Total bill for my hospital stay last year

[maniacmechanic]

PC I feel for ya , this won't make things any easier i'm sure

about the medical system , i've read all the posts & all I have to say is this ; I'll pay my own way , at this point I pay about 100$ a week for health insurance , I'm 49 , the last time I was in the hospital I was 17 & had my appendix removed , I thank God i'm lucky & healthy
The biggest problem with Insurance is ( & PC will tell ya this ) they don't want to & will go to extremes to get out of paying the bill , even though you have been paying premiums for years & years , hey they got stockholders to answer to

And then we can get on the doctor subject , when I was young ( sooo long ago ) the doctors that I knew did thier job for the love of helping people , I think now it's mostly a cash cow , now I know they have to go to school for all those years ect , ect , but what they charge now days isn't it a little high ? & what happened to the General Practitioner , you know the Dr who was taught everything , now if you stub your toe you have to go to 3 specialists

Remember , I am just a mechanic I don't know nuting

[grEnAlEins]

And then we can get on the doctor subject , when I was young ( sooo long ago ) the doctors that I knew did thier job for the love of helping people , I think now it's mostly a cash cow , now I know they have to go to school for all those years ect , ect , but what they charge now days isn't it a little high ? & what happened to the General Practitioner , you know the Dr who was taught everything , now if you stub your toe you have to go to 3 specialists

I would not say that most doctors use it as a cash cow. General practitioners do still exist. I see mine every time I need medical help. The reason for all of the specialists that are around now is that there is way too much for one person to know now. We know way more information in way more sub-fields than we used to.

The reason things are so expensive has to do with the cost of schooling, cost of living, cost of supplies, cost of rent/building/land, taxes, liability insurance, lawsuits, insurance for malpractice lawsuits, patients who default on payment, and a host of other issues.

As for the insurance companies trying to weasel out of obligations, it is inexcusable.

[michbich]

For 100$ a week, would that cover everything? Let's say you're diagnosed with cancer tomorrow, would you be completly covered? Or would you have to fight the insurance company?

Let's say I move to the US, what would be a ballpark amount to get completly covered?

[SFFRONTMAN]

Thats why im glad I work for the city, dont have to wory about medical or dental care.

[maniacmechanic]

For 100$ a week, would that cover everything? Let's say you're diagnosed with cancer tomorrow, would you be completly covered? Or would you have to fight the insurance company?

Let's say I move to the US, what would be a ballpark amount to get completly covered?

if your are asking me , the answer is NO , I still have a deductable , a co-pay every time I see a Doctor , what the Ins wil pay is vairable , most stuff they will only pay 80% of if that much, & they also have a max payout , on perscriptions it's close to the same , co -pay on everything & some stuff they won't pay any
and if it happens to be what they determine as a preexisting condition , they will do thier best not to pay at all
you get hurt bad or sick bad in the states & it will bankrupt you

[grEnAlEins]

For 100$ a week, would that cover everything? Let's say you're diagnosed with cancer tomorrow, would you be completly covered? Or would you have to fight the insurance company?

Let's say I move to the US, what would be a ballpark amount to get completly covered?

Would an insurance plan for $400 a month completely cover you? It can depending on your insurance. I would be covered at an acceptable level for that amount. $20 copays for office visits and specialists, $0 copay for emergency or accident care, $5M lifetime coverage, $1K annual limit on my out of pocket costs excluding deductible, no referrals needed to see a specialist, 0% coinsurance after deductible (100% coverage after deductible). With a $1000 deductible would cost me about $160 per month and with a $250 deductible it would cost me about $215 monthly (with no deductible for emergency care). With the deductibles and copays added it is comparable to $400 monthly. So yes I would be covered for near that price point. Also it is important to note that when I do not need treatment it is substantially cheaper (~50%) than $400 monthly.

Would I have to fight with the insurance company to get my entitled coverage? Possibly. I have had to fight with them twice before (long story), but after a phone call and fax they cut a check withing 24 hours. It was not a big deal. Granted I have great insurance (similar to the above) from a great company (actually the same company that provided the above policies. Those are actual estimates for me. I pretended to be an interested potential customer ).

