Here is the reason you have to have medical insurance while you are in the US waiting for EAD/AP

[geowrian 22,336]

31 minutes ago, NikLR said:

Why are you using that kind of medicine without medical history? Can she decline the test and do an ultrasound instead? Are you doing tests without consent? Are you denying treatment if they refuse? 

Medical histories are not always available or up to date, even if all from the same source. For instance, during my hospital stay, they attempted to give me medication (protonix/pantoprazole) even after having my record updated to show an allergic reaction and to stop that medication. I know the record was updated because I saw the nurse in the room do it (I know the Epic system well enough). When I told the nurse who gave me the medication, they noticed it as well.

I also have had multiple instances of them having no record of my port, despite the same place having done the implant and having used it just 2 weeks prior. The medical history showed no implants.

 

No idea on alternatives to the serum pregnancy test.

 

Tests & procedures are not performed without informed consent (barring emergency procedures where they are unable to give proper consent)...or else it exposes them to litigation. I once had a port nurse take my blood for various tests without my consent (unlike an arm draw, they kinda just took it out of habit while I wasn't looking / paying attention). I didn't pursue anything as it was an honest mistake and there was no actual harm, but you should have seen the insurance company go off on them when they tried to submit a claim. The billing office sent me a very nice letter acknowledging their mistake and agreed to eat the costs pretty quickly.

Non-stabilizing treatment and screening can be denied if a patient goes AMA.

Edited April 19, 2019 by geowrian

[SalishSea 16,883]

2 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Medical histories are not always available or up to date, even if all from the same source. For instance, during my hospital stay, they attempted to give me medication (protonix/pantoprazole) even after having my record updated to show an allergic reaction and to stop that medication. I know the record was updated because I saw the nurse in the room do it (I know the Epic system well enough). When I told the nurse who gave me the medication, they noticed it as well.

I also have had multiple instances of them having no record of my port, despite the same place having done the implant and having used it just 2 weeks prior. The medical history showed no implants.

 

No idea on alternatives to the serum pregnancy test.

 

Tests & procedures are not performed without informed consent (barring emergency procedures where they are unable to give proper consent)...or else it exposes them to litigation. I once had a port nurse take my blood for various tests without my consent (unlike an arm draw, they kinda just took it out of habit while I wasn't looking / paying attention). I didn't pursue anything as it was an honest mistake and there was no actual harm, but you should have seen the insurance company go off on them when they tried to submit a claim. The billing office sent me a very nice letter acknowledging their mistake and agreed to eat the costs pretty quickly.

Non-stabilizing treatment and screening can be denied if the a patient goes AMA.

Aw, you had a port, Geo?  I access ports all day long 😊.

[geowrian 22,336]

2 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Aw, you had a port, Geo?  I access ports all day long 😊.

Have...but hopefully not tooooo much longer.

[SalishSea 16,883]

Just now, geowrian said:

Have...but hopefully not tooooo much longer.

Different type of de-portation 😉

[B E 3]

I have no insurance and will not get insurance to feed the greed of insurance companies. The last time I got a $42000 bill from hospital, I told them to shovel it where it belongs. Knowing that they cannot force you to bankruptcy with a medical bill, they were out of luck with me knowing it. Then they try to negotiate, $200, $100, $50/month for the rest of my life, no! Then, $25000 lump sum, no! Then they offer $12000, and I said ok do you take credit card by phone? oh yes sir! I could have squeezed for another couple thousand dollar I am sure. So, if you don't have insurance, don't panic, a $60000 bill can be reduced to $15000. Now let's compare it to the amount they charge per year for a contractor like me. I think over the years and the number of times I needed a doctor or to go to hospital, I won at their game...hahaha

[geowrian 22,336]

Nobody goes bankrupt from medical bills...smh

Unfortunately, I see it all the time. Hospitals are still businesses...they can and will refuse non-emergency treatment if they don't think you can/will pay. And many conditions require treatment to fix...by the time they become emergencies, your long term well-being, quality of life, and/or life itself is at risk.

