Muenkel 0 #26 March 24, 2004 Maybe I'm just fortunate, but I have seen 12 specialists from various fields of medicine in the past 7 months. Every one of them were top notch. I have no complaints. Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #27 March 24, 2004 QuoteSo, what can you do? Pay for it yourself (most people forget that option). Sure, it might be a few hundred bucks. Like I did. And am. And will be, for a while. And yes, it's gone onto my credit reports, even though the dr and I have an arrangement, the lab doesn't make them, the hospital doesn't make them, the anesthesiologist doesn't make them, and the pathologist's doesn't make them. I am in massive debt at the moment, because I can't afford the $300 per month it would take to cover me (yes, that's average for my line of work and lifestyle). And this is with everyone giving me "cash" discounts, too. And that's not including any prescription drugs, one that I take daily (expensive), one that I take 12 days out of the month (expensive), and the various other medications I've been on for the last 6 months... Jerry, it's not a few hundred bucks. It's more like $25,000 (+/-), when all is said and done...at least I can write it off. That's a bonus, isn't it? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miked10270 0 #28 March 24, 2004 A while back I was talking to a friend who was in hospital administration. He happened to point out that in the UK we pay some 6% of our GNP on our socialised medicine system, while the US pays some 13% of it's GNP. Personally I much prefer the "socialised medicine" system. A few years back Iona had a bad landing in the US. Ambulance came, took her away to hospital, she got a painkiller and waited... and waited... 2 hours wait until I showed up with evidence of insurance and a credit card. Once the insurance was photocopied and the credit card run through and the phone call was made to confirm that the insurance would pay for any treatment Iona got... subject to further phone calls at various cost levels..... THEN Iona got excellent treatment. Basically a bruised backside cost around $2,400. I had a "rough" landing in the UK (my foot went on vacation up into the back of my knee!). Ambulance 35 miles to the most suitable hospital (not the nearest), into A&E, X-ray, consultant orthopaedic surgeon (on a Sunday afternoon),manipulation under anaesthetic (to pull my foot back "roughly" into place), then a 40 minute wait before the general anaesthetic and into theatre for joint reconstruction surgery and internal fixation to my ankle. 2 nights in hospital, physiotherapy, 3 further ops to remove the screws and stuff from my ankle in stages... Total cost $0.00 directly. OK I pay $5 a gallon for gas and 17.5% sales tax, but I had my treatment costed and if I'd had this all done in the US I'd be looking at a bill of over $100,000 which MAY OR MAY NOT have been covered by "health insurance". There would certainly have been protracted discussions between the medical staff on what I needed and what the insurance company would pay for . In short, under "socialised medicine" you have an excellent chance of getting what you need. With "private financed" medicine you tend to get what you can afford. "Private financed" medicine is great if you can afford what you need. Mike. PS. When I was in Tombstone I got talking to a guy in his 70's who was still working. He'd retired a few years ago, but his wife's illnesses had wiped out his retirement income so he had to go back to work. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #29 March 24, 2004 "general anaesthetic and into theatre for joint reconstruction surgery and internal fixation to my ankle. 2 nights in hospital, physiotherapy, 3 further ops to remove the screws and stuff from my ankle in stages... " Pah, nothing compared to doing the incident paperwork for that one, which landed on my lap.-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miked10270 0 #30 March 24, 2004 QuotePah, nothing compared to doing the incident paperwork for that one, which landed on my lap. I did offer to do the paperwork, but apparently MY version didn't make YOU look heroic, handsome, brilliant, caring, and above all MODEST enough! edited to add: Anyway, shouldn't you be busy playing with your Meccano or something!? Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #31 March 24, 2004 You got it Mike.Maybe catch with you this season, now the weather is better...And all that new bairn, new house shite is out of the way, I've got a huge demo friendly field out the back now-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #32 March 24, 2004 Michele: We all know the nightmare that you've been through. I'm going through a similar one myself with my sinus surgery (thank God it wasn't cancer, like the Doc suspected). That's a little over $7k for one outpatient visit. I think kallend hit the nail on the head - there are outliers in every system. Unfortunately, you've foundyourself to be one of them. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #33 March 24, 2004 Quotethere are outliers in every system. Unfortunately, you've foundyourself to be one of them. I don't doubt I'm an "outlier" in this particular case, but....am I really? And why? I know many people who don't have insurance. They haven't been as ill as I've been (thank you God), (and thank God your sinus issues aren't "serious"), but what about them? At what point do the statistics show that I'm not an outlier, an unusual unexpected rather rare case, but instead, a regular one, that happens with a predictable frequency? If the Dr.s, anesthesioligists, and all those participating in the health care industry have "cash" fee schedules, then is this a normal thing, or an outlier thing? (Granted, I negotiated lower pricing than even the cash fee schedule, but still...) And here's my question as well. If everyone has a "cash option", doesn't that imply that the fees insurance pays are higher? And if they do, is that a fair system? If you have insurance, insurance pays much more than the cash payor. Who's getting the deal at that point? Me or the medical system? Over all, I received excellent care, and am more than happy with the people I've had. One of the benefits of not having insurance is that if I didn't feel very very comfortable with my Dr, I could've picked up my happy ass and gone to the one I was happy with; that's not an option with most insurance companies. It's a difficult situation to be sure, and I don't have a solution. But I think there is one out there, lurking...just not one I know of, or understand how to employ. And I really was just sharing my situation to provide a different perspective to the conversation... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vonSanta 0 #34 March 24, 2004 Since I'm a major goofhead who rarely pay my bills on time (except skydiving, but that ain't a bill, that's cash up front), I rather like our system here. Despite us paying less of our GNP in percentage than Americans, we're covered from top to toe It is true that for some operations there are waiting lists, but it's not the critical stuff. I can go to Russia knowing that if I bust myself up, I'll wave my little yellow Danish healh insurance card around and the Russkies will send me to the best private hospital around, knowing the expenses will be covered. And, if I ever get sick of waiting for some kind of surgery, I can get a private insurance on the side. I dunno. There are two things I think *everyone* should have accessible: education and healthcare. As it has been shown, it can be done relatively cheaply. US costs are so high because of an inefficient bureaucratic machine. And overpaid doctors Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldfart 0 #35 March 25, 2004 [Nothing is free everyone ends up paying more for goods and services. It seems as if everyone forgets this. Right,nothing is free of coourse.I have a friend who argues that since she pays for all medical care outright,she saves money because a doctor will cut a private individual a break and really pad a bill out for an insurance company. You see this when you look at an itemized statement and see things you never saw,like medications that were never prescribed,equipment never used,procedures never done,etc.Like 4 dollars a piece for a tylenol in the hospital. This is what I find appalling.I like a free market economy,but this is abuse.Jacking a price for a service or item is fine as long as we're dealing with designer shoes,but not peoples' lives and health. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
