I was a guest of the Cleveland Clinic these past 3 1/2 days for some medical problems that could simply happen to anyone and does frequently.
First of all hospitals and ERs take everyone - they have to so this is a two part mini-rant. I had a referral to a regular doctor there who saw me as my symptons went acute and he sent me to the ER and eventually into the hospital. I would have never gotten in to see the initial doctor if I didn't have insurance End of story. My insurance card was my carte blanche into the system. Without it I would have been sent directly to the ER.
As it was I spent 18 hours there which, again would have happened insurance or not but now my bill is over $7000 and my insurance will pay but if not the hospital is in the hole 7 grand. So two days in patient in a modified ICU for non-critical but those who require round the clock...bill is now approaching 20 grand. Insurance pays and I'm treated. Hospital is out only the difference between what my insurance is paying and the limits to my deductable. Now it gets crazy.
I am discharged and my non-insured ghost either stiffs the clinic for $20,000 or makes an absurd payment agreement but $20k is like a car payment. I went to the pharmacy to get a ton of Rx's. My co-pay is $200 and I'm told that the flat out cost was about $1000. So this is where non-insured people quite frankly go to die. I'll be out $200 a month for the rest of my life. A small price to pay to stay alive but I can't miss a day ever.
The poor among us or the uninsured among us simply die. And judging by how I felt the last while, it would not be a kindly death. They die leaving a pile of bills and in horrible shape and always one more step to go to get back to just even...never preventive, never proactive, just trying to stay close to the game.
I could go on and on as to who actually pays for the uninsured (we all know that the insured pays or the hospitals just dish it out for free)...but who pays for suffering and death? Our collective society does. So many would have health care recourse if the programs in place were taken full advantage of but walking into an ER, sick as a dog and then fending through the medicine procurement issue just doesn't seem logical.
First of all hospitals and ERs take everyone - they have to so this is a two part mini-rant. I had a referral to a regular doctor there who saw me as my symptons went acute and he sent me to the ER and eventually into the hospital. I would have never gotten in to see the initial doctor if I didn't have insurance End of story. My insurance card was my carte blanche into the system. Without it I would have been sent directly to the ER.
As it was I spent 18 hours there which, again would have happened insurance or not but now my bill is over $7000 and my insurance will pay but if not the hospital is in the hole 7 grand. So two days in patient in a modified ICU for non-critical but those who require round the clock...bill is now approaching 20 grand. Insurance pays and I'm treated. Hospital is out only the difference between what my insurance is paying and the limits to my deductable. Now it gets crazy.
I am discharged and my non-insured ghost either stiffs the clinic for $20,000 or makes an absurd payment agreement but $20k is like a car payment. I went to the pharmacy to get a ton of Rx's. My co-pay is $200 and I'm told that the flat out cost was about $1000. So this is where non-insured people quite frankly go to die. I'll be out $200 a month for the rest of my life. A small price to pay to stay alive but I can't miss a day ever.
The poor among us or the uninsured among us simply die. And judging by how I felt the last while, it would not be a kindly death. They die leaving a pile of bills and in horrible shape and always one more step to go to get back to just even...never preventive, never proactive, just trying to stay close to the game.
I could go on and on as to who actually pays for the uninsured (we all know that the insured pays or the hospitals just dish it out for free)...but who pays for suffering and death? Our collective society does. So many would have health care recourse if the programs in place were taken full advantage of but walking into an ER, sick as a dog and then fending through the medicine procurement issue just doesn't seem logical.
Comments
Post a Comment