Well actually, I do.

For balance  however, I thought I’d share with you some numbers from a recent EOB.

Howard’s doctor - like most - is employed by a local hospital system. For his annual exam, they billed $726, which included at least 30 minutes with the doc and lab work.

Howard is over 65. After Medicare “discounted” the claim, only $106.47 was allowed. Medicare paid 80% ($85.46) and supplemental insurance paid 20% ($21.01).

That means the hospital charged 628% of the Medicare allowed amount. Sounds gross put that way.

But was it a fair charge for the quality of care rendered? Is the actual payment of just $106.47 fair? If you consider the number of doctors retiring or clinics that won’t accept Medicare eligible patients, apparently not!

Armchair quarterbacks are wont to rail at insurers and providers for our high costs, but everyone knows those in the under 65 commercial payer market are charged more to offset Medicare’s under-payments.

Does that mean the root of the problem is in Zip Code 20001?

(Alexa: define rhetorical question.)