Hospital bill summary.... GEEZE LOUISE!

[English Chick]

Like the Highlander, I am also so very glad we have our National health Service, I don't comlain about it, it is wonderful to know that if you are sick you can go to a Dr, if there is something wrong you are forwarded to the hospital, and no-one is left out. It is fantastic that it is available to all, but paid for by tax payers, so those who are unemployed can still have access to free health provision.

For example, a few years ago, through a CT scan they found a "tumour" on my left lung, roughly 2" x 1" ..... I attended the hospital for two years, having multiple CT scans and MRI scans, and lots of other things, I was attending one of the best cancer clinics in the Uk on my doorstep. I did not have cancer, but they where keeping their "eye" on the tumour to be on the safe side. How wonderful is that..... I dread to think what that would have cost my DH had we not had the National Health Service.

I think every country should have a National Health Service paid for like ours through the tax system... to be ill and not be able to go to a Dr through fear of large bills is dreadful.

As one who is on constant prescribed meds.... Which I pay for each month, they are not free, it is a small price to pay for being able to have this srvice we have.

 

[lilshadow]

Quote:
I second that. I am so glad that we have military insurance, if we didn't we wouldn't have insurance.

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
I second that. I am so glad that we have military insurance, if we didn't we wouldn't have insurance.

THats why i never cry about the 4$ co pay i have to do here where we live. I cant get the free meds from the army hospital anymore.

 

[Andora]

We pay $375 a month for the 3 of us to have health insurance. Since my DH makes $10 an hour, that's a lot of money for us. (He has a college degree but there are no jobs, so he works in fast food and they don't provide insurance.) We have a high deductible too, and for co-pays we have to pay $25 for a regular doctor visit, $50 for urgent care, and $200 for ER visits.

I had an emergency D&C in January for a miscarriage, I couldn't stop gushing blood. We are just now getting most of the bills. The insurance pays practically nothing! We got one bill for $1,000 and the insurance paid $300. For the $400 anesthesia bill they paid $100. We have to pay for two $600 ultrasounds, two $200 ER co-pays, etc. We literally have thousands of dollars in bills, and more come every day! I went to the ER to find out the baby had died, then went back again a couple days later for the gushing blood and had the D&C, and then was discharged a couple hours after the surgery. I barely spent any time in the hospital and we managed to create a huge bill. Even if we meet our deductible, they will only pay 80% after that and we owe the rest.

 

[rooster0209]

Our health care system needs work. The US is one of the richest countries in the world yet people cant afford (or get) the health care they need. I have a friend in Canada and we discuss health care alot. The Canadian system does have its bad points but they are alot more bad points in our system.

Last year there was a news article about an 8 yr boy who died because of a tooth infection. The family was living in a homeless shelter, didnt get the medicare/medicaid papers, no dentist in the area would see the boy w/out insurance. A simple tooth extraction (we are talking baby teeth) and a cheap round of antibiotics would have saved his life. But that didnt happen.

I quit my job several months ago for several reasons. DH & I now pay $850 a month for insurance. Since I was diagnosed with fibro & depression, we did not qualify for the low rate premiums. I don't understand why either, when one rx each month and a checkup every few months is all I require. Insurance companies can do what they please and the public is at their mercy.

 

[cluckychick]

Even if your child qualifies for Medicare doesn't mean you will find a doctor around you that will accept it. One of my friends had her children on it and for the life of her could not find a dentist within a 3 hr. drive of her to see him when he really needed it. They ended up taking him to the ER for a tooth ache. He need several teeth extracted and they had to drive several hours to a childrens hospital to have it done.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

It's been interesting reading all these replies. I agree that our health care system is broken and needs a good overhauling, and I feel so badly for anyone who doesn't have medical insurance, like my oldest DS who no longer qualifies for our family coverage and can't afford it on his own. His being without it scares me, but we can't afford to cover him either.

Our ER rooms being treated as an Urgent Care doesn't help matters either, but I don't know what people are supposed to do when they can't afford to see a doctor and they're truly ill. Too bad the days of country doctors who will barter (for chicken eggs, perhaps

) are long gone and health care is primarily all about $$$$$ instead of caring for people.

 

[lilshadow]

Quote:
I second that. I am so glad that we have military insurance, if we didn't we wouldn't have insurance.

THats why i never cry about the 4$ co pay i have to do here where we live. I cant get the free meds from the army hospital anymore.

Same here, I never complain about having to pay the co pays. It is 4 dollars for Rx. I have never had to pay a co pay at the doctors. I ask they say no co pay.

 

[rooster0209]

ND has a law that a "chain drug store" cannot sell rx's in this state. So no $4 rx at walmart here. Even Walgreen's doesnt have a pharmacy here. Bites...big time

Supposedly this is to help keep the local small town pharmacies open. I think its a bunch of bull. The state even limits what insurance companies can sell medical insurance in the state. I think there are only 2-3 companies. Blue Cross/Blue Shield of ND makes a killin i am sure

 

[ams3651]

I dont think the waits in Canada are that much different in much of the US. We are lucky to have a childrens hospital near by and I still have to schedule my sons regular visits with his Neurologist at LEAST 6 months in advance. His Neonatologist is a little better, hired an asssitant to do many of the routine visits but still stops in on the visit. He works lots of hours and many times has called me at 7pm from home to follow up on a phone call I made to his office. The neurologist doesnt even work 5 days a week. If I were to go the 3 hours to Philadelphia , and I have, to Childrens they get you in the next week most times. I dont know how they do it.