[Lou]

OK, now I really have heard everything.

Many of you know I work in a hospital. And as a hospital employee I have heard it said many many times that the cost of medical treatment is too high. People do not believe that hospitals and physicians have as high of an overhead as they claim - it is all profit. I confess that to an extent I agree but what I just heard blew me away and made me furious.

One of our techs called a company to get a replacement handle for an expensive medical testing device. I saw the broken handle and it is PLASTIC and looks like a very small crank. It flips up and down.

The tech wanted to order two of them one for the repair and one for a spare but the company only allows us to purchase one. The part would cost $3.00 in a hardware store but our price???? $50.00 PLUS $50.00 for shipping. If we want it overnight it will be $100.00 for shipping. Why just one? Because if they ship out two they can't charge $200.00 for overnight. We have to buy from them because it is their machinery and no one else makes the handles for it. God forbid that they use universal parts.

Hospitals may make a lot of money but the companies that sell X-ray machines and other such equipment are making a fortune!!!!!!