 

The most notable example is cancer, especially many stage 3 or 4 cancers. Around $40-80k (or more) for treatment every couple/few weeks is not uncommon. It goes up from there if first line treatments are not effective, become ineffective, side effects are intolerable, or treatment is just too toxic for your body.

Sure, negotiate that down to $10-15k. Maybe even less. But unless you are quite well off, those bills are not sustainable for even the first 12-14 rounds without insurance. That's easily over $100,000 in actual/negotiated/discounted costs in the first 6 months, not counting CAT/PET/MRI scans, blood/urine tests, dr. visits,  at-home meds, or a home nurse, if needed (i.e. if you have a bag that needs disconnection after x days), or - if lucky - curative surgery + stay. Obviously costs can be less, but usually that's with reduced dosages, or palliative care (aimed at treating only the symptoms).

 

Cancer is not considered a medical emergency. It only becomes an emergency where they must treat you if it causes other conditions requiring emergency treatment. By that point, far too often it leads down a very dark (and often unnecessarily painful) path.

 

Edit: Just as a disclosure, I had insurance coverage all my life. I paid tens of thousands in premiums and out of pocket costs over the years. I never needed any treatment or had any health problems. Well, not until almost 1 year ago today.

I've lost track of my expenses in the past 12 months. It's easily been over $2 million, and assuming things go well, I expect at least another $500,000 this year. If I was less lucky, those charges easily could have been double or triple that.

Even negotiating that down to 10% of the original charges, my wife and I would easily be bankrupt today without coverage.

Just some words for the wise....

Edited April 21, 2019 by geowrian

[WaterLeaf 199]

I had noticed the medical field have the wrongest way of overcharging patients. While some doesn't get the acquired treatment, they still push the bill and even let the out of network person slide in and try to do something about it and let that 3rd party send the bill too.

 

It's how bad and screwed up they had became to be. Plus the patent system they are blaming for the jacked up prices.

 

Just try your best to do some research and consider the financial differences within the in-network vs out-network and if you hit your deductible you're covered if your insurance have that limit. Last time I went to the ER and I mentioned they should NOT have anyone that is NOT in my network should NOT be coming into the room just to charge me if they want. Well, they didn't do what I exactly wanted. It shows how bad it is, and having to pay for their mistake.

 

Note: Going to different places still give you the same re-scan of everything because they somehow need to check everything again. Some places do not trust you.

 

At least most of my medical issue has passed, I'm now going into the advancement of the medical in the future for certain area of what I need. I honestly don't care if I'd have to fly out of the States (available as possible, cost wise and all of that) to get something done in better favor than what's offered here.

Edited April 22, 2019 by WaterLeaf
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[yuna628 9,541]

Those who say you cannot go bankrupt from a hospital bill have lost touch with the realities of finances. I personally know someone who has gone bankrupt several times, has no insurance for themselves or spouse and is crushed under the debt of collections agencies, no credit score, and owes thousands to doctors and hospitals. Since they have no money for insurance or barely to pay their bills, they have had to forgo medications including insulin and other things for chronic health issues.

It is entirely possible to go bankrupt from medical bills, even ones you've managed to negotiate.

 

When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, her first fear and concern wasn't for herself, it was ''how are we going to afford treatment?" The fact she was elderly and had medicare gave her comfort in that regard, but for those that are younger and have no insurance or insurance that is barely junk? Statistically they say most Americans don't even have $400 in savings to fall back on in case of an emergency. When it comes to medical costs, Americans need way more than $400 to make it, even if they have insurance like most do which has a deductible to meet. Compared to my old 'bronze to silver' insurance? I would have had to shell out thousands we'd never be able to afford for my husband's hospital stay last year, and my hospital stay last month. Thank god for the insurance we have now.