iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,125
Jun 25, 2014 22:52:46 GMT
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Post by iowgirl on Jan 12, 2019 23:32:15 GMT
Sometimes they're instructed to come back and get their stitches removed. DH goes to the ER on a semi annual bases for stitches... Doc told him to come back (to his office) to have the stitches pulled. DH said, "Na, I just pull them myself if everything looks good"... Doc laughed and said OK, but I didn't hear that. LOL We have always pulled our own stitches if the wound is healing well. Having a $6,000 deductible makes you take things in to your own hands sometimes. Our daughter broke her arm when she was little. ER docs here couldn't do much, so we had to go to a bigger town. They asked if we wanted an ambulance or we could just drive her. We drove her.
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Post by LuvAgoodPaddle on Jan 13, 2019 0:00:57 GMT
I once had someone tell me they took their young child to the ER with a fever because they needed Tylenol and the ER was closer than Wal-Mart. and that is a person who probably isn't paying for their health care This is one of the many things I’ve wondered about if we ever get free universal healthcare. Will people be screened before being allowed in the ER and if it’s not deemed an emergency, are they told to leave? Can you even imagine what that would be like with telling that mom her little snowflakes fever isn’t important and the scene she would cause? Because someone who even thinks like this and that this is OK will not take no for an answer. I would have to be pretty bad off to even consider going to the ER. Who wants to wait in that long or pay those high costs? Yet we have family members who do go for every little tummy ache, fever, sore throat, etc. They must have an HMO because I’d be paying a huge chunk of money before I even meet my deductible.
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Post by dudleypippen on Jan 13, 2019 0:04:48 GMT
I had a woman roll in by ambulance once screaming that she was in labor and the baby was coming. EMS brought her directly to L&D. We were trying to find the baby’s heartbeat when she suddenly let out a tremendous amount of flatulance, laughed and said “oh that feels so much better.” Yeah, not pregnant but very very drunk.
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Post by freecharlie on Jan 13, 2019 0:05:12 GMT
and that is a person who probably isn't paying for their health care This is one of the many things I’ve wondered about if we ever get free universal healthcare. Will people be screened before being allowed in the ER and if it’s not deemed an emergency, are they told to leave? Can you even imagine what that would be like with telling that mom her little snowflakes fever isn’t important and the scene she would cause? Because someone who even thinks like this and that this is OK will not take no for an answer. I would have to be pretty bad off to even consider going to the ER. Who wants to wait in that long or pay those high costs? Yet we have family members who do go for every little tummy ache, fever, sore throat, etc. They must have an HMO because I’d be paying a huge chunk of money before I even meet my deductible. I don't know. I would think they would access their regular doctor since they wouldn't need to pay? Why would an HMO person go to ER more? Just curious we have a PPO and have a $250 deductible, but ER co-pay is $150 (urgent or reg dr is $30)
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,175
Location: Western Illinois
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Jan 13, 2019 0:11:02 GMT
Some people go the ER rather than urgent care because of their Medicaid vs urgent care copays. Also, most urgent care facilities around here make you pay up front while an ER will bill you. My husband tripped on a curb and needed stitches a couple years ago. We had/have good insurance but at that time there was a $150 copay for the ER. They wanted payment even before he got the stitches; took a credit card in the exam room and printed a receipt.
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basketdiva
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,616
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:09 GMT
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Post by basketdiva on Jan 13, 2019 0:19:25 GMT
I will top all of your stories. My son liked to swing daughter around by her hands. One day he hurt her. We thought her arm was broken. So we took her to the er. As far as they could tell he popped her elbow, nursemaid’s elbow, but they put a splint cast on her. She had to wear that for 2 weeks and then we could take it off. 2 weeks, she would not let us take it off! We had to take her to the er to have a DOCTOR take it off. I was able to get into her pediatrician, who pretended that we were at the er. Yes I am the mom who take her spoiled rotten child tithe doc, to have some gauze unwrapped! Sorry but AmandaA's story about ambulance for gum in the hair wins in my book. Now you do get an award for a creative ( although probably costly) solution to a child having a meltdown.
