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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxj!houxm!whuxlm!akgua!mcnc!idis!cadre!geb
From: geb@cadre.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: People who gouge others for profits
Message-ID: <195@cadre.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 22-Jan-85 18:29:45 EST
Article-I.D.: cadre.195
Posted: Tue Jan 22 18:29:45 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 25-Jan-85 09:27:45 EST
References: <187@abnji.UUCP>
Reply-To: geb@cadre.ARPA (Gordon E. Banks)
Organization: Decision Systems Lab., Univ. of Pgh.
Lines: 26
Summary: 

In article <187@abnji.UUCP> jca@abnji.UUCP writes:

>
>What brought this on:  We recently received a bill from a hospital for $7700+
>for a 7 week stay for my Great Aunt (92 yrs. old).  The Doctors at the hospital
>performed every test they could, just to build up a bill.  


Not just to build up a bill (unless the Doctors own the labs that do
the tests) but to protect themselves when some lawyer comes around
accusing them of malpractice.  They want to be able to show in court
that they did everything possible to save the old lady.  (Some
lawyers automatically send a letter of solicitation 
to the relatives of everyone who dies in a hospital).
A good percentage of all your medical costs end up in either lawyers'
or plaintiffs' pockets.

This reply should not be read as a defense of the practice of
"defensive medicine".

Incidentally, $7700 for a 7 week stay is incredibly cheap!  Most
hospitals charge $300-400 per day!  You couldn't even stay in
a New York hotel for 7 weeks for $7700.