13 Comments

Wow.

I never considered third-party medical billing to be a party to corruption!

As soon as their income became variable due to "proper" billing, the race was on.

No wonder costs are skyrocketing!

The irony is, if third-party billing were eliminated, and doctors went back to cash or barter, the medical system would collapse and people would probably live just as long.

Medicine has become the third-rail of politics.

Unfortunately, our government is trying to make it impossible to OPT OUT.

Expand full comment

When I was a kid, there wasn't all this insurance. It was pay as you go. Even though my mother was covered by a government policy it barely did anything for children. Mother paid (often monthly payments for larger charges) for our accidents etc. We were fairly healthy other than the usual kids things. Mother had a catastrophic policy along with whatever benefits her USPS policy provided. It was far more simple and IMO better.

Expand full comment

Absolutely. Bring it all down. Yes, we need to resist.

Expand full comment

Resistance is NECESSARY.

Time to watch 'Braveheart' again.

I always remind people there is more after the movie - and it's not pretty.

Expand full comment

It's so tiresome not being able to trust anyone.

I'm not sure if they still run it as they did in the beginning but I always likes "Atlas MD" in Wichita. It was simple basic care that most anyone could afford. I always thought it was the PERFECT model for a plan for about 80% (or more) of Americans. It was very reasonably priced. That plan and a catastrophic policy would suit most and free up specialist to help people who are in greater need.

Obamacare is such a mess and appears to really help no one at a far greater price with fewer services.

The strain of illegals entering the system (for free) will break the systems. Anyone tried to locate a new doctor these days? In my area there are tons of "walk-in/emergency care offices popping up. Is our health care system heading to the McDonald's marketing structure?

Heaven help us if we get sick and need a good diagnostican. 😕

Expand full comment

Welcome to “Obamacare”!!!

Billing and coding has become so difficult and ever changing that you need a degree in coding to survive.

What is worse are the private companies auditing Medicare records!!!!

They get a percentage of what they find “immediately” and have been guilty of using new rules on old claims, randomly denying claims and just making rules up.

Yes the doctor / hospital can appeal, but must repay Medicare plus a huge fine first!!!

Expand full comment

Like we didn't all know obummercare was just more grift from the get go. What else would dumbocraps come up with?

Expand full comment

The whole of congress, both parties ushered in this mess. Chief Justice Roberts put the nail in the med care coffin with his opinion to strip out only part of Obamapajamagama instead of rejecting the whole as unconstitutional.

imho.

Expand full comment

Massive coding scandal. Sounds like the Biden mafiosos may have something on Ms. Cohen.

I never used these third-party billers. They need to add value, right? I guess you discovered it here.

Expand full comment

Congress wants to go after Medicare because they say it’s too costly. They should instead go after the fraud inside it, but then they wouldn’t get their kickbacks would they?

I turned in the doctor i worked for because of fraud and unnecessary surgeries. They let him off. Eventually he was sued for assault and battery, but after his insurance paid the fine he went on to build a free standing surgical center. Who says that crime doesn’t pay?

Oh yeah and then there was the fraud congress gave hospitals to kill patients instead of keeping them alive. How much did that cost Medicare?

Expand full comment

Just more reasons to NOT trust doctors as a matter of principal. Remember 95% of them spewing the mantra, "Take your shot it is safe and effective"? I am guessing 80% are still spewing away.

Expand full comment

As with most problems today, if you chase it far enough you end up at a root cause of Government involvement. While this article identifies the Medical Offices and Third Party Billing Company as big parts of the problem, what about the Feds who are funding all of this? Might the actual underlying law and resultant regulatory language ENCOURAGE fraudulent billing practices? Do you suppose it is possible that the billing submitted by the former high ranking government official might get a little less scrutiny than the Joe Bagodonuts Medical Billing Company? Such a suspicious mind I have.

As I have detailed before, the entire medical insurance thing happened as a result of intrusive and over reaching government. This would not have happened had the Roosevelt centrally planned economy (The New Deal) not imposed wage freezes. Simultaneously US industry began ramping up to supply the obvious approaching war in Europe. Companies needed engineers, chemists, and other professionals. The problem was they could not offer more money to attract the people they desperately needed. So they went around the salary problem with "benefits". Company car, company house/apartment, paid medical, etc. Because the manufacturing companies were created to build things, not administer healthcare, they took the obvious next step and hired healthcare administration out. Thus the insurance companies were born. The rest is history that is not taught anymore.

My rambling point is that the Government is up to its eyeballs in this mess and has no interest in resolving the situation. When people depend on you, you have power over them. The only currency the Government recognizes is power. Don't expect the Government to give up any power they have.

Expand full comment

Massive coding scandal. Sounds like the Biden mafiosos may have something on Ms. Cohen too.

I never used these third-party billers. They need to add value, right? I guess you discovered it here.

I just read the source material. This is huge.

Expand full comment