Went to local Dr. last Monday - had a cut on my foot that had gotten infected or something - I just knew it was hurting - since I hadn't met my Insurance deductible they said the office visit would be $125 - I said fine - I'm in pain - treat me. When I went to pay the bill at the front counter the bill had ballooned larger than my foot - $404. Okay, I understand the $54 for tests, $30 Tetanus shot, $140 Rocephin shot, but why did the office fee jump from $125 to $180? He spent 15 minutes, tops, on my exam. Went back this morning & explained the treatment hadn't worked - I'm still in pain & foot still swollen - they insisted on me paying another $125 before I could see the Dr. for a follow-up - I demanded my chart & left. On the way home I happened to pass a "Foot Doctor" sign - stopped & saw that Dr. - She said it was Gout & only charged me $80. I feel I was gigged big time by Dr. #1. Should I contest the $55 difference with Dr. #1 after they had told me it would be $125? I paid with a Mastercard - I feel I should at least contest the $55 difference, not to mention the mis-diagnosis - - - -you can even see on my copy of the receipt where they marked thru the 125 & wrote 180. . .my neighbor even said I should report it to the state Medical Board or something
[ June 19, 2006, 07:16 PM: Message edited by: Carl Wood ]
Posted by Mike O'Neill (Member # 470) on :
Come North young man ... You might need to line up to get a heart transplant, but treating gout is free, and usually diagnosed correctly...
Report it, if only to make them go through the red tape...
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Report that crap.
I hate doctors and your post is exactly why. I guess there's a reason it's called PRACTICING medicine, huh?
And they wonder why Americans go into Mexico to buy medications.
Posted by John Deaton (Member # 925) on :
Thats why, when a doctor calls inquiring about a sign, I get this evil gleam in my eye...
Posted by George Perkins (Member # 156) on :
I had a similar experience with a doctor, a dermatologist who treated an ex wife. He misdiagnosed her in the hospital. She had been in the hospital for a week and the day before she was to be released she developed a bad rash, they called in a dermatologist, he said it wasn't a drug reaction and gave her some ointment. They released her from the hospital ( the stay was for something else ) the next day it got worse. I called the doctor and he said bring her in to his office. BEFORE he would see her we had to pay for the hospital visit AND pay for the office visit. Once again he said it wasn't a drug reaction and gave her some more ointment. That night we were back at the hospital in the emergency room where it was diagnosed it was indeed a drug reaction. They gave her a shot and the swelling went down immediately. The next day I stopped payment on the checks. The Dr.'s office called the day after that telling me I couldn't stop payment on the checks. I said, hell, I already did. The doctor himself gets on the phone wanting to know why I stopped payment. I told him "You didn't do anything!" He protested...so did I. I asked him if I came over there and painted a sign for him and I misspelled it would he pay me??? He started going on about the travel time to the hospital. I just pointed out that if I came over there and painted that sign there would be travel time on my part and would he pay for that even though the sign was misspelled?
He was getting really, really ****ed by now and said his time was valuable. I informed him mine was too and he was wasting a lot of it. I told him "tell you what Doc....take me to court. I'll explain all this to the judge, making sure I stress just how painful thsi was for my wife and if the judge orders me to pay you after hearing all this, I will. Never heard another word.
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
When you find a doctor who actually CARES about you, you are very lucky- cherish them!
Downunder, they're waaaay cheaper than that!
Posted by Russ McMullin (Member # 5617) on :
I remember having an ear infection for about 3 weeks. Both ears felt like they were full of cotton balls. The doctor kept giving me antibiotics, stronger and stronger ones. I remember him saying, "We're pulling out the big guns now."
There was still no relief. He even got mad because I told him an over-the-counter decongestant was working better than the one he was prescribing. He said it was rediculous to think that something off the shelf would work better than a prescription medication. I checked the ingredients. His prescriptions was for guaifenesin. I was using a product that had guaifenesin and another ingredient.
I finally asked him if I could be referred to a specialist. I was getting really worried. The specialist looked at the problem and knew immediately how to fix it. He told me it was a virus for one thing. He then gave me a prescription for some very inexpensive medicine. The ears were clear in two days. The other guy had been filling me full of expensive antibiotics for weeks. One thing that really bugs me is when people ask, "Who is your doctor?", like you are supposed to be tied to the same person. Some doctors are really sharp, but most of the ones I've dealt with are quacks. They push antibiotics or pain pills for everything, and they rarely seem interested in finding the root of a problem.
