I hate doctors.

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
68
91
My knee was hurting for a while from soccer, so I went to a sports doctor.
They took xrays and said it was a bone fragment embedded in my tendon.
It should go away after a long time.

They gave me a knee sock to help stabilize it while playing sports.
The doctor said "Here, let me give you a knee brace to help during sports."

He didn't say he was going to charge me $69.00 for it!
My insurance covered $20 of it.

WTF... I know it's only $50, but I hate how they insinuate they are giving you something, then charge you 1000% more for it.

Seriously, CVS sells the exact same brand and model for $7.

Assholes... go ahead, buy another Mercedes with my money!

Cliffs: Doctor charged $70 for a $7 knee sock.
 

Blieb

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2000
3,475
0
76
I know Drs get PAID ... but their insurance costs an arm and a leg *badum bum*
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
I had the same thing happen to me. They "gave" me this knee brace. Then i got the bill for $40.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
a doctor will NEVER give you a brace. whenever i need one i always ask if insurance will cover it.

if no then i ask for the name/style etc so i can buy it at the store
 

SlowSpyder

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
17,305
1,002
126
Normally I am not big on doctors, but I told my doctor how sometimes I feel anxious when I'm trying to sleep (we have a toddler, sometimes I think I hear him wake up and this in turn causes me to wake up) so my doctor gave my 90 Xanax. This made me like my doctor. SlowSpyder, the next Zane? :eek:
 

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
19,582
4
81
Originally posted by: waggy
a doctor will NEVER give you a brace. whenever i need one i always ask if insurance will cover it.

if no then i ask for the name/style etc so i can buy it at the store

do they give *anything* away for free? i dont think they charged me for the suckers my kids got at their checkup...im pretty sure that was all.
 

krunchykrome

Lifer
Dec 28, 2003
13,413
1
0
You want professional help, but you arent willing to pay professional fees. :roll:

Next time your body aches, simply dont go to the doctor, rely on your own medical education and diagnose the problem yourself, and remedy yourself the appropriate treatment.

 

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
68
91
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
You want professional help, but you arent willing to pay professional fees. :roll:
Next time your body aches, simply dont go to the doctor, rely on your own medical education and diagnose the problem yourself, and remedy yourself the appropriate treatment.
I'll stick with WebMD.
I don't mind paying for their expertise, but their expertise should not carry over into equipment.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,860
31,346
146
well, if everyone would stop filing ridiculous lawsuits, jacking up their insurance costs as well as costs to the hospitals, this wouldn't happen as much.

granted, some lawsuits are warranted and indeed, necessary, but doctors aren't making nearly as much as the insurance companies that repeatedly gouge them.
 

krunchykrome

Lifer
Dec 28, 2003
13,413
1
0
Originally posted by: edro
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
You want professional help, but you arent willing to pay professional fees. :roll:
Next time your body aches, simply dont go to the doctor, rely on your own medical education and diagnose the problem yourself, and remedy yourself the appropriate treatment.
I'll stick with WebMD.
I don't mind paying for their expertise, but their expertise should not carry over into equipment.

How much was the entire visit? Was the $70 itemized as the sock or was $70 the total out-of-pocket fee for the visit.
 

funkymatt

Diamond Member
Jun 2, 2005
3,919
1
81
I have never had a doctor diagnose something I didnt know I already had. I've also had more wrong diagnoses than right, but I dont go to the doctor all that often. examples:

Bladder infection coupled with kidney stones (ouch!); diagnosed as clamidia.
sinus infection; opthamologist couldnt figure it out, they wanted to cauterize my tear duct.
Broken toe; diagnosed and fixed correctly.

I think i need to find better doctors.
 

Slew Foot

Lifer
Sep 22, 2005
12,379
96
86
Originally posted by: funkymatt

sinus infection; opthamologist couldnt figure it out, they wanted to cauterize my tear duct.

