The Phony Cost of Healthcare

Lets add up the phony cost of healthcare. We'll begin with the MRI. Let's assume the highest cost possible.

A new MRI cost 1.5 million. Let’s add in $500,000 in repair costs over 10 years. Now, let’s add in the tech cost for running the MRI. Three techs at 50,000 per annum x 10 years or a cool 1.5 million.

The total cost is 3.5 million over 10 years or $350,000 per year. Let’s assume that the MRI machine runs 350 days per year. That’s $1000 per day. Assuming that 10 studies are done per day we arrive at a cost of $100 per study.

Now let’s double that to arrive at a cost of $200 per study. We can justify that because of any attendant services that might be needed in case of emergency.

Now, take a deep breath and tell me again why an MRI should cost $1000-$2000 per study. Try real hard.

I'll tell you why - the hospital lobby who has effectively conned Congress and the insurance companies that an MRI costs what they say it does.

Sure.

The cost of an MRI is artificially inflated to make extra profits for the hospital as if they needed any more.

This artificial high cost makes it tough for cash paying customers to get an MRI. It also makes it tough for insurance patients to get an MRI; they have to endure a lengthy pre-approval process because the cost has been jacked to the ceiling.

So we have an MRI which costs more than it should, and we have a delay in care, none of which works for the benefit of the citizenry.

Who does it work for?

Corporations, overpaid CEOs, silly consultants, the New World Order, hedge fund managers, worthless board members, kickback artists, the usual suspects.