[ June 19, 2006, 09:20 PM: Message edited by: Russ McMullin ]
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Hahahahaa....remember that the studious guy who graduated at th top of his class...and the guy who partied all thru medical school and BARELY graduated...are BOTH called Doctor!
[ June 19, 2006, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: Si Allen ]
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
I just looked up mortality statistics for poor medical treatment....you may be surprised that deaths due to medical malpractice is as follows:
1.) Surgery related deaths - 32,000 2.) Unecessary Procedures - 37, 136 3.) Medical Error - 98,000
Maybe doctors should be banned....they kill a lot more people in this country than guns do.
Edit: Oh, I almost forgot:
4.) Drug interaction deaths (doctors who didn't know/do their research to see how a drug they prescribe might interact with other drugs a patient is taking) - - 106,000 deaths per year.
[ June 19, 2006, 10:41 PM: Message edited by: Todd Gill ]
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
quote:Originally posted by Todd Gill:
4.) Drug interaction deaths (doctors who didn't know/do their research to see how a drug they prescribe might interact with other drugs a patient is taking) - - 106,000 deaths per year.
Hmm.. Well Pharmacist salaries *start* at 80,000/yr (even the ones at Wal Mart or Walgreens) and they're the ones that are supposed to know all the interactions, so maybe they need to be a little more diligent.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
I left a big antique cream separator standing in the yard. One of my girls climbed on it,it fell over and smashed one of the bones in her hand. We took her to a specialist. He was questioning us as to how it happened, probably wanted to be sure it wasn't a case of abuse, and that's cool.
I was trying to tell him I felt guilty anyway, because I remember a thought very clearly indicating I should move the equipment (probably God himself). Me,why of course I blew it off, aw shucks, that thing's heavy, it'll never...
The doctor dismissed my thoughts in a condescending way. The plan was to do surgery, insert a wire into both bone ends, leave the hand in a cast for 4 weeks, then remove the cast, take out the wire, and put on a second cast for 3 more weeks.
After the first 4 weeks, he took off the cast, and nothing. No bone growth,no healing, everything as it was befor he worked on it. He said it wasn't good, that this was rather unusual for a child, but that he would proceed with the plan.
Three weeks later, the doctor was astonished at the recovery. He showed me the x rays, and it was indeed impressive. The gap between the bone ends was gone, and there was a slightly wider growth of new bone that tapered nicely to the width of the existing bones. Really clean looking.
What was astonishing was the transformation in the doc himself. He excitedly said: "It looks like God healed her hand!". It really did look that way, but he still charged me $5000 cash. Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
i was 9 yrs old and diagnosed with LUKEMIA, doctor put me in a cancer ward for children, wanted to operate and remove 2 swollen lymph nodes, my mom(who didnt trust doctors after they took out her gall bladder at age 20, this was 1920's)asked if the sugury was gona save me and the doc said maybe another 6 months of life..she said NO SURGURY. the doc told my parents that i might make it 6 months...... iam in the cancer ward like a week....and this veternarian student from U of PITTSBURGH came to the hospital i was in, he was doing a study on CAT STRATCH FEVER...stopped and asked me if i had any pets, and if i had been stratched or bitten that i could remember. well i said yea MY CAT STRATCHED ME RIGHT HERE ON MY CHEST A COUPLE MONTHS AGO and it still aint healed up....he took a bi-opsy of the wound....gave me a shot of something and sent me home and said have a long life......I HAD ONE OF THE 1ST PROPERLY DIAGNOSED CASES OF CAT STRATCH FEVER(1954).....most people in that time period would get it, the SURGURY/REMOVAL of lymph nodes WOULD KILL THEM!!!! alway get 2nd opinion...
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
I once pinstriped a Mercedes for a doctor at his home and it took me 22 minutes, I charged him $175. and he said holy cow, I don't even make that kind of money and I said niether did I when I was a doctor Posted by Carl Wood (Member # 1223) on :
Si - now THAT scares Hell outta me. . . . . .
Posted by Doug Phillips (Member # 5708) on :
Blame the lawyers for the high cost of medicine in America!
Posted by Carl Wood (Member # 1223) on :
J D - I have to fess up - when my daughter's Orthodontist called me for a sign I immediately had the same reaction. . . . I repressed it & did a nice, basic, .080 aluminum sign for his satellite office - all white copy on black - -quickie job basically but I did charge Premium price - I think it was $285 for approx. 32" x 24", installed. . . . .turned out okay - he at least was "down to earth" & didn't off-gas that superior attitude posture - attitude matters in my book. . . . .
