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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis one of the many reasons why we need Single Payer
I had a gallbladder attack last Saturday. My symptoms started on Thursday but I hoped they would just go away since I have had my fill of hospitals and doctors. I googled my symptoms and decided I was not having a heart attack even though I had terrible chest pains and it seemed it was my gallbladder acting up. The pain kept on increasing during the day on Saturday to point it was so severe that I called the nurses' hotline that the insurance company offers. They told me to go to the ER and made sure I agreed to do so.
I was given tests to rule out any heart problems and the blood tests and sonogram confirmed a gallbladder attack. I was admitted and had the surgery Sunday morning. Now the insurance company will paid for the surgery but not the hospital stay. They state that the gallbladder could of been done as an out patient service. Never mind the fact that I have a shunt which the tubing runs from my head to my stomach and an incisional hernia from the shunt surgery which no one was sure how to proceed with removing my gallbladder. Also when they pump air in my abdomen to remove the gallbladder it could travel up the shunt tubing into my brain and cause problems.
This is on top of being charged earlier this year eight hundred dollars (which the insurance company won't pay) by my Neurosurgeon for adjusting my shunt. This procedure took thirty seconds and is done by putting a magnet to my head. The whole office visit was five minutes. Remember we have insurance.
We need single payer and the only candidate that may push for that is Bernie Sanders...
peacebird
(14,195 posts)WITHOUT insurance should have to fear the bills from going to the hospital!
We need true health care reform. We need single payer health CARE, not health insurance.
UglyGreed
(7,661 posts)and even then my wife and children needed to beg me to go. I knew this BS would happen and tell you the truth times like this makes me want to give up. I have cost my family so much and I still suffer in pain. This is why I truly believe many ODs from pain medications are suicides yet of course we will never know the truth and those with the agenda to limit pain medication even for those who need it will never allow that to be reported.
peacebird
(14,195 posts)UglyGreed
(7,661 posts)to protect Americans (so they say) yet many suffer right here and are allowed to wallow in their misery. Children in poverty, the homeless, poor and the mentally ill to name a few.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Made much difference in situation you describe. Medicare has lots of coverage restrictions, and deny a lot of stuff. Heck, the same private insurerance companies adjudicate/administer Medicare claims.
In fact, traditional Medicare doesn't have nurse hotlines, any type of coordination among providers, etc.
Again, I agree on single payer, but we have a lot to do to get there.
Glad you are OK.
UglyGreed
(7,661 posts)reply. I don't know what can be done but I think we can do better than this. Let me add all I have to go by is my own experiences, I'm not looking for sympathy just telling my story as I'm sure there many other who most likely have it much worse than me.