Walmart Hospital

Page 1 of 212>
February 26th, 2020 at 10:56:19 AM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18633
Just kidding about the hospital, but the big box store is testing out more extensive Health care centers.


Quote:
two health centers opened in Georgia since last summer are a leap forward. Rather than tucked in a corner of a cavernous Supercenter, they have separate entrances visible from the parking lot. They’re run by doctors, with plenty of exam rooms to support a steady stream of patients. Paperwork is almost nonexistent because many appointments don’t involve insurance, and administrative functions such as scheduling and billing have been outsourced to a back-office specialist called Zotec. (Walmart accepts insurance, but patients are often better off paying the flat cash fee because they don’t have to pitch in copayments or satisfy plan deductibles.)

In addition to medical, dental, and eye care, the centers also provide X-rays, hearing checks, and diagnostic lab tests for things like blood glucose and lipids. The range of services can improve the quality of care: If a patient comes in to see the dentist only to learn his toothache is caused by a sinus infection, he can immediately be handed over to one of the center’s physicians.

Whatever a patient needs, she knows the price upfront—a huge departure from how health care usually works and a way to avoid the surprise billing by providers that can stick even patients with health insurance with unexpectedly high out-of-network charges. “If you don’t know how much something is going to cost, that’s scary and intimidating,” says Alexandra Drane, a health-care entrepreneur who’s worked as a cashier at Walmart. “The first thing you see at Walmart Health is the price list.”

Walmart set those prices by estimating the cost of common services, including copays and deductibles, then coming in well under that, often half as much. It also is legendary at squeezing costs out of business processes. “We have taken advantage of every lever that we can to bring the price of doing all of this down more than any hospital or group practice could humanly do,” Slovenski says. “Our goal, just like in the stores, is to get the prices as low as we can.”
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
February 26th, 2020 at 11:43:56 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Yes, they've been described as Jiffy Lube centers. Doctors see patients and get cash, no paperwork generated.
February 26th, 2020 at 12:47:57 PM permalink
SOOPOO
Member since: Feb 19, 2014
Threads: 22
Posts: 4157
Quote: Fleastiff
Yes, they've been described as Jiffy Lube centers. Doctors see patients and get cash, no paperwork generated.


I will bet you a lobster dinner versus three MOW dinners that there is 'paperwork' generated by any visit to a doctor. Paperwork of course is now a computer record of the visit, but you get my point.
February 26th, 2020 at 12:57:19 PM permalink
terapined
Member since: Aug 6, 2014
Threads: 73
Posts: 11786
Quote: SOOPOO
I will bet you a lobster dinner versus three MOW dinners that there is 'paperwork' generated by any visit to a doctor. Paperwork of course is now a computer record of the visit, but you get my point.

That's one of the reasons Michael Jacksons DR was convicted
He did not keep any records of how he was treating Jackson
Sometimes we live no particular way but our own - Grateful Dead "Eyes of the World"
February 26th, 2020 at 1:27:52 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
WMT has looked at this on and off for years. They are getting a little like Sears once was with other services but smaller scale. They talked about buying a bank. Many have check cashing. All smart ideas.
The President is a fink.
February 26th, 2020 at 2:13:57 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Quote: SOOPOO
I will bet you a lobster dinner versus three MOW dinners that there is 'paperwork' generated by any visit to a doctor. Paperwork of course is now a computer record of the visit, but you get my point.
Well, SOOPOO, of course you are correct in a strictly technical sense. Perhaps i will save you from enduring the MoW sugar cookies by amending my statement to "no burdensome paperwork generated." No medical billing industry arises from this anymore than a Jiffy Lube has a separate Billing Industry.
February 27th, 2020 at 8:43:04 PM permalink
Gandler
Member since: Aug 15, 2019
Threads: 27
Posts: 4236
I love this as a GA resident.

I have long been advocating cash based Medical and Dental visits with pre charted prices for exams and procedures.

I love the idea of a Walmart Medical Clinic that is cash focused. This may be the future of medicine. I have long hated the influence of private insurance.


I am an advocate of centralized healthcare. However, I am also an advocate of cash based healthcare (no insurance). I think the system that we currently use is a poor combination, we need to go full socialized or full cash. People rely on medical insurance for routine visits. Insurance used to be for unexpected medical catastrophes, not for your annual flu shot, your physicals, and your medications.... That should all be paid in cash...
February 28th, 2020 at 1:09:37 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: Gandler

I am an advocate of centralized healthcare. However, I am also an advocate of cash based healthcare (no insurance). I think the system that we currently use is a poor combination, we need to go full socialized or full cash. People rely on medical insurance for routine visits. Insurance used to be for unexpected medical catastrophes, not for your annual flu shot, your physicals, and your medications.... That should all be paid in cash...


You have no idea what you're
talking about. You sound just
like a Millennial who has yet
to need insurance.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
February 28th, 2020 at 3:56:36 AM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: Gandler
I love this as a GA resident.

I have long been advocating cash based Medical and Dental visits with pre charted prices for exams and procedures.

I love the idea of a Walmart Medical Clinic that is cash focused. This may be the future of medicine. I have long hated the influence of private insurance.


I am an advocate of centralized healthcare. However, I am also an advocate of cash based healthcare (no insurance). I think the system that we currently use is a poor combination, we need to go full socialized or full cash. People rely on medical insurance for routine visits. Insurance used to be for unexpected medical catastrophes, not for your annual flu shot, your physicals, and your medications.... That should all be paid in cash...


That has been the idea but it keeps getting shot down. Put $50-100 a week aside into what amounts to a medical IRA. Get a debit card. Routine visit swipe. I'd love it chain based so if I just have a cough (boy have I had a cough all year!) I can walk in and know the price.
The President is a fink.
February 28th, 2020 at 10:00:11 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: AZDuffman
I'd love it chain based so if I just have a cough (boy have I had a cough all year!) I can walk in and know the price.


Never gonna happen. Try and
ask your doctor how much
your visit will cost and nobody
in the office will know or care.
It has to be flexible to work.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
Page 1 of 212>