$7000 appointment

[ceedaisy]

Well the psych/therapist called yesterday to get my insurance info. Called me back and told me they didn't take my insurance (and I can't stand our damn ins since we had it. Nothing but a pain in my f* a$$. I can't even get meds without going through them to see if their covered! All of our medications were changed because they wouldn't pay for them. This is Humana vitality btw) so unless I wanted to pay 7000 for services she could give me number of another place. That kind of ticks me off cause the other girl just two days before told me when I specifically asked said no where in town is going to see me off the street without referral. So this chic just going to wash her hands of me and won't get me in? Well that's fine cause that same week I'm meeting with a new family doc that my extended family sees and recommended to me. And I know he has no problem treating pain or ADHD and understands money problems.

7 grand? It should be against the law to charge like that. Hospitals are really behind a lot of peoples money problems. Everyone is only one hospital stay away from bankruptcy. almost happened to us two years ago when hubby had a foot of colon removed. 27000 our part and they wouldn't work with us on payments. It was their way or collections. Went to lawyer and he said new law let them do it. Something smells political to me.

[blackman]

You can't hear about stories like this and still not support universal healthcare.

Two nonths ago I was taken to the er at midnight. My bill later included a $150 charge because I saw the dr between 10pm and 5am. I was raging. So healthcare costs more of it's after 10pm? Fuck you. Eh, rant...

Sorry for your troubles ceedaisy. I def feel for ya.

[Defense34]

yeah welcome to the hell that is insurance haha I owe over 100k in all for all my stuff, and i have paid almost none of it in the last 3 years (1 year I was blind, 6 months raging alchy 1.5 years heroin addict ) it sucks but i feel ya
all well and love
defense

[More Feen]

I believe the next american revolution will be based, in part, on such practices by insurance companies, hospital & doctors.

Mark my word.

M F

[hanna]

I believe the next american revolution will be based, in part, on such practices by insurance companies, hospital & doctors.

Mark my word.

M F

Maybe. My money says the next revolution doesn't start until the unicorn stops shitting skittles.

[kNOw1]

No insurance company helps. Not even BC/BS. I have 70k worth of hospital bills from the past year.

Private walk-ins are the way to go.

[lawyerup]

Well the psych/therapist called yesterday to get my insurance info. Called me back and told me they didn't take my insurance (and I can't stand our damn ins since we had it. Nothing but a pain in my f* a$$. I can't even get meds without going through them to see if their covered! All of our medications were changed because they wouldn't pay for them. This is Humana vitality btw) so unless I wanted to pay 7000 for services she could give me number of another place. That kind of ticks me off cause the other girl just two days before told me when I specifically asked said no where in town is going to see me off the street without referral. So this chic just going to wash her hands of me and won't get me in? Well that's fine cause that same week I'm meeting with a new family doc that my extended family sees and recommended to me. And I know he has no problem treating pain or ADHD and understands money problems.

7 grand? It should be against the law to charge like that. Hospitals are really behind a lot of peoples money problems. Everyone is only one hospital stay away from bankruptcy. almost happened to us two years ago when hubby had a foot of colon removed. 27000 our part and they wouldn't work with us on payments. It was their way or collections. Went to lawyer and he said new law let them do it. Something smells political to me.

A recent ER visit was charged to my state insurance for 4,000 dollars. The insurance was denying to pay it because it was so high. I got the bill and damn near shit myself (I'm as broke as the next addict). After looking at the bill I found things including medication that they never even gave me. Thieves much? Luckily the hospital decided to 'amend' the bill and it only ended up charging my insurance 1.5k and so they agreed to pay it.

[More Feen]

Maybe. My money says the next revolution doesn't start until the unicorn stops shitting skittles.

I'll mark YOUR words

Morfy

[borohydride]

I have previously pointed out to guys in the US that it's cheaper to go on holiday to the UK and go see a doctor here... it's free. You DO have to pay for meds but it's £7.85 per item whatever the actual cost. Of course, Canada is closer and UK/Canada has a reciprocal agreement - UK guy gets sick in Canada, it's all free; likewise Canadian guy gets sick in UK; free.

US guys in the UK ARE supposed to pay UK back, but frankly they don't try too hard (no ID required so use any name you like - treatment is a right, not a privilege!).

