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YA "the medical industry is out of control" thread

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So she gets an appointment at a new place, and whomever gave her the exam tells her she should she a real eye doctor becuse she hasn't seen one in a while and sets up an appointment for her.

what's this all about? did the new place say she may have an eye problem? i thought you get a referral, then take the referral to whatever specialist you pick.


i got my exam at one of those places that rents from walmart for $45, glasses from zenni for ~$40 ( no insurance used ).
 
Geeeez, something's weird there.
I don't remember what I paid for an eye exam, but when I went back, it was to pick up my new glasses (frames + gravity-warping lenses) - that visit was $440.


My eyes are now officially worse than Hubble.

(It's still 1991 here, right?)
 
One of my contacts cost $2700. Fortunately the place I go to is cool and tried to work it out with the insurance...not sure they ever got a dime though. Oh well, they have enough of my (insurance's) money.
 
Be careful....that might not be the total bill. Some places split the procedures or whatever they really are onto separate bills and sends you the higher bill first.
 
I got an eye exam by an optometrist with pupil dilation and two pairs of glasses with my prescription for under 100 bucks not two months ago. Tell your g/f to shop around a bit more when someone else is paying.
 
i got my eye exam + contact lens consultation for like.. $85 or something. new pair of contacts would have been ~600 (they're a special type, but a single pair also lasts multiple years). according to the eye doctor it was really just a matter of preference, if i wanted to have slightly sharper vision or not.
 
One of my contacts cost $2700. Fortunately the place I go to is cool and tried to work it out with the insurance...not sure they ever got a dime though. Oh well, they have enough of my (insurance's) money.

Does it have x-ray vision or a beer goggle effect?

Last quote I got was $600 for a pair of rigid permeables. My 8 boxes of soft lenses cost $360. Speaking of, I have 6 boxes left (I use a box a year, and they expire in 2015...). On the bright side, my bi-annual insurance should be "replenished". Time to score me a fourth pair of designer sunglasses?
 
Does it have x-ray vision or a beer goggle effect?

Last quote I got was $600 for a pair of rigid permeables. My 8 boxes of soft lenses cost $360. Speaking of, I have 6 boxes left (I use a box a year, and they expire in 2015...). On the bright side, my bi-annual insurance should be "replenished". Time to score me a fourth pair of designer sunglasses?
I wish. No, I'm just that fucked up. Scleral gas perms.
 
I went to a private eye Dr. on Newbury Street in Boston. W/O insurance, it would have cost $210. This was just a year ago....I think she was had....
 
I feel a little better now. Going to work was like taking a deep breath.

I actually feel a little sheepish about posting a private matter on a public forum, but so be it. The bill almost made my head explode.

It's really not so much the money that frustrates me the most (although it really does). It's this "healthcare as a maximum profit venture" idea that I drives me up a wall.

It's almost as if they had a financial person look at her file and determine how to get the most money out of it. Screw her eyes; that's a secondary, marginal concern.

Perhaps they know already that the insurance will cover a good chunk of it, so they maxed it on that basis. In which case it's insurance fraud, and has nothing to do with me.

If the insurance covers nothing I'll raise hell.
 
I went to a private eye Dr. on Newbury Street in Boston. W/O insurance, it would have cost $210. This was just a year ago....I think she was had....

$880.. for an EYE FUCKING EXAM withOUTTTTTTTTTT GLASSES?

the........ fuck?

You can have $30 eye exams at Target and get a pair online for another $30.

OR

You can go to Gibson's super trendy Newbury St. place for $210, get the top of the line Prada frames + lenses for LESS THAN $880.

$880 JUST FOR EYE EXAM WTF.


I would've laughed at their face, called the cops right there. The cops would be like, 'WTF did you call me here for.' then I explain their thievery and they would be like 'Holy fucktits' and arrest their scamming asses.
 
Seems way high to me but that's my opinion.
$1700 deductible high? No. Mine's $10K, no drug card, no dental, no vision. Looks like just the rectal exam is included sans written report.

Look like you are on a high ded -low premium plan.

Mine is 5K ded and just like yours, nothing but healthcare. $385 per month? That is a lot for 10K ded policy, I am paying about $60/month from BCBS.
 
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Perhaps they know already that the insurance will cover a good chunk of it, so they maxed it on that basis. In which case it's insurance fraud, and has nothing to do with me.

If the insurance covers nothing I'll raise hell.

This is what I am betting. Actually it is not insurance fraud. They are allowed to set their own prices, and submit them to the insurance company. The company then negotiated with the Dr on how much they will pay. This is the standard, and it is part of the reason that medical costs are so high. They have to bill $800 to have a chance at getting the $80 they actually want. And if something goes wrong and the insurance company does not pay at all, well then you are stuck with it. Luckily you are allowed to negotiate as well. So, when you find out how much the insurance company is going to stick you with, go to the Dr. and negotiate.
 
Look like you are on a high ded -low premium plan.

Mine is 5K ded and just like yours, nothing but healthcare. $385 per month? That is a lot for 10K ded policy, I am paying about $60/month from BCBS.
3 of us and the wife and I are in our late 40's, FWIW.

BCBS, Kaiser, others weren't writing new policies in S.C. at the time. Want to say it was because of a problem with obummercare and S.C. but I don't remember for sure.
 
I did the same thing when I cut my finger tip off last year. All though I was missing a finger tip I didn't just rush to the nearest ER. That would have been stupid.
Your cahoonas must be Brass. 😱

I woulda been on a beeline to the closest medical center. 🙂
 
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