New healthcare thread...

[twofbyc]

It’s a personal decision that each individual should look at everything and make their choices based on their own situation.
I did, and like all my insurance I reevaluate each time a policy expires. LTC is not a high priority because, frankly, barring a major accident or massive stroke (which I’m being proactive about), I don’t think I’ll live long enough to need it. And it’s simply not cost effective for us.
As for denial of service, a state-specific (non-national) MA plan would be more adversely affected by negative public reviews for such an action in an obvious situation, such that chancing a hit to subscribers might not be worth 50-100 thousand for a specific member’s treatment. Reputation is very important in a small market.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

It’s a personal decision that each individual should look at everything and make their choices based on their own situation.
I did, and like all my insurance I reevaluate each time a policy expires. LTC is not a high priority because, frankly, barring a major accident or massive stroke (which I’m being proactive about), I don’t think I’ll live long enough to need it. And it’s simply not cost effective for us.
As for denial of service, a state-specific (non-national) MA plan would be more adversely affected by negative public reviews for such an action in an obvious situation, such that chancing a hit to subscribers might not be worth 50-100 thousand for a specific member’s treatment. Reputation is very important in a small market.

IOW, it's a crapshoot you're willing to take. You are dead wrong on Advantage plans denying or slow-walking treatment. Talk to your doctor and they'll affirm that. Screw reputation. It's the bottom line and individual cases don't matter that much, when it comes to very expensive treatments. As I said above, I didn't consider either Advantage or Plan F until I reached my mid-80s. (BTW, I never expected to reach this age, and, when I was a kid, the betting was I wouldn't live to adulthood.) Bottom line, I consider Advantage plans to be a massive fraud, and, if you'll do the research, you'll find many health analysts agree with me. Nevertheless, I hope it works out for you. In any event, you're locked in. If you develop a serious condition and are denied or delayed coverage, you can't go back to traditional Medigap, without immense premiums...

 

[NationalTitles18]

Assuming you accept medicare I cannot imagine how many hoops you have to jump through.

Give me Medicare all day long over MA or even traditional insurance when something needs to be done - imaging, referral, you name it - it's so much easier with traditional Medicare.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Give me Medicare all day long over MA or even traditional insurance when something needs to be done - imaging, referral, you name it - it's so much easier with traditional Medicare.

In addition, BCBS, if it's the state administrator, is the choice. I think I posted it above, but I tried both United (there was an expose' on NPR on United this morning) and Humana first. My nephrologist was having to write a letter to Humana to authorize treatment and he told me how much faster and easier BCBS was. I changed and have never been sorry. I had to see a surgeon recently because of an injury and I noticed that they had warnings up that they did not accept Humana or United. Yesterday, as I was checking out at the ENT, there was a warning up that they did not accept Cigna...

 

[TexasBama]

In addition, BCBS, if it's the state administrator, is the choice. I think I posted it above, but I tried both United (there was an expose' on NPR on United this morning) and Humana first. My nephrologist was having to write a letter to Humana to authorize treatment and he told me how much faster and easier BCBS was. I changed and have never been sorry. I had to see a surgeon recently because of an injury and I noticed that they had warnings up that they did not accept Humana or United. Yesterday, as I was checking out at the ENT, there was a warning up that they did not accept Cigna...

I remember BCBS as the administrator in dealing with my mother's insurance years ago. Novitas is the current administrator here.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I remember BCBS as the administrator in dealing with my mother's insurance years ago. Novitas is the current administrator here.

Are they also a provider, like BC?

 

[TexasBama]

Are they also a provider, like BC?

No, just a CMS administration contractor

 

[Bazza]

Tomorrow I go in for Carpal Tunnel surgery on my left wrist.

It will be the first surgery for me ever - and I turn 70 this June, so not bad.

Co-pay is $175.

I have Humana.....and so far it's been great.

My GP said no more $5/year co-pays.

Had to have an MRI done on my left wrist leading up to this surgery and X-rays. Co-pays on those were $150 for the MRI and I think it was $25 on the X-rays.

I can live with that......

 

[crimsonaudio]

Best of luck to you, @Bazza !

 

[CrimsonJazz]

Hope your procedure goes well for you @Bazza !!

 

[Bazza]

Best of luck to you, @Bazza !

Thank you, CA.

I'm in good hands, pun intended!

They just moved my surgery up a couple hours, which is good because I'm not allowed any food after midnight. I told them I'll bring a banana to have as soon as I'm allowed to eat again.

I told them a banana seems to be the perfect food item to consume afterwards....and if they like they could include that recommendation in their future pre-surgery directives.

