DR in my office

[sandy]

My DR told me about his cohort today. He got Covid and is on the mend now. His hospital bill is 1.2 million.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2020/05/16/chandler-physician-survives-covid-19-55-days.html

[Valkorado]

  Real deal sh!t.  Real deal bill.

[Jersey mike]

I believe it. Last summer I had 2 visits to the ER for what was assumed kidney stones.

1st visit: 2 hours in hospital, 3 shots for pain and a abdominal and groin ultrasound, bloodwork = $8,000

2nd visit; 2 days later ER and 1 day admitted which included MRI, kidney scan, bloodwork, 4 or 5 shots for pain and a constant flow of IV fluids to flush me out = $22,000

Tried as long as I could to avoid the hospital as long as I could but after a 4 weeks of recurring pain twice a week, each time getting more severe, my wife convinced me we should probably go. At that point it wasn’t much of a battle.

[cookiedough]

that is why I try to never go to the Dr. unless absolutely mandatory.  If you mention anything out of the norm is another bill.

Last time in for a routine yearly well check (yearly physical),  the DR. asked me if anything else I wanted to discuss.  I said I did have recently some chest pains meaning tightening in the middle in one golf ball sized spot nowhere else.  He wanted to run some bloodwork which we did and of course came back negative for whatever he wanted to outrule and sent me on my way took 1 minute  tops to review bloodwork being done same day which took more time to walk downstairs in clinic to get bloodwork done taking 1 minute as well.  So, for 2 minutes to outrule whatever he wanted to double check the bill was a 2nd office visit for 280 bucks as well as for bloodwork over 100 bucks NOT covered under the 'yearly well check'.   

I had those same chest pains only once afterwards being well over 7 months ago and has not returned once so far much to my surprise  believing it was a hiatal hernia.

[..]

I believe it. Last summer I had 2 visits to the ER for what was assumed kidney stones.

1st visit: 2 hours in hospital, 3 shots for pain and a abdominal and groin ultrasound, bloodwork = $8,000

2nd visit; 2 days later ER and 1 day admitted which included MRI, kidney scan, bloodwork, 4 or 5 shots for pain and a constant flow of IV fluids to flush me out = $22,000

Tried as long as I could to avoid the hospital as long as I could but after a 4 weeks of recurring pain twice a week, each time getting more severe, my wife convinced me we should probably go. At that point it wasn’t much of a battle.

OSS recommended taking magnesium after I posted here about kidney stones a while ago.

Since then nuttin. That's after suffering 2 years in a row.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=magnesium+kidney+sones&atb=v95-1&ia=web

[Jersey mike]

I believe it. Last summer I had 2 visits to the ER for what was assumed kidney stones.

1st visit: 2 hours in hospital, 3 shots for pain and a abdominal and groin ultrasound, bloodwork = $8,000

2nd visit; 2 days later ER and 1 day admitted which included MRI, kidney scan, bloodwork, 4 or 5 shots for pain and a constant flow of IV fluids to flush me out = $22,000

Tried as long as I could to avoid the hospital as long as I could but after a 4 weeks of recurring pain twice a week, each time getting more severe, my wife convinced me we should probably go. At that point it wasn’t much of a battle.

OSS recommended taking magnesium after I posted here about kidney stones a while ago.

Since then nuttin. That's after suffering 2 years in a row.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=magnesium+kidney+sones&atb=v95-1&ia=web

I’ve been taking magnesium for muscle spasms in my back to some months now..500mg daily.

I had to urinate through a filter for about 12 hours and they never did see any sign of a stone, so who knows if I passed any. Haven’t had any issues since except once about a month ago I felt a familiar twinge for about 5-10 minutes. Nothing since. My water intake has gone up in the last year. Now I drink about a quart to a quart and a half every day of just water and I cut my coffee down quite a bit.

[G-Man]

You know what the high cost of medical care is ? ? ?
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.
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Better than the alternative.

 

[Wizzard]

Despite the high cost of living its still popular

[cookiedough]

You know what the high cost of medical care is ? ? ?
.
.
.
.

Better than the alternative.

 

a lot of these places are getting insanely high to go see a Dr. or anything medical related.  I have to pay for my moms pills I use to get while her at home a 90 day mail order supply and fill up her pill box (until she kept forgetting to take the pills) costing me like 3-5 bucks per 90 day supply of each prescription.  NOW,  the darn pill place not only charges 5-7 bucks per month (not 90 day supply) bubble wrapping each pill but thinks it is OK for them to charge us 14 bucks EXTRA per month for their so called monthly SERVICE FEE of which I will NOT pay on top of the bubble wrapping of pills.  It still runs thru our insurance but her monthly bill use to be about 70 bucks or so and now an extra 14 bucks is a rip off.  They finally called me left me a message asking me why a balance due.  I think they can figure it out the past few months multiply by 14 bucks each month? 

am trying to ask the local asst. living place if I can get the pills done locally at the local pharmacy which I know will be cheaper per month with NO monthly service fee since I asked them and the asst. living place said they have been thinking of switching places for the other asst. living patients but not done anything yet knowing that one place they have is higher in pricing.  I say stay local and get done local if at all possible or let me still order a 90 day supply and take to local pharmacy just to pay 2-3 bucks per each pill 30 day supply to bubble wrap them for the asst. living place.   I figured it would save my mom about 50 bucks per month in pills alone.  600 bucks savings per year though is not huge I guess considering her 3800 per month asst living home bill?   

[Challenger]

My wife's cardiologist's receptionist called to verify her appointment. Vick said she didn't have an appointment scheduled and was not coming to the office during this house arrest crap. Receptionist asked if she would accept a via phone Dr. visit and she said OK. Dr. asked if she felt OK, any head aches or pain. We got a bill for $420.00. 

[F6Dave]

I think hospitals get a significant amount of their income from the ER.  It reminds me of the business model for most fast food restaurants, where they make much more selling you a Coke than a burger.

I got to experience this last year when I had a hernia repair.  The hospital received $3,100 (me+insurance) for the entire visit.  That included pre-op, OR, recovery, staff, and meds.  The only extras were the surgeon and anesthesiologist, which billed later.  I thought all the fees were reasonable.

That evening I needed a urniary cath, which isn't unusual for older guys after surgery.  It's a simple procedure that many people do by themselves.  But these days if you need one quickly, you can't get one in a doctor's office or even an urgent care.  You must go to an ER.  I didn't even see a doctor; a nurse had me out of there in a few minutes.  The price:  $4,000!  That very same hospital received $900 more for a simple 5 minute procedure than they did for my entire surgery that morning.

[Jess from VA]

My wife's cardiologist's receptionist called to verify her appointment. Vick said she didn't have an appointment scheduled and was not coming to the office during this house arrest crap. Receptionist asked if she would accept a via phone Dr. visit and she said OK. Dr. asked if she felt OK, any head aches or pain. We got a bill for $420.00. 

This is an old lawyer's trick (young ones too).  The hourly rate starts with the (each) conversation.

I never charged for a phone call in my life.  Though I wouldn't spend all day on the phone either.