- note these are usually owned by county-level hospital authorities, not state or
federal - hospital), only for documented medical reasons.

Your 'puff up the bills' remark is true only to the extent that all those unpaid
charges that Medicare and the big insurors refuse to pay have to go someplace.

 BA>> Some years back I was referred to a specialist by my
 BA>> dentist for a jaw joint problem.  I was amazed, this fellow
 BA>> had precisely *one* person working as his
 BA>> receptionist/office person.  He did not accept Medicare,
 BA>> private insurance of any kind or credit cards.  Cash or
 BA>> check only, and payment in full at the time of service,
 BA>> please.  He had plenty of patients and was booked for
 BA>> *months* in advance.  I suspect increasing numbers of
 BA>> providers are adopting this business model.

 BK>  And only those with the money get the care. Or does he do
 BK>  charity cases?

I don't know, I was only in his office once.  As I noted, he was
doing very well.

--- FleetStreet 1.19+