kodokan

Wow! Didn't realize there'd be such a variance! $700 was the actual money we paid, rather than the one-two step fantasy figures of what the medicos billed, and then the agreed insurer rates and so on.

We didn't go to an ER - popped to an urgent care clinic who X rayed, diagnosed and gave us a soft cast and a card for the Ortho. That was a bill for about $150, I think (Cigna clinic and Cigna insurance, like the Kaiser model). Then we went to the Ortho clinic in a nearby Phoenix hospital, and they put a hard cast on, and took it off 6 weeks later, for... about $580, I think it was, in total. This was for a mild break - bone looked like a slightly split twig, but was still mostly joined, just a bit splintery on one side.

And now this new broken ankle case - I thought $7-800 was about the going rate for breaking bones! At least, if it's minor and you don't set foot near an ER - that must be where the price jack is. $30k is outrageous for outpatient care - I was cross enough about this bill because they're charging me $230 for the walking boot - just the appliance, office visit costs are all separated out - when I can get the exact same one on Amazon for $80.

Bob

It is bonkers, but she was 5 at the time, so went back and forth a fair bit for x-rays and check ups to see it was healing properly and not bending, to avoid having to put pins in.

Also, the cast I think was about $400 itself, but the chap who put it on, about $250 and the sling was $100 because it was a tiny kids one...like WTF

vikingsail

With a chronic medical condition the time to be worrying about healthcare is not when you are in the fray. I am very skeptical of anyone being able to switch or swap to a lower deductible plan once they have a med condition, even post O'care I'm sure there will be some nasty little term or condition that excludes if not all the greater part of your care and covered costs. Call me cynical

sir_eccles

Unless you otherwise have a qualifying event you'd have to wait until open enrollment anyway (getting ill isn't a qualifying event).

scrubbedexpat099

By definition that is less than a year away.

Pulaski

Which is what I said, at least twice already.
You're not cynical, but you do appear to be both ill-informed Iand stubborn. "Open enrollment" means exactly what it says, and as Boiler reminded you, is necessarily less than one year away, so if you find yourself ill and in need of a different premium/deductible balance, you are free to switch within 12 months. That right is enshrined in the Affordable Care Act.

Asg123

I hope Sanders gets elected and does away with all this nonsense.

Pulaski

Replacing crap healthcare for the poor with crap healthcare for everyone isn't going to go down well with the US electorate.

Giantaxe

Sanders position is "Medicare for all". Is Medicare crap healthcare? That would be strange, because surveys seem to give it higher ratings than healthcare access through insurance companies.

Not sure what "crap healthcare for the poor" (presumably meaning Medicaid) has to do with Sanders position.

https://berniesanders.com/issues/medicare-for-all/

Btw, this isn't an indication I agree with Sanders' position.

markcst

Its really important to have a 24 hour HBP test if its not been done. I thought I had white coat syndrome, so did the medics as I could almost meditate myself down to a borderline level. However I had HBP.


Having HBP is no preclusion to coming here. My HBP medication costs me nothing extar. Its all in my standard plan.

kins

I've switched plans four times in the past four years. At no point have any of my medical conditions been excluded in any way.

kodokan

Been to the clinic today and am updating on my 'how much is a broken ankle' story, for completeness. My daughter will be in the walking boot for another 2 weeks, but can now at least take it off for sleeping and showering. So cost-wise that'll be a clinic visit today, and another in 2 weeks; probably $150 each.

Then she will need 4 weeks of physio, probably 3 times a week (school is going to lose their mind if I can't get a lot of those appointments late afternoon!).

Dunno how much physio will be - I'll try asking once she's had the initial evaluation, but as usual I expect they'll stare blankly and tell me it's not possible to know. Overall we're going to be pushing our $2.4k deductible, but - bright siding - it's at least early in the year. Wonder what else we can get done in 2016? Hubby has a knee that clicks weirdly at times, and swells up occasionally when he runs...