A COVID Test Costs $54,000, An ER Told This Patient : Shots - Health News : NPR

… At least one estimate says 3% to 10% of health care spending in the U.S. goes to overpayment, including cases of fraud, waste and abuse...
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/09/30/1039788368/covid-test-high-bill-er

IVF, LIHEAP & the Russians (Opening Arguments podcast OA334)

Today’s episode features a deep dive into what used to be a core Republican program, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP. Did you know that every year, over a thousand people — most of them with homes — freeze to death in the U.S.? Did you know that both political parties used to want to do something about that?

We begin, however, with some listener feedback from our popular recent Episode 330 in which we broke down a recent decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court regarding “pre-embryos” and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Hear from a published scientist and an IVF mom!

Then, it’s time for our deep dive into LIHEAP, 42 U.S.C. § 8621 et seq. You’ll learn all about the problem of home heating in this country and what we do about it… at least for now. You’ll also learn exactly how much the Trump administration would like to fund this program, which you won’t be surprised to learn is $0.

But that’s not all! Our “C” segment features a lengthy explanation from election law expert Beth Kingsley who answers the question “Could Donald Trump just hire Vladimir Putin to work on his 2020 re-election campaign if he discloses it?” The answer is more complicated than you’d expect and just might surprise you.

After all that, it’s time for the answer to Friday’s #T3BE 153 about the admissibility of a doctor’s note in court. Will Thomas get this one right?? Listen and find out!
Interview:
https://openargs.com/oa334-ivf-liheap-the-russians/

For many in medical debt, a trip to the emergency room leads to the courtroom - The Washington Post

The people being sued arrived at the courthouse carrying their hospital bills, and they followed signs upstairs to a small courtroom labeled “Debt and Collections.” A 68-year-old wheeled her portable oxygen tank toward the first row. A nurse’s aide came in wearing scrubs after working a night shift. A teenager with an injured leg stood near the back wall and leaned against crutches.....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-follow-up-appointment/2019/08/17/1be5ded6-b936-11e9-a091-6a96e67d9cce_story.html

Americans Borrowed $88 Billion for Health Expenses in 2018 - New York Magazine

The $88 billion borrowed last year is still not enough: 45 percent of those surveyed were concerned about going bankrupt from a serious health event.....
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/04/americans-borrowed-usd88-billion-for-health-expenses-in-2018.html

He went to an in-network emergency room. He still ended up with a $7,924 bill - Vox:

You can't avoid surprise medical bills even with a "PhD in surprise billing." ....
https://www.vox.com/2018/5/23/17353284/emergency-room-doctor-out-of-network

Seven Ways Patients Can Protect Themselves From Outrageous Medical Bills — ProPublica

ProPublica has been documenting the myriad ways the health system wastes money on unnecessary services, often shifting the costs to consumers. But there are ways patients can protect themselves. ....
https://www.propublica.org/article/seven-ways-patients-can-protect-themselves-from-outrageous-medical-bills#137421

Ugly Stuff: GOP Tax and Budget Plans Will Destroy Finances of Average Americans With Sick Elders or Family Members With Disabilities | Alternet

Tax breaks for the rich, while the GOP targets healthcare safety nets for society's most vulnerable....
https://www.alternet.org/economy/op-tax-and-budget-plans-will-destroy-finances-average-americans-whose-families-have-sick-or

7 disappearing deductions: Here’s how many taxpayers could lose out -- CNBC

The GOP tax overhaul puts several "special interest" breaks up for elimination. Here's who benefits from claiming those deductions. ....
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/03/how-many-taxpayers-could-lose-out-if-popular-tax-breaks-disappear.html

More Charts: The Child Tax Credit and the End of the Medical Expenses Deduction -- Mother Jones

The Republican tax bill eliminates deductions for a bunch of odd things: tuition debt, mortgage interest, alimony, medical expenses, state and local taxes, gambling losses, tax prep expenses, moving expenses, and a few others. Several of these are obviously designed to punish blue states especially hard. ....
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/11/more-charts-the-child-tax-credit-and-the-end-of-the-medical-expenses-deduction/