Only in America ....An ACA rant

SWCCFAN
My wife and I recently had our first child together. She had a c-section and we stayed in the hospital for 5 days. After the c-section she developed some bleeding more than normal so she became anemic almost to the point of needing a transfusion.

After we had been home for a few days she passed some rather large clots and was in severe pain to the point she could barely walk. As a former EMT I felt she needed to get to the ER and be checked out. The first question they asked is how we intended to pay for the visit.

We have full coverage insurance so it wasn't an issue but I fear if we didn't care may have been delayed or rejected all together, even though I know they can't do that .... Yet!

Once ACA is fully implemented you will be expected to have it. My question is what if you don't?

NO you won't that's a misconception

I hate the ACA, IN fact I think that while it's a good attempt it falls flat short in many areas and after reading the WHOLE thing, there is no reference to repealing the law that requires Emergency treatment.

n 1986, Congress enacted the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) to ensure public access to emergency services regardless of ability to pay. Section 1867 of the Social Security Act imposes specific obligations on Medicare-participating hospitals that offer emergency services to provide a medical screening examination (MSE) when a request is made for examination or treatment for an emergency medical condition (EMC), including active labor, regardless of an individual's ability to pay.

Source

If you have insurance, there is now a large co-pay for treatment....usually payable in advance.
So, having insurance assumes ability to pay, I think.

I don't know how it would work in the ER is you told them you cannot afford the deductible...and you weren't dying or in some acute situation....like bleeding profusely.

DontTreadOnMe
If you have insurance, there is now a large co-pay for treatment....usually payable in advance.
So, having insurance assumes ability to pay, I think.

I don't know how it would work in the ER is you told them you cannot afford the deductible...and you weren't dying or in some acute situation....like bleeding profusely.

no matter the ailment no matter the cause, ER's must take you, no matter what..

reply to post by palmalBlue2

He has had a migraine pain level headache for the last 3 days [he says more ]
When he gets up and walks around.... he gets dizzy, sees spots and his vision gets blurry. He gets sick to his stomach and throws up.


when he is sitting to do hoemework, ... the pain increases and its almost like nacholepty....he gets supper sleepy.

We have tried ice packs, Tylenol etc. but the spots in his eyeS/dizzinesss/pain is getting worse.

He iss at the ER right now and I am waiting to hear back.

Being Canadian I don't understand your whacky medical system, but up here, even with hours to wait in emergency areas at times - symptoms like that would get a child moved into a bed immediately.

It's hard to imagine a hospital turning away a child with symptoms that could possibly be an aneurysm waiting to happen.

reply to post by vkey08


sorry to break in here, but will someone let me know the last post I made? this website as far as I know doesnt let me know.

It is 5:10 pm west coast time.
Just got off the phone with hubby....they found a clot behind his left eye. Normal blood work normal. MRI up for grabs.
They are sending him home.

Docs want to keep him, ins. says no. We are getting a 'watch for list' of syptoms, but other than that....
IDK what to say to ayone right now.
They think he is gonna have a stroke or otherwise.

My 17 yr.old has a clot behind his eye that explalins what he has been going through the last few days, the docs are concerned.

Yep. my insurance and tax return says iam in a high category, my actual life says otherwise.

I am NOT expecting sypmpathay or advice cause I know that there is none to give. All I know is that the system has screwed us all.....unless you got the money to pay.

reply to post by catt3


at the top, fourth icon from the right.

vkey08
no matter the ailment no matter the cause, ER's must take you, no matter what..

So what does op do if he/she is being told money first?
Like another poster above said (canadian?), in the uk that kid with those symptoms WOULD have been sent an ambulance and been admitted to hospital, the money is irrelevant over here.
I cant believe you americans have let them stitch you up like this, its the year 2013 and money is more important than health? I thought america was a civilised country!
Mind you, if its a shot of vaccine poison, then they'll chase you to the ends of the earth to force it into you.