Posted by Ken Holden (Member # 5653) on :
OP, How do you know the second opinion is right?
Mike, the drug interactions today are not as simple one may believe. Even with computers, the outcomes are difficult to predict because of all the variables between the drugs in the same category. The interactions that are black and white are easy, its the gray areas that cause most of the problems along with the few essential drugs that interact with everything.
And finally, a new drug hits the market almost every day with a new set of interactions. You are right, the Pharmacist is the last line of defense-like the goalie at a hockey game.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
"Blame the lawyers for the high cost of medicine in America!" BLAME THE BAD DOCTORS ..WHO SCREW UP...AND THE OTHERS WHO ARE GREEDY BASTARDS....see how youre polititians deal with that...... close to 10 years of education goes into any doctor.....so they know their work.....THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO NOT MAKE MISTAKES...their mistakes cost peoples lives.........NO LAWERY CAN SUE TO GET THAT BACK!!!!!! and i have a personal experiance with DOCTOR SCREW UP...1988 new operation for epilepsy, they remove the part of the brain that is causing the problem...my son who was under grandparents custody when he turned 18 he signed papers for the operation....last thing hes ever signed... they removed the 1/3 of front periatial lobe... and now he lives in a home for head injuryed people, has no memory of anyone....AND STILL HAS SEIZURES....wears a bike helmet...all the time....and you BLAME LAWERYS? see why i hate DOCTORS THAT SCREW UP?
[ June 22, 2006, 04:54 AM: Message edited by: old paint ]
Posted by Doug Phillips (Member # 5708) on :
"Blame the lawyers for the high cost of medicine in America!"
YES -- ABSOFRIKINLUTLEY!
BTW, the polititians are lawyers!
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
AND YOURE DEAD WRONG
Posted by Doug Phillips (Member # 5708) on :
Op, you are missing my point, I'm not talking about incompetent doctors (in fact you are preachin' to the choir) I lost my father & grand father due to incorrect diagnosis. I'm talking about the ridiculous awards in malpractice cases or pharmaceutical cases that drive insurance to the point of forcing medical costs to a outrageous level. How is that "DEAD WRONG" sounds DEAD ON to me?
Posted by Rick Beisiegel (Member # 3723) on :
Carl:
Back to the original question: Just pay it. They will attach your credit report and it will cost you way more than $55 to contest it, and in the long run pay higher interest because of a medical collection on your credit report.
It's plain wrong, I know, but unless you have the time or money to fight on principal, you will lose. I have wasted too much of my time fighting stuff that brings anxiety to my life. It just isn't worth it. Besides, you can do much more with negative referals than $55 will ever do for him.
[ June 22, 2006, 07:51 AM: Message edited by: Rick Beisiegel ]
Posted by Carl Wood (Member # 1223) on :
Rick - that's what I had resigned to do - pay it & forget it - not even worth my time & aggravation on the phone to contest. I hate credit cards & only carry one for emergencies like that - I never carry a balance. Wow I think this is my first post that ever got set on fire!
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
quote:"Blame the lawyers for the high cost of medicine in America!" BLAME THE BAD DOCTORS ..WHO SCREW UP...AND THE OTHERS WHO ARE GREEDY....see how youre polititians deal with that...... close to 10 years of education goes into any doctor.....so they know their work.....THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO NOT MAKE MISTAKES...their mistakes cost peoples lives.........NO LAWERY CAN SUE TO GET THAT BACK!!!!!! and i have a personal experiance with DOCTOR SCREW UP...1988 new operation for epilepsy, they remove the part of the brain that is causing the problem...my son who was under grandparents custody when he turned 18 he signed papers for the operation....last thing hes ever signed... they removed the 1/3 of front periatial lobe... and now he lives in a home for head injuryed people, has no memory of anyone....AND STILL HAS SEIZURES....wears a bike helmet...all the time....and you BLAME LAWERYS? see why i hate DOCTORS THAT SCREW UP?
I have to agree with Joe; the doctors are the root of the problem.
It's carelessness which causes way too many medical mistakes, apathy from politicians and the public which allows malpractice insurance to be the "solution" and plain simple greed which causes the huge claims.
If we don't make doctors personally accountable for carelessness, in a profession where there is no room for it, they will simply raise their fees to cover the resulting rise in malpractice insurance to cover their sorry hides, and keep on practicing medicine. There are a alot of good doctors out there, but way too many that aren't.
