Author Topic: How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital  (Read 646 times)

Offline rpm

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« on: October 19, 2006, 06:11:03 PM »
The past week or two I have been having some chest pain. I have been trying to locate my doctor, who has mysteriously disappeared, to make an appointment. Yesterday one of my employees noticed I was having problems and she more or less bullied me into going to the ER to have it checked out.

We have a brand spanking new 5 floor hospital here. There has been much hype over it and how it will serve the county. Most of the residents think it's more than we need or can afford right now. But, I digress.

I walk into the ER, check in and explain my problem and tell them I think it's bronchitis. They get me in, work me up. I have a heart monitor, pulse ox and whatever else they can find hooked up to me and everything looks fine. My BP is a little high (160/100) but I hadn't taken my BP meds before I went to work.

The ER Doctor comes back and says I look fine, but they are going to admit me anyway. ADMIT? Whoa there buckaroo, it's time for let's make a deal. "You don't think I'm serious, I don't think I'm serious. Let me go home and I'll promise to follow up with my Doc or another clinic." He says that's fine, just sign out AMA and I can go. But, my insurance won't pay for anything if I do.

Rock, meet hard place. I wind up being admitted then poked and prodded all night long. For some reason they ordered nitroglycerin patches for me so I had a wonderful 18 hour headache. Since I missed my BP meds, they were nice enough to give them to me by injection in my belly....twice.

After meeting with another doctor this afternoon they agree to discharge me. Total damage, 18 hour stay, $24,370.00 . BTW, my chest still hurts and they gave me nothing for the bronchitis.:huh
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Offline bj229r

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2006, 06:21:52 PM »
Sad thing is, all the tests could have shown negative, they send ya home with some bronchitis meds...and ya keel over from some  1 in a million thing that no normal test would ever have shown.....your wife sues them for negligence for 87 million dollars...wins
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Offline Debonair

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2006, 06:23:34 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by rpm
The past week or two I have been having some chest pain. I have been trying to locate my doctor, who has mysteriously disappeared, to make an appointment. Yesterday one of my employees noticed I was having problems and she more or less bullied me into going to the ER to have it checked out.

We have a brand spanking new 5 floor hospital here. There has been much hype over it and how it will serve the county. Most of the residents think it's more than we need or can afford right now. But, I digress.

I walk into the ER, check in and explain my problem and tell them I think it's bronchitis. They get me in, work me up. I have a heart monitor, pulse ox and whatever else they can find hooked up to me and everything looks fine. My BP is a little high (160/100) but I hadn't taken my BP meds before I went to work.

The ER Doctor comes back and says I look fine, but they are going to admit me anyway. ADMIT? Whoa there buckaroo, it's time for let's make a deal. "You don't think I'm serious, I don't think I'm serious. Let me go home and I'll promise to follow up with my Doc or another clinic." He says that's fine, just sign out AMA and I can go. But, my insurance won't pay for anything if I do.

Rock, meet hard place. I wind up being admitted then poked and prodded all night long. For some reason they ordered nitroglycerin patches for me so I had a wonderful 18 hour headache. Since I missed my BP meds, they were nice enough to give them to me by injection in my belly....twice.

After meeting with another doctor this afternoon they agree to discharge me. Total damage, 18 hour stay, $24,370.00 . BTW, my chest still hurts and they gave me nothing for the bronchitis.:huh


PWN3D!!

Offline Thrawn

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Re: How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2006, 06:27:41 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by rpm
After meeting with another doctor this afternoon they agree to discharge me. Total damage, 18 hour stay, $24,370.00 . BTW, my chest still hurts and they gave me nothing for the bronchitis.:huh



Dear mother of god!  How could that possibly cost over 24 grand?!  :confused:

Offline rpm

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Re: Re: How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2006, 06:31:50 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Thrawn
Dear mother of god!  How could that possibly cost over 24 grand?!  :confused:
Asprin $8, Hospital logo cup $40, ect...
My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.
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Offline DiabloTX

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Re: Re: Re: How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2006, 06:52:26 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by rpm
Asprin $8, Hospital logo cup $40, ect...