This is just 1 reason Obama is so well liked in the UK... he's doing stuff that is important!

[More Feen]

This is just 1 reason Obama is so well liked in the UK... he's doing stuff that is important!

I am 100% for universal healthcare. Obama's plan forces people to buy insurance from the same companies that profit by denying to pay for a patient's medical treatment.

If I, Sir More Feen, Esq., could profit by denying to pay for my clients' healthcare, I would deny as many claims as possible, while still keeping enough people in the system paying me premiums every month.

So I don't blame health insurance companies for making a profit, its up to politicians to regulate good capitalism from bad, damaging capitalism.

M F

[x31966]

I am so sorry to hear that.
I have quite a few horror stories concerning, doctors, insurance, and pharmacies. It can be overwhelming..

[limitless_euphoria]

I think this entire thing has just gotten ridiculous with the insurance. Everybody on the right loves to blame Obamacare, which the Supreme Court is taking up at the moment. In my opinion, let's just put the pros or cons aside for a minute, the insurance companies have definitely utilized this opportunity to raise rates like we've never seen before. Then, they cover this, but they don't cover that. It seems as though behavioral health and substance abuse is nothing but a loser for them, it's kind of counterintuitive because you would think if they got somebody clean there's much less of a chance they would end up hospitalized or in rehab (which would ultimately cost them more) but I guess it is the way it is. Insurance really is a big issue. People that seem to have a lot of resources that have never had to worry about it. Do not understand, very well anyway, the plight of somebody that is stuck with Medicaid, or worse yet, nothing! I mean, I saw "Sicko" and you know, I take Michael Moore with a grain of salt, but he does raise a lot of compelling points. I've also read the book "Deadly Spin" by Wendell Potter and he really puts some eye-opening stuff out there. He was a professional spinster for CIGNA and he basically gave away a lot of the trade secrets. They are definitely a "profits over people" Company. But who isn't nowadays? The point being, I think it's absolutely ridiculous, when an addict is trying to get clean, in a lot of places in the US. It's very tough to find doctors that will prescribe you either pain management, subs , or even just tend to your mental health needs. I am very fortunate in that my wife was able to get me into her doctors practice, but before that, I was stuck going to a community health clinic. They were just friggin' awful. They had no respect for the fact that I worked 90 AM through 50 PM because apparently the majority of their clientele was Medicaid patients, they just presumed, "oh, come in at 1:30 PM and we'll see you." Now, I get all my psych meds from a PCP and I am VERY GRATEFUL! Hopefully you'll get what you need. Keepin' my fingers crossed for ya.

[reddragon3668]

if a doctor ever asked me to drop 7k for an appointment, I'd tell them to kiss my ass! Glad to hear you have options. Good luck to you!

[michellebaines]

The Original Health Care Affordability Act (aka ObamaCare) Included a Single Payer Option. Which basically allowed anyone to "buy in" to Medicare. Congress wouldn't allow it.

The biggest reason why health care costs are so much less expensive in other countries is that the National Health Services tell the drug companies and the health care providers what they will pay, not the other way around.

I have Medicaid/Medicare and have never been denied service, or payment for service. However, starting this year they are forcing me to pick an HMO (Medicare Advantage) so things may change.

I heard on NPR last night that the SAME AIDS cocktail that costs + $100,000/yr in the US is only about $100 in African nations. WTF?????

[lawyerup]

The Original Health Care Affordability Act (aka ObamaCare) Included a Single Payer Option. Which basically allowed anyone to "buy in" to Medicare. Congress wouldn't allow it.

The biggest reason why health care costs are so much less expensive in other countries is that the National Health Services tell the drug companies and the health care providers what they will pay, not the other way around.

I have Medicaid/Medicare and have never been denied service, or payment for service. However, starting this year they are forcing me to pick an HMO (Medicare Advantage) so things may change.

I heard on NPR last night that the SAME AIDS cocktail that costs + $100,000/yr in the US is only about $100 in African nations. WTF?????

Not that it's enough to make up the 99,900$ difference but that 100 grand comes with access to expensive medical testing, xrays etc, doctors visits, first line medication, and in Africa the most you'll get is a methadone clinic experience where you walk up in line givem ur name and they give u a cup with your medication.

