Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us

[NynJa]

II respect the way that Church offers his opinion but it's just plain infuriating to have someone who doesn't understand shit about a field to act like an expert.

Dare I say, you've just 100% accurately summed up Churchill

[kuronosan]

ya usually when they get a specialist in they get it right away. Sometimes I feel like I should ask for one flat out anytime I need a needle, but knowing hospitals, they'd charge me extra for asking.

Do it, and no they won't. That's what phlebotomists are for. If you are there for testing see if they have an outpatient draw station. Otherwise ask if they have a phlebotomy tech available. Nurses don't need to be drawing blood and they can only charge you once for the venipuncture.

Edit: this also applies if they miss your vein or draw multiple times per visit. Venipuncture, per billing regulations, counts per visit. Not per puncture.

[archibaldcrane]

I'm about to start choking out some military pukes, I wanna hear more about buying drugs for pennies on the dollar from online pharmacies!

[Churchill]

Put it this way. If you were sick, who would you trust? The trained doctor or the guy using WebMD for android?

What Church is saying would basically be the same as me saying anyone can point a rifle at someone and shoot with pinpoint accuracy, making the Marines a joke.

the marines are a joke, your analogy is correct.

[kuronosan]

Yea. Thought so.

[BaneTheBrawler]

Fun little trick I've learned: If ever you want to damage a nurse/phlebotomist's professional pride, tell them you're valvey before getting an IV. 9 times out of 10 they get all nervous and fuck it up, which starts a feedback loop of nervousness. Lower success rate with phlebotomists, but still alarmingly high.

[Talus]

You should consider eating less red meat. I'm guessing your LDL is high and your HDL is low. Kinda sucks.

At least you're not diabetic. People get taken to cleaner with those medications.



Choroidal neovascularization. Sucks.

Not uncommon, just rare in younger people. Did you get any bevacizumab or laser done? Just curious. And hey, at least you don't have a central retinal artery occlusion.

[Talint]

I'm about to start choking out some military pukes, I wanna hear more about buying drugs for pennies on the dollar from online pharmacies!

Seriously this.

Anyway, for-profit health systems are garbage. I'll take socialized medicine any day.

[kuronosan]

Not uncommon, just rare in younger people. Did you get any bevacizumab or laser done? Just curious. And hey, at least you don't have a central retinal artery occlusion.

Bevacizumab. Been cured for about 7 months now.

It almost grew through the fovea.

[Tyche]

P. much every hospital I've been in, RNs only draw from lines (PICC/Central/etc). Sure, we could do it, but A. Ain't nobody got time for that when there's lab rats running around everywhere and B. we mostly suck at it.

Some hospitals have teams with RNs whose job is to set lines/IVs. They aren't floor nurses however. They go through extra training. The training in school is far from extensive.

[myreality]

Hah, i had an RN somehow jam the need so hard in my arm i screamed she went pale. She pulled it out and blood squirted to the ceiling, i just sat there silently not knowing how to react. Got an apology letter the next week.

Another occasion went to the ER (no insurance) thought i broke my foot, turned out to be a hairline fracture, spent less than an hour got a $8000 bill. One x ray, 1 pain killer.

[Skjie]

Seriously this.

Anyway, for-profit health systems are garbage. I'll take socialized medicine any day.

http://www.rsvlts.com/wp-content/upl...high-five.jpeg

[hey]

Wow, i realized when reading this thread i am never living past 26, when i can no longer stay on my parent's health insurance.

[Talint]

http://www.rsvlts.com/wp-content/upl...high-five.jpeg

It really is though. Having lived in MA in "poverty" (read: unemployed), all my doctors bills were paid by the state, and every prescription was $2.

Granted, the doctor's office got kind of pissed and tried to foot me the bill anyway, but that was a battle they wound up losing.

[kuronosan]

It really is though. Having lived in MA in "poverty" (read: unemployed), all my doctors bills were paid by the state, and every prescription was $2.

Granted, the doctor's office got kind of pissed and tried to foot me the bill anyway, but that was a battle they wound up losing.

They don't make as much money off of federal/state reimbursement as they would if a patient paid them out of pocket.

[Talint]

They don't make as much money off of federal/state reimbursement as they would if a patient paid them out of pocket.

Yeah, I know. The thing is, what the state reimburses them is still pretty good (anywhere from 30-60%, seemingly without question). It's part of why I say for-profit systems can go suck a choad.

[ronin sparthos]

In the last year I've been to the cardiologist twice regarding not-quite-so chronic fainting spells, the hospital for a tilt table test, an EP study and to the gastroenterologist (for an endoscopy) in order to figure out why the fuck I keep fainting at random moments not limited to a party, on a flight and while I'm taking a piss. Feelings include a cold sweat, a sensation of dying, eyes shutting down and nausea. You know, nothing too serious or anything.

Conclusion? None of them know whats going on, one conclusion was to get a pacemaker, the other suggested expensive as fuck pills that won't solve the issue moreso shotgun approach it, heart results were clean, the physicians assistant initially thought I was enhancing the truth till she saw my heartrate nosedive sending her into a panic before it then come back up after triggering a positive result during the tilt table test.

Considering I'm due to graduate with a surplus (I feel like Clinton), I'm simply disgusted with the healthcare system and I'd be so far underwater in debt if it weren't for my mothers insurance plan that I'd be busy paying back all these bills for eternity.

I'm not even going to get into how smug and detached these doctors act with regards to seeing you. It's like they should walk into the room and say:

"Sup I don't give a fuck, when do I start milking your insurance?"
"Alright, 3mins has elapsed I'm outta here. Talk to the nurse if you need anything important, I'll be busy milking other people for cash and not explaining anything even when asked."
"Oh we ran those tests but I wont bother to call back or plan a follow-up to give you the results cause I already banked that cash."
"Oh I don't know whats wrong with you, lets just throw shit at a wall and see what sticks."
"Make another appointment whenever you have more money, I have other people to see. Tata."

[BaneTheBrawler]

Don't forget the nurses who think they know your pain level better than you do and call you a drug-seeking addict despite having a highly documented case of severe chronic inflammation. Haven't had that happen to me, since Mayo is top-notch, but the support forum I visit gets those stories at least once a week.

[kuronosan]

Those are people that are just shitty at their jobs.

[Komm Suesser Tod]

I've had a ringing in my ear for years, initially it would come and go, but eventually it came to stay. I went to my doctor, and he goes to check my ear, and sees there is a lot of earwax, so he orders a nurse to clean it out. She comes in with a large syringe with a plastic tip, fills it with warm water, sprays it into my ear to clear it out, repeats about five, six times, and that's that. Doctor comes back in, looks at it, says there isn't anything physically wrong, tells me dick all about other options, despite my asking, and ends the appointment.

I wasn't terribly happy to begin with, but then I got the explanation of benefits from my insurance. The ear cleaning, just that and not the whole appointment, was around $600. I was floored. Literally anybody could do that.