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Pauline Said:

How many sq feet is a normal two story bank that you go to for deposits/checks n stuff?

We Answered:

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area the average retail bank branch is 12-15,000 sq.ft. I just appraised 3 of then in the last year. In small towns it is as little as 3,000 sq.ft.

Insurance agencies are approx. 300 sq.ft. per employee.

Small law firms (1 man operation) are about 500 sq.ft. However, I have seen a single lawyer without a secretary operate out of a whole in the wall office of 200 sq.ft. Conversely, an older established lawyer with a paralegal/secretary/research assistant using about 1,000 sq.ft. 350-400 sq.ft. per employee might be a good rule of thumb. Lawyers need more storage space and like a location close to the court house.

Ethel Said:

Why do medical billing agencies charge people more than they would charge an insurance company?

We Answered:

mbrcatz is incorrect. Medical facilities are bound to charge at least a certain rate to all clients. However, what you should know is that we NEVER get paid that full amount. The rates you get charged, say $250 for a visit is almost never paid by anyone. United healthcare, for example is likely to pay only half that (if even that much). Regulations from Medicare prevent hospitals from giving "cash discounts" beyond a marginal convenience in order to prevent us from undercutting medicare. mbrcatz is also incorrect regarding the transparency. We are required to disclose our actual cost per CPT code for anyone who asks....

The hospital CHARGES the same no matter what...what they AGREE to take is another story. If you attended a facility within your preferred network, they agree to not charge you for the extra amount for your covered benefits. For instance, if they agree to only take $100 payment from your ins company on a $200 bill, they have to agree to not charge you the extra $100 (aside from any co-pays, of course). However, if exceeded your maximum allowable benefits after 14 visits and they kept treating you, you become a cash based patient. In cases like these, you get stuck with the ACTUAL charges and not the pre-negotiated rates. In other words, the charge is the same, but the reimbursement expected is different.

Yet, most facilities try to keep pretty good tabs on how much benefits patients have and many larger PT facilities will have a case manager working for them. I would try to contact this person and find out where the ball got dropped. If you were near the end of your benefit period, it's a reasonable expectation that they inform you. Now if it wasn't covered because it was not "medically necessary", then that's a whole other story and you may have to file an appeal with the insurance company if your therapists truly felt the treatment was necessary. In either case, this is worth a phone call to the office.

In reality, pricing in healthcare is arbitrary. Since no one actually pays the full amount, the cost just keeps getting inflated, you try to make up a few dollars from one insurance company where another pays less...it's the guy paying cash that gets screwed in the end. Yet, regulations prevent most major medical facilities from offering cash patients discounts which would be undercutting prenegotiated rates from private insurance companies. The actual rates almost never reflect the actual value of the service. ...the only way that would happen is if we all paid cash for our health care....

Renee Said:

Selfish Parents or Unreasonable Teen? (car insurance catastrophe)?

We Answered:

you do have a right to be upset about that. your parents are definitly being selfish here. it honestly sounds like they just want the money. it would be more understandable if the accident was your fault, but clearly wasnt. try talking to them and tell them how you feel.

Reginald Said:

DO most of you know how fraudulent the Insurance Companies are and how much it costs Americans?

We Answered:

I don't have any proof of fraudulent,but I totally disagree with the way they treat policy holders.I haven't had a traffic accident or traffic citation in 55 years of driving,yet my rate ,because I live near a large metropolitan city,are very high based on the the accident rate there.They,the insurance company,tell me what a great rate I'm getting.BS.Why don't they base my rate on the amount of accident I've had.Don't penalize me for other peoples failure to observe proper driving practises.The insurance co. and utilities co. are the only business's I know of if they are failing they shift the cost to the public.It's like if I started a business and it wasn't a success I could tax the people until it is.That would be a fail-proof nest egg,and that's what they have.

Jeremy Said:

Honda CBR125R Insurance rates or recommended agencies? 16 Year old male Ontario?

We Answered:

My daughter looked at them when they first came out and her insurance company said $1200 in Ontario the agent said that they have to have a history on the bike before lowering the rates because these bikes are new to Canada and they have the CBR tag.

Erica Said:

Can my husband voluntarily surrender his driver's license so we won't get dropped from our insurance?

We Answered:

Ask if specifically "excluding" him from your policy would make a difference. That means they would NOT honor any claims if he should ever drive the car.

I am disabled, and can not drive, so I am "excluded" on the family car insurance, and that satisfied our insurance carrier.