Malpractice insurance and big lawsuits hasn't and will not solve the problem. It has succeeded in putting a big strain on good doctors who are trying to stay in practice. I don't think money or insurance can or will make people accountable.
[ June 22, 2006, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
Posted by Jerry Steward (Member # 2420) on :
Mr. Phillips, who cares what the cost is to get the right treatment? Would you take comfort at the thought of a cheaper way to die from someone's mistake? A good lawyer holds those with the power accountable. Insurance wouldn't exist if noone questioned whether the treatment was right or wrong. Remember, a lawyer takes a lot of abuse for defending the law, while the judge, jury, and lawmakers usually get away clean.
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jerry Steward: Mr. Phillips, who cares what the cost is to get the right treatment? Would you take comfort at the thought of a cheaper way to die from someone's mistake? A good lawyer holds those with the power accountable. Insurance wouldn't exist if noone questioned whether the treatment was right or wrong. Remember, a lawyer takes a lot of abuse for defending the law, while the judge, jury, and lawmakers usually get away clean.
I have to disagree with the point that a lawyer can make a doctor accountable. In a civil case?? Then why does the doctor go on practicing medicine then? Did that stop him?
What happened to the days when doctors were in the profession because they loved people and wanted to save lives and relieve suffering? I am named after my Dad. But my Grandmother named my Dad after the Doctor who delivered him. My Grandfather was a poor sharecropper. How much money you think that doctor got out of it? I can only conclude from this that her doctor must have been one special guy! How many people name their kid after the doctor today?
On the other hand, when I had my nasal septoplasty, I got a nice hostpital staph infection in my head which nearly killed me. I had an extended hospital stay on intravenous antibiotics which maxxed out my insurance. Then there was the pediatrician who did the post-natal on my son who, later, was determined to be an impostor practicing without a license. Then there was the medical team who left a sponge in one of my friends during surgery. Then there was the male nurse who, after dropping the (opened)hypo on the filthy ER floor, picked it back up, and proceeded to give my mother an injection. I got the word of the head nurse on duty that he would be written up. But he should have been fired on the spot. I could go on and on....
Forget the insurance, make them accountable, fire the careless, repeat offenders and take away their license...permanently. That would separate the men from the boys. Then when hospitals take on more doctors, perform extensive background checks on their educational qualifications, their performance records, and any citations. Give them "three strikes and your out"....gone...cya
I guarantee insurance rates and medical costs would go down, alot of superior attitudes would disappear, and the lawyer profession wouldn't be quite as lucrative anymore.
[ June 22, 2006, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Contrary to what they might like to be personified as; doctors are not gods.
I had blood drawn in an er about a year ago....well...a few days later, I noticed a bright red line originating from the point of injection at my right inner elbow heading about half way up to my shoulder.
A friend of mine that draws blood for a living had a look and said, "Get back to the hospital now - and tell them they either stuck you with a dirty needle or didn't properly sterilize the injection area and shoved bacteria into your arm. You've got blood poisoning."
So, I go back mad as heck and told the head nurse that I expected to be seen and treated FOR FREE to get my physical health back to the normal state it was in BEFORE I visited their hospital and was victimized by their incompetent help.
She was Pi$$ed! She said, "there is no way their injection could have done that - we use safety needles now - this is the 21st century - that doesn't happen any more."
I said, "B.S......then how come it's coming from the bump in my arm where they drew blood? And what does "it's the 21st century" mean anyway? Look at the technology we have....and the space shuttle still blew up! We aren't as smart and perfect as you think lady."
I then told the lady I wasn't signing any papers that said I - or my insurance company was responsible for paying for this visit to correct the problem they inflicted. I said, "if I get a bill - I'm suing you."
Well - they sent me a bill even though I crossed out every paragraph on their forms saying I would pay for the visit.
I wrote a letter to the hospital explaining the whole situation, and that they better review this and revoke the charges or I would sue them - and that I was sending a copy of this letter to my lawyer. I then opened up the yellow pages and randomly picked a lawyer and included his name as a "CC" at the bottom of the letter. Hehehehe.
Got a letter a week later saying they reviewed my case and were dropping all charges.
Point is: While I generally despise lawyers....there are good reasons for employing them. I feel no sorrow for a major league lawsuit and judgement against a doctor that screwed up someone's health.
The trick is to get rid of the frivolous lawsuits and the lawyers that are nothing more than ambulance chasers - and like Wayne says - to quickly get rid of the incompetent health care providers.
[ June 22, 2006, 11:42 AM: Message edited by: Todd Gill ]
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
What? Blame medical care costs on doctors and lawyers?
