Okay, don't believe me -

[kyburg]

Believe these guys. After the first two, I decided it was time for a cross-post. Obviously, this is getting to be a pattern today (and I haven't gone into the FL 40 entries yet):

Whenever at a hospital with no insurance, ask to speak with billing (or have a representative speak with billing) BEFORE services are rendered [unless emergency] and apply for any and all discount services they offer.

Some have sliding scales based on income. Some waive certain fees if there is no health insurance. Some will help you apply for medicare/medicaid assistance.

The hospitals, well the not-for-profit ones anyway, will often bend over backwards to make sure that you are taken care of, but the earlier you ask for financial assistance (for hardship reasons) the better.

Because?

About two months ago she was in a head-on accident with another car were her airbag deployed preventing serious injury. But she was badly bruised up and instead of going to she medical help - she resorted to 'self medication'.

In her case - taking 5 to 6 Tylenol at a time, and chasing them down with alcohol. This is a recipe for disaster.


So instead of coming up with a few hundred dollars or so for medical checkup and prescription - she is about to lose her house, new car and possibly even her life. Currently she has been moved to another hospital in Carrollton, where she is receiving 24-hour/round the clock dialysis on a liver-kidney dialysis machine. Even if she survives (which isn't definite at this point) - her life will be permnamently changed.

And all to save on paying some medical bills.. dr_nebula called it "pouring gasoline on a fire" - and he's dead nuts on.

Guys.

Get seen.

Seriously. You want my credentials? Ask away - but the two people above can tell you if you don't believe me.

That said, if you don't have the cash? Dude, there's always food at my house. I'm sitting here thinking about the stuff I have in the cupboards spare right now - I can compensate for the fifty bucks or so in groceries. Go get seen.

Reminds me. I'm due for my yearlies - I just haven't wanted to be away from work to do it.

I've told you I HATE leaving work for appointments. Okay.

Comments

[dr-nebula.livejournal.com]

It's an insane and very sad situation derived from the high cost of medical insurance and basic fear. And it was totally preventable - or at least in her case this would have never manifested so quickly in 'normal times'.


Thanks for bringing this to attention, btw..

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Don't forget how absolutely mind-bending denial can be. It's just a bottle of Tylenol. It's just a couple of beers.

I am so so sorry. This has to be killing everyone who loves her.

[pagawne.livejournal.com]

God help your friend, because from what you said, that is about her only hope at this point. Most hospital billing offices will take as little as $20.00 a month forever if need be. They can also help you get on programs that see to it you can get medical care. I know, I did it once upon a time.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Ask anyone who knows me. I'm absolute death on getting seen if you suspect something is amiss - even for reasonable pain relief for a bumped shin.

This is why. Not the first, last or only story of its kind in my repertory either. I'm a hospital brat - and the widow of a type I diabetic.

[pagawne.livejournal.com]

You too? Momma was an R.N. and taught nursing, Dad was a lab and x-ray tech.
I have worked hospitals as office help, ward clerk, aide, and (too often) death watch on my own family. I hate those places, and getting me into one is not easy unless you can convince me it is really necessary. Then I grit my teeth and just do what I have to.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I'm just the opposite - it's old home week for me, walking into a facility.

Anyone who runs one should fear me, though. I know how they go together, and I know who to call when things Aren't Right. And I do. Boy, do I.

(I also dare anyone to keep me from getting to someone at any time of the night or day. Visiting hours? Pish.)

[pagawne.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah. I have also been known to bluntly tell doctors that the M.D. after their name does NOT mean Multiple of the Deity.

[dabroots.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the reminder, although it's never far from my mind.

I'm coming up on the end of my medication for ulcerative colitis that was prescribed during my short period of being insured, late spring/early summer of this year. A couple of years ago, I foolishly put off seeking out a doctor and just hoped I wouldn't get a bad flareup, but I got one and I was quite ill for nearly a year. I'm told that Pittsburgh is a good place to be if one doesn't have insurance. New York was tricky, but once I got it, it was there for me.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Talk about being motivated. My wonderful mystery poo disease this summer was as close as I ever want to get to that class of sick in my entire life.

I remember hearing about how best Boston was, once upon a time. I also heard how great it was to come to California - though I'd wonder now.

[ionotter.livejournal.com]

When it comes to going to the ER without insurance, it's probably better to simply lie and say you've got insurance. Even better if you have an expired policy and insurance card.

Why?

If they think you've got insurance, they'll charge you the minimum rates for everything, because they know the insurance company will only pay so much. But if they know you DON'T have insurance, they'll charge you anywhere from 50-300% more, because they know they've got you over a barrel.

When you get the bill from your insurance company over a non-existent policy, just that that to the hospital and tell them your insurer won't pay it, so you'll take care of it yourself.

It's risky, but it'll cost you a hell of a lot less than if you tell the truth and go without insurance.

Of course, it'd cost you even LESS if you actually have insurance in the first place...

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

There are companies that issue "discount" cards for a yearly fee. I've had them, and can vouch for this approach. Pathetic, isn't it?

[foogod.livejournal.com]

Ugh. That really sucks.

In my opinion, though, the question of whether or not to go to the hospital is really missing the point of this example. Even if she hadn't seen someone, it sounds like she might still have been more or less ok, or at least not nearly as badly off as she is now. It's still an issue, but it's not really the issue.

The thing that this exemplifies that really needs to be stressed, IMO, is you need to take the warnings on medication labels seriously. We're really lucky, in this day and age, that we have a wide array of OTC medications which are all reasonably safe and effective, but this lulls people into a false sense of security, and far too many people think that just because something is OTC that it's completely safe, no matter what you do with it, and that's just not true.

The unfortunate thing is if she'd picked a different pain killer than Tylenol, she'd probably be in much better shape right now. Tylenol is a great pain-killer and better than a lot of other things in many cases, but it can have really nasty (kidney failure) consequences if you really overdo it or you mix it with the wrong things, and most people don't even know that it's a possibility. The lack of knowledge about that has always been a bit scary to me...

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Hey, you always hear about Tylenol being "safer." Bullshit.

Jim's off Excedrin Migraine formula for his migraines because taking it as recommended? We saw changes in liver function leading to failure - remove the medication, and things came right back into line. (It's a compound of aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine. http://www.excedrin.com/products/migraine.shtml)

Ibuprofen is the nasty when it comes to kidney function - but it's still my pain reliever of choice, largely because I can ramp it up at need in small increments.

But.

Any medication is nothing more than a controlled poisoning. I tell everyone that - and make sure that sinks in. Any situation that requires pain relief for more than 24 hours needs a check, particularly when you self-medicate first without being seen. That does not mean you have to check your work every single time something crops up. But anything you can't manage in normal routine, needs to be followed up and remedied if at all possible.

Pain creates its own affects on the body, both physical and psychological - significant ones.

Medications are tools. You don't hit yourself with a hammer every day and expect everything to be hunky forever.

This case? There was a lot of things going on at the same time, and I won't rule out addiction as one of them. But talk about a train wreck.