Now this one the Chron editors whittled down pretty good. At least they kept the punch line:
Punish predators
The story of hospitals, doctors and other health care providers sneaking outrageous overcharges into bills for medical procedures and services is certainly not a new one.
The natural outcome of this practice would be the blatant disregard for simple humanity demonstrated by the "assistant surgeon" told of in the story, a predator who literally snuck in the back door - unbidden, unwanted and unneeded - to add $117,000 to the patient's bill. To say that this practice is fraudulent is an understatement, which raises the question: Why are the people who do things like this not in jail?
Pete Smith, Houston
http://www.chron.com/opinion/letters/article/Wednesday-letters-Assessing-drive-by-doctors-5775993.php
Original letter:
Regarding "‘Drive-by’ doctors add shock to bills" (Sunday Nation/World), the story of hospitals, doctors and other health care providers sneaking outrageous overcharges into bills for medical procedures and services is certainly not a new one. It started in the 70s when the federal government decided to quantify everything from an aspirin to an X-Ray, and started regulating who would get it, when it would be made available, and for how much.
Punish predators
The story of hospitals, doctors and other health care providers sneaking outrageous overcharges into bills for medical procedures and services is certainly not a new one.
The natural outcome of this practice would be the blatant disregard for simple humanity demonstrated by the "assistant surgeon" told of in the story, a predator who literally snuck in the back door - unbidden, unwanted and unneeded - to add $117,000 to the patient's bill. To say that this practice is fraudulent is an understatement, which raises the question: Why are the people who do things like this not in jail?
Pete Smith, Houston
http://www.chron.com/opinion/letters/article/Wednesday-letters-Assessing-drive-by-doctors-5775993.php
Original letter:
Regarding "‘Drive-by’ doctors add shock to bills" (Sunday Nation/World), the story of hospitals, doctors and other health care providers sneaking outrageous overcharges into bills for medical procedures and services is certainly not a new one. It started in the 70s when the federal government decided to quantify everything from an aspirin to an X-Ray, and started regulating who would get it, when it would be made available, and for how much.
The natural outcome of this practice would be the blatant disregard for simple humanity demonstrated by the “assistant surgeon" told of in the story, a predator who literally snuck in the back door - unbidden, unwanted and unneeded - to add $117,000 to the patient's bill. To say that this practice is fraudulent is an understatement, which begs the question: why are the people who do things this not in jail?
I recall after Hurricane Katrina, the Chronicle ran some stories about "entrepreneurs" transporting generators, chainsaws and similar equipment from Texas to Louisiana, then selling it for double or triple the retail price. However mild that offense might have been, the response of law enforcement was not: the perpetrators were arrested, incarcerated, and convicted. We should do no less in fighting against the professional predators who stalk our hospitals, exploiting loopholes that allow them to take advantage of those debilitated by illness and injury.
Pete Smith
Houston, TX
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