citizenmarie

Well, I'm on the continued adventure of the US health care system for a back injury. So far I've paid out of pocket for physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and other things... over 6 months. I'm with Kaiser so nothing is covered and most of this was outside of KP -- my costs are in the thousands at this point.

I get an MRI next week with KP, and my cost will be over $1200. And actually they still can't give me the final cost of that

So the good, the bad, and the unknown of all this...

The bad
- I've run out of money
- I was unable to work for 2 months but the acupuncturist who'd seen me the most in the beginning would not sign for disability
- the stress of thinking about money is half the illness! I mostly have learned to stop thinking about it
- KP cannot give you the exact cost of anything

The good
- Overall, I've had very caring and qualified people helping me, or trying to
- Kaiser is very swift, also very caring, all their doctors and staff are lovely (except the admin people seem clinically depressed)
- Being in a major city I have easy access to many kinds of health care professionals (although this can be confusing also)
- I just got another job!

The unknown...
- I wonder about going back to the UK when I'm better, but aside from the health costs my life is good here in SF: friends, jobs in my field/connections, nice place to live
- I go back to work full time/computer job in a week... I'm still in pain all day.
- When this is all over, do I want to grow old here and have even more health expenses etc? (I'm in my 40s)

Questions:
- How do you work with pain all day? Anyone have this?
- What would NHS care be like for low back injury (non emergency)? Are there waiting lists? Difficult to get MRI? (Haven't lived there for 20 years) Just trying to see the realistic side of things. Perhaps would be just as stressful there.
- What is the cost of private care in UK?

OK, done.

sir_eccles

I have lower back issues which would probably mostly go away if I did my stretches more often.

Obviously everyone has different issues so I can't diagnose yours, but I found out quite a few interesting things.

- make sure your desk and computer are set up correctly at your new job, monitor and keyboard at the right respective heights, adjust chair properly

- sleeping position, I'm a side sleeper and now have to put a pillow between my knees so my spine is properly aligned at night

- a lot of the pain (in my case and for a lot of people) actually originates from imbalances in the muscles of the legs. You end up using the wrong muscles to support yourself and they then go into spasm. The stretches actually stretch out the glutes and all the other leg muscles. You then have to work on strengthening the core properly.

I learned all this from a really good PT place here in Phoenix. So part of a really good treatment plan is actually finding the right PT.

I will make the blunt prediction that the MRI will reveal little (unless you actually have some sort of vertebral fracture or something).

SanDiegogirl

Is your plan with Kaiser a Group plan (a company scheme) or an individual policy?

How can it cover nothing ? ??? Why are you getting surprises with what and what is not covered? Do you understand what your policy covers? (Yes I know how confusing health insurance policies are, but having had several in my time here in the US you ARE able to decipher what is and is not covered)

Why would KP not cover an MRI if it has been requested by a doctor for a known medical diagnosis?

Ask your medical providers for the CPT codes for medical billing to find out what procedure you are having done, and what it will cost.

If you are not happy with KP now is the time to change to any other policy which, if an individual one, is in the Cover California health exchange.

Pulaski

And taking that argument further, it is not uncommon for back issues to originate in foot and shoe problems causing posture problems that cause or exacerbate back issues.

GeoffM

I had that when I went for the chop with KP. IIRC the figures ranged from zero to a couple of grand. Turns out it would have been a $30 copay or something, and the upper end of the scale was if it was done under general anaesthetic in an OR rather than at an outpatient facility. But it took a lot of detective work to determine why they couldn't give me an exact amount.

I've been looking at foreign treatment (or at least diagnosis) for stomach issues persist 24 hours a day. Mexico, maybe Philippines as I may be going there anyway. $1500 for a flight and $100 for an MRI is cheaper than paying cash here if what my hospital billed last month is anything to go by (ok, it's not, but point being they tried).

scrubbedexpat099

Never heard of MRI before I came to the US and am now feeling left out as everybody seems to have them.

I did have bad back issues in the UK and eventually after many many different routes found a solution. Involved 2 very large needles.

The guy who sorted me was a Sports specialist, I have his book somewhere, not saying you can not get any treatment on the NHS but seemed very limited.

I was at the time stuck in front of a computer all day, I think that was the causation.

scrubbedexpat099

PS

As far as US issues blame Obama.

robin1234

I'm thinking about going that route for my sciatica or herniated discs or whatever.

Make a plasticine model of Obama, stick in the needles, my pain will go away!

sir_eccles

The Secret Service have now been notified

Hotscot

My wife is currently healing for a herniated disc if anyone needs feedback.

She spent a month immobile, then had an MRI to diagnose the rupture, then got steroid shots which reduced the inflammation of the nerve and that has started to allow healing to take place. That takes time....in the meantime she does physio to build the back muscles, and she has a fine selection of narcotics to distract herself on occasion.

robin1234

But they should waterboard boiler first, he thought up the needles!

scrubbedexpat099

Rather be waterboarded than have needles stuck in me.

Made it very clear I would be OK if I did not see them.

nun

The US healthcare system came well down international comparison tables well before ACA. I expect it to move up slightly after ACA because more people will have insurance and won't be excluded for pre-existing conditions. However, the history of private insurance companies and the lack of coordination within the system will keep it well below the best systems.....eg those in France, UK etc.

scrubbedexpat099

Does the US have a system?

nun

Systems might be better.....I imagine Medicare would do quite well in international comparisons if you lost the private systems