I mean.....it's one thing to tell you what you CAN'T do........sometimes it helps to tell folks what they CAN do.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Tomorrow I go in for Carpal Tunnel surgery on my left wrist.

It will be the first surgery for me ever - and I turn 70 this June, so not bad.

Co-pay is $175.

I have Humana.....and so far it's been great.

My GP said no more $5/year co-pays.

Had to have an MRI done on my left wrist leading up to this surgery and X-rays. Co-pays on those were $150 for the MRI and I think it was $25 on the X-rays.

I can live with that......

With BCBS C+, I don't have a copay, even for major surgeries. Of course, there's the annual premium. Good luck with the hand. I had it on my left hand years ago. They said that I would need it on my right also, but, somehow it quit going dead at night and I've never had to have it. A veterinarian client of mine commented on its being unusual to have to have it first on the non-dominant hand. I tried to explain to her that I use my left hand extensively. The problem is that things I do left-handed are awkward with my right and vice versa. I switch at baseball and softball - more power right and higher average left...

 

[Bazza]

With BCBS C+, I don't have a copay, even for major surgeries. Of course, there's the annual premium. Good luck with the hand. I had it on my left hand years ago. They said that I would need it on my right also, but, somehow it quit going dead at night and I've never had to have it. A veterinarian client of mine commented on its being unusual to have to have it first on the non-dominant hand. I tried to explain to her that I use my left hand extensively. The problem is that things I do left-handed are awkward with my right and vice versa. I switch at baseball and softball - more power right and higher average left...

I was also told my right wrist, my dominant, may need it too so good to know that's not an absolute!

Someone else said after they had the procedure they wished they had done it sooner.

I haven't been in pain so much....it's just that the tingling-numbing stuff is so annoying!

Thank you.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I was also told my right wrist, my dominant, may need it too so good to know that's not an absolute!

Someone else said after they had the procedure they wished they had done it sooner.

I haven't been in pain so much....it's just that the tingling-numbing stuff is so annoying!

Thank you.

When you have to dangle your arm off the side of the bed in the middle of the night, you know you need it. In my case, my right tested as much worse than my left. When I complained to the surgeon that almost all my symptoms were on the left, he said "Don't worry; we treat symptoms, not tests"...

 

[Go Bama]

How’d your surgery go, Bazza?

 

[crimsonaudio]

How’d your surgery go, Bazza?

Just came to ask this myself. Thank you!

 

[Bazza]

How’d your surgery go, Bazza?

Just came to ask this myself. Thank you!

 

[Bazza]

Thanks, everyone......I had my surgery yesterday and everything went OK.

One caveat.....I didn't realize an option is to have a local anesthesia until I had already committed. My doctor never even mentioned it. When I asked her about it yesterday she said her preference is to have the patient under so there's no wiggling around of the arm.

So I got to sleep through the procedure....darn it!

I did turn down some kind of med they were going to give me for anxiety. I told them the only anxiety I had was to get it over with so I could get back home and back to work on my motorcycle....lol....

Had some light pain yesterday and last night before going to bed and used Tylenol for that and then this morning I took 3 Advils and the pain is gone. I think that should be it for pain unless I do something stupid......like go out and work on my motorcycle.

I am doing some hand/wrist exercises to keep the tendons moving so hopefully I will heal up pretty quick and then it will be interesting to see how things are different.

She also gave me a Cortisone shot for the sprain I suffered a couple years back that led to some arthritis.

 

[Go Bama]

A lot of oral surgeons will have their patients take 400 mg ibuprofen and 500 mg Tylenol every six hours. You take the ibu and tylenol (acetominophen) at the same time. This gives the same amount of pain relief as hydrocodone 5/325 without taking the narcotic. The only real advantage of the narcotic is it helps you sleep.

My 16 yo daughter had five teeth (4 wisdom teeth and an impacted twelve year molar) extracted last month and this is what her OS prescribed for her. He also gave her a hydro Rx, but she never needed it.

If the ibu alone is getting you the relief you need, I'd just keep going with that until you do need something stronger. Hopefully, you never will.

You need a RTR on that bandage.

Sounds like your surgery went well. Godspeed for a complete recovery.

 

[Padreruf]

I missed this...glad you are doing well. Be careful with the Tylenol and ibuprofen. The first is metabolized by the liver...the 2nd by the kidneys. If you take too much you can harm them. I did 2 years ago and was almost hospitalized but talked the md out of it. Had to drink liters of water to flush them out. If you take 2400 or so daily of Tylenol for more than 10-14 days you can get in trouble.

Prayers....