Tag: doctors

Medical Bills

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

It’s been a rough year for us with urgent care and emergency room visits, doctor’s appointments, tests, and procedures.  Last year our co-pays were lower and a few years ago, we rarely saw a bill with our insurance.  We paid our premiums and co-pays and the insurance paid the rest.

Unfortunately that isn’t the case.  Ken had a kidney stone this year.  The emergency room visit cost us nearly $7K.  The procedure they did to blast it was about $23K.  We paid our co-pays but we’re still going to be left with $715 to pay.

One of the benefits for my job – a flex plan.  I set aside money every year for medical expenses.  This year we were going to do eyes and teeth.  That was the plan.  It won’t be happening.  My flex plan funds have been eaten up with co-pays, prescriptions, and tests.  I don’t have enough left to pay the hospital bill for Ken’s procedure.  I’ll be budgeting that in – somehow.

We aren’t done either.  I’m supposed to have an allergy test and sinus surgery this year.  I’m waiting on approvals from the insurance to be able to do these things in the hopes I won’t spend six months on antibiotic.

I guess paying off bills and loans is going to be slower than I hoped.  I look at my budget and wonder how I’m going to fit in yet another bill and the continuing costs.  I start to wonder if I should put off some of the procedures, cut back on prescriptions, and so on.  All in an effort to save funds.  But aren’t I supposed to put my health first?

Next year the state is going to self-insure.  If I’m paying this much now, how much more will I be paying?  I already have a lot of money taken out of my check for benefits and insurance.  How will we manage if I need to set aside more?  These are some of the questions weighing on my mind.  It makes me wonder if I should cope with my health issues and not have tests done.  The allergy test is $1000 if the insurance doesn’t cover it.  I won’t be having it done if the insurance denies it.  The question becomes how much will the insurance cover?  Same with the surgery.  They’ll be knocking me out which means a full day in the hospital if there are no complications.  How much of it will the insurance pay?  How much will go on our ever growing bill?  Makes me wonder if it would be better to wait.  Antibiotics are less expensive but the stress on my body is unbearable.

We’re lucky in that we have good insurance.  I cannot imagine how bad it is for those who don’t have – or won’t have – good insurance if ACA (Obamacare) goes away.  I’m also very concerned with what happens next year with my own insurance.  With self-insurance, I’m betting we will end up paying more – probably a lot more.  This is one of the reasons I am going ahead with the tests and surgery this year.  It is an added stress for me, especially since working for the state means raises are rare and small if you do get one.  I’ll hope we don’t go too far into debt in order to get these things done.

The one good thing – I believe I’ve finally made the last payment for last year’s medical bills.  Now I have to figure out how I’m paying this years.  Anyone want to buy a book?

Elephants Dancing Off (off off) Broadway

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Since before Thanksgiving I’ve been sick.  Sinus infections which persist and won’t go away have progressed into what I believe is bronchitis (no diagnosis other than for my husband and we have the same symptoms).

Ironically, my husband and middle daughter both went to urgent care on Sunday, saw different doctors, had the same symptoms.  My husband was treated with respect and due diligence, got his diagnosis and prescriptions.  My daughter was treated disparagingly, was told she needed to suck it up and just deal with her “cold”, yet her symptoms are more pronounced with breathing being a significant issue.  She was given medications but had to fight for them.  What is wrong with our medical system?

When I went to ER because my bp was too high and I couldn’t breath, the ER doc was rude, disparaging, condescending, and suggested I take a drug I’ve been allergic to for more than 25 years.  He also told me to go off my daily decongestant.  I did – it was a total fail.  On top of my symptoms I was already struggling with, I then added in more breathing problems – asthma attacks, more congestion, and more struggling with breathing.

One other thing this lovely ER doctor did, he doubled the dose of the antibiotic (one of the few I could take) which then caused me to have issues with it – similar to ones I have with other drugs in this family.  Now I’m not sure I’ll be able to take this drug again because every time I’ve taken it since then, I’ve had some pretty severe side effects.

My daughter and I both feel like we have elephants dancing our chests and want this feeling to go away but the medical community don’t seem to know how to take care of us.  It shouldn’t be that hard to listen but apparently doctors don’t know how – perhaps in all their fancy classes they should add in one about compassion, concern, and active listening.  

Medications and alternatives

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Since my pain med was taken off the market by the FDA, I’ve had a difficult time finding pain meds that work and that doctors are willing to prescribe for me.  My ortho says – pain meds should be maintained by the GP.  My GP says – if you are on delauded then the doctor who prescribed it has to continue prescribing it. 