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scrappinspidey2
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,511
Location: In the Parlor with the Fly
Mar 18, 2015 19:19:37 GMT
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Post by scrappinspidey2 on Jan 13, 2019 0:46:30 GMT
I was a telephonic triage nurse for almost 2 years. I could tell you stories..but my favorite was a caller who wanted to go to the ER for a small bruise on their side. No other symptoms. Did my triage told them to just watch at home and they then asked.......so you are saying I need an ambulance to the ER??? I can’t tell you how many would say..well I’m going to the ER anyway cause I don’t have to pay for it.
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Post by gulfcoastgirl on Jan 13, 2019 0:51:07 GMT
I was volunteering in the ER at Tampa General in the '80s when a man came in who had *lost* a vibrator.
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Post by dudleypippen on Jan 13, 2019 0:55:28 GMT
I was volunteering in the ER at Tampa General in the '80s when a man came in who had *lost* a vibrator. You would be surprised by the number of lost/misplaced sex toys that have to be retrieved. “Foreign object removal” is one of my favorite chief complaints/billing codes.
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,078
Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Jan 13, 2019 1:01:25 GMT
and that is a person who probably isn't paying for their health care This is one of the many things I’ve wondered about if we ever get free universal healthcare. Will people be screened before being allowed in the ER and if it’s not deemed an emergency, are they told to leave? Can you even imagine what that would be like with telling that mom her little snowflakes fever isn’t important and the scene she would cause? Because someone who even thinks like this and that this is OK will not take no for an answer. I would have to be pretty bad off to even consider going to the ER. Who wants to wait in that long or pay those high costs? Yet we have family members who do go for every little tummy ache, fever, sore throat, etc. They must have an HMO because I’d be paying a huge chunk of money before I even meet my deductible. My HMO copay is 150 dollars and we need doctor permission to go, unless a “reasonable person” would determine the need is due to a life-threatening, loss of body part, or another serious issue that the doctor would retroactively Okay. I am not sure what you mean by HMO in your comment, but going to the ER is a tough choice if you can’t get your doctor on the phone before you leave home. Once you have left home, you have already decided to go, and it may not be covered. Other HMOs may be different, but ER visits are very infrequent for us. For example, Chest pain covered. Sore throat not. Cut needing stitches may be covered, but cut not needing stitches, not. Allergic reaction with trouble breathing covered. Allergic reaction that does not involve trouble breathing but less serious symptoms not.
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Post by Lexica on Jan 13, 2019 1:02:51 GMT
I recently watched “999, What’s Your Emergency” on Amazon Prime. It centers around ambulance calls in Britain. I was surprised and disgusted by the reasons people called an ambulance. I assume they do not pay for ambulance services because they had people who had called the ambulance upwards of 100,times during a year! These poor professionals are being called because someone is drunk and they need a ride home! And the ambulance service has a “duty of care” responsibility to where once they are called to a location, they have to treat the person, no matter how stupid and minor their injury is. The hospital emergency rooms must be overwhelmed with drunks sleeping it off. What a waste of a hospital bed. The calls for the Blackpool area were predominantly all alcohol related.
The statistics on the percentage of calls for an ambulance in all of the cities filmed were alcohol or drug related. It was astounding. And the cost on the health care system was insane too. If a group is out drinking and a member of their party gets drunk and throws up, they call an ambulance. They also get a number of calls for this “legal high” substance that people are taking. That stuff is scary.
I really recommend watching a few of these episodes. It was quite eye opening for me. Oh, and the number of women who wait too long to go to the hospital to deliver a baby was surprising too! There were also a large number of cases of mental illness.
There was one pregnant girl that disgusted me to the point that I wanted to jump through my screen and smack her. She was in a vehicle accident and the ambulance was called for her due to her advanced pregnancy. They were in the process of stealing a car when this girl’s boyfriend crashed it with her inside. As the ambulance staff were checking her over, they asked if it was her first pregnancy. She looked to be late teens to early 20s to me. She said it was her 6th pregnancy! They asked where the 5 children were and she said they were all “in care” which I guess is the term for social services taking the babies away from the mother. Hello, birth control! She was just popping out babies, not intending on keeping any of them and was partying along, not letting the pregnancies get in her way. I hope “in care” means they are put up for adoption as infants so they get a chance at a good life.
