Re: [DrMarchesini-DS] Outrageous US medical costs
People say Americans have the best health care in the world. We do? Oh
yeah, if you have insurance maybe you do. If you do not have insurance,
you do without.
Pay something on your bill every month, around $100 should be enough.
Do not go broke trying to pay them. Trust me, plenty of people pay
nothing at all.
I hope you do not have any more kidney stones. I hear they are terribly
painful.
Becca
Hi Becca,
I had those 4 attacks of stones between 8-12 weeks post-op. My urologist
says that my CAT scan shows no more stones. I'm still avoiding anything
that can cause stones. You're right they are absolute agony. Hopefully
I'll never have them again.
Clear Skies,
Dave in Ohio
Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch by Dr. Marchesini in
Curitiba, Brazil
July 6, 2004
Highest Weight: 450lbs (BMI 72.6)
Surgery Weight: 377lbs (BMI 60.8)
Weight on December 6: 257lbs (BMI 41.5)
Total loss on December 6: -120lbs
I went to the vascular surgeon today. Dr. C wants me to have a filter put
in here in the U.S. before going to Brazil. We set a date for January 23rd
and just as I was leaving the office the doctor called me back. He hadn't
realized I was Medicare primary and BC/BS secondary. He said Medicare would
never pay for something that was not needed and elective and preventative
especially since the purpose of the procedure was to have another unapproved
procedure out of the country. We discussed the various possible codes.
Since I have had a previous blood clot I had hoped we could come up with a
reason it was medically necessary. But considering my health is better than
it has been in 10 years there is very little likelihood it would fly.
Since Medicare doesn't precertify I could take a gamble and go ahead. But
in all likelihood I would be asked to sign a waiver saying I would be
responsible if Medicare denied me post procedure. And BC/BS does not pay
for things not approved by Medicare. It supplements and makes up the
difference but if Medicare says no then BC/BS says no. That is why I went
to Brazil for the DS and why I want to go for my medically required
reconstructive surgery. We are not talking about improving my figure. We
are talking about a procedure several orthopedists have said in writing is
absolutely necessary. Anyway, for one second I thought maybe I could pay
for the filter. His fee was $1500. He said uninsured patients pay 3-4
times what insured people are charged which of course I knew. And he said
the "device" whether it is a Greenfield filter or vena cava filter or some
other type is VERY expensive. For an outpatient procedure that would have
me in the hospital for maybe 3 hours which included recovery etc. he guessed
between $6,000 to $8,000. Obviously, I cannot pay it. So I have written
Dr. C begging to have the filter implanted in Brazil. I am in a catch 22.
I am going to Brazil for something I can't afford here. But..in order to
have the procedure in Brazil I need a procedure here I can't afford.
SO....WE A HAVE GOOD MEDICAL SYSTEM???????? I PAY OVER $400/month for
medical insurance for both primary and secondary and in 2005 I will pay
about $65 more a month. David...your email touched a nerve today obviously.
I am not in the best of moods. It's now up to Dr. C and the vascular
surgeons in Curitiba what happens next....if anything happens. W
Pam...originally I had wanted to be in Brazil in January. Besides
everything else it would have helped me avoid winter here which my knees
don't like. I needed so many other tests Dr. C's calendar filled up before
I could have the test results. He is not operating the end of January/early
Feb because that is his summer vacation/Brazilian Carnivale, etc. If we can
come to an agreement of the minds I am hoping for late Feb/early March.
Time will tell. If he can't put the filter in in Curitiba pre op then I
will have to resign myself to no PS and living with these knees. I cannot
afford to sign any waivers that I will pay if/when I am denied here after
the fact. Time will tell what will happen. W
Oh Wendy I'm so sorry. I remember when we had really good medical care in this
country. Now it sucks. I'm almost afraid to find out whether or not medicare
(plus a supplementary insurance) will pay for the closing of my stomas. I will
pray hard that the vascular surgeons in Curitiba will put in your filter (s).
Carole
Wendy Held <w.wendyh@...
I went to the vascular surgeon today. Dr. C wants me to have a filter put
in here in the U.S. before going to Brazil. We set a date for January 23rd
and just as I was leaving the office the doctor called me back. He hadn't
realized I was Medicare primary and BC/BS secondary. He said Medicare would
never pay for something that was not needed and elective and preventative
especially since the purpose of the procedure was to have another unapproved
procedure out of the country. We discussed the various possible codes.
Since I have had a previous blood clot I had hoped we could come up with a
reason it was medically necessary. But considering my health is better than
it has been in 10 years there is very little likelihood it would fly.
Since Medicare doesn't precertify I could take a gamble and go ahead. But
in all likelihood I would be asked to sign a waiver saying I would be
responsible if Medicare denied me post procedure. And BC/BS does not pay
for things not approved by Medicare. It supplements and makes up the
difference but if Medicare says no then BC/BS says no. That is why I went
to Brazil for the DS and why I want to go for my medically required
reconstructive surgery. We are not talking about improving my figure. We
are talking about a procedure several orthopedists have said in writing is
absolutely necessary. Anyway, for one second I thought maybe I could pay
for the filter. His fee was $1500. He said uninsured patients pay 3-4
times what insured people are charged which of course I knew. And he said
the "device" whether it is a Greenfield filter or vena cava filter or some
other type is VERY expensive. For an outpatient procedure that would have
me in the hospital for maybe 3 hours which included recovery etc. he guessed
between $6,000 to $8,000. Obviously, I cannot pay it. So I have written
Dr. C begging to have the filter implanted in Brazil. I am in a catch 22.
I am going to Brazil for something I can't afford here. But..in order to
have the procedure in Brazil I need a procedure here I can't afford.
SO....WE A HAVE GOOD MEDICAL SYSTEM???????? I PAY OVER $400/month for
medical insurance for both primary and secondary and in 2005 I will pay
about $65 more a month. David...your email touched a nerve today obviously.
I am not in the best of moods. It's now up to Dr. C and the vascular
surgeons in Curitiba what happens next....if anything happens. W