You need to see a head and neck surgeon not an eye surgeon for a sinus infection.
 

interchange

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
8,026
2,879
136
Ok. A lot of doctors make some serious $$, but physician salary adjusted for inflation is going down. They go through 4 extra years of school with $150k debt (many have much more). Then they get paid $45k/year for 4 years training working 80 hours a week. Then they get to repay that debt while working typically >50 hours a week, getting paid a good salary but having to offset that with malpractice and a ton of cover your ass paperwork. Then insurance companies dictate that they won't reimburse for more than 15 minutes spent on a patient. Not 15 minutes with the actual patient mind you. 15 minutes with the patient + paperwork + consulting other doctors + researching, etc. Then the insurances is incredibly stingy about reimbursing so they have to find every conceivable diagnosis angle & prove they've tried all other therapies, etc. Then they get reimbursed $20 for a $150 bill (even though your statement of benefits shows your insurance paid $150). So a lot of doctors offset all this by offering additional services and products that you either don't really need or are way overpriced. Or they become whores to big pharm, pushing drugs that are overpriced and don't often offer the patient any advantages over other drugs/therapies.

Bottom line: People recognize they are getting screwed in healthcare. People associate their healthcare with their doctor. The doctor gets blamed for people being unsatisfied with their healthcare.
 

funkymatt

Diamond Member
Jun 2, 2005
3,919
1
81
Originally posted by: Slew Foot
Originally posted by: funkymatt

sinus infection; opthamologist couldnt figure it out, they wanted to cauterize my tear duct.

You need to see a head and neck surgeon not an eye surgeon for a sinus infection.

My eye was leaking tears and sometimes mucus due to the pressure behind it.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
126
tbqhwy.com
Originally posted by: Slew Foot
Originally posted by: funkymatt

sinus infection; opthamologist couldnt figure it out, they wanted to cauterize my tear duct.

You need to see a head and neck surgeon not an eye surgeon for a sinus infection.

its a ENT actually
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
Originally posted by: interchange
Ok. A lot of doctors make some serious $$, but physician salary adjusted for inflation is going down. They go through 4 extra years of school with $150k debt (many have much more). Then they get paid $45k/year for 4 years training working 80 hours a week. Then they get to repay that debt while working typically >50 hours a week, getting paid a good salary but having to offset that with malpractice and a ton of cover your ass paperwork. Then insurance companies dictate that they won't reimburse for more than 15 minutes spent on a patient. Not 15 minutes with the actual patient mind you. 15 minutes with the patient + paperwork + consulting other doctors + researching, etc. Then the insurances is incredibly stingy about reimbursing so they have to find every conceivable diagnosis angle & prove they've tried all other therapies, etc. Then they get reimbursed $20 for a $150 bill (even though your statement of benefits shows your insurance paid $150). So a lot of doctors offset all this by offering additional services and products that you either don't really need or are way overpriced. Or they become whores to big pharm, pushing drugs that are overpriced and don't often offer the patient any advantages over other drugs/therapies.

Bottom line: People recognize they are getting screwed in healthcare. People associate their healthcare with their doctor. The doctor gets blamed for people being unsatisfied with their healthcare.



good point. its not the doctors fault the OP had to pay for it. its his Insurance that sucks.

 

Slew Foot

Lifer
Sep 22, 2005
12,379
96
86
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: Slew Foot
Originally posted by: funkymatt

sinus infection; opthamologist couldnt figure it out, they wanted to cauterize my tear duct.

You need to see a head and neck surgeon not an eye surgeon for a sinus infection.

its a ENT actually

ENTs hate being called that now, they like being called Head and Neck surgeons since it more accurately describes their field. At least the ones around here so.

I suppose buying $60 socks is what happens when Medicare reimbursements (adjusted for inflation) are down 60% in 20 years.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
126
tbqhwy.com
Originally posted by: Slew Foot
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: Slew Foot
Originally posted by: funkymatt

sinus infection; opthamologist couldnt figure it out, they wanted to cauterize my tear duct.

You need to see a head and neck surgeon not an eye surgeon for a sinus infection.

its a ENT actually

ENTs hate being called that now, they like being called Head and Neck surgeons since it more accurately describes their field. At least the ones around here so.

I suppose buying $60 socks is what happens when Medicare reimbursements (adjusted for inflation) are down 60% in 20 years.

its not just Mecicare, its all reimbursements from all insurance carriers :(

ENTs here still dont mind being called ENTs
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
0
0
I'll keep this in mind when I go get my left knee checked; it's been hurting slightly when I sit/stnd still. Bike for 7Km no problem, walk 8km no problem, sit still here come the pain.