Ambulance rides and and emergency room visits must be free there. No one was concerned about needing to pay for the usage. I didn’t hear insurance mention at all. The youth in these cities were just out of control.
They also focused on police departments. I didn’t know British police don’t carry guns at all. These episodes were quite educational for me too.
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cakediva
Drama Llama
Making the world a sweeter place one cake at a time!
Posts: 7,429
Location: Fergus, Ontario
Jun 26, 2014 11:53:40 GMT
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Post by cakediva on Jan 13, 2019 1:04:48 GMT
and that is a person who probably isn't paying for their health care This is one of the many things I’ve wondered about if we ever get free universal healthcare. Will people be screened before being allowed in the ER and if it’s not deemed an emergency, are they told to leave? Can you even imagine what that would be like with telling that mom her little snowflakes fever isn’t important and the scene she would cause? Because someone who even thinks like this and that this is OK will not take no for an answer. I would have to be pretty bad off to even consider going to the ER. Who wants to wait in that long or pay those high costs? Yet we have family members who do go for every little tummy ache, fever, sore throat, etc. They must have an HMO because I’d be paying a huge chunk of money before I even meet my deductible. Nope we have idiots here in Canada who go to the ER instead of their doctor. Sometimes it it is because they have no family doctor (doctor shortage) and need to be seen. But sometimes they go to the er because why wait for a day to see your doctor? Its really very frustrating!
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Post by LuvAgoodPaddle on Jan 13, 2019 1:10:12 GMT
This is one of the many things I’ve wondered about if we ever get free universal healthcare. Will people be screened before being allowed in the ER and if it’s not deemed an emergency, are they told to leave? Can you even imagine what that would be like with telling that mom her little snowflakes fever isn’t important and the scene she would cause? Because someone who even thinks like this and that this is OK will not take no for an answer. I would have to be pretty bad off to even consider going to the ER. Who wants to wait in that long or pay those high costs? Yet we have family members who do go for every little tummy ache, fever, sore throat, etc. They must have an HMO because I’d be paying a huge chunk of money before I even meet my deductible. I don't know. I would think they would access their regular doctor since they wouldn't need to pay? Why would an HMO person go to ER more? Just curious we have a PPO and have a $250 deductible, but ER co-pay is $150 (urgent or reg dr is $30) I could be totally wrong because we haven’t been able to afford an HMO plan for quite a few years now. But back when we did have one, it was $5 for Dr visit, $5 prescriptions and I don’t think we had to pay for an ER visit. Knock on wood, but we never had to use the ER, so I could be wrong. My PPO, I’m paying 100% up to $600 and then 80% of their discounted rate until I hit my maximum out of pocket. So I would have to fully pay for an ER visit right now. We used urgent care for some stitches and that cost us $500 out of our pocket. I can’t even imagine what the ER would of been to put in 4 stitches. So that ladies visit for a Tylenol would of cost me $600. And sorry, but someone who goes to the ER for gum, Tylenol or any other non-emergency is not going to go to their normal Dr if healthcare is free. Unless they are made to somehow see their normal Dr first. I do wonder how other countries keep these ridiculous people out, but maybe it’s only the US that has special snowflakes?
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Post by LisaDV on Jan 13, 2019 1:23:19 GMT
I will top all of your stories. My son liked to swing daughter around by her hands. One day he hurt her. We thought her arm was broken. So we took her to the er. As far as they could tell he popped her elbow, nursemaid’s elbow, but they put a splint cast on her. She had to wear that for 2 weeks and then we could take it off. 2 weeks, she would not let us take it off! We had to take her to the er to have a DOCTOR take it off. I was able to get into her pediatrician, who pretended that we were at the er. Yes I am the mom who take her spoiled rotten child tithe doc, to have some gauze unwrapped! Awe! What a good mom and that doctor is a keeper!
