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Re: Amy - Cost of Medical in the US - My Story - VERY LONG!
From: anonymous@obgyn.net
Wed May 19 18:51:03 1999
he answer to that is they dont know what pain is, and how there money could help us
women lead the life we deserve, sorry if I sound cruel
Debbie(UK)
al bowers wrote:
> Yenta, my heart goes out to you for your awful experiences. I truly
> feel very deeply for anyone who receives inadequate care because of the
> size of their pocketbook. It always stumps me as to where the gov't
> puts their priorities (don't worry anyone, I'm not gonna get on the
> political bandwagon - LOL!!) - just, how can people justify spending
> millions of dollars on space travel and many other 'not day to day real
> life things', millions on movies and sports, when sooooo many people are
> suffering?!?!?! I pray that someday there will be fair and good medical
> care for everyone. You're all in my prayers, who have been negatively
> affected by the US health care system.
> luv, Amy
>
> yenta wrote:
> >
> > China Rose,
> > In my dreams -- I wish my insurance premium were $160 a month -- that is
> > why I need to get my endo under control for at least 2-5 yrs in the
> > future -- no new insurance will cover the endo for at least that period
> > of time - "pre-existing condition":0(
> > Amy,
> > Insurance, especially individual insurance , is very expensive and they
> > hike it every 6 months!
> > Amy, the bottom line is, it sucks! It truly is absolutely horrible that
> > people who are ill and in need of medical care are denied that care if
> > they don't have the money to pay for it. I think it is a heartless
> > system -- after all, medical treatment is or should be considered a
> > "necessity", not a luxury -- and yet, it is only those who can afford to
> > seek out the medical assistance required, who get the necessary
> > treatment.
> > As you said, in Canada, although I'm sure your system also must have its
> > problems, at least you are permitted to get treatment from a specialist.
> > In America, (and I do love my country but I hate this part of it), only
> > those who have the insurance or the cash can gain access to the
> > specialists necessary for quality medical treatment.
> > I can only imagine how miserable it must be for someone with a severe
> > medical ailment who is suffering with chronic pain, to be left to the
> > mercy of those less qualified.
> > I've heard of so many endo sisters who have been misdiagnosed or who
> > have been subjected to "poor surgical expertise" who have ended up worse
> > as a result.
> > You see, even with medical insurance and money, many of our drs are not
> > of the caliber they should be and yet they are more than willing to
> > "treat" you (I'm trying to be subtle here because I don't want to get
> > into trouble with the forum). I've learned this from my own experience
> > as well as from the experience of others.
> > I had a lap a couple of years ago in which my gyn literally misdiagnosed
> > me with PID rather than Endo. My complaints/symptoms were dismissed --
> > he had already decided on my diagnosis. Had he diagnosed me correctly,
> > my endo could have been caught before its rapid progression to Stage 3.
> > Instead, my endo flared out of control and rapidly progressed, engulfing
> > my sacral/back region, etc.. I was living a life of PAIN and misery --
> > a living Hell. On one of the particularly bad endo "attacks", I went to
> > him, groveling in pain, begging for help. He suggested a laparotomy in
> > which he would cut and shorten the ligaments to suspend the uterus, cut
> > the nerve bundles and the presacral nerve, lyse any adhesions, and guess
> > what -- I would have still have had endo! I didn't understand how his
> > recommended surgery would keep the pain from recurring and asked him
> > about possible causes of the inflammation I was experiencing, about
> > "interceed" since he contended it was the adhesions and chronic PID
> > responsible for my pain, etc. @Three days after that appt, I received
> > from him a "Dear John" letter! Had I not had the good fortune to speak
> > with a specialist, Dr. R, on the phone who accurately dx'd me via
> > telephone!!! and sent me to a local specialist, Dr. J, to have my last
> > lap, G-d only knows where I would be now.
> > I still have sacral pain and my specialist has suggested additional
> > treatment to check out possible bowel endo:0(.
> > Endo is truly a nasty disease, one that requires a specialist.
> > I'm more than happy to share names but only through personal email -- I
> > don't want the forum to get upset -- although I really feel it is in our
> > best interest to know which drs are "good" and which are "bad" -- I hope
> > the forum agrees and understands.
