The cost to see a doc in our state - if you do not have health ins - is about 95 to 120 per visit. This does not include blood work, urine samples, or any other screenings you may need. That is just to walk in the door and speak to him! Emergency room visit 1 hr is 500.
If you have ins co pays run from $10 to $30 and hospital $100. It costs us (out of my husbands check) 129 a wk to have it. Doctor, Hospital, and Dental (that doesn't cover much to start with). Then you have to find a doctor that is in your coverage list.
The cost for malpractice insurance for one doctor is about $20000 a yr to $100,000 a yr, depending on his type of work. Then you have his staff, nurses, and office expenses including rent, utilities and such. This is why you will see ';partners'; now more so than individual doctors offices now. Then the charges for disposable equipment - they buy in bulk - are sent to your insurance company at the cost of a full gross box such as exam gloves, needles, syringes, alcohol swabs, qtips, down to the toilet paper. I saw a breakdown of one of my visits (I asked them to itemize by bill they were sending to my insurance company and it was crazy! A syringe for a shot, alcohol packet, exam gloves, and a band aid was $80! That didn't include the med (2 cc's of an antibiotic which if bought by pill would cost $2) was $25. I researched the cost of a case of exam gloves with 200 per box ran $2.10 per box by case, per item 2 cents. Bought at pharmacy was $3.85 per box. 10 cc syringe per gross was $42. Per item is .25 cents. Needles sold by specific size individually wrapped per 50 was $38, per item .76. Box of Hello Kitty band aids was $1.89 at store, gross would be about .75 per box, 3cents a strip. Cost to doctor approximately $2.!
I sent an accompanying letter with the itemized bill - which I sent to insurance AND the doctors office - and the doctors office reduced their ';expenses'; bill by 42%! The insurance company sent me a thank you letter and also said they wished more people would do this. It would help keep insurance costs down.
I have quit going to the doctor unless absolutely necessary. Even with my kids. I don't remember, when I was a kid, going to the doctor every time I had the flu or the sniffles and I survived. If a flu lasts more than 6 days or a cold is a re occuring thing over a 30 day period then yes it is time to get a thorough exam, but anything else would be a waste of money and time. These doctors and pharmaceutical companies prey on our minds and fears to sell their services and products. Are we that ignorant and paranoid over the little things now? Seriously, if you have a mole that itches or grows in size and has never done so then yes, see a doctor. If you get reoccuring headaches you can do the same thing they do, write down what you have done in the past week, what you have eaten (maybe something different or new), how much water or fluids you have taken in or the lack of, and any meds that you have used or scripts that have been changed in the past 90 days. If you see a reoccuring pattern, then cut it out of your life for a while or call your doctor about a prescription reaction. If that doesn't work THEN see a doctor. Common sense and knowing your body is a big reason to pay attention to yourself instead of relying on these doctors and such. They are not miracle workers, they are not always positive about your current problems, and most times use us as a guinie pig for ';samples'; of meds that may cause more harm than good. If we can control the insurance companies and help keep costs down as well as the costs to doctors, the healthcare system would be easier to deal with. But, as long as we listen to their schpeil over ';New strains of virus''; ';New miracle drugs that can - so called - cure it'; and end up hypochodriacs over them, then nothing will change. I like the way Canada handles their healthcare. Monitoring, yearly audits, insurance caps and expense caps for doctors, and approval of alternative medicines and treatments, all covered by the government. Even insurance companies are managed and checked by their government. If over 40 countries can do it then why can't we?
Sorry, it touches a nerve in my brain that makes me drag out my soap box. I will put it away for now. lol
BlessingsHas you and your spouse made a decision not to go for health care due to the expense unless you think that you?
I sometimes skip the doctor for little things like a cold and even for mild sinus infections/head colds or sore throats. I have really good insurance too, so it's not even a issue of money. But, if I'm able to go to work, I'm able to function. So, I often skip the doctor, unless I feel like I'm serverly contagious or that my illness is going to effect my overall productivity at work or in my everday life.
I would never skip the doctor for routine screens and check-ups though. You just never know what's going on in your body. My father had cancer at 53 and we never saw it coming. Thank God, it was detected early and was treated.
In the end, skipping for that type of stuff, might end up costing you more money, if you become extremely sick and need to be treated.
Once, in college, I didn't have the money to go to the eye doctor and I had pink eye. Well, it ended up getting really, really bad. I couldn't go to work and I couldn't open my eyes for 2 days, there were so swollen and pink, they were closed shut! I did it because I didn't have the money.
Looking back, I should have known better. I ended up missing almost 4 days of work (and I was paid by the hour at the time) and I fell behind. If I had gone to the doctor, I could have been treated early and maybe only missed one day. So, sometimes, the cost is worth it in the end. Not to mention, it took almost 3 weeks for the redness and swelling to subside. I had to walk around in public looking like I had a disease.
I know money is tight. But, don't wait to the last possible second to visit a doctor. It often makes the situation worse, in terms of money and health.
Listen to your body, never ignore the signs! Best of Luck!
Before I got married, I went to a place called Crusader Clinic. It was for people who had no health insurance. A doctor visit was $20 , and they had a pharmacy in the office where you could sign up for programs through the companies that made the drugs, you had to show proof of your income, and if you qualified, you could get the drugs for $5 or for free and you had to do this every year. I have diabeties and high cholesterol due to that. After I got married, my husband made too much money to qualify, so my prescriptions went from $5 to $30 . He has crappy insurance. Since I'm not working right now, I have had to miss out on meds due to other bills having to be paid. Well, Feb 1st, his company changed policies(We were notified only a month in advance). We have to pay $1,000 out of pocket and then the rest of the year we don't pay any money for anything, that includes meds, doctor, hospital, tests, you name it. Sounds good right? Not really! My meds alone cost $700 a month with out insurance, it was only $150 before with the old policy and we couldn't afford that! I swear, I am going to have a stroke or a heart attack before I reach that thousand dollar deductible! I think that the government needs to let people who have serious diseases like I do who can not afford the medication be able to get a medical card. It is not fair, nobody asks to have these illnesses!
My husband and i have never had health care because we cant afford it and ONLY go to a dr or to the emergency room if is a serious health problem.
My husband works full-time and has been at the same job for a little over 12 yrs but his job doesn't offer health insurance.
We are low-income and maybe could get some kind of health insurance but we have never looked into.
Were I live you can go and see the doctor ever day if you need to, for we do not pay for there services and this is in Canada in the north west territories . We pay nothing to see a doctor that is the way it is up here for ever one . You could be ship down south for an operation and you pay for nothing free health care, what a blessing to live in Canada.
Yep, we have. I am in a funky place pay wise....I make too much for state medical, but if I applied for medical through my job, I wouldn't be able to pay basic bills like rent, utilities, food. And going through a medical program like Blue Cross would be useless because they don't accept people with ';pre-existing'; conditions or if they do accept you, they will not pay for those conditions. Like I was told they would accept my wife, but not pay for her Epilepsy....but that is what she needs treated *sigh* it is frustrating and hard. I have free medical through the VA, my kids I pay out of pocket and my poor wife, who desperately needs medical, refuses to see a DR cause she doesn't want to burden us financially. It is a big mess. Hopefully, I will be able to find another job that pays enough where I can afford medical.
We have never been in that position to forgo health care for money. I guess if I were I would not go. The kids need to go no matter what.
I've never went to the doctor unless I was desperate and still don't because I don't trust them.
Well I need a refill on my Ambien and I have actually thought about buying them on the black market.
yes. save up for such expense
yeah we just flat out cant afford it. kids are different tho we'll do what it takes to keep our babies healthy.
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