Tenet Policies Continue Overpricing Cycle

Tenet Healthcare’s gouging of Medicare and other insurance constitutes more than “overpricing,” it constitutes fraud.

A year ago I had cataract surgery performed in one of Tenet’s hospitals, and when I asked for a statement I was shocked. I had two eye drops delivered before surgery, and the pharmacy bill was $2,223.90. I was awake at all times. They charged $134.90 for oxygen, which I never had. For a period of 15 minutes in the operating room, they charged $3,859.

I feel that the executives at Tenet should be accountable for their actions just as much as the top honchos at Enron and WorldCom.

Charging insurers fraudulently for goods and services not delivered is just as bad as deceptive accounting procedures.

It’s time that those responsible at Tenet are taken to task.

Joan Kerr

Torrance

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“Tenet Shifting Its Formula for Reimbursement” (Nov. 29) says hospitals raise retail charges to maximize stop-loss payments from insurers, but the “increases hospitals get pale in comparison to what insurers are getting from employers in premiums.”

And the insurers probably are complaining that they need higher premiums to keep their investors happy.

This is a game called “gotcha” -- and we, the people, are “it.”

We need to start thinking about not-for-profit hospitals that want to help people, not investors.

Eleanor Kranther

Cambria, Calif.