health care issues

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Jovialation
Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
in Chit-Chat
So yesterday I just got myself checked out for severe migraines and have my thyroid tested...and paid $100 just to be there because I have no insurance. I still haven't gotten the bill for the thyroid test and visit.
The doc did what she could to lower costs of being a new patient and actually recommended that I didnt do the physical and pap exam. She also told me to call someone that worked in their billing dept today about how much it would cost to do those without the "new patient" charge of your first visit.
The physical would be about $240, the pap about $140, sending in the pap test $90, any blood work she said she couldn't say as it would depend on what kind of blood work I had done. I'd still also have to pay the $100 for coming in uninsured.

THATS $600 FOR THE SIMPLEST, MOST IMPORTANT, AND MOST BASIC OF MEDICAL PROCEDURES.
All because I have no insurance. All because the insurance companies rip off the doctors and labs until they have to over charge the uninsured to be making ANY money.

This hurts my brain and kind of depresses me. Anyone else have any opinions on this whole thing?

Health care is a joke. I don't care what the politicians are doing to "fix" it, but I have a feeling none of it is going to work and long as insurance companies have their hands in everyones pockets.:sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :explode: :explode: :grumble:
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  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    Do you have a county health department? You should go there instead of going to a private doctor. Or at least call to ask their prices. When I didn't have insurance (and I have a $3000 deductible plan & a health savings account now), I went to my county health department for my well-woman exams (exam & pap) & it cost about $100 for everything. If you have low income, there's a "family planning" benefit that's part of medicaid that will pay a portion (or all), which I used to get my exams and birth control when I was in college. But where I live (SC), if you make more than $20,000/year or so medicaid won't cover anything. I know there' s a stigma associated with going to the public health department, but whatever. My tax dollars are paying for it, so I may as well use it IMO.

    A simple pap should really not cost $140.00 but more like $20.00-$30.00. Were they including the exam with that?
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I feel the smae way.....thank god i'm poor and can get on medical....but before i did i had a massive tooth infection, but no insurance....and it was extremely abcessed...so i would have to take a saftey pin and pop it to get the junk out of my gum like two times a day(sorry if that was tmi) but i couldn't even afford to get my teeth looked at by a doctor....and medical doesn't even cover dental work anymore, but i was able to get antibiotics from the regular doctor to heal it.......but what i think they should do is if you want the new government health insurance do it, but if you like your insurance you should be able to keep it. I don't think you should HAVE to switch.
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
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    they were including the exam with that, yes.

    I dont know if I have a county health department. I had already desperately searched for all sorts of clinics and help for the uninsured and only found places Id never trust.

    I really love this doctor, shes awesomely nice and really tries to make things as cheap as possible...but I couldnt really afford to go there.
    I havent looked into medicaid because Im not working right now and my bf pays for everything, but I suppose I could look into it.

