Posted by NickD (209.83.95.19) on March 06, 2000 at 23:23:23:
In Reply to: Yes........ posted by Dave on March 06, 2000 at 22:51:10:
I am just getting my feet wet, my HMO covered all of my daughters dental till she reached 18, tried my darnest butshe needed three fillings and even three months in advance could not get her an appointment until she was a couple of days older than 18, well the bill comes in, $360.00 for three minor surface fillings, I called the HMO, and the girl tells me they only pay $40/filling, I got back to the denist and tell him this, well we give special rates to the HMO because we do a lot of business with them, you have to pay the $360.00 or we take you to court kind of thing, also my daughter-in-law is an MD working for a private small clinic, she was telling me she has to wait 5-6 months to get payment from the HMO's, she does not charge like my denist, er former dentist, so I guess it's bad both ways, our clinic is also dumping senior up on the pay scale nurses in favor of newbies to cut cost, no job security there, but the same identical room in the hospital that costs 40 bucks a night in 1975 is now costing $1,500/night, my head just spins when I hear these numbers, somebody is getting damn rich, and I am not sure who. Our hospital and clinic recently when non-profit that more than doubled our real estate taxes. On a recent new building, Kissinger and President Ford came here for the dedication, whatever is going on, goes clear up to the top.