I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: Rerun on March 20, 2012, 06:40:36 AM
-
I had to stay in the hospital overnight a week ago.
I had surgery on Thursday (March 8th) and by Monday I was feeling light headed, my heart was racing, I had no energy. Thoughts were I may need some blood. After all, the center had ran out of heparin and I clotted off and they had to toss my kidney and lines, I'd had surgery, lots of blood work etc...
So they toss me in the hospital to maybe give me a transfusion. Labs come back that I'm low but not enough to trigger a blood transfusion.
Then the hospital's doctor takes over.... A "Hospitalist". She says my surgery arm is infected.... even though my surgeon just left me saying my arm looked fine. It was swollen and red but not infected. I had no fever. So... that Hospitalist ordered me an antibiotic (Vancomyson) which requires a shot in the stomach with heparin (ouch) and 3 different blood draws. The surgeon ordered 2 in the first place; so 5 altogether. Someone ordered an EKG (not sure who) but I had just had one on Thursday. A Chest x-ray, which I had just had one the prior week.
Now, I'm thinking I was taken advantage of. I have Medicare and Blue X Federal. Can we say CASH COW. Moo
To me that is BS what happened. I was in for a possible blood transfusion and didn't need it. Should be end of story.
Plus I was questioning everything. I flipped out when the nurse came to give me a shot in the stomach of heparin. ??? So, maybe they would have ordered MORE tests had I not been such a bitch.
That is just crazy to me. How can they get away with that. Why should Medicare pay for 2 EKG's and 2 chest x-rays within a week of each other? They shouldn't and I shouldn't.
This is just not right! :waiting;
-
I don't know. You should definitely question everything and refuse what you don't need. But the rates are so low for Medicare reimbursement that I don't know if we're cash cows. I look at my statements from Medicare and Blue Cross. Someone charges $400 and they pay them $30. That sort of thing. I think it's more that these days they do a thousand procedures to make sure they're covered and you can't sue.
I'm sorry you had a sucky night in the hospital. I always refuse shots in the stomach since I'm on PD but I've had them and they hurt like hell. Did they ever figure out what was really wrong with you?
-
No, they never did find out what was wrong with me. I'm getting better on my own. I upped my heart medication and my heart quit racing. Did I tell my Cardiologist? No. It would take 2 weeks to get in to see him and ASK so I just did it and it worked.
They say they hate medicare but medicare DOES pay.... maybe not what they charge, but they do pay. They want $40 for a bandaid and Medicare pays them 90 cents. Who is correct?
It is a bullshit game and we are the game pieces.
-
I understand your frustration. Last week I got a bill for a Hep C test that I'd already taken. One that determines the strain of hepatitis you have. Once you have it - it does not change, so it was a waste of money. And it was not cheap. It was over $500. The crazy thing was the hospital that did it self-insures(I have their insurance), and so they ran up the bill on themselves. I do not think your doctors see you as a cash cow, although it may appear that way, and I understand why you might think that. They basically order lots of tests to cover their own rear ends should a lawsuit emerge, and they do. But a lot of money is wasted on tests that aren't needed because of this fear. That's my take on that stuff.
-
Rerun, I totally understand your frustration. So much injustice goes on in these Hospitals. But I do know that whenever a surgery is performed they want a chest X-ray to be sure everything is "clear". J was in the hospital for 77 days with a ton of surgeries and a ton of chest x-rays! Its down right frustrating!
I don't understand why all the blood work. Seems rediculous to me!
God Bless,
lmunchkin
:kickstart;
-
that's why when I had chest pains do to the dypperitimal I didn't go in because I already knew the problem and I would of had to under go unecessary tests.
-
MOOO!
-
Has anyone read Moo by Jane Smiley? Awesome book.