Okay yesterday I might have broken my foot again. I won’t explain how it happened but it was stupid. Anyway though, I went to the ER because it happened as I was arriving home yesterday in the pouring rain. So at 7 pm, there was no way I could see any doctor because they are all closed. So my roommate drove me to the ER.
It only took about 3 hours to get to see an doctor and X-rays. Not bad considering last time it took longer. And again the ER doctor told me that she couldn’t tell if it was broken, stress fracture, or a sprain. Just like last time I was sent home and told to take some pain killers and go see a specialist next week.
Of course this coming week I’ll have to beg for an appointment and will be seen because I have an ER referral. So great, the ER doctor can’t read X-rays. And they have no Radiologist or Orthopedic Surgeon on call. Yahoo! And the ER doctor to get released I had to sign if they were incorrect with their diagnosis it’s okay, I realized they did their best, they gave me a route of future therapy which was to see an orthopedic surgeon. They were covering their behind basically.
The fantastic american medical system. Plus I have no idea what I’ll be responsible for paying, so I’ll just sit here and wait for the bill. Plus I have no idea if I went to the “right” hospital because I called the 1-800$# on the back of the card at 7 pm to ask about where I should go and what I would be responsible for. But they are only open M-F 8am - 4 pm. HAHAHAHA!
Great system. So you want us to get preapproval and go to cheaper hospitals. Then stay open! Geez. I realize that we aren’t paying enough to a crappy broken system, but at this rate we could afford to not worry if we’re using the right doctors or network. Lovely.
The best part is or the script they gave me I love my DH’s insurance. We paid $3 for the medication. It comforts me to our insurance is one of the best in the area. I wonder what we would do without insurance?
7 responses so far ↓
1 Jen // Sep 27, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Have you seen Sicko?
http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/index.html
The film gives shows an interesting comparison between US health care and a couple of other country. I think it is worth watching if you haven’t seen it yet.
I agree insurance in the US sucks. I am lucky that DH’s company offers an awesome coverage through Kaiser (although I have also heard of my share of horror stories about Kaiser’s medical coverage problems from friends & family).
I grew up in Taiwan where medical bills are way cheaper than US. When DD got sick during our trip there 2 years ago, I had to pay for her doctor’s visit and her medication. Because DD is not a citizen of Taiwan, so we had to pay everything out of pocket. The doctor’s visit was $23. And 2 weeks worth of medication was $10. If DD was a citizen and covered under the national insurance policy, the doctor’s visit would have been $3 and the medication would have been another $3.
Yeah, there is something totally wrong with the US insurance policies.
2 Sense // Sep 27, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Agreed. In NZ, my doctor’s visits are free, and my blood tests (for 7+ tests) were NZD$187 but fully covered and reimbursed by my BF’s insurance plan that I opted into. Also, medication was NZD$20 and also fully reimbursed by insurance.
It’s pretty awesome, and I can finally go check out all the little things that are wrong with me that need checking out or updating, like a renewed prescription for my eczema (sp?) that isn’t worth the US$50 doc visit fee in the States!
Gotta love socialist countries.
3 Jake // Sep 27, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Sorry to hear about the foot. They can’ read an X-Ray!! Maybe it’s time to get a new job?
4 Livingalmostlarge // Sep 28, 2008 at 11:35 am
People will be disappointed to hear this but soon they will be outsourcing X-rays. I will have doctors in India and China reading my X-rays because the doctors here don’t want to work on the weekends/nights.
Yep I have gotten sick in Japan and my DH in Hong Kong. And it’s been fine.
5 Fabulously Broke // Sep 29, 2008 at 11:49 am
I’m really sorry to hear that!!!!!
HOpe you get better and that your wallet doesn’t take a huge hit
6 LivingAlmostLarge // Sep 29, 2008 at 12:17 pm
thanks. I hope so too.
7 LivingAlmostLarge // Oct 1, 2008 at 5:10 pm
http://www.self.com/livingwell/articles/2008/08/0818uninsurables?currentPage=1
Here is an article in self about women who had insurance but were not covered.
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