Well, wife finally convinced me to utilize the medical insurance we have been paying for since I retired ($11K a year, ouch) for a preliminary checkup with a Nurse practitioner at our local hospital here in the Boondocks. After filling out forms as to who in family suffered from what, I got a quick checking over. BP was higher than ever before (154/98) but it could have been the new venue. Stethoscope check said I had irregular heartbeat. I had experienced Atrial Flutter before retiring, but it seemed to have gone away. She said it probably hadn't but had been giving minor symptoms (fatigue during strenuous work) and recommended I see Cardiologist and perhaps get an Echo Cardiogram. Not sure where this is going, but with a 16K deductible, it's gonna be worse than the old prostate exam.
First Dr. visit since I moved 3 years ago...
- Thread starter Ron M.
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LVSteve
Member
$16k deductible? So this is how the best medicine is financed.
Probably the same magazines in the office as the last time you went.
nachogrande
Member
GREAT INSURANCE.
Sounds like your insurance company already gave you the prostate exam.
11K, plus 16K deductible??? Not seeing an Md for 3 years with a heart history??? By fatigue, do you mean shortness of breath? Dark circles around your eyes? I'd say get some better insurance & do the full Monty cardiac workup asap. Echo, stress test etc by a good cardiologist.
Sounds like your insurance company already gave you the prostate exam.
11K, plus 16K deductible??? Not seeing an Md for 3 years with a heart history??? By fatigue, do you mean shortness of breath? Dark circles around your eyes? I'd say get some better insurance & do the full Monty cardiac workup asap. Echo, stress test etc by a good cardiologist.
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Sounds like your insurance company already gave you the prostate exam.
Will find out Monday by specialist...no shortness of breath, but feeling beat after exertion. Used to use 40 lb dumb bells for curls...now a 40 pound bag of chicken or dog food is hard to carry. Lost 40 pounds since retirement, not even trying, no appetite like I used to have. As for better insurance...this was what the company offered in retirement. Don't qualify for subsidized health care in CA due to pension. Guess I am rich.
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500SNW
Member
That's just plain robbery $11K a year. I would have to go without food and gas if I had to cough up $11K each year.
photoman
Member
The health insurance situation is seriously messed up...
Unfortunately, most people get their health insurance through their work and have NO idea what insurance is really costing.
The first thing that needs to happen to fix the health insurance charlie foxtrot we have is to permanently divorce health insurance from work compensation. If that were to ever happen, we would see action in Congress overnight. But alas, that will never, ever, ever happen.
Unfortunately, most people get their health insurance through their work and have NO idea what insurance is really costing.
The first thing that needs to happen to fix the health insurance charlie foxtrot we have is to permanently divorce health insurance from work compensation. If that were to ever happen, we would see action in Congress overnight. But alas, that will never, ever, ever happen.
wingriderz
Member
Wow don't know if you can get medicare but you might want to check other health insurance. I am a very frequent flyer in any and all cardiology test. ( mechinical heart valve ) with out the coverage I know have I would be broke with a big B
gman51
Member
That isn't medical insurance....that is paying ahead and still paying when something happens.
I had something medically very similar happen. I also have white coat syndrome which is where my B/P hits the ceiling when in any kind of doctors office. Mine was 195/ 99 and the doctor wanted to send me to ER immediately. I said nope I am not going. 45 minutes after leaving the doctors office my B/P was 133/85 when I was at WalMart getting B/P prescription filled.
The B/P meds caused my foot to swell up and sure enough one side effect of the med is edema of feet and ankles. I quit taking the med and did research for natural B/P meds. I take L-Arginine and Olive leaf extract capsules if my b/p gets to 130/85, which might happen a couple times a week. My B/P is usually under 120/80 and the prescription bottle sit almost full.
If I need go to a doctor I now will go to an ND not an MD. Funny how an ND costs are not covered by Medical insurance or Medicare but an MD is covered. That is just wrong!
I had something medically very similar happen. I also have white coat syndrome which is where my B/P hits the ceiling when in any kind of doctors office. Mine was 195/ 99 and the doctor wanted to send me to ER immediately. I said nope I am not going. 45 minutes after leaving the doctors office my B/P was 133/85 when I was at WalMart getting B/P prescription filled.
