Yorkieabroad

We use the Rediclinic in our local HEB for those cases where we know what's wrong and don't want to wait for a doctors appointment - ie ears and throat. I assume its the same sort of place. Its OK- normally quick, and cheaper than the docs - works out about $60 or so for the appointment, with a little extra for a strep test.

Got to be careful though - a new one opened up round the corner a year or so ago, which appeared to be the same sort of place. A neighbor used it, and got a nasty surprise. They knew the kid had an ear infection, and just needed a quick diagnosis and prescription. Unfortunately, they didn't read the small print, and as the facility was classed as an Emergency Room Alternative (or something like that) they had unwittingly signed agreement to pay $1000 if they were not admitted to hospital following the consultation

Beaverstate

I used a "walk in clinic" a couple months ago for an upper resp. problem that wouldn't go away. $30 co pay, 2 x rays and 3 vials of blood drawn. My coverage handled the cost less co pay and $15.38. Satisfactory results and convenient, walk in no appt. at 6:45 pm.

Duncan Roberts

As far as I know, if a minute clinic can't see it or run a rapid test for it they can't diagnose or treat it. No x-rays, no blood tests. Strep throat, school sports forms, pink eye, flu shot = fair game. More complex stuff is not their bag. Think of the health screening things that are common at community events and then slightly expend it with the ability to prescribe drugs. That's basically a minute clinic. They have their place but they don't take the place of true clinics.

mwdake

I went to the local CVS and their clinic was very good.
I was first in line and there were 2 Nurse Practitioners as one was new and learning the system.
Both nurses were very good and they did a thorough job. They did write prescriptions for me.
I had insurance so they just told me they would bill me for my copayment.
I was very impressed with the service.

Bob

Aye, the problem I had with what we used was not having a price list for labs and other tests. The poster by the door had a rough guide for costs for a visit and check up of $80 and a guide for cost of getting certain vaccines like tetanus, flu and the like.

No list for cost of getting strep tests or anything else though. All seems very elusive.

Bob

So one thing going for this, we didn't have to fill our prescription at CVS and our regular place is Wegmans, which is good as they were doing a deal of getting $20 gift card to shop there for every prescription.

Limited to one per day, max of five per household and doesn't include their free prescription drug of the moment which is currently a Lipitor generic.

Not bad as antibiotics are only $4 there.

Michael

So many of the generic drugs are so cheap (especially for a 90 day supply since less labor is used to fill a 90 day supply than 3 30 day supplies and are cheaper than many over the counter drugs), many times your co-pay for your prescription drug plan is more than the cost for payment to the pharmacy.

GeoffM

Our new plan seems to be* a max $30 copay, ie if it costs $5 then you're charged $5; if it's $50 you get charged $30. Seems a bit more reasonable to me, especially as one eyedrop I use is around $100 and the other $13!

* Still to confirm that the pharmacist wasn't making it up.

Michael

When I was working, I had a $3 co-pay for generic and a $10 co-pay for brand name drugs. One of the generic drugs that I was taking was $5 for a 30 day supply and $9 for a 90 days supply and I was charged $3 and $9 co-pays. Then I discovered that double dose pills for a 90 days supply was $10 which meant that I would likely have to pay $18 co-pay since I was splitting the pill (meaning I really had a 180 day supply). I believe it is illegal for a doctor to prescribe a 180 day supply at one time so I asked him to prescribe it as a 90 day supply and I'll pay for it without using my prescription drug plan.

Now I get my drugs through the VA and all drugs (both generic and brand) are $9 for a 30 day supply and I discovered than all of the drugs are less than $27 for a 90 day through a pharmacy. I also have Medicare Part D which has all those drugs as $0 co-pay so I'm just dumb by not using a private doctor to prescribe those drugs.

Yorkieabroad

I have that problem everywhere.....which is why I can't understand the advice to get quotes upfront and shop around......I posted a while ago about my sons visit to ER with his finger....it's over 2 weeks now and still nobody can tell me how much it cost!

Bob

How's his fingers doing btw?

Yorkieabroad

Doing ok thanks Bob. Had the stitches out last Thursday, and was in the pool last night. It still looks pretty gruesome, but he's going to try it out at swim practice tonight. Now that he can leave it uncovered, he's quite enjoying the attention that a rainbow colored finger can bring.....especially from the girls..and especially as the guys he was with when it happened confirmed that it was only hanging on by a thread and he didn't even cry

Sheepdip

Good experiences when we've had to use our local Minute Clinic in CVS. Have had a wait a couple of times but always less than the GP. Another bonus is that with my insurance our flu jabs are free there.

Yorkieabroad

Just to update.....The bills have finally started coming in, 6 weeks after the fact. Looks like it will end up costing us around $2500 at the insurance adjusted prices. Pre adjustment was a little over 8000:scared hair:

Luckily, the day before his accident a new accidental injury rider came in to effect on our policy. That was $50 per month, and covers the first $1000 of any ER visit, so it paid for itself in the first 2 days, and our actual payments will "only" be around $1500.

On the bright side, his finger is healing pretty well, and it looks as though he will be getting a nail back on that finger.

GeoffM

Good to hear he's on the mend. Wife was trying to argue the costs with Kaiser yesterday over DD's ER visit to the non-network hospital. She thought the co-pay was $200 - but it turned out that was all Kaiser would pay. So we're left with something like $1200 to pay. Any tips on arguing the bill with the hospital?

And after she'd done all that, she went and dropped a TV on my foot last night. Not a flat screen TV but the sort of TV that takes 2 to lift. Fortunately just seems to be bruising but I was envisioning another huge bill in ER. If it gets worse I guess I can just go to my regular doctor.