> >
> > Very long, I know,
> > Yen
> >
> > At Tue, 18 May 1999, ChinaRose wrote:
> > >
> > >--=====================_78678160==_.ALT
> > >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> > >
> > >Hello Amy,
> > >
> > >Yes, you are very fortunate and I'm glad you are! :o) I hope that
> > >you get great care.
> > >
> > >I will give you my take (My opinion & experience ONLY!)
> > >
> > >The US is very capitalistic and doctors that are under HMO/PPO
> > >or some kinda of health plan, do not make much money unless
> > >they schedule enough patients for the day to earn the fee's the
> > >Health Plan deems is resonable. So doctors schedule alot of
> > >patients, therefore no one really gets the time needed with the
> > >doctor for the doctor to consider all the ailments of one patient.
> > >Unless of course, a patient is paying out of his/her own pocket.
> > >Now if you go out of network, the plan will only pay a percentage
> > >of what they deem is a resonable fee, for example; my second
> > >surgery the surgeon cost $3,500 (just the surgeon) the Health
> > >Plan said $368 was a resonable fee and they only pay 70% of the
> > >$368.
> > >
> > >Well, after being so mistreated by the Health Plan system of
> > >America, I had to go out of pocket or I would've ended up on
> > >welfare. Needless to say, I'm in debt. 1-surgery under medical
> > >plan and 3 surgeries out of network. As long as I make some kind
> > >of payment ($20 a month to each hospital, surgeon, lab, etc.) every
> > >month, they cannot turn it over to collections and there is no
> > >interest charge (well not yet anyways).
> > >
> > >Insurance can cost anywhere from $60 - $160 a month for single
> > >women between the age 21-30. Or some business will pay for 100%
> > >of medical benefit. And then one has to consider too, some plans
> > >if you're new and have had pre-existing conditions, will not accept you
> > >at all. It's all a scam!! Only the heatlh insurance and lawyers make
> > >money out here!! While we suffer. Oh, here in Los Angeles, CA,
> > >it's the plastic surgeons that make money.... LOL (please excuse the
> > >sarcasim), gotta laugh otherwise I'll cry.
> > >
> > >In some instances, I have written letters to the labs, hospitals, surgeons,
> > >doctors..etc. to plead my financial plight and some have actually either
> > >taken a percentage off or written the bill off. I have had one doctor also
> > >make arrangements with the hospital to accept whatever payment the
> > >Plan pays as payment in full. I still owe $ XX,XXX in medical debt.
> > >
> > >If I could do it all over again, I would have gone to seen Dr. Redwine the
> > >first time around, I think I would have saved myself ALLOT of money,
> > >frustration and my health may be better, as some of the treatment feels
> > >as it's taken some years off my life, not to mention the quality of life is not
> > >as full as it use to be... perhaps in time.
> > >
> > >Anyhow, this has been my experience in the last several years. $$ denotes
> > >your quality of care here. I hope this answers some of your questions. Again,
> > >this is only my experience and opinion.
> > >
> > >Hope you are welll.
> > >
> > >Peace, Love and Light
> > >~ ChinaRose
> > >
> > >Educate yourself. Endometriosis Awareness:
> > >http://members.xoom.com/China_Rose/endohome.htm
> > >My personal experience with Endometriosis:
> > >http://members.xoom.com/China_Rose/endohome2.htm
> > >
> > >At 08:20 PM 5/18/99 , you wrote:
> > >>Hi ladies
> > >>I feel very fortunate that I live in Canada where I don't have to pay
> > >>for medical procedures, and I don't say that to be insensitive, but I
> > >>just wonder, how do you pay for all this stuff??!! If just baffles me,
> > >>honestly, and I mean that sincerely. That's a LOT of money!!!! Sorry
> > >>for being so dense, but HOW? Do you like have to pay over years, do
> > >>they charge interest too? I just think that is sooooo awful that you
> > >>have to pay for this stuff!!! How much do you pay for insurance, and
> > >>does that cover all the expenses of surgery? Hope you don't mind all my
> > >>questions. Can someone enlighten me? please and thks
> > >>luv, Amy
> > >
> > >--=====================_78678160==_.ALT
> > >Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
> > >
> > >Hello Amy,
> > >
> > >Yes, you are very fortunate and I'm glad you are! :o) I hope
> > >that
> > >you get great care.