This is just dandy for me as I’m left with no pain meds but over the counter pain relievers.  Anyone who has regular pain knows that this is frustrating and difficult.  I have no control over the doctors.  I can’t make them prescribe drugs for me.  My only option is to find other ways to manage my pain. 

To this end, I’ve found heat works well for me.  When my knees, ankles, and other joints are screaming with pain, I put a heating pad on them.  I’d love to have a hot tub but that is outside my budget.  The heating pad puts heat right on the joint which eases most of the pain.  I know I’m unusual for this – most people prefer ice packs.  The only time an ice pack helps is when I have a migraine and I put a cold cloth or ice pack on the back of my neck.  Ice or cold (like the sub-zero weather we’ve been having) actually increases my pain.  I avoid it as much as possible.

When the pain is at a tolerable level, I make a point of moving the joint.  For my ankles, I will do flexes and points of my foot as well as circles to keep the joint as limber as possible.  For my knees, this is harder because my one knee almost never stops hurting but I try to do gentle motions that keep it moving.  Too much walking or standing make the knee hurt more.

Slippers help keep my feet warm.  I’m a barefoot girl.  I don’t like stuff on my feet but walking across cold floors and letting my feet get cold is a sure way for my pain level to spike.  Using slippers keeps the cold away from my feet and the pain at bay.

I’ve had so many people tell me “You need to get up and move more”.  In all honesty, I’ve tried this and all it does is aggravate my knees further.  Having my legs at a particular angle makes it so they don’t hurt.  When my pain level is high, this is all I really care about. 

On those mornings when I can’t close my hands, I use hot water to wash away the ache.  Then I also crochet on a nightly basis.  This helps to keep my fingers limber.  One of the hardest things I have to cope with is a cold steering wheel.  Thick gloves go on my hands before I touch anything outside.  Unfortunately my hands still get cold so I’m still looking for something to protect them better.  I may crochet a steering wheel cover but I have a concern about the cover slipping while I’m driving.   

Massaging lotion into my hands helps to limber them up and warm them up.  It also helps other joints like my wrists, elbows and so on.  Getting a professional massage definitely helps with my pain level but the budget isn’t all that happy when I spend money on massages.

With our extreme cold weather, I put a scarf between my knee and anything cold.  I use my long scarf to cover up the knee when I’m on my scooter in the cold.  It gives it another layer of protection. 

Ultimately, I’m going to have to figure out the pain med issue, but in the meanwhile, these little tricks help make life less painful.  I just have to find a doctor I trust – this is no easy feat.

Estimate

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

While I’m stuck at home, I’m trying to stay on top of things.  I spent my morning calling about a medical bill.  Vicki went to the doctor and paid cash for her visit. Then I get a bill for her visit.  I’m floored as we paid for it in full when she went to the doctor.  I call and am told that what she paid was just an estimate.

This customer service person was rude and unhelpful.  I was told that what she paid at the time of service was just an estimate.  I responded with if I go to a mechanic to have work done, he can’t change his charges once I’ve left his facility. 

I also pointed out that this bill was higher than the one for her last appointment and nothing was done different.  She saw the doctor and nothing else – no tests were done but the bill was higher.  I asked about that and got told they had a rate increase in July.  I said when they gave the estimate it should have reflected the new prices.

The question becomes do I want to cause a problem with a credit rating over a $12 bill with an unethical medical billing procedure.  In all likelihood I will try to call one more time but won’t have a lot of success with the call.         

I know it isn’t a big bill but why should I pay a higher amount when nothing was done differently.  Additionally, I don’t know any business other than a medical facility that can change their prices randomly. 

In addition to Vicki’s bill, I have a bill for two office visits for me.  One I went to was strictly because the doctor’s office told me that if I wanted my allergy meds I had to come in to see the doctor because the insurance company required it.  Essentially I was required to go to the doctor and spend $150 in order get my prescriptions.  This is ridiculous especially since I’ve been taking allergy meds my entire adult life.  This means I have a bill simply because the doctor’s office seemed to want the money because nothing was done other than for the doctor to go on the computer and renew my prescriptions.  It took less than ten minutes for him to sit on the computer and quite frankly his time and mine could have been spent better.    

It is ridiculous how the medical business pulls in patients.  I was held over a barrel because I need my allergy meds.  It was a waste of money for the insurance company to pay and now for me to pay this additional amount.  It is a racket meant to soak the individuals for money.