[rsanchez1]

It should've been explained to them the consequences of not having their tooth problems taken care of. The boy's parents chose to wait and rack up a $280,000 hospital bill, but did no one explain to them that a simple $80 procedure can prevent serious complications? Paying $80 for that one procedure would have saved them their son, and it would've been cheaper than paying health insurance anyway since it's a one-time payment. Cut back on something, anything, just don't risk your or your son's life when the solution really wasn't too expensive.

Things like this would be better served by microloans anyway. Patient financing should be looked to as a way of controlling costs rather than forcing everyone to buy health insurance. If the boy's parents had been given the option of paying, say $10 a month over a year for the dental procedure, it would've been much easier on them than paying $80 up front. They could pay less if they make all their payments early.

Just give them an option, an option they can understand and afford.

[Mz]

The boy's parents chose to wait and rack up a $280,000 hospital bill, but did no one explain to them that a simple $80 procedure can prevent serious complications?

I think it's partly rooted in the mental models we have about medical stuff and their costs. I can't tell you how often I hear someone tell me that eating better is "too expensive" an option for improving their health. In many cases, it's a matter of a few bucks a month a month compared to sometimes literally thousands of dollars a month in medical expenses. But food comes out of their pocket and a big medical crisis they think someone else will help cover. I think.

I don't get it myself. Just tossing that out there.