“So, how much money do you guys make if I do that test you’re ordering for me?” This is a question I hear frequently from my patients, and it’s often followed by some variant of, “I thought hospitals were supposed to be nonprofit.”
Top city leaders on Wednesday yet again extended a key financing deadline on a $20 million, three-bed hospital proposed as part of developer Paul McKee’s sweeping NorthSide Regeneration plan. NorthSide had until the end of 2019 to prove it could finance the urgent care facility, or it stood to lose $6.42 million in tax subsidies for the project.
As out-of-pocket costs rise for medicines used to treat certain neurologic disorders — such as dementia and neuropathy — patients are less likely to take their drugs as often as prescribed, according to a new study. And the findings are the latest indication that increasing drug costs may lead to worsening health and, consequently, higher health care expenses in the future.
Why does the US spend so much more on health care than other countries? Well, in part because we are a lot richer. We buy a lot of luxury goods. The fit of the line is impressive. So, not mentioned in the original, is the spread of household income on the x axis. Particularly interesting in terms of the call that we should be more like Denmark, it's notable just how much lower household income is in Denmark, and the rest of Europe. Eyballing it, $32,500 per year vs. $48,000 per year.
“Well,” I said to my wife. “We’re wiped out.” She’d called me late in the day to let me know she’d received a bill for our child’s hospital stay. The bill was for $145,000. “What are we going to do?” she asked. “I’m sure it’s just a mistake,” I said. “But Jenny,” she said, “what if it’s not?”
Nashville General Hospital is a safety-net facility funded by the city. For a patient without insurance, this is supposed to be the best place to go in a city with many hospitals. But for those who are uninsured, it may have been the worst choice in 2019.