The audacity of the Olympic medical center to complain of financial shortcomings of having patient income of only $2,000.00 per day. After receiving my bill of $10,000 for a 1 day stay I can hardly sympathize with them or the article. Included in that bill were 2 charges (758.75 each) for a CAT scan even tho I was in the machine once. The explanation was a request was made for a pelvis and abdominal Cat scan hence the charge for 2 procedures. I am a short person, seems to me it can't be far from one to the other, and other charges of 1,840.40 for a room (potty chair, no bathroom) per day etc, etc, etc. Now they want to ask for taxes from me as well? The thought of the bill was what made me really sick, and all this time I thought those masks they wore were for health reasons. PS...the cure? Advised not to take aspirin. Ever hear the phrase, "take two aspirin and see your doctor in the morning?"Thomas W Marzullo
823 w 16th st pa, 98363360
457 3311 Please publish in letters.Editors Note:
I believe the hospital's problem is twofold:
1- They have spent too much $ on expansion in their attempt to become a medical
monopoly. New facilites are fine, but should be tempered by finances and need.
2- Hospitals and doctors in Washington state are being shortchanged by medicare.
Other states, especially on the East Coast get much greater medicare reimbursements
than they do in Washington. Medicare is corporate welfare for the insurance cos.
and one part of the country should not have to bear a greater load of the cost than
other states. I have communicated this personally to Norm Dicks and by letter to
our dear senators - - none have answered - - too busy raising money for their own
re-election campaigns.