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Post by LuvAgoodPaddle on Jan 13, 2019 1:26:50 GMT
This is one of the many things I’ve wondered about if we ever get free universal healthcare. Will people be screened before being allowed in the ER and if it’s not deemed an emergency, are they told to leave? Can you even imagine what that would be like with telling that mom her little snowflakes fever isn’t important and the scene she would cause? Because someone who even thinks like this and that this is OK will not take no for an answer. I would have to be pretty bad off to even consider going to the ER. Who wants to wait in that long or pay those high costs? Yet we have family members who do go for every little tummy ache, fever, sore throat, etc. They must have an HMO because I’d be paying a huge chunk of money before I even meet my deductible. My HMO copay is 150 dollars and we need doctor permission to go, unless a “reasonable person” would determine the need is due to a life-threatening, loss of body part, or another serious issue that the doctor would retroactively Okay. I am not sure what you mean by HMO in your comment, but going to the ER is a tough choice if you can’t get your doctor on the phone before you leave home. Once you have left home, you have already decided to go, and it may not be covered. Other HMOs may be different, but ER visits are very infrequent for us. For example, Chest pain covered. Sore throat not. Cut needing stitches may be covered, but cut not needing stitches, not. Allergic reaction with trouble breathing covered. Allergic reaction that does not involve trouble breathing but less serious symptoms not. We are the same as you. I’m lucky enough to have only been to the ER twice and neither time was for me ( I better not of just jinxed myself!!). I shared above what an ER visit would cost me, but obviously not everyone has a high cost insurance like me. All the stories here prove that it must be free or very low cost for ER visits for those people. I just know in the past that HMO’s were great plans with low fees, which is why I assume the people I know who use the ER for every sniffle probably have a good HMO. Because I cannot see them paying hundreds in co-pays for all the times they go. I know they go because of course they have to post their poor me FB pics.
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,078
Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Jan 13, 2019 1:33:43 GMT
I don't know. I would think they would access their regular doctor since they wouldn't need to pay? Why would an HMO person go to ER more? Just curious we have a PPO and have a $250 deductible, but ER co-pay is $150 (urgent or reg dr is $30) I could be totally wrong because we haven’t been able to afford an HMO plan for quite a few years now. But back when we did have one, it was $5 for Dr visit, $5 prescriptions and I don’t think we had to pay for an ER visit. Knock on wood, but we never had to use the ER, so I could be wrong. My PPO, I’m paying 100% up to $600 and then 80% of their discounted rate until I hit my maximum out of pocket. So I would have to fully pay for an ER visit right now. We used urgent care for some stitches and that cost us $500 out of our pocket. I can’t even imagine what the ER would of been to put in 4 stitches. So that ladies visit for a Tylenol would of cost me $600. And sorry, but someone who goes to the ER for gum, Tylenol or any other non-emergency is not going to go to their normal Dr if healthcare is free. Unless they are made to somehow see their normal Dr first. I do wonder how other countries keep these ridiculous people out, but maybe it’s only the US that has special snowflakes? I have the HMO because when I had the PPO all I did was pay more money to pay more bills. I sympathize with you. I could pay more for the HSA plan, but paying the first 3000 per person out of pocket would keep us from going to the doctor. I’d pay more and feel like we could not go to the doctor. I don’t know who goes for free, but ERs in the US legally have to stabilize people before release. That means different things in different ERs, I believe.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 8, 2024 5:35:38 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2019 1:48:56 GMT
I was a telephonic triage nurse for almost 2 years. I could tell you stories..but my favorite was a caller who wanted to go to the ER for a small bruise on their side. No other symptoms. Did my triage told them to just watch at home and they then asked.......so you are saying I need an ambulance to the ER??? I can’t tell you how many would say..well I’m going to the ER anyway cause I don’t have to pay for it. On the sad side of this. A friend’s Husband called to see if he should go to the er because he had a pimple under his arm and a couple of small bruises on his side. The person on the phone said to stop using deodorant and the pimple would go away. It didn’t end well.