OK, I am not a fan of doctors and lawyers either but they are NOT the cause of the problem!
The root of this problem is the people who abuse their insurance or go for these huge malpractice suits. People who say "Well hey, as long as insurance covers it, I want the absolute most care I can get." Hey let's get an MRI even though an X-ray would be good enough. Hell, let's go to the doctor for a cold, even though there's not a damn thing he can do for it.
Someone has to pay for those expensive procedures and lawsuits. When will people, the general public finally get it through their thick skulls *THEY'RE* paying for it?
Insurance is the catalyst that allows it to happen. A system where everyone pays into it every month, thus splitting the medical costs of a smaller percentage of the population amongst a much larger number. Sounds great in theory and it works for a while, but then again so did Social Security which is the same thing, and we can see what's becoming of that system.
Because there is all this money from the insurance pool there's all these advances in medical technology. Advances are great but they're also more expensive and now you have people going for the top tier of technology when a lower tier would work just fine.
The insured patients do not place any value in the medical care - they're not the ones paying for it!
Then you have the insurance companies raising premiums to cover the costs of technology, which causes more people to drop their insurance, which decreases the size of the pool which then increases the amount each individual has to contribute.
So, by its very nature, the socialist plan is a failure from the beginning.
I once had a woman tell me that "People like you (uninsured) are the reason medical care costs so much."
I wanted to bitchslap her so hard but instead I blasted her. "Yes I am the reason medical costs are high. I'm driving those costs right up the wall visiting a doctor once in seven years to get a new Amoxicillan prescription. Gee, you went to a doctor to get a little cut looked at, the last time I sliced the tip of my finger off I just superglued it back on. Yeah, I'm a drain on the medical care system, must be because they aren't emptying my wallet."
By the way, doctors also bill the insurance companies more for procedures because they have to wait 6 months or more to get paid. When I pulled out cash at my last doctor visit, they smiled then cut the bill in half.
[ June 22, 2006, 12:47 PM: Message edited by: Mike Pipes ]
Posted by Doug Phillips (Member # 5708) on :
My point regarding lawyers is not accountability, but outrageous judgements. Bad docs, should be held accountable -- licenses pulled, thrown in jail etc. Huge judgements don't get rid of the bad docs, they just drive up the cost malpractice insurance and the buck gets passed to guess who.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
IF DOCTORS....took as much care and concern with peoples lifes...as we do with the signs we produce...so the customer has NO COMPLAINTS....then the LAWERYS WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO.... BOTTOM LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Doug Phillips (Member # 5708) on :
I've seen more hack signs than good ones OP -- bad example.
Posted by Doug Phillips (Member # 5708) on :
quote: Mr. Phillips, who cares what the cost is to get the right treatment?
Jerry, Who cares? I can think of plenty of folks who can't afford good treatment. Are you suggesting only people with a ton of money get good treatment?
quote:A good lawyer holds those with the power accountable.
Right a "good" lawyer, one who gets the ones responsible thrown in jail or licenses pulled not huge monetary judgements.
[ June 22, 2006, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: Doug Phillips ]
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
How about... If I make a sandblasted sign misspell a word... And have to eat that puppy?
Do I have misspelling insurance? ya right!
Since I don't have no misspelling insurance, that makes me VERY particular about double checking my work don't it?
[ June 22, 2006, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
Posted by Doug Phillips (Member # 5708) on :
Wayne, I'm not sure I follow, are you saying that docs are not as particular because they have malpractice insurance? I don't think having the insurance or not would eliminate hack doctors. Good docs and good signmakers will make mistakes eventually no matter how careful they might be insurance or no. Bad docs and bad signmakers should be run out of business, but it ain't gonna happen as it should.
If I missed your point, excuse the reply.
Posted by Dana Bowers (Member # 780) on :
If anyone wants to talk to us about Doctors and no insurance... have at it.
Bruce didn't have insurance because we couldn't afford over $500 a month for ONLY HIM. You tell me how to make it affordable... OH WAIT... rob someone and go to prison, be on welfare, just be sure NOT to be a middle class working stiff.
Ok... so now try 12 days in the hospital and open heart surgery... and NO insurance. Anyone need any extra bills each month??
Every person that looked at him, every major test, every everything is billed seperately. I have 12 different bills each month right now.
So what I find out is that it is ILLEGAL to charge people without insurance different rates than insurance companies. OK... BUT... it's NOT illegal to DISCOUNT the rates for insurance companies.
