CT Scan

[gary s]

tom is on the money about insurance companies denying coverage for scripts and tests.

my cardio doc told me that when they were doing ct/slice scan to check on the cardio arteries, they were picking up a partial image of the lung and they spotted on a few occasions the start of lung cancer. now the insurance company told them to reduce the size of the image so that it only covers the heart and related areas. why? so they don't have to pay out the additional coverage.

i work in the clinical/medical/forensic lab field, and yes insurance companies are cutting back at the cost of the patients.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Maybe hospitals should stop providing expensive procedures to people who do not have insurance. If they cannot afford anything, just give 'em basic first aide and send them on their way.



Why are expensive healthcare procedures considered to be an entitlement? That is the problem.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Gavin,



What is the problem, you ask? Why expensive tests if for those that don't have insurance?



I wonder if it comes down to "due diligence"? Maybe if a doctor doesn't do all he or she can to aid or cure a patient, even those without insurance, they could get sued for malpractice???



Just asking.



TJR

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Correct TJR. Dr's now adays are gun shy about lawsuits. Also, the problem lays with these "uninsured" that abuse the system. we have a few "regulars" here at my hospital that use the ED as thier primary care facility. They get a runny nose, they come into the ED. There are qutie a few "drug seekers" that we get regularly. The problem is, we have to treat them. By law, we cannot turn anyone away for not having insurance. The funny thing is, our hospital has a "Free Clinic". It free for anyone to use and anything ordered is paid by the Hospital. You never see any of our "regulars" in there. The Dr's will not prescribe any drugs till all testing is done, unlike the ED.

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

Having been through (3) CT Scans and an MRI, I can officially say that insurance is worth it. I cannot bear the thought of Single Payer.



I am hoping that my company will move to matching HSA's (50/50 match upto $400/month, basically about 2/3's they pay now) with a catastrophic insurance rider. By the research I've done, if you go to the doc once a year for a check-up, you wil come out so far ahead, so will your company.



The right HSA's convert to a retirement account if unused... oh yeah, pre-tax too!

 

[Bill V]

The insurance company pays a contracted, discounted rate that few patients know about. (Emphasis added.)

Huh? Don't nearly all patients know about that, and/or find out about that when they get their detailed EOB's (Explanation Of Benefits) from the insurance company?



Every time we visit any doctor, we subsequently get an EOB from the insurance company showing how much they were billed by the healthcare provider, how much of that the provider is allowed to charge according to the contract, and then what percentage of that amount is being paid by the insurance company and what percentage is being paid by me. After that, I get a bill from the provider, showing all the same information, and requesting remittance of the amount I need to cover.



It's been basically like this through at least three different employers, each with different healthcare providers, so I can't imagine that it's all that different for most other insurance companies...

 

[JerryW Gilliland]

As much as I dislike Michael Moore, I watched "Sicko" the other evening.

It's his take on "socialized" medicine and how it differs from other types.

I was riveted to my seat for the duration.

I have to wonder if it's all true and accurate.

If you haven't seen it, you might want to check it out.



I can see sure why drug companies and insurance companies are fighting it like they are. It would be the end of their rule over us.

 

[swshawaii]

WTF? ... I repeat, Earth to "MYSPORTTRAC". Read me? If yes, STFU ( re: HMO and INS "issues".)