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edie3
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,466
Jun 26, 2014 1:03:18 GMT
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Post by edie3 on Jan 13, 2019 2:06:11 GMT
if you take a cab to the ER, you have to pay then. Ambulance you are billed for.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Jan 13, 2019 2:54:56 GMT
I don't know. I would think they would access their regular doctor since they wouldn't need to pay? Why would an HMO person go to ER more? Just curious we have a PPO and have a $250 deductible, but ER co-pay is $150 (urgent or reg dr is $30) I could be totally wrong because we haven’t been able to afford an HMO plan for quite a few years now. But back when we did have one, it was $5 for Dr visit, $5 prescriptions and I don’t think we had to pay for an ER visit. Knock on wood, but we never had to use the ER, so I could be wrong. My PPO, I’m paying 100% up to $600 and then 80% of their discounted rate until I hit my maximum out of pocket. So I would have to fully pay for an ER visit right now. We used urgent care for some stitches and that cost us $500 out of our pocket. I can’t even imagine what the ER would of been to put in 4 stitches. So that ladies visit for a Tylenol would of cost me $600. And sorry, but someone who goes to the ER for gum, Tylenol or any other non-emergency is not going to go to their normal Dr if healthcare is free. Unless they are made to somehow see their normal Dr first. I do wonder how other countries keep these ridiculous people out, but maybe it’s only the US that has special snowflakes? I have an HMO. It's a $15 copay for primary care visits; $25 for specialists (like dermatology). An ER copay is $75, credited against your account if you are admitted through the ER. My prescriptions fill at various rates depending on the tier of drug: $5 (or less, if the actual cost of the drug is less than $5), $15, $35, or not covered. And an ambulance ride costs $1000.
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Post by chitchatgirl on Jan 13, 2019 3:10:12 GMT
I was in the E.R at Christmas time with appendicitis. I was pretty shocked that I could hear everything happening with the lady next to me, down to her social security number. I once thought I was having an appendicitis and went to the ER. I'm in a semi private area only separated by curtains to the next patient. They did an ultrasound, then the doctor asked me if I've ever had an abortion. No, but is that something you can see in an ultrasound, is that something you casually ask people, how is that relevant? I’m guessing they asked you that because some people would try to DIY or some kind of weird back alley procedure to abort. That being said, if they asked me that I probably would have been thinking WTF too! Especially if I had appendicitis pain
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Post by freecharlie on Jan 13, 2019 3:28:14 GMT
I could be totally wrong because we haven’t been able to afford an HMO plan for quite a few years now. But back when we did have one, it was $5 for Dr visit, $5 prescriptions and I don’t think we had to pay for an ER visit. Knock on wood, but we never had to use the ER, so I could be wrong. My PPO, I’m paying 100% up to $600 and then 80% of their discounted rate until I hit my maximum out of pocket. So I would have to fully pay for an ER visit right now. We used urgent care for some stitches and that cost us $500 out of our pocket. I can’t even imagine what the ER would of been to put in 4 stitches. So that ladies visit for a Tylenol would of cost me $600. And sorry, but someone who goes to the ER for gum, Tylenol or any other non-emergency is not going to go to their normal Dr if healthcare is free. Unless they are made to somehow see their normal Dr first. I do wonder how other countries keep these ridiculous people out, but maybe it’s only the US that has special snowflakes? I have an HMO. It's a $15 copay for primary care visits; $25 for specialists (like dermatology). An ER copay is $75, credited against your account if you are admitted through the ER. My prescriptions fill at various rates depending on the tier of drug: $5 (or less, if the actual cost of the drug is less than $5), $15, $35, or not covered. And an ambulance ride costs $1000. what does credited against your account mean?
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,665
Location: Ohio
Jul 5, 2014 1:53:49 GMT
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Post by StephDRebel on Jan 13, 2019 4:58:11 GMT
Many years ago before electronic medical records, I saw an OP ER typed sheet where the person was there because they smoked some marijuana and now they felt "funny". Our police chiefs son had cake made with marijuana in Tupperware on the counter and the chief ate it late one night. He ended up taking himself to the emergency room. True story. We made the news for that and racist teenagers, God help us.