[ceedaisy]

Thanks you all. I'm counting down my final week til my new family appt. Its May 3rd. And been told he doesn't like to waste time trying patients out on meds when I asked my sister in law that uses him. I asked if I would have to jump through hoops all over again or if he would continue with what my last doctor was giving me. I need to get a job and I can't without proper medicinal restraints, I mean pain management. hee hee I was told at last appt I may have fibro too. He may have been setting me up to look good for pain meds. Who knows. He doesn't take insurance and you pay cash. And you can count on tabs and benzo hookup from your first appt. But I can't afford him once a month therefore I am going to new doc. And hopefully with him treating a few of my family and knowing that he is helping them with their pain and add, I won't have too much trouble getting something started from the beginning. New potential doc is young though. I'm older then him! He is 33 or 35 and I'm 37. And maybe me living a little away will help his scripting abilities. You know making sure something works so cause I don't live close?

150.00 charge because its after ten at night. Idiotic. Don't ask for a box of tissues either if your in the hospital. Hubby did and I found that box of cardboard they call tissues was on our bill! And when Hubby was in and still on liquid diet the nurse brough him an orange popsicle for snack time. He said he didn't like orange and asked if they had cherry and the nurse got real bitchy and said sure it wasn't her bill!

And about the aids treatments and costing so much here and cheaper in another country. Yes we know this so well as Americans since everything from socks to even getting braces for your teeth is a fraction of the cost just across the border in Mexico. Lots of Docs open a second practice across the border for that reason. And I know someone who took their teen there to get braces because the cost was so little and by the same dentist but had two offices.

[blowakilo]

Eat excessive amounts of vegetables and exercise. I've only been completely clean for like six weeks(no booze etc), but have avoided even the common cold for the past five or so years by doing these two simple things. I simply bring this up to show it is possible.

[acman]

Have to share my experience with a visit to the ER a few weeks ago. First let me say this was my first ER visit since 1989.
I deceided to go because I was having chest pains, left arm numbness and felt like I was going to pass out. Of course I thought I was having a heart attack and since I have a family history (my Dad died at 58 from that) it scared the shit out of me.
Well I ended up going and driving myself there bringing my Mom. They did an EKG and bloodwork and basically told me my heart was fine and that I was having an "anxiety attack". Personally I think it was related to my use of the Fentanyl Patch which I am scripted but do sometime use buccally which is technically abusing it. I did tell them I wear it but of course did not going into any other details. Back to my point ...
Well I guess they saw that I had BC BS insurance and deceided to do a friggin Cat Scan and every other test you can imagine.
After about a 3 hours ... they sent me home with a script of 20 Ativan and told me go see my primary doctor. Last week I get the bill in the mail.... $9600 for a fuckin 3 hour visit to the ER for a so called axiety attack! Don't get me wrong.. I was relieved to know that my heart was OK but almost $10,000? Something is VERY wrong with this medical system. Oh... and since I have a $1500 copay.. I now have to pay that portion. I feel that I should step up and say something about this gross overbilling. What would you do?

[zystyl]

I`m not going to be the Canadian guy that preaches health care. I`d truly hate to have a copay the size of my housing, heat, hydro, and insurance for an anxiety attack though.

My dad is a GP who moved down to the states for, more money of course. He said he would get an email every morning from the Hospital with his billings, gross earnings, and if he was billing on target for the year. Seriously fucked up stuff. He told me he enjoyed being able to take patients right to the tests and treatments they needed but hated that they had to personally pay for it. He also bought a really big house though ...

I also know that prescription companies use high prices in first world companies to finance their research on future meds, and also to subsidize the costs in third world countries. I believe that there were even some abreviated generic licenses granted before patents expired for aids medication in specific in Africa. I`d have to look it up to make sure I`m right though so don`t quote that. I know for a fact the WHO has made agreements with these countries to make these meds more available in countries like these. It used to make for great advertising as well, especially since these weren`t the `first line`state of the art meds they were providing.

Here in Quebec, Canada we have a prescription coverage for anyone without insurance provided by their employer. I have heard that the government has specifically negotiated prices on some medications that they approve. There is usually very little difference between pharmacies besides their dispensing fees. For some of these companies getting their meds on the approved list, even at less money per pill, increases their profits greatly. Most doctors prescribe based on what`s covered here.

What can you do to get the copay reduced? They provided the service, and you must have had an idea about the cost and what your copay would be.