1934 Hospital Bill

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Hmskl'd

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This topic contains 3 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by Russky  Russky 3 years, 8 months ago.

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  • 2016-05-17 at 4:32 PM#240360
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    Hmskl'd
    hmskl’d
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    Looking through an old file of papers my Dad has saved over the years. Included is a handwritten receipt one of my relatives received dated October 1, 1934 for an overnight hospital stay for removal of child’s appendix. The small hospital is long gone and the land is now part of a sprawling University Campus.
    Charges were $3.50 for Room, $8.00 for Operating Room Services, $.50 each for two X-rays.
    Total bill $12.50 paid in full.

    2016-05-17 at 4:43 PM#240365
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    Russky
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    And now the “healthcare” industry is obscene extortion racket. I understand it’s hard for those who were born in US to see it that way, but that’s what it is. It’s designed to keep you sick and milk every single dollar you earned working your whole life before you croak.

    This is an article from 2012: Same thing- appendix removal

    California study found huge disparities in patients’ bills — $1,500 to $180,000, with an average of $33,000.

    http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/study-hospitals-billings-shocks-researchers-appendix-removal-cost-1-500-180-000-depending-surgery-article-1.1066207

    1934 $12.50 is equivalent to $224 today
    That’s 150 times less than $33K

    proud carrier of the 'why?' chromosome

    2016-05-17 at 5:10 PM#240374
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    FrankOne
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    $12.50 in 1934 dollars has the purchasing power of ~$223.19 in 2016 dollars (based on CPI).

    I would argue that the State caused this (consumer) inflation by increasing the money supply with its fiat currency.

    The average cost for appendicitis in California was $33,000 in 2012 per Link

    Rather entertaining, really, since that is close to 150 times the CPI-adjusted cost of ~$223. I would argue that insurance plays a big role in that 15,000% increase in ~80 years, even after adjusting for the CPI. That is, most patients pay with insurance rather than cash, and there is thus, little competition for this routine surgical procedure.

    70-80 years ago, hospitals would actually POST their rates for routine procedures such as childbirth, because patients paid with cash.

    Nobody could charge $33,000 (or ~$1,900 CPI adjusted to 1934 dollars) for an appendectomy, because nobody could pay it and nobody was insured. Health care was still largely a private-sector endeavor.

    2016-05-17 at 5:13 PM#240375
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    Russky
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    @frankone – great minds think alike LOL

    proud carrier of the 'why?' chromosome

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