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scrappinspidey2
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,511
Location: In the Parlor with the Fly
Mar 18, 2015 19:19:37 GMT
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Post by scrappinspidey2 on Jan 13, 2019 5:02:31 GMT
I have an HMO. It's a $15 copay for primary care visits; $25 for specialists (like dermatology). An ER copay is $75, credited against your account if you are admitted through the ER. My prescriptions fill at various rates depending on the tier of drug: $5 (or less, if the actual cost of the drug is less than $5), $15, $35, or not covered. And an ambulance ride costs $1000. what does credited against your account mean? If you are admitted the basically waive the ER copay
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Post by PNWMom on Jan 13, 2019 5:08:39 GMT
My husband's coworker went to the ER for an ingrown toenail. He went to our work based urgent care clinic last week for shin splints. He's a pretty delicate flower.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Jan 13, 2019 5:43:39 GMT
I have an HMO. It's a $15 copay for primary care visits; $25 for specialists (like dermatology). An ER copay is $75, credited against your account if you are admitted through the ER. My prescriptions fill at various rates depending on the tier of drug: $5 (or less, if the actual cost of the drug is less than $5), $15, $35, or not covered. And an ambulance ride costs $1000. what does credited against your account mean? They come to collect the co-pay almost immediately in the ER. I think someone posted above about the billing person being one of the first people to see her? That's been my experience, too. So, if you get admitted from the ER, it's my insurer's policy to waive the ER co-pay. But you've already paid it. So rather than send you a refund check or issue a credit to your card, you see a $75 credit on the hospital bill. If you are discharged straight from the ER, then you're just billed with no $75 credit. It maybe helps that my insurer is the owner of the clinics/hospital I use, so the systems are probably linked differently than if I had like Blue Cross or an "independent" insurer not otherwise affiliated with the providers.
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Post by miominmio on Jan 13, 2019 6:37:06 GMT
and that is a person who probably isn't paying for their health care This is one of the many things I’ve wondered about if we ever get free universal healthcare. Will people be screened before being allowed in the ER and if it’s not deemed an emergency, are they told to leave? Can you even imagine what that would be like with telling that mom her little snowflakes fever isn’t important and the scene she would cause? Because someone who even thinks like this and that this is OK will not take no for an answer. They would either be told they will have to contact their primary care doctor or to wait. Ofcourse, if their issue isn’t an emergency, they will have to wait until there aren’t no emergencies, so I guess they will eventually (after a week or so) realise that contacting their own doctor would be the smart thing to do.
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Post by bearmom on Jan 13, 2019 13:13:44 GMT
I could be totally wrong because we haven’t been able to afford an HMO plan for quite a few years now. But back when we did have one, it was $5 for Dr visit, $5 prescriptions and I don’t think we had to pay for an ER visit. Knock on wood, but we never had to use the ER, so I could be wrong. My PPO, I’m paying 100% up to $600 and then 80% of their discounted rate until I hit my maximum out of pocket. So I would have to fully pay for an ER visit right now. We used urgent care for some stitches and that cost us $500 out of our pocket. I can’t even imagine what the ER would of been to put in 4 stitches. So that ladies visit for a Tylenol would of cost me $600. And sorry, but someone who goes to the ER for gum, Tylenol or any other non-emergency is not going to go to their normal Dr if healthcare is free. Unless they are made to somehow see their normal Dr first. I do wonder how other countries keep these ridiculous people out, but maybe it’s only the US that has special snowflakes? I have the HMO because when I had the PPO all I did was pay more money to pay more bills. I sympathize with you. I could pay more for the HSA plan, but paying the first 3000 per person out of pocket would keep us from going to the doctor. I’d pay more and feel like we could not go to the doctor. I don’t know who goes for free, but ERs in the US legally have to stabilize people before release. That means different things in different ERs, I believe. I’m surprised your HSA is more. For dh and I, that is the trade off. It costs less than our PPO plans so by the time we put the difference in our HSA accounts paying the deductible isn’t as hard to swallow. Not to mention preventative care is covered (annual visits, immunizations, etc), although I did pay an extra $35 for a 3D mammogram. We have enough in our HSAs now that we don’t really worry about most medical bills.
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,078
Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Jan 13, 2019 13:45:06 GMT
I have the HMO because when I had the PPO all I did was pay more money to pay more bills. I sympathize with you. I could pay more for the HSA plan, but paying the first 3000 per person out of pocket would keep us from going to the doctor. I’d pay more and feel like we could not go to the doctor. I don’t know who goes for free, but ERs in the US legally have to stabilize people before release. That means different things in different ERs, I believe. I’m surprised your HSA is more. For dh and I, that is the trade off. It costs less than our PPO plans so by the time we put the difference in our HSA accounts paying the deductible isn’t as hard to swallow. Not to mention preventative care is covered (annual visits, immunizations, etc), although I did pay an extra $35 for a 3D mammogram. We have enough in our HSAs now that we don’t really worry about most medical bills. Me too. The PPO is the most expensive to buy and new hires cannot choose it. It’s being phased out. The HSA is next in expense. Then we have two levels of HMO. I have the cheapest insurance, which is the lower HMO.