> > >
> > >I will give you my take (My opinion & experience ONLY!)
> > >
> > >The US is very capitalistic and doctors that are under HMO/PPO
> > >or some kinda of health plan, do not make much money unless
> > >they schedule enough patients for the day to earn the fee's the
> > >Health Plan deems is resonable. So doctors schedule alot of
> > >patients, therefore no one really gets the time needed with the
> > >doctor for the doctor to consider all the ailments of one patient.
> > >Unless of course, a patient is paying out of his/her own pocket.
> > >Now if you go out of network, the plan will only pay a percentage
> > >of what they deem is a resonable fee, for example; my second
> > >surgery the surgeon cost $3,500 (just the surgeon) the Health
> > >Plan said $368 was a resonable fee and they only pay 70% of the
> > >$368.
> > >
> > >Well, after being so mistreated by the Health Plan system of
> > >America, I had to go out of pocket or I would've ended up on
> > >welfare. Needless to say, I'm in debt. 1-surgery under
> > >medical
> > >plan and 3 surgeries out of network. As long as I make some
> > >kind
> > >of payment ($20 a month to each hospital, surgeon, lab, etc.) every
> > >month, they cannot turn it over to collections and there is no
> > >interest charge (well not yet anyways).
> > >
> > >Insurance can cost anywhere from $60 - $160 a month for single
> > >women between the age 21-30. Or some business will pay for
> > >100%
> > >of medical benefit. And then one has to consider too, some
> > >plans
> > >if you're new and have had pre-existing conditions, will not accept
> > >you
> > >at all. It's all a scam!! Only the heatlh insurance and
> > >lawyers make
> > >money out here!! While we suffer. Oh, here in Los
> > >Angeles, CA,
> > >it's the plastic surgeons that make money.... LOL (please excuse
> > >the
> > >sarcasim), gotta laugh otherwise I'll cry.
> > >
> > >In some instances, I have written letters to the labs, hospitals,
> > >surgeons,
> > >doctors..etc. to plead my financial plight and some have actually
> > >either
> > >taken a percentage off or written the bill off. I have had one
> > >doctor also
> > >make arrangements with the hospital to accept whatever payment the
> > >Plan pays as payment in full. I still owe $ XX,XXX in medical
> > >debt.
> > >
> > >If I could do it all over again, I would have gone to seen Dr. Redwine
> > >the
> > >first time around, I think I would have saved myself ALLOT of money,
> > >
> > >frustration and my health may be better, as some of the treatment
> > >feels
> > >as it's taken some years off my life, not to mention the quality of life
> > >is not
> > >as full as it use to be... perhaps in time.
> > >
> > >Anyhow, this has been my experience in the last several years. $$
> > >denotes
> > >your quality of care here. I hope this answers some of your
> > >questions. Again,
> > >this is only my experience and opinion.
> > >
> > >Hope you are welll.
> > >
> > >Peace, Love and Light
> > >~ ChinaRose
> > >
> > >Educate
> > >yourself. Endometriosis Awareness:
> > >http://members.xoom.com/China_Rose/endohome.htm
> > >My
> > >personal experience with Endometriosis:
> > >http://members.xoom.com/China_Rose/endohome2.htm
> > >
> > >At 08:20 PM 5/18/99 , you wrote:
> > >>Hi ladies
> > >>I feel very fortunate that I live in Canada where I don't have to
> > >pay
> > >>for medical procedures, and I don't say that to be insensitive, but
> > >I
> > >>just wonder, how do you pay for all this stuff??!! If just
> > >baffles me,
> > >>honestly, and I mean that sincerely. That's a LOT of
> > >money!!!! Sorry
> > >>for being so dense, but HOW? Do you like have to pay over
> > >years, do
> > >>they charge interest too? I just think that is sooooo awful
> > >that you
> > >>have to pay for this stuff!!! How much do you pay for
> > >insurance, and
> > >>does that cover all the expenses of surgery? Hope you don't
> > >mind all my
> > >>questions. Can someone enlighten me? please and thks
> > >>luv, Amy
> > >
> > >--=====================_78678160==_.ALT--
> >
>
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