People with no insurance pay about 75% MORE for the SAME THING than the insurance companies. OK, so the people who can least afford it are being charged more??
Then since they can't afford to go to Drs for anything, then things have to be way worse, and there's no preventative care.
Then they get charged outrageous prices after an unexpectant medical situation, end up $100,000s in debt, lose everything... FILE BANKRUPCY... then the Drs are out more than if they would have charged them less in the first place.
Then we get a Dr that tells us he will take monthly payments (we are desperately trying NOT to file bankrupcy)... TAKES our monthly payments, then his lovely staff of lawyers decides to sue us anyways, wiping out every least penny we didn't have. Thanks guys.
There is something incredibly wrong with this country when middle class people working hard, paying taxes, not asking for any help... get totally screwed with medical costs.
Makes me wonder how much money would have been saved in the medical aspect if there was AFFORDABLE health insurance and problems are found before they become EXPENSIVE.
I mean... what if Bruce had insurance and had a heads up on heart issues... could the heart attack have been prevented? Look what it did to us personally and financially. Its just not right.
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
I remember YEARS ago, going to to the doctor for a pap smear and the insurance company wouldn't pay for it. They only would pay for stuff if you're sick. I called them and calmly asked the woman on the phone...let me get this straight...you won't pay $52 for a test but you will definitely pay THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of dollars if I end up with cancer that spreads because you wouldn't pay $52 to help prevent it.
The next week I got reimbursement for the test.
Posted by Murray MacDonald (Member # 3558) on :
35 posts & only one from a Canadian. Coincidence? I think not. I am a department manager at a hospital - not in medical or finance - yet during tourist season almost every day we have an American (with or without insurance) settling up a bill, and they are always completely amazed at the affordability. They are also usually quite confused - money, insurance, payment - never mentioned until they arrive at the small & inconspicous window near the out door. Other than take payments from foreigners, they are only there to collect rent on outpatient wheelchairs, and inpatient tv's. Our system may not be perfect, there may be some long wait lists for specific procedures - but everyone can access, and everyone can afford it. Tommy Douglas was the greatest Canadian. Deb
Posted by Mikes Mischeif (Member # 1744) on :
My last visit to the Hospital was to take our 2 year old daughter in for a serious cut.
We waited 45 minutes for the non-english speaking patients to explain thier problems. They qualified for free medical attention, since they they had no papers.
When We were finally seen, my daughter was in so much pain, she could not keep from crying. We were charged plenty, so that the Illegals could get thier medical attention for free.
This problem is only in the beginning stages.
Stay tuned.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Well, no offense here....but when you start talking about Canadian Health Care affordability - don't you also need to talk about Canadian Taxation?
Nothing is free regardless of geographic location.
I am very troubled that a hard working American like Bruce can be saddled with such bills while an illegal alien can sneak across the border and get all of his medical needs met.
I don't have the answer...I'm not for the socialist system of quote/unquote *free* healthcare and yet, I don't believe a hard-working American should be left with a line of collectors banging on the door either.
It's a difficult problem....that needs addressed in some meaningful way.
Posted by Patrick Whatley (Member # 2008) on :
On a happier note...I had to have major dental surgery this week. It came down to a choice of spending $3500 now or losing all the teeth on one side of my jaw in the next year. I told them to schedule the surgery and cashed in a CD to pay for it.
When I got to the dentists office Tuesday he told me he'd seen in my chart that I didn't have dental insurance and that he'd do it for $1725...then offered to finance it for me if i needed it. I never mentioned the cost, my lack of insurance or my reluctance to get the procedure done so I'm not really sure why he did it.
I can tell you this much, I'm never asking a question about another bill he hands me.
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
We need to get rid of the hack doctors!!! Sadly, that won't happen because they stick together like thieves, protecting their own. And likening a misspelled sign to a doctor's screw up is skewed since I can't imagine a misspelled sign costing anyone their life.
If the doctors would police their own, they'd see the number of malpractice suits go down and the cost of malpractice ins would probably follow.
Greatest doctor I ever knew quit because of the insurance companies. Last I heard he's in some 3rd world country doing real medicine without the BS insurance issues. He'd keep his samples for the patients without ins, those with ins got prescriptions. Didn't have the cash for an appt today? Send it when ya do.