    Either way...health care for the uninsured shouldnt be that ridiculous and people shouldnt be forced to desperately search for clinics and public health places that oftentimes treat you like they just want you to get in and get out when people with insurance take full advantage of health care they dont even need.
    I dont know. Whatever.
  • amberc1982
    amberc1982 Posts: 468 Member
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    I was in the same boat. Back in February I went to my doctor for some blood work and a pap. They told me that they marked it down as much as they could for me since I don't have insurance. I got charged 200 for the pap. I had to go back the following day for the blood work because none of the nurses or doctors there that day could get my vein to draw any blood. So I went back the following day. Again they told me that they would mark it down as much as they could. They charged me 140 for the blood work. I had to pay the 200 and the 140 right at the time of visit. Then 2 weeks later I got a bill from the Doctor's office stating I owed another 75 for one thing and 50 for another. I called to complain and the nurse tried to tell me that she told me there would be other fees but at the time of my visit she wasn't sure how much they would be. NOT... She never told me anything. So after argueing with her abt everything. She said that she could get my 75 dollar charge dropped but the other would have to stay and that she would send me a revised bill. I got the bill a week later and for some reason they did drop the 75 but charged me 90 instead of 50 for the other. When I called back I got the run around. So I ended up having to pay it. After the last doctor's bill came and was paid I got a bill from the lab company charging me 45 for my pap. HELLO... I already paid the doctors office for this. So I called the doctors office and they said that they needed the lab to call them to discuss. So I called the lab and they said they needed the doctor's office to call them. So after calling the doctors office again I was given a number for their billing department and they said they would take care of calling the lab. I tried to call the billing department first and guess what???? The number was wrong. To this day I am still fighting the 45 dollar charge from the lab company. I hate doctors....
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
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    Well honestly go to planned parenthood or a clinic of some sort for birth control or pap smears....they are free.....
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
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    I was in the same boat. Back in February I went to my doctor for some blood work and a pap. They told me that they marked it down as much as they could for me since I don't have insurance. I got charged 200 for the pap. I had to go back the following day for the blood work because none of the nurses or doctors there that day could get my vein to draw any blood. So I went back the following day. Again they told me that they would mark it down as much as they could. They charged me 140 for the blood work. I had to pay the 200 and the 140 right at the time of visit. Then 2 weeks later I got a bill from the Doctor's office stating I owed another 75 for one thing and 50 for another. I called to complain and the nurse tried to tell me that she told me there would be other fees but at the time of my visit she wasn't sure how much they would be. NOT... She never told me anything. So after argueing with her abt everything. She said that she could get my 75 dollar charge dropped but the other would have to stay and that she would send me a revised bill. I got the bill a week later and for some reason they did drop the 75 but charged me 90 instead of 50 for the other. When I called back I got the run around. So I ended up having to pay it. After the last doctor's bill came and was paid I got a bill from the lab company charging me 45 for my pap. HELLO... I already paid the doctors office for this. So I called the doctors office and they said that they needed the lab to call them to discuss. So I called the lab and they said they needed the doctor's office to call them. So after calling the doctors office again I was given a number for their billing department and they said they would take care of calling the lab. I tried to call the billing department first and guess what???? The number was wrong. To this day I am still fighting the 45 dollar charge from the lab company. I hate doctors....
    see! this is what Im talking about! This stuff is ridiculous. People are just trying to stay healthy. Preventative healthcare SHOULD ALWAYS be cheap. Its just not fair
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
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    Well honestly go to planned parenthood or a clinic of some sort for birth control or pap smears....they are free.....
    Oh I planned on looking into that. I just figured while I was already at a doctor and they were asking me about whether I wanted to get a physical and pap with them Id look into it.
    I used to go to planned parenthood in WI when I lived with my parents and they were great.
    Pap and birth control arent always free there, though. Depends on if you qualify for local help and such. I qualified in WI, hopefully Ill qualify out here in Chicagoland.
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    Thank God I live in Canada!! That would not have cost me a penny
  • isadoraworkman
    isadoraworkman Posts: 205 Member
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    I'm living in Canada and probably don't understand most of what you're going through...but I echo the statement about planned parenthood. We have them here, and they provide exams and free birth control for folks who cannot afford it or don't have a private health plan. I also generally find them quite sensitive and helpful.
    Good luck
  • isadoraworkman
    isadoraworkman Posts: 205 Member
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    That does cost us...we pay taxes for it...which I am happy to do..:smile:
  • paddlemom
    paddlemom Posts: 682 Member
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    Wow....say what you want about high taxes, long wait times or socialist agendas....you make me grateful that in Ontario I can at least get a well woman check or some antibiotics without checking my budget first! I never really knew what basic health charges were like when you have to pay them up front - you only hear about the mega bucks for major treatments!!! I hope you can find a good solution for you...:flowerforyou:
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
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    yeah they broke the news to me i was preg the first time...and i cried in the womans office for like 15 mins lol.....but they are always soooo nice....but the thing that sucks is the wait...and you see like 14 yr old girls in there too....i dind't even know what a penis truly looked like at 14 let alone needed to prevent myself from one.
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I hate that all these rich people are complaining about maybe having to pay more taxes....i hardly make any money and i get taxed 25% of everything i make because i'm a hairdresser.....i would like people to get taxed 1/4 of what they make and see how they like it.....whatever happened to flat tax? we need ross pero for prez lol....he said everyone should get taxed %13......how can that not make sense????
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
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    LOL @ dumb_blondes I know how you feel. I was so confused as to who else was in there with me when I went to planned parenthood. I found one in another suburb about 20 minutes from me and Im going to call them and see what costs are like if you qualify for discount...or just make an appt for an exam and birth control. Im almost out of pills anyway and dont wanna go through the month or 2 it takes for it to get back into your system if you stop taking it.



