What is The Real Cost of Obamacare?

President Obama says a public option will be cost effective.  No one has even brought up the realistic subject of setting up a pubic option while we are paying for all the options available now.  One significant cost will be Medical Coding.  Have you ever walked out of your doctor’s office with a receipt full of numbers and services, most of which you are not sure what they are?  That piece of paper tells what the doctor did and the insurance company will pay the rate for that service under that code.  If the doctor enters the wrong code, you may not be covered for the service.

The President and the Democratic Congress insist that Public Option is the way to go.   In all reality this would be equivalent to changing the defense codes for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard and getting those codes to all personnel and stations before there is a leak and we are attacked.  Oh, and don’t forget the computers and software that will need to be changed after the program is designed.  But the President has assured us this will not cost us money. 

I would like to steal an idea from Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama during their campaigns:  negotiate.  Hire a team of QUALIFIED experts to audit the insurance business.  Negotiate with private companies to put a cap on executive salaries.  Change Underwriting laws to protect the consumer.  Negotiate with insurance companies to provide lower premiums to needy families.  Support the pharmaceutical companies that are offering free medications to those in need, and extend grants or subsidies to reinforce these plans to cover more people. 

But for God’s sake, do not try to rewrite the whole health care/insurance business!  If Obamacare is passed, there will be disaster in health care, insurance companies will fold and doctors will be forced to treat fewer patients because they are not getting reimbursed.  Handing out “free” health care could bankrupt our country and it will take years to have an effective program in place, if ever. 

Medical coding is a career that demands studies and certification.  Courses needed include medical terminology, code definitions and each section of health care from doctor’s office, hospitals, specialists, needs their own set of codes.  Programs like Medicare have their set of codes.  Salaries for medical coders can range from $40,000 to $50,000 per year.  Courses needed can range from $400 to over $600 per course.  Since every doctor and hospital needs these codes in order to be paid, there is a huge need for certified medical coders.  Another option is to purchase software and train employees in the use of that software.  Costs for this type of software is not easily found and would need constant updates. Can you imagine creating a new system with multiple sets of codes and the training of personnel to process them? Can you imagine how this cost would be passed on to patients (or taxpayers)?