just paid for mine 2 months ago. I got scammed.
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All ACA-compliant insurance has free annual preventative physicals.
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are you on a HDHP?
You did, or you are non-compliant with the Obamacare mandates. Are you a victim, or crook? 
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Doesnt matter. They’re mandated free regardless of deductable.
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agree that ACA was just an insurance cash grab. Also looks like luigi killed the wrong CEO Health Insurer's Top Boss Speaks Out After Murder
Why does UHC have that many CEOs? making millions. Ever wonder where that $ comes from?
I believe UHC covers over 50 million people. Even a $10-million CEO salary is costing each subscriber less than 20-cents per year.
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I presume this is a joke, or did you mean to imply there was “right” CEO to kill? If the latter, think of the implications … particularly as a vet.
I have UHC, Medicare. Had the combo program for years. I just had eye surgery. with radiation for 5 days (hopefully successful, do you ever know for sure). Haven’t had to pay a penny. Well $10 co pay. Works for me!
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Yes but they only cover for a number of exams that my physician does during my physical. My bloodwork somehow includes stuff the mandate does not cover. Lipid test was coded as diagnostic instead of preventative. EKG is not covered even though I have family history of heart disease. Finding out what test is covered and what isn’t covered is virtually impossible before having the actual physical. In the end, that “free” physical cost me about $60. DH goes to another primary care and his “free” physicals cost about $40. It varies per insurer and depending on how the doctor codes some of the tests. Hardly a universal free system for all to me.
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Good for you.
Although that doesn’t factor in the semi-hidden extra cost that Medicare operates at a massive loss every year ($450B in 2023 AKA 27% of the overall budget deficit).
If it had to keep being profitable like UHC (and other private insurers), I doubt the premiums would remain at $175/month for the same level of service including the rate of denied claims.
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Agreed. Had a similar experience with my Mayo GP w/ Vit D test etc. I think we need real-time pinging preauth like CVS does with meds, with exact denial reasons so PCP can adjust. Not a broad “not medically necessary”
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Like the title says Medicare works great for retirees. It sucks for the the rest of us that’re paying in… with cuts on the horizon.
OT Debating whether its a good time for buying UHC. Pretty beaten down, DJTs comments aren’t helping but I think they’re too big to fail.
The insurers/providers don’t explain this very well. The annual physical that’s covered at 100% is only for preventative/screening issues. For anything that is an actual problem, it’s covered under normal rules subject to deductibles. That starts the second you bring up a new issue. That’s why the coding of diagnostic (of an issue) is different than preventative/screening.
It’s possible to appeal and or get the dr to code it again, but it’s so little money most people don’t bother.
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For the last three years I’ve received a bill for $35 for some preventative tests. And for the following 4-5 months I stop by and deliver the monthly lab bill to the doctor’s office and remind them it hasnt been resolved yet. I eventually stop getting the bills, until the next preventative visit.
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Ah, now I see what you mean. Your physician, as does mine, suggests tests that are not covered by the government mandated “wellness exam”. Apparently, this has become such an issue that my doc’s patients are provided a statement prior to physicals explaining the issue, and asking that you notify your doc if you only want the government mandated tests.
Which is diagnostic.
I went through this exasperating exercise and found that BCBS of NC actually has a list online. I was suprised, and then stunned when it was actually readable and up-to-date. I haven’t checked other providers, and my doctor just eats the cost on many of the non-covered tests.
That way to do it would be better for sure. The problem is during physicals for either me or DH, neither of us is ever told what is covered as preventative and what is diagnostic. Nor are we given the option to do only preventative tests.
I think the default for physicals should be to only do government mandated tests and then have the provider justify to the patient any additional tests while mentioning they may not be covered 100% (and provide the OOP costs for each at that time). That’d be way more transparent than the current black box.
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