link them together through the data and read-only slots to make a countdown chain.
Bean day!
nobody actually pays those bills. They’re just some elaborate dance between insurance companies and hospitals.
Sometimes there is an elaborate dance between the two on pricing. Sometimes the insurance company dances on its own to determine why the service is not covered.
If you don’t have insurance, the cost is lower
Depends what you mean by cost. insurance is always out to make money, that means paying less, and negotiating lower prices with providers. However, there are some situations where it benefits both the service provider and the insurance provider to inflate the initial price, and negotiate a steep “discount” to a final price (a portion of which the patient pays) that is higher than the non-insurance price. But I don’t remember the exact details, and I may be conflating this with some other healthcare industry scheme.
or removed entirely. Supposedly.
If a hospital is nonprofit, I believe they are required to have a (self determined) charity care policy that they must follow. If you make below a certain amount, you can apply for relief, but that also applies for to after-insurance costs, not just no-insurance costs. For-profit hospitals will rake you over the coals and send collections after you. Part of the problem with charity care, is that you may have to ask for it, and few people know enough about it to do so. And you may have to ask for it in the right way. If you aren’t specific enough, they may offer you “financial assistance” which is just a payment plan. Then they’ll treat you the same as a for-profit hospital would.
If you’re interested in a deeper dive, the Arm and a Leg podcast is a great show about healthcare costs in the US.
Does it affect me negatively? sure. Does it affect me on a personal level? Absolutely not. I guess I view it with a kind of sad condescension, like: “I’m sorry society is so fucked up that you feel it necessary to lash out like that. I’m trying my best, but I’m only one man.” Now that I think about it, I’m not sure what the says about my engagement with system. I’m going to have to ruminate on that…
Down with the patriarchy!
I don’t know whether it’s available in Germany but the Oreck XL is a reliable bagged upright. No fancy tubes or attachments. No adjusting for carpet height or bare floors. Just a simple straightforward light, reliable vacuum.
My folks have had one for years, they have a dog. My sibling got one that had been used daily in a small business for years, works great for their pets. I picked one up at an estate sale, replaced the brush roller and it works like new. We have a long haired cat that leaves tumbleweeds in its wake.