I have insurance through the marketplace - a few more years to go until Medicare...

I developed a cataract in one eye and looked up eye doctors in my network via the insurance. I wanted to decide if I should do it this year, or wait a while. One eye sees fuzzy, like the glasses on that side have fingerprints all over.

So I called and asked how much cataract surgery would be with my insurance. They got back to me a few days later with: $700ish

Wow, I thought it might be more! Ok, let's schedule it.

Got a letter from the surgery center they use. Oh, and there would be an invoice coming from them. Fine. Called them and told them I was scheduled for surgery and could they calculate the cost for me with this insurance?

About $1000. Ok, I was thinking it was going to cost me around 2k so that sounds ok.

Now I got a letter from the surgical center alerting me that if I use any additional services - like anesthesia?!, there would be an invoice from them for my surgery Thursday. Sigh

What madness is this???

It's our ******** medical system.

It's enough to make me want to emigrate to Canada, but I am too old to do so. I have 5.5 years until Medicare. That equates to anywhere from $92,400 in just premiums at the current rate of $1,400 per month for me and the Mrs. Plus a potential out of pocket of an additional $13,000 per year or $71,500 assuming the deductible doesn't go up. Premiums and deductibles have gone up every year forever so I do not see any reason why they won't continue to go up.

I will pay up to $163,900.00 in health insurance costs over the next 5.5 years.

Why does anyone think this is OK?

I just want a place where I can see what a procedure will cost... So frustrating, like trying to buy a car from a dealer at one price only to find out that I will still need to order tires, paint, seats etc!

Isn’t this what the new law is supposed to rectify?

Not that it helps you, or anyone else who needs care before the law kicks in.

Yep, US medical system sucks.

Ron, I’m really sorry you’re dealing with that!

quote:

Originally posted by ShiroKuro:
Isn’t this what the new law is supposed to rectify?

To his credit, Trump advocated for something like that. It's one of the few policies on which Trump and I agree.

I injured my back in April...I have experience with a cold laser clinic near me.

Long drawn out plantar faciitis..podiatrist did nothing but charge me for every visit and have me buy expensive stuff...laser was like a miracle.......

For my back, I just have to have the dr's office fax over my records...

I have now been to the dr twice, with copays..and they have yet to send over the records..

The laser treatment is not paid by insurance, I just put it on my card. So why, oh why must I go back over and over to the dr for a referal??

Do you have a one stop shop near you - like an “eye center” or something? A conveyor belt cataract place? I’ve seen them here, along with similar centers for colonoscopies.

Might be worth searching for.

Steve, that would have been my preference... Since I'm scheduled for this week, I don't think I'll be able to do that unless the anesthesia cost is crazy and I back out!

quote:

Originally posted by rontuner:
Steve, that would have been my preference... Since I'm scheduled for this week, I don't think I'll be able to do that unless the anesthesia cost is crazy and I back out!

It might depend on whether they use an anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist.

A while back, people had a problem when one or more of the doctors involved in their care were not in network. Anesthesiologists were often an issue because the patient doesn’t know ahead of time who will be handling the anesthesia.

I don’t know if this is still an issue but I think it’s worth checking in to.

Good call on that! I called the Anesthesiologist team and they didn't have my health insurance on their list.

Waiting to hear back from the insurance to see if there would be a cost reduction. Otherwise, the Anesthesia team costs almost 1k for the 20-minute procedure...

Might have to call it off and look around to find another practice, or just put it off for another year.

Sigh

Oh dear, I'm sorry this is so complicated!!

Good luck!!

Yes! Watch out for out-of-network anesthesiology!

A good medical practice gets ahead of this problem by contacting your insurer and alerting you to ALL costs. Find a different eye center.

I had a new, young anesthesiologist as a tenant one year. We got along fine, but there was something very creepy about him. When I have medical procedures done in Missoula I specify that this young man *not* be my anesthesiologist. There is only one anesthesiology practice in town.

I had a second cataract surgery this past February. I have Medicare and a supplemental plan, but I had to pay extra up front for a specialized lens and procedure (laser) that wasn't covered. Okay, I knew that. But I still got a bill, not from the doctor, but from the hospital where it was done, for 400-something. I still have to comb through the insurance statements to try to find out what wasn't covered and why.

Yes, (anecdotal but...) there is something called a "push fee"-- a very expensive one-- for a nurse to push an IV drip. WTF.