Followup - Humana's hearing aid prices

[gandalf at aud.org]

In article <3411e6d0.11809318 at news.accessone.com> steve at accessone.com (Steve Hoffman) writes:
>From: steve at accessone.com (Steve Hoffman)
>Subject: Followup - Humana's hearing aid prices
>Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 23:28:09 GMT


> Humana Plans to Cut Its Hearing-Aid Prices

> Wall Street Journal 9/3/97

> The officials say they have told AHP providers to apply the $700
>discount to their lowest price whether that be the price Humana
>and AHP agreed to in their contract or the providers' in-store
>price for non-Humana customers. Many of the hearing-aid centers
>have kept two separate price lists for the same products one for
>regular customers and a higher-priced version for Humana members.

> "We have advised our provider and they agreed that the $700
>allowance will always be applied to the lower" of the two prices,
>says Pam Gadinsky, spokeswoman for Humana in Miramar. "We think
>it's a minor alteration that needs to be made."

Once in an HMO you are trapped with this kind of thing. I have not opted to 
join an HMO, and after reading this scandalous story (not that the prices were 
high, but that Humana could be so cavalier about a contract), I expect that I 
will defer joining one. How anyone can charge a higher price to someone who 
thinks they are getting a discount is beyond me. My prices may be high, or 
they may be low. Nevertheless, all who purchase my services pay the same 
price, except for Children's Specialty Services of the State, who allow me an 
outlet for my urge to give something back, by serving little underprivileged 
kids at a much reduced rate.

Michael