    and I really wish I was living in Canada right now. Between my thyroid possibly being messed up, the migraines, and random other issues I wish I was free to explore just to have piece of mind...itd be so nice to be able to do that without worrying that the bf wont have any money to spend on my birthday next month! :tongue:
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    Wow....say what you want about high taxes, long wait times or socialist agendas....you make me grateful that in Ontario I can at least get a well woman check or some antibiotics without checking my budget first! I never really knew what basic health charges were like when you have to pay them up front - you only hear about the mega bucks for major treatments!!! I hope you can find a good solution for you...:flowerforyou:

    My parents both needed a lot of medical care before they passed away. My Mom was in hospital for a week in intensive care with her heart and my Dad was in hospital for 4 weeks with pancreatic cancer before he was moved to a hospice. They had a million medications, top notch care and the cost to the family was $0.

    I have my physical yearly along with a mammogram twice a year ( family risks) , all the blood tests etc and don't pay a dime.

    Sure my taxes may be higher...but I wouldn't trade our health care for anything. My step daughter lives in Georgia. She is 19 and she can't even get an insurance comapny to look at her because she had a couple of medical issues. How sad.
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
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    I hate that all these rich people are complaining about maybe having to pay more taxes....i hardly make any money and i get taxed 25% of everything i make because i'm a hairdresser.....i would like people to get taxed 1/4 of what they make and see how they like it.....whatever happened to flat tax? we need ross pero for prez lol....he said everyone should get taxed %13......how can that not make sense????
    Im a big fan of Ron Paul personally. He wants the best for everyone from what I can tell.
    Either way we're not gonna get our third party men in there to fix anything because everything is so black and white in the US.
    The rich complain that they might have to help out the poorer folks while they have so much money they dont know what to do with it, the middle class are stuck paying more taxes than they can afford while being told they make too much for public help, and the poor are looked at like they put themselves in that situation on purpose.
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I hate that all these rich people are complaining about maybe having to pay more taxes....i hardly make any money and i get taxed 25% of everything i make because i'm a hairdresser.....i would like people to get taxed 1/4 of what they make and see how they like it.....whatever happened to flat tax? we need ross pero for prez lol....he said everyone should get taxed %13......how can that not make sense????
    Im a big fan of Ron Paul personally. He wants the best for everyone from what I can tell.
    Either way we're not gonna get our third party men in there to fix anything because everything is so black and white in the US.
    The rich complain that they might have to help out the poorer folks while they have so much money they dont know what to do with it, the middle class are stuck paying more taxes than they can afford while being told they make too much for public help, and the poor are looked at like they put themselves in that situation on purpose.

    For reals! i'm considered poor...casue i made liek 4000 dollars....but i had to pay 670 dollars to fed and like 80 dollars or so to state......buttt i work two jobs......they dont' pay much but its not like i'm not trying....
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
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    yea its funny how people that do hair or waitress get looked at like they just dont matter. Ive done waitressing and its amazing how little you can make and then even your tips get taxed as if your measely pay wasnt bad enough.
    Its painful to see how many friends and family are working their butts off and still cant afford to get basic medical care, much less afford their regular bills.
    ...but so many of them are living beyond their means by going out of buying things just so they dont have to sit in the house and think about their situation all day.
    Its a vicious thing, really.
  • CrystalT
    CrystalT Posts: 862 Member
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    My best friend works for a doctor who doesn't provide medical insurance to her employees. She has tried to get private insurance and has been repeatedly denied because of her weight. She is completely healthy other than that. Last year, she broke her foot. The poor girl had no insurance to get the testing she needs. The doctor she works for helped her as much as possible, but the recovery was much slower because it wasn't the care she could have gotten if she had insurance.

    It is really sad that there are so many people who are against health care reform. I wish there was some way to know how many people are without health care and are still against it. I just can't believe anyone who has been in the situation of needing care and not being able to afford it would be against changing the way things are. Saving people's lives shouldn't be a money making industry.
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
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    "Saving people's lives shouldn't be a money making industry."
    No truer thing has been typed. Its really very sad how the insurance companies, the law offices (suing for REALLY dumb reasons), and even some doctors and hospitals see it as just a way to make money and not a way to help those in need.

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