Medical costs

[jclaudii]

Hmm. I figured it would have been a bit more than what you posted. Perhaps that is why I hear in the news lately about free market or "cash only" hospitals. They don't do all the fed funding so they don't have to follow the same admittance rules I guess. Examples in some articles suggest surgery fees are drastically reduced 2-4x normal cost if not more.

I should have posted up on here for an accident I had a few weeks ago, wife even tried to video it. I was grinding away on a scrap jeep of mine to pull the radiator support off when the cut off wheel exploded! I had safety glasses on but no gloves and the grinder did not have the metal guard on. A piece of the wheel spun across my left middle finger and ring finger, right across the middle joint on the inside of the ring finger and the top of the middle finger. It was fairly deep cut but it was not bleeding too bad and was right on that joint so stitches would have been rough to put in and would more than likely pop out. The biggest problem was going to be swelling and I immediately put my hand on ice to keep it down. I had a few hours before the clinics closed and I was going to do all I could to not have to go to get my ring cut off not to mention getting that charge! Youtube showed videos of folks pulling rings off swelled up fingers with dental floss. Most of those videos the patients ended up with pretty decent lacerations from the thin dental floss. Since I already had one large laceration, I decided I would use 1/4 wide gift ribbon and wrapped that around my finger tightly. The feeling was starting to come back in a bit at this time and it hurt and blood would squeeze out between each wrapping. Luckily, I went to unravel it just like on the videos and it slid its way up my finger like a nut on a bolt, it almost got stuck at the middle joint as that is where the skin was tore up the most. The titanium ring had a good size nick in it from the stray blade hitting it, if it were not for it deflecting the shattered blade, it may have went on up and tore into my knuckle and top of my hand.

It almost makes you want to not pay your bill so you can get it reduced to the "normal" amount and then pay it.


article What Happens When Doctors Only Take Cash | Time.com

 

[TheMan419]

If only urgent care clinics were open more hours..

We have several open 24/7.

 

[PILOON]

Gotta love Canada!
Doc had me do a scan just to check up on a previous surgery and a kidney stone.
A spot was seen on my left lung so another scan.
A procedure to use a camera to look into lung, results inconclusive.
A PETscan (involves radioactive injection)'
Catscan to take a sample for analysis, inconclusive.
2nd Catscan for bigger sample and they debate if there is anything.
Conclusion----no cancer!
A follow up next December.---???
Total cost for me is in the area of approximately $35.00 for parking.

Prostate surgery involving 2 nights hospital:-
I splurged and took semi private room. $75.00/night + taxes.
Some post op difficulties and a nurse came to my home to 'flush' my catheter at 7PMand she actually called back at 11 to see if I was doing OK.
\No charge!
Oh, at hosp they provided all meds at no charge!
Food was however not to brag about but they did give me options.
(never again order toasts)

That was last week and I feel like a new man and no longer awaken every 3 hours to visit the loo.
But , LOL, do run when I get that call to nature., (gotta retrain that valve)

1st night stay was super as my room mate was also an aviation type so we had lots in common.
2nd nite was a total low life type that simply drove me nuts and his wife was worst and they were for free as they knew the ropes.

My total wait from MD visit to surgery was 6 weeks.
Gotta love our Canadian medicare!

 

[ultrarunner]

Just want to add... back in my school days a neighbor in 6th grade was at after school basketball practice... he and another student went up for a rebound and hit heads hard... the neighbor was a little dazed but told coach he would walk it off...

Dad picks him up and learns what happened... other kid was getting a lump but OK

So neighbor tells Mom and Dad he didn't feel like eating... said he wanted to lay down on his bed... about an hour later Mom comes in and finds son unconscious... I heard/saw the firetrucks and ambulance... Joey passed away that night... his parents never recovered... lots of what if's... nice healthy American kid at basketball practice succumbs to a fatal blow to the head.

Medical Examiner said by the time it was realized it was too late... emergency intervention early enough may have prevented it... at least it said "May Have"

Dad just passed away this year... standing room only at funeral... that kind of guy and family and 40 years later people were still remembering.

 

[kenmac]

I think Eddie said it best. Those of us that have insurance ,or have jobs, can afford to pay, have to pay for those that have no jobs and use the ER as their dr's office, for common colds, etc, because they know they can't be turned away even if they can't / won't pay.
The ER sees these same people so much, they know their entire family. then you have all the drug heads we all have to pay for.
Working people don't have a chance anymore

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Gotta love Canada!
Doc had me do a scan just to check up on a previous surgery and a kidney stone.
A spot was seen on my left lung so another scan.
A procedure to use a camera to look into lung, results inconclusive.
A PETscan (involves radioactive injection)'
Catscan to take a sample for analysis, inconclusive.
2nd Catscan for bigger sample and they debate if there is anything.
Conclusion----no cancer!
A follow up next December.---???
Total cost for me is in the area of approximately $35.00 for parking.