As for dentists, I am fortunate to have the greatest one on earth. Besides being straight up with me, he discounted a ton of work for me over the years when I didn't have insurance and I was one of the *few* who paid as I could. He also has his staff schedule the right way. He has 1 dental room. When you schedule your next appt, he tells the receptionist how much time to allot. If your appt is at 1, you are in his only chair by 1:05. They called one morning to push my appt back 10 minutes cause they had an emergency to deal with. Last time I went to my regular doctor, I finally got to sit in one of his 8 exam rooms 1/2 hour PAST my appt time. Sat there for another 40 minutes before I saw him. That's ridiculous!
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
well for those who want to keep health care FOR THOSE ONLY WHO CAN AFFORD IT and wouldnt want their taxes to go up to pay for HEALTH CARE FOR EVERYONE....youre STILL PAYIN FOR THOSE WHO DONT HAVE INSURANCE... sad but true.... and youre ****ed cause mexicans come across the boader and get FREE HEALTH CARE...youre payin for it....those who are on welfare ...youre payin for it....those WHO CANT PAY...youre payin for it....in the high prices you PAY THAT GREAT INSURANCE YOU THINK YOU GOT. lets make a stop at congress and the senate....they got the best INSUANCE YOURE MONEY CANT BUY...and they make $200k a yr and their priums are only couple hundred $ a month...lest see 200k income a yr, $200 bucks amonth for THE BEST HEALTH NO OTHER AMERICAN CAN BUY....whats wrong with this picture? and everybody hated HILLERYS HEALTH CARE FOR ALL PLAN.... as for me i did one thing right in my life..I JOINED THE ARMED FORCES in 1965!!!! i got a skin infection somtime when i was inlisted, when i got out i went to the VA HOSPITAL in 1973 for some medication for the rash. that was a long time ago and at 20 something it dont register what you just did. they sent a leeter sayin that i didnt have enough injury for any disability claim. which i wasnt lookin for any way...but that put me in the VA HOSPITAL SYSTEM as a SERVICE CONNECTED VETERAN. which i didnt even know till i reapplied for VA MEDICAL HELP in 2004. i walked in the door handed the guy my DD214 along with new application....he punched my number in the computer ...and then asked me WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE A DOCTOR TODAY? just that easy....i said..he then told me i was already in the system so getting medical attention was ther for me SINCE 1973!!!!!! i have had bladder cancer surgury in jan 2005, was cancer free till may 2006 and they found another small tumor in my bladder at the last sysotopy, and iam now setting up another surgury date to get this one removed. when i 1st developed the problem i spent one evening in the local CIVILIAN hospital, was treated with very little concern, saw 3 doctors, hada catheter put in, and never spoke to any o f the doctors more then 15 mins and was billed $200 a pop from each one...along with a $5000 ER bill. my 1st consultation with a urologist at the VA HOSPITAL was 1 1/2 HOURS!!!!! and every session since that one has been at least an hour....also the PREVENTITIVE MEDICINE that you are givin there is way ahaed of the CIVILIAN medical treatment. iam at the clinic at least every 90 days for blood work, iam given a card that you open and take a small sample of youre feces 3 days and its then returned to VA to check for colon cancer, i do a pee test same time i do the blood work...ive also had a CT SCAN & MRI done on my spine, i have all the discs from S-1 to L-2 blowed out. AND i can walk in any time and see a doctor WITHIN 30-45 MINUTES....also i get any prescription i need and it cost me $8 no matter what drug. all i can say is I AM HAPPY NOW TO HAVE SERVED MY COUNTRY....sure didnt expect this when i joind up in aug 1965!!!!!!!!!
[ June 23, 2006, 01:45 AM: Message edited by: old paint ]
Posted by Carl Wood (Member # 1223) on :
Man this thread has taken on a life of its own - I'm gonna have to hold my nose & contemplate if Hillary might have been on to something wid the universal healthcare scheme she was promoting at Boy Clintons last election - -I hate to admit that as I personally despise the Clintons - I'm ashamed they call the Great State of Arkansas home. . . (to borrow a line from the Dixie Chicks) whom I also have absolutely no respect whatsoever for - Toby Keith Rules. . . . .
As to my original post - foot still sore - it's in my ankle now when I wake up - foot swelling has gone but severe cramps this morning - swallowed 2 5mg Vicodin (prescription) tablets & it knocked out the pain till now - whut exactly is "Gout" anyway? they also have me on Indomethacin - - -??? Is that a Gout medication?
[ June 23, 2006, 02:08 AM: Message edited by: Carl Wood ]
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
quote:And likening a misspelled sign to a doctor's screw up is skewed since I can't imagine a misspelled sign costing anyone their life.
