S. Goulet: Medical cost reality

Lee Myles, St. Mary’s Health System president and CEO, lashed out at Gov. Paul LePage at the Jan. 19 meeting in Lewiston concerning the governor’s plan to cut expenses at the Department of Health and Human Services. Myles went on to say that he is not in the governor's world, but goes on to say how the cuts will affect the medical care given to welfare recipients.

Why doesn't Myles put himself in the governor’s shoes for a moment and visualize empty coffers in Augusta, while a one-day stay in the hospital will cost taxpayers more than $11,000, or a nine-day stay more than $90,000? Those are real figures for hospital care in Lewiston.

How can anybody in reality afford those costs?

Maybe the CEO, who gets paid a substantial amount annually, can use his wisdom to lower the cost of medical care and make the cost more appropriate for the area. That would be a great start, instead of complaining of lost revenue if the state cannot afford to pay welfare bills.

Steven Goulet, Greene

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Displaying comments, from newest to oldest

Woody's picture
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The governor's plan...

...is not to cut expenses, it's to lop off the head of MaineCare.

2077822587's picture
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its not the administrators , exactly

When you go to a hospital ,any hospital, most of the people you see don't work for the hospital. There outside contractors. They come up with thier own bills totally seperate from the hospital. Here's a typacal example. I won't name the hospital but this happened to me.
Last February, I fell in my livingroom. I landid square on my right shoulder. It hurt like hell, being a saturday my pcp was not available to me. I spent alot of time thinking about this as I had no insurance but the pain forced me to go to the emergency department. Now the fun begins. There's noone else in the entire waiting room yet I still had to wait an hour. I saw this doctor who was about fourteen. He took a good look at my shoulder, he never had me try moving it or lift something, nothing there was no contact at all with the doctor, he decided I needed an x-ray. So far I'm into this for two hours before they decide I need an x-ray, which I new before I left the house. The x-ray showed no broken bones, they must not realize tendons muscals etc don't show up on x-rays.
This is where it gets really good. this doctor says I need a sling to imobalize my shoulder. Another bit of totally surprizing information. He disappears for twenty minites and comes back whith a small box with a cloth sling in it. He had no clue how to put it on me and I ended up doing it myself. Then I went home. absolutly nothing accomplished other than to know I have no broken bones, I still can't use my arm.
Fast forward a few weeks. The bills start coming in. Thank God I'm already on high blood preasure medication. the doctor 593.00, the x-ray 275.00, plus 47.00 for someone to read the x-ray before they give it to the doctor to read.
The sling they gave me at the hospital didn't work right. I couldn't get it to sit right or something. so I just tossed it and went to CVS and bought another sling. It cost 6.79, then I got the bill, from a seperate company somewhere in mass. for the hospital sling 107.00.
1022.00 just to tell me there really isn't anything wrong with my shoulder. I called the company that supplied the sling and offered 10.00 for the sling or nothing at all. they threatened to sue, but a letter from my lawyer seemed to change thier mind. I have no idea what he wrote, but most of the time I don't want to know.
This is just my story of one simple case. Imagine how many other times this happens daily. Do I think health care costs are to high. No I think there a crime, the whole thing is a scam. Just my thoughts

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