The B/P meds caused my foot to swell up and sure enough one side effect of the med is edema of feet and ankles. I quit taking the med and did research for natural B/P meds. I take L-Arginine and Olive leaf extract capsules if my b/p gets to 130/85, which might happen a couple times a week. My B/P is usually under 120/80 and the prescription bottle sit almost full.
If I need go to a doctor I now will go to an ND not an MD. Funny how an ND costs are not covered by Medical insurance or Medicare but an MD is covered. That is just wrong!
i have a BC BS plan G and pay $2016 annually...the only deductible i pay is less than $200 annually for the medicare part B............there are NO other deductibles or co pays.....
it may be to your advantage to start shopping around for medial insurance.....
I can't speak to your insurance issues, but I can tell you that your symptoms won't get better on their own. I've never seen Atrial Fibrillation cure itself.
Your fatigue with fairly light exertion is related to the AF, and again won't get better on it's own. Without knowing more, I can only guess that the fatigue is an "Anginal Equivalent". Which is Angina like complaints, but without chest pain. Shortness of breath is the most frequent of those, but fatigue with normal activities is also common.
You didn't state your medical history, but that sort of thing is very common with Type 2 diabetics. It's also common with older patients.
I had a patient some years back who was 73. He called the ambulance because he felt tired walking up his stairs. No chest pain, no shortness of breath. Just a sensation that someone or something was pressing down on his shoulders. After examining him, I determined (my young partner missed the signs) that he was indeed suffering from cardiac ischemia. It's one of those things that paramedics and even doctors can miss if they aren't thinking along those lines.
Follow up with the doctor and good luck.
Your fatigue with fairly light exertion is related to the AF, and again won't get better on it's own. Without knowing more, I can only guess that the fatigue is an "Anginal Equivalent". Which is Angina like complaints, but without chest pain. Shortness of breath is the most frequent of those, but fatigue with normal activities is also common.
You didn't state your medical history, but that sort of thing is very common with Type 2 diabetics. It's also common with older patients.
I had a patient some years back who was 73. He called the ambulance because he felt tired walking up his stairs. No chest pain, no shortness of breath. Just a sensation that someone or something was pressing down on his shoulders. After examining him, I determined (my young partner missed the signs) that he was indeed suffering from cardiac ischemia. It's one of those things that paramedics and even doctors can miss if they aren't thinking along those lines.
Follow up with the doctor and good luck.
500SNW
Member
I'd say we need to get rid of ridiculous charges for drugs and medical services/treatments. I once had to go to the ER. It was right after I lost my job...outsourced. It was right after Obamacare became law...and I didn't qualify for assistance nor did I have Medicaid yet. Long story short, I got an itemized bill from the ER. They did an unnecessary (and irrelevant) urine drug screen...the kind Labcorp does for $40. The hospital charged me - an unemployed and uninsured guy - $1000 for +++++++ in a bottle. They charged me $600 alone for a "Troponin blood test". There was a dozen other equally ridiculous charges pushing a 3 hr. visit upwards towards $10000. Obviously I am biased from this experience, but IMHO outrageous fees are the root of our problem.
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chaparrito
Member
Don't feel rained on. We don't qualify for a tax break under the ACA, and there is only ONE provider here in AZ. BCBS. I have medicare and a supplement but the wife is a long ways from medicare and our 24 year old son is a kayaker, mountain climber and general outdoor risk taker. No way he'll pay his own insurance so I keep him covered mainly to protect OUR assets.
Their policies have 7000 dollar deductibles and no benefits before deductibles are met other than the mandated annual physicals and my wife's colonoscopy. $11,580 dollars a year for the two of them. Healthy people both, who see a doc once a year. Talk about blood pressure, once a month when I pay those bills. I could buy a second home! Instead, that money's going into some already rich maggot's pocket. I better not say any more....
Their policies have 7000 dollar deductibles and no benefits before deductibles are met other than the mandated annual physicals and my wife's colonoscopy. $11,580 dollars a year for the two of them. Healthy people both, who see a doc once a year. Talk about blood pressure, once a month when I pay those bills. I could buy a second home! Instead, that money's going into some already rich maggot's pocket. I better not say any more....
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