How old are you? Where would you live? Smoker? Pre-existing conditions? What type of coverage would you be looking for? It really depends. There is an insane amount of variability.

If I do get diagnosed with cancer tomorrow, you will receive a punch in the gut for jinxing me.

[MANN]

HSA FTW. I had it at my previous employer it was great. I am young so all I did was make money. IMO that is the best route espically if you can start young.

Most ins companies have a yearly deductible of ~ 1k. (both mine and my wifes do. they are with seperate carriers too)

I have seen the govs way of running social security, wall street, etc. I dont want them running anything for me. Screw SS. I will have my own retirement. Screw public healthcare. I will have my own (even if it means meeting with my dr on the weekend or on the boat on home game days. we have done it before, and I am sure he wont care to do it again).

If you decide to let others run/control/dictate your life you will always end up on the losing side.

ninja edit:
My previous employer I was able to do work with people all over the world. including CA and UK. I had many people from both companies who always put down their health care systems. One guy in CA brought his wife to the states to have her child because he said it was "the best in the world". One of the guys in the UK got a call about his kid being sick. His statement to his wife was "Only take her to XXX hospital" After his phone call he told me that that was a private hospital, and that was the only way to get good care there.

I dont know about you guys, but every time something is free people take it. Giving away health care is no different. It will do nothing but clog our hospitals with .

Huh Similar to how giving away loans to those not worthy clogged our financial institute.

[Pneumagger]

If everyone in America thinks healthcare is expensive now... just wait until it's free.

[MANN]

Sorry about your situation martin. I am sure you will make it through it. IIRC hospital loans do not gain interest. IIRC they also will usually allow you to bite off little pieces at a time.

Just remember God kept you on this earth for a reason. I am sure that he will help you through this time. I am sure your story/experience will help others stray away from making similar situations. Hopefully I will get to see you in a month at AO south.

[michbich]

I guess we have totaly different views since we haven't experienced both sides. Both have their positives and negatives.

[grEnAlEins]

I guess we have totaly different views since we haven't experienced both sides. Both have their positives and negatives.

Probably the case. What I will do is ask my neighbors. It sounds dumb, but two of them are from Canadia and two are from Deutschland. Unfortunately, I will not see them for 17 months and will likely not remember to ask :rofl:

[grEnAlEins]

Back to the issue at hand

Punkncat,

As I said above, I feel for ya man. I think that something good will happen for you. You seem like a really good guy, and something will work itself out for you. Keep your sense of humor, your good spirits, and faith. You'll be fine. My thoughts are with you and I wish you the very best.

-Nick

[punkncat]

and if it happens to be what they determine as a preexisting condition , they will do thier best not to pay at all

Yeah, this is the part that REALLY scares me. When or if I ever lose or become ineligible for the policy I have now, that will be the end of any coverage for prosthesis and related care for the whole issue. It will all be pre existing and not covered.

[michbich]

Yeah, this is the part that REALLY scares me. When or if I ever lose or become ineligible for the policy I have now, that will be the end of any coverage for prosthesis and related care for the whole issue. It will all be pre existing and not covered.

So if i understand correctly, you're stuck with that policy, and if you decide to change it, you will not be covered anymore? Can they terminate the policy without any "valid" reason?

[grEnAlEins]

So if i understand correctly, you're stuck with that policy, and if you decide to change it, you will not be covered anymore? Can they terminate the policy without any "valid" reason?

Lol, what is your definition of valid?

They give you terms by which they can terminate coverage. Some of the companies/policies are not very forgiving... Many policies and companies are downright cruddy.

There are plans that will cover pre-existing conditions, but I understand that these can be expensive and not necessarily comprehensive. I cannot say for certain as I have never really looked into it.

It is also different state to state.

Punkncat, you should look into HIPAA protections and your state's laws governing this. If you have group insurance (through work) then you might not have an issue.