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Post by gryroagain on Jan 13, 2019 13:53:54 GMT
I’ve been to the ear twice for damn UTIs...not an emergency. But my husbands family lives in St Louis and there is NO in network dr available, insurance says I have to use the er. It is so frustrating!! Thankfully my SIL is a nurse and she calls around and finds the one with no wait, but it is absolutely ridiculous to go the er for a UTI. I could write the prescription my damn self after all these years of them. But if I don’t it won’t be covered and a visit will be 400 ish because urinalysis and all and out of pocket that is a lot.
So I’ve been the ridiculous person in the er, because I had no choice.
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Post by mcscrapper on Jan 13, 2019 14:01:19 GMT
As most of y'all know, I've been in the ER for 10+ years now. I will never say "I've seen it all," because every time I've even hinted at that thought, the next patient will be some foolishness.
I think the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen was a dude in his late 20s called from his office setting for an ambulance. His chief complaint was "bad review at work." I kid you not. I was the triage coordinator that day and taking all the incoming ambulance calls and placing all of the ER patients. The report was that he got a bad customer review and his supervisor was reprimanding him and he felt like he needed to come in to be evaluated. For what, I do not know. He was an asshat, too. He ended up coming right on out to the lobby and did not get placed on a bed.
As far as women coming in for pregnancy tests.... Sadly, that is an everyday occurrence. Women immediately get Medicaid as soon as she produces a positive pregnancy diagnosis and gets public assistance. A home pregnancy test will not suffice either. I've even seen some women call 911 for this. It is a total drain on our resources and we use the exact same pregnancy test that you can get at the Dollar General. Not kidding.
We have also seen our share of people that did not like the care they received at the ER down the street so would call 911 for an ambulance to pick them up there and bring them to our ER. I'm sure it went the other way around too.
I've seen folks call 911 for one year of back pain, common colds, UTI symptoms, 1 episode of vomiting, hang nails, and all sorts of possible broken extremity bones. Many of these folks have family that show up in the lobby from the same home before the patient does. I get that one might call 911 for a possible broken bone if there is no one to drive you or you have been drinking or it is an obvious broken bone. That, I don't have a problem with. It is the person that *might* have a broken pinky toe or some other injury that happened days ago and have now decided to come in to be seen. Bear in mind, we have several urgent care clinics and two specific ortho clinics nearby. Of course, you actually have to PAY for services there.
I've seen far too many patients being seen for stupid shit..... "My period is two days early / late." "Vaginal bleeding" but it is her normal time for her period. "Morning sickness" x2 days but did not call her OB. hangnail / ingrown toenail retained tampon "cold" as in I feel cold not a common cold virus STD testing foreign body in rectum / vag toothache medication refill - been out for WEEKS but is all of a sudden an emergency
I could go on and on for days. Don't get me started on what our "regulars" come in for. We had one patient that might call 911 3-4 times per DAY for some dumb complaint. It got so bad that the local ambulance company chief got involved with the PD. He would often call for transport and then get to the ED and if he didn't get a bed right away or got a doc he didn't like, he would leave the property, go across the street and call for another unit.
Sadly, EMS cannot refuse transport but often should. Non-emergent complaints are a real problem but folks just do not see it that way. They abuse the 911 system and the whole community suffers. My dh is a fire fighter / medic and they run a lot of medical calls out of his station. The BS complaints take his crew away from true emergencies at times and slows them down. They get calls ALL THE TIME for "list assist" too. That is when an ambulance crew arrives on scene and the patient is obese and living not he third floor in some apartment and they cannot get him/her down the steps even with a lift chair. They've even been called for a lift assist to get someone to and from the bathroom. Really? THAT is a medical emergency at 0200?
If I think of a really good story after my coffee, I'll get back to y'all. I try to block it out sometimes!
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