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Protesters fear ‘American-style’ 2-tiered health care is coming to Canada (globalnews.ca)

submitted 1 day ago by NightOwl@lemmy.ca to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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[-] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

I had cancer in 2023. It forced me to not be able to work. So I got on medicaid.

For the next 10 months I had weekly appointments. Then they'd send me letters that show the cost of my care. It would say "THIS IS NOT A BILL".

But it would still show what the charges were.

My care if uninsured would have literally cost AT LEAST 4 million dollars. I stopped adding to the count after a while, and I STILL get those letters.

[-] halcyoncmdr@piefed.social 10 points 1 day ago

And those treatments were never anywhere near $4 million. That "not a bill" just shows the massively inflated negotiated illusion insurance negotiated with the provider. It was never accurate but allows insurance companies to point to it to justify the illusion that they're saving you so much money with their negotiations.

Those bills should be required to also list the cash price, because that's closer to the actual price of the treatment. Sometimes actually less than the insurance negotiated price. With those the provider doesn't need to deal with an insurance company and all the bullshit they also do on the provider side. The insurance companies are terrible to everyone, not just the patient.

[-] lobut@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago

I'm confused ... they sent you "NOT" bills despite you being on medicaid? For what? Also, millions for this treatment is insane. Yes, it's cancer, but that's just ridiculous. It's like the reverse lottery ...

[-] halcyoncmdr@piefed.social 4 points 1 day ago

It's the Explanation Of Benefits. IT is a disclosure of treatment and charges, the date it occurred, etc.

The purpose is for you to verify what the medical provider is saying they did, how much it cost, whether insurance covered it or denied the claim, how much your insurance paid, and if you have a copay or deductible that will be listed as well as the remaining amount (a bill would then be sent separately if that's the case).

It also has a secondary purpose of advising you if anyone fraudulently is using your information to receive treatment. Since you would receive an EOB without having gone to the doctor obviously.