Lawyer fee $23,000
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Offline ByeBye

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2006, 06:56:01 PM »
Only sissies go to the ER for chest pains!

Offline CavemanJ

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Re: Re: How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2006, 07:14:31 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Thrawn
Dear mother of god!  How could that possibly cost over 24 grand?!  :confused:


Medical coding and billing is a bigger racket than insurance is.

His insurance will only end up paying 1/10-1/8 of that... but if you don't have insurance.... get ready for the bill collectors to start calling wanting thier 24 grand.

Offline Delirium

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2006, 09:01:51 PM »
If you're having chest pain and they cannot rule out some type of cardiac event, you will always spend about 9 hours in the hospital. Certain enzymes are released by 'dead' cardiac muscle and are present approx 8 hours after the event.
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Offline mora

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2006, 06:23:44 AM »
What you need is a socialist healthcare!

Offline Eagler

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Re: Re: Re: How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2006, 06:45:36 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by CavemanJ
Medical coding and billing is a bigger racket than insurance is.

His insurance will only end up paying 1/10-1/8 of that... but if you don't have insurance.... get ready for the bill collectors to start calling wanting thier 24 grand.


the bill would have been much less if he were a "cash" customer.
it's all a scam. the docs bill $500 knowing they'll only get $150 from the insurance company. United Health Care has dropped the hospital 5 minutes from the house as they wanted more money. My doc of 10 years dropped UHC in jan 06 for the same reason. Just read they do not cover Moffit Cancer Centers anymore ..
As bad as it is, it'd only be worse if the gov ran the show. Can you imagine a "DMV" mentality health industry? If/when that happens, I think I'd just stay home and die in peace before I  dealt with some 300lb, don't give a rats arse democrat sitting behind the hospital admin desk like they do at the drivers license place now ...
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Offline Masherbrum

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2006, 06:54:03 AM »
I hope all is well rpm, but yeah that is fluffied up.
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Offline Shamus

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Re: Re: Re: How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2006, 12:02:59 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by CavemanJ
Medical coding and billing is a bigger racket than insurance is.

His insurance will only end up paying 1/10-1/8 of that... but if you don't have insurance.... get ready for the bill collectors to start calling wanting thier 24 grand.


Ya got that right, but even if you have the insurance, the deductable and co-pays are based on the high figure not the low PPO figures that the insurance companies pay..what a racket.

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Offline lasersailor184

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2006, 12:39:58 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by mora
What you need is a socialist healthcare!


Sure, why not?  Instead of you paying for it, we'll pay for it!

:rolleyes:





Mora, you've just lost your posting priviledges for a day.
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Offline J_A_B

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How We Are Paying For Our New Hospital
« Reply #14 on: October 20, 2006, 01:17:00 PM »
The healthcare industry is corrupt and rotten to the core.  Don't trust a word they say--NOT A WORD.  All they care about is your money, and how to steal as much of it as possible.  

RPM had a typical experience.  Don't laugh at his misfortune, because it'll likely happen to you at some point as well.

It only gets worse as you get older.  I know, I used to work in the industry.  Once you're elderly, do NOT trust the healthcare industry to do anything except look for any possible excuse to deprive you of your rights and suck you dry.  When I get old, I hope I have the presence of mind to put a bullet through my forehead before the industry gets its greasy tendrils wrapped around me.  I've seen the results of both options firsthand, and given a choice, the bullet is the *far* better option.  I know entirely to many people who refused to believe me when I told them how horrible it is, only to admit I was right all along after it's too late.  The elderly are treated so bad, it's hard to believe it unless you experience it.  I know lots of people who wish they'd killed themselves when they had the chance.  Life in a lockdown prison is no life at all, it's torture, and the only crime the people committed is getting old.

With the baby boomers growing older and the health care industry already stretched thin (it's more profitable to cut staff, remember), expect things to only get worse.


J_A_B