DH just went to the doctor a week ago for a lump in his foot, thought to be a gangleonic (sp?) cyst. After one doctor visit, two specialist visits, one x-ray, and one MRI, he found out today that they think it is a "strained tendon" and recommended he see a physical therapist and get orthotics. Our total cost: $18 copay x 5 = $90. However, I did get the statements from our health insurance and had a touch of sticker shock.
x-ray: $75 (ins. paid $36)
primary care physician (who referred to the specialist): $60 (ins. paid $45)
initial consult with the specialist (this is the one that got me): $235 to see the nurse practitioner! (ins. paid $111).
Follow-up appt. with specialist to read MRI: $100
cost of MRI: ???
So, if we did not have good health insurance, we could have easily paid $500 out of pocket to find out he has a strained tendon (and that's not counting the PT or expensive orthotics yet). Ouch. My sympathies to everyone who struggles with this issue. DH and I are truely lucky to have never been caught without health insurance. Even though we have had jobs that did not pay well, we always had a health insurance provider.
I have just finished watching my parents assist my brother and SIL to obtain insurance. They were just kicked off Family Health Plus due to a rise in income and needed to get something ASAP. I was not involved in the process, but I did hear them bat around numbers like $10k per year for coverage! I don't know what my brother makes (he is a partner to my father on the family farm), but I know it's not much above $30k. How are families expected to do this????
(oh, and I forgot to mention that I just found out that my cat needs to have surgery to have another lump removed - to the tune of $300-400. Just when you think you have everything caught up!)
health care rants
January 24th, 2008 at 01:31 am
January 24th, 2008 at 01:43 am 1201139030
January 24th, 2008 at 02:01 am 1201140086
The only redeeming factor are the terrific folks in medical service. I really appreciate how hard it must be for dedicated healers to work in a system everyday where sick people have to wait for hours and hours to get treatment. I know I would get burned out pretty quick.
It seems to be one of those tricky dilemmas where no one is really satisfied with what we have, but no one feels that they have the power to change it either.