I don't think so at all... I was merely trying to make the point that..."hey...If I goof up....It's gonna cost ME!"
quote:If the doctors would police their own....
That's just it: They ain't gonna do that. They day they start doing that, it will be possible for politicians and drunk drivers to do it as well... Is that gonna happen?
People don't and won't "police themselves".. That's why we have the peculiar institution called "Government".
Posted by John Deaton (Member # 925) on :
As long as the conservative asses like Bush are in power, you'll never see a national health care plan take flight. They would rather spend the money fighting wars and more wars. Bunch of incredible dumb-asses.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Yeouch! Time to close the door on this one. Posted by John Deaton (Member # 925) on :
Oops, sorry, I said the Bush word. Forgive me.
[ June 23, 2006, 01:21 PM: Message edited by: John Deaton ]
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
john you BADDDDDDDDDDDDDDD LIBERIAL!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AND I LUV THE DIXIE CHICKS......there new cd is NUMBER 1!!!!!! pendulum musta swang the other was...hey?
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
I agree with Kissy. I've said for years..."eliminate all malpractice suits (this should also reduce the number of practicing lawyers.. he he he) and weed out the bad doctors. Retired GOOD doctors would sit on review boards and kick the hacks out of the profession."
Another reason for high medical costs is the government. I was complaining to my brother in law about the high cost of medical care. He shed new light on the situation, for me anyway. Medicare and Medicaid only pay a small fraction of the actual cost of medical care, so you guessed it, we all make up the difference. A hospital will get only a few hundred dollars for a procedure that normally costs a couple thousand. They jack up the rates so that it works out FOR THEM in the end.
And don't forget the greed and price gouging by the richest and biggest thieves on the planet... the drug companies. The American drug companies gouge US citizens because they can. They sell the same drugs to the rest of the world at a fraction of what we pay.
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
quote:Originally posted by Wayne Webb: [QB]
quote:And likening a misspelled sign to a doctor's screw up is skewed since I can't imagine a misspelled sign costing anyone their life.
I don't think so at all... I was merely trying to make the point that..."hey...If I goof up....It's gonna cost ME!"
Exactly! A sign misspelling isn't costing anyone their life but it's costing the person who made the mistake $. A doctor's mistake MAY cost someone their life so the person making the mistake (the doctor) should lose more than a few dollars, they oughta lose their license and possibly face negligent death charges.
Don't get me started on the dixis ****s.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
DIXIE CHICKS ROCK!!!!!!and iasm not a CW fan!!!!
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kissymatina:
quote:Originally posted by Wayne Webb: [QB]
quote:And likening a misspelled sign to a doctor's screw up is skewed since I can't imagine a misspelled sign costing anyone their life.
I don't think so at all... I was merely trying to make the point that..."hey...If I goof up....It's gonna cost ME!"
Exactly! A sign misspelling isn't costing anyone their life but it's costing the person who made the mistake $. A doctor's mistake MAY cost someone their life so the person making the mistake (the doctor) should lose more than a few dollars, they oughta lose their license and possibly face negligent death charges.
Don't get me started on the dixis ****s.
Kissy!! Exactly.......lives and ruined health. I think you may be misunderstanding my meaning. Please go back and read my posts. I'm not talking about COSTING them MONEY.
By cost, I'm NOT talking about raising insurance premiums or lawsuits... I'm talking about costing them their license to practice medicine and JAIL TIME if the offense is serious enough. I'm talking about weeding out the bad apples.
Posted by George Perkins (Member # 156) on :
quote:Originally posted by Carl Wood: whut exactly is "Gout" anyway? they also have me on Indomethacin - - -??? Is that a Gout medication?
These are questions you should have asked the doctor. When I deal with a Doctor, they simply cannot run out the door if I have questions...I'm gonna get answers! They are not gods. There's also a lot of information available on the internet.
Posted by Steve Shortreed (Member # 436) on :
Wow! If we could only see this sort of passion directed towards Letterhead related topics. Let's move on.
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They gave her a shot and the swelling went down immediately. The next day I stopped payment on the checks. The Dr.'s office called the day after that telling me I couldn't stop payment on the checks. I said, hell, I already did. The doctor himself gets on the phone wanting to know why I stopped payment. I told him "You didn't do anything!" He protested...so did I. I asked him if I came over there and painted a sign for him and I misspelled it would he pay me??? He started going on about the travel time to the hospital. I just pointed out that if I came over there and painted that sign there would be travel time on my part and would he pay for that even though the sign was misspelled?![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
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