Prostate surgery involving 2 nights hospital:-
I splurged and took semi private room. $75.00/night + taxes.
Some post op difficulties and a nurse came to my home to 'flush' my catheter at 7PMand she actually called back at 11 to see if I was doing OK.
\No charge!
Oh, at hosp they provided all meds at no charge!
Food was however not to brag about but they did give me options.
(never again order toasts)

That was last week and I feel like a new man and no longer awaken every 3 hours to visit the loo.
But , LOL, do run when I get that call to nature., (gotta retrain that valve)

1st night stay was super as my room mate was also an aviation type so we had lots in common.
2nd nite was a total low life type that simply drove me nuts and his wife was worst and they were for free as they knew the ropes.

My total wait from MD visit to surgery was 6 weeks.
Gotta love our Canadian medicare!

Please don't rub it in.

 

[PILOON]

Please don't rub it in.

To be fair we do pay via taxes so it is not all free.
Obama tried his best to copy Canada but was shot down at every turn but Trump care will correct all that, so he says.

 

[ultrarunner]

Gotta love Canada!
Doc had me do a scan just to check up on a previous surgery and a kidney stone.
A spot was seen on my left lung so another scan.
A procedure to use a camera to look into lung, results inconclusive.
A PETscan (involves radioactive injection)'
Catscan to take a sample for analysis, inconclusive.
2nd Catscan for bigger sample and they debate if there is anything.
Conclusion----no cancer!
A follow up next December.---???
Total cost for me is in the area of approximately $35.00 for parking.

Prostate surgery involving 2 nights hospital:-
I splurged and took semi private room. $75.00/night + taxes.
Some post op difficulties and a nurse came to my home to 'flush' my catheter at 7PMand she actually called back at 11 to see if I was doing OK.
\No charge!
Oh, at hosp they provided all meds at no charge!
Food was however not to brag about but they did give me options.
(never again order toasts)

That was last week and I feel like a new man and no longer awaken every 3 hours to visit the loo.
But , LOL, do run when I get that call to nature., (gotta retrain that valve)

1st night stay was super as my room mate was also an aviation type so we had lots in common.
2nd nite was a total low life type that simply drove me nuts and his wife was worst and they were for free as they knew the ropes.

My total wait from MD visit to surgery was 6 weeks.
Gotta love our Canadian medicare!

Not exactly... and this is from this week...

One of my patients is Canadian and has Canadian insurance... he needed orthopedic surgery and was told he yes he does and was given a 2 year wait for the procedure in Canada...

He was quite concerned and said no way was he putting this surgery off for two years!

So what does he do.

He contacts one of the finest Ortho Surgeons in SF Bay Area... flies down for an exam on his own dime... Doc confirms everything and says he has a busy schedule but and can do the surgery week after next...

So the Canadian flies home and returns two weeks for surgery with his wife... they stay in a hotel, rent a car and pay cash for the surgery...

One would have to ask why would anyone go to all the trouble if the identical procedure would be covered in Canada????

I have several friends that are Doctors in Austria and Germany... they say America is so much more accommodating to elderly... as a Doctor she cannot justify hip or knee reconstruction for elderly... but for productive working adults, children and babies the European system shines.... just not for those retired... it is affect allocated.

My friend that had back surgery at 97 would have had zero chance under socialized medicine straight from the Doctors I know in those countries.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Not exactly... and this is from this week...

One of my patients is Canadian and has Canadian insurance... he needed orthopedic surgery and was told he yes he does and was given a 2 year wait for the procedure in Canada...

He was quite concerned and said no way was he putting this surgery off for two years!

So what does he do.

He contacts one of the finest Ortho Surgeons in SF Bay Area... flies down for an exam on his own dime... Doc confirms everything and says he has a busy schedule but and can do the surgery week after next...

So the Canadian flies home and returns two weeks for surgery with his wife... they stay in a hotel, rent a car and pay cash for the surgery...

One would have to ask why would anyone go to all the trouble if the identical procedure would be covered in Canada????

I have several friends that are Doctors in Austria and Germany... they say America is so much more accommodating to elderly... as a Doctor she cannot justify hip or knee reconstruction for elderly... but for productive working adults, children and babies the European system shines.... just not for those retired... it is affect allocated.

My friend that had back surgery at 97 would have had zero chance under socialized medicine straight from the Doctors I know in those countries.

And yet we still have worse outcomes by almost any metric...

 

[two_bit_score]

$1500

Each!