Medical Expenses

[originalhealer]

Awhile back, we were all discussing how medical professionals should be paid instead of being filed bankruptcy on.

Well, a few days ago a friend of mine was feeling very ill. He was having back pain that was radiating to his left side by his stomach, and he thought it might be his kidney. I personally thought it was a result of the stress he'd been under lately, but anyway, I took him to the nearest emergency room.

Three hours later, we leave as he angrily shows me the bill....$4,000 !!! And what really made him angry is that they claimed they couldn't find anything wrong with him!

And the prescription that they gave him, they didn't even fill it! So he still had to go to the pharmacy and pay to have it filled!

I remember looking at the bill and over $3,000 of it was for two cat-scans. Are diagnostic exams really that expensive????

[Annika]

I remember looking at the bill and over $3,000 of it was for two cat-scans. Are diagnostic exams really that expensive????

I'm sure it varies from hospital to hospital (and different areas of the country), but yes, tests like that can be very expensive.

It was medical bills that forced me to file bankruptcy after I got sick last year. It's a long story, but I was in the hospital three times, had a number of tests and procedures, and ultimately, major surgery. I'm normally a very healthy person, and what happened to me was totally unexpected, and totally unavoidable.

The bill was almost $100K, which is probably less expensive than it would've been in a "big city" hospital, but there was still no way I could pay it.

But anyway, yes, diagnostic exams are ridiculous, cost-wise!

[StaciMM]

I was very fortunate that my auto accident happened while I was working (for a large, well known parent company w/ a good worker's comp claim company) so I had no medical bills for it. And, they would have been extensive! I was in the hospital for 3 weeks, which included 5 days ICU, 1 day regular, and 2 weeks in a physical therapy ward. Massive surgeries to both legs (I have titanium rods from ankle to knee on both legs, and another from knee to hip on one leg) and a couple of other minor surgeries. Once I was out of the hospital, had an inhome physical therapist for a few weeks, then I went to one 3X weekly for a while and was under a doctor's care for a year or so after. Ultimately had to have bone graphs done as they wouldn't heal completely on their own.

I did get a copy of the bill from the helicopter/air lift. It was over $7k, something like $5500 for it being called out, $1000+ in supplies and another $1000 for mileage. It only flew 22 miles-you would think that $5500 would include SOME miles, LOL. My guess, and its purely a guess, is my total medical bills had to be in the $150,000-200,000 range and if I had not had insurance, it would have been higher. (They have agreed upon limits w/ insurance companies but charge the individual the max. That is WRONG no matter how you look at it.)

[Whittio]

I would tell your friend, when he gets the bill, to call the business office and see if there are any programs he would qualify for (low income).. I was very sick with the flu earlier this year which led to bacterial & viral pneumonia among other things. I was sick for 3+ months. My bills toped $5000 and that was only for xrays and a couple hours in the ER and I think 3-4 office visits. I called the business office, and due to our income, I was able to get an 88% decrease on my bill! I only had to pay 12% and that was AFTER my insurance co. paid their 60%. (and I get that discount for a full year!) It's worth asking!

[Lightning]

Health insurance should cover some of that.

[StaciMM]

A friend of mine took her husband to the ER one night last week after he had several hours of intense pain... Turned out he had a kidney stone & passed it. (He started feeling better, the ER got back results of his urine sample which apparently is able to diagnose a kidney stone. I don't really know much about it personally.)

Anyhow... Their HMO won't pay because it wasn't a 'life threatening' situation. How are you supposed to know if it IS life threatening if you're afraid to go to the ER? Wait until morning and hope its NOT?

[LinSC]

I'm sorry but I'm stepping up on my soap box ... please allow me to vent. It makes me so angry when people believe their entitled to free health care. Yes, I realize bad things happen to good people. And yes, most if not all hospitals in the country do offer charity for their patients assuming the patient qualifies. However, I don't believe people should use the emergency room as their primary care physician.

The problem with health care is that every citizen wants and TRULY is entitled to the best healthcare technology available from their healthcare provider. However, they fail to realize that the technology they want is expensive. Many of it is cutting edge where it takes skilled personnel which even drives the cost higher. Plus, throw in malpractice insurance ... due to how litigious a society we've become ... many smaller hospitals in depressed parts of the country are unable to even keep their doors open. Additionally, the more bad debt a hospital is forced to write-off the higher their costs will become. It's the paying customer/patient that ends up paying for those who can't especially now since insurance companies are tightening their belts as well. There is not one insurance plan that offers 100% coverage. We all pay our part.

I'm sorry the guy had such a bad experience in the emergency room but he should be happy that he doesn't have any significant health issues. On a side note, most emergency rooms do not fill prescriptions. That's what the corner pharmacy is for.

[freshstarter]

I know of a person who did not go to get medical treatment because he didn't have insurance. He died.

[StaciMM]

Don't know if this was in reply to my post or another... The friend I mentioned DID have insurance. He had several hours of intense pain. I've heard kidney stones being described as similar pain to natural childbirth. (Don't know if its true-guess it depends on the patient.) After the diagnosis, the HMO said sorry, that wasn't serious enough for an ER visit so we're not covering it. If you're in intense pain, it lasts for hours and doesn't get better-going to the ER is reasonable assuming it would be another 6-8 hours before your primary care opened up.

I'm sorry the guy had such a bad experience in the emergency room but he should be happy that he doesn't have any significant health issues. On a side note, most emergency rooms do not fill prescriptions. That's what the corner pharmacy is for.

[originalhealer]

In the case of my friend, he did not have medical insurance. As far as the pain, it was pretty bad, and it was in the middle of the night. Neither one of us knew what was wrong.

It's one thing to go to the ER for a sore throat, a cold, etc. It's another thing to go to the ER because you are in intense pain and you don't know what's wrong.

He didn't even want to go. But both of us were getting scared. I have a nursing background and I know that some symptoms you had better not ignore.

We used the ER for it's intended purpose. I have suggested to him that he can go to the business office to see if he can have something worked out.

Lastly, what's wrong with free health care? Other countries have it, Canada has it. We pay a ridiculous amount of money in taxes every year. Why not free health care?

[originalhealer]

One other thing, just because the hospital doesn't find anything wrong, doesn't mean there is nothing wrong with you.

In my case, last year I was very ill and anemic with a uterine fibroid tumor but it wasn't diagnosed even after visiting three different hospitals with three different ultrasound exams.

I won't tell you how it finally made itself known, but let's just say "Thank God I was able to dial 911."

[Genenco]

Truly the sad fact is that more "Poor" people die from illnesses that could easily be found and cured..Mainly those of African background (CNN did a study on that) and found many blacks got less the HALF the care whites got.

The reason? Most blacks don't have health care and their jobs don't offer it. I sort of applaud Canada for it's health care system, but while it's nice, if they have to send patients to the US for x-rays or MRIs and such, it does make one wonder just how good it really is...