DontTreadOnMe
If you have insurance, there is now a large co-pay for treatment....usually payable in advance.
So, having insurance assumes ability to pay, I think.

I don't know how it would work in the ER is you told them you cannot afford the deductible...and you weren't dying or in some acute situation....like bleeding profusely.

You have aptly defined the hidden aspect of ObamaramaCare.

The hospitals are going to send the collection agency (IRS) after everyone who can't afford healthcare.

VoidHawk

vkey08
no matter the ailment no matter the cause, ER's must take you, no matter what..

So what does op do if he/she is being told money first?
Like another poster above said (canadian?), in the uk that kid with those symptoms WOULD have been sent an ambulance and been admitted to hospital, the money is irrelevant over here.
I cant believe you americans have let them stitch you up like this, its the year 2013 and money is more important than health? I thought america was a civilised country!
Mind you, if its a shot of vaccine poison, then they'll chase you to the ends of the earth to force it into you.

Thank you for your thoughts because they are sooo true and if anyone from the UK wants to know how much this is already gonna cost me with good insurance....
And if anyoneone thinks its about cost......f ...off I don't care if I have to take hime back tomoorow.....they cant deny you treatment but they sure as hell can bill you if you are insured.

ER..150 [our co-pay]
Labs/bloodwork...350
Catscan....250
MRI....700

That is NOT including the people who read the scans.
Thats usually 150 per prof. who reads the scans, so that is 300 right there for the CT and MRI


This is our GOLD standanrd co- pay.

On Jan 1 it swirches to we pay all till 3,000. then insurance would pay 80/20

I am writing this out to let anyone on here know just how much it is if you use this, no matter what your income.

People want a real life example of how this works out monetarily...

Yeah...you can go to an ER and get seen and trust me, we went through the help lines, convienant care first, they ALL said go to the ER.

Sure, they can see you. but there is no law that says they can't bill you for services rended.

So.....with all that said....what I posted is my bill for tonight.


He still has the clot and they gave us advice about the headaches, etc.

I don't give a shiite about the money, I posted this for benefit of others.

Try not paaying large bills. I am being sued for a denial of ins. claim by another state[KS] because the county health is tied to the state.

Ambulance is a 600- 1200 co pay for me. It was cheaper for us to drive him there.

Not looking for sympathy....but....WTF......I Pay HIGHLY for insurance out of hubby's check......WTF about all these copays!!! THIS IS BS!!!!


If I dont pay thgese copays, I can expect and will post the collection calls in about3-6 months.

From the UK friends on here. THANK YOU for you kind thoughts and I hope with my ramblings I gave you a better understanding.

Fot the person who commented about being too poor....hubby makes with overtime 52,000. a year.

Do you want to guess how much gets taken out of his check now. [or how much more BECAUSE OF ACA] will be taken out on Jan 1.

Sooo...I gotta feed my kid tylenol and ice packs until...I would literally give my body parts to save his life and with good insurance and money...why is that no longer possible in the US??

And yes, I am emotional......I am a Mom and I think our medical system is an ffing joke.

reply to post by palmalBlue2


I hope everything works out for your son.

The bills?
I feel for you...this ACA is a disaster, no doubt about it.
The thought of getting seriously ill, or breaking something terrifies me, and I've had VERY good insurance for many years.

IN case you're wondering, there's a reason for this ACA mess:
www.detroitnews.com...

But Obamacare’s pain is spread much broader. Those with employer-provided insurance are also getting stung. Policies that previously asked for manageable contributions from employees will now carry either much higher monthly premiums or outrageous deductibles and co-pays, or both. Out-of-pocket costs are leaping to an average $5,000 to $6,000 annually for individuals, and $10,000 to $12,000 for families.

~~~~~~~

Obamacare was sold as a path to making America healthier by giving everyone insurance coverage. But what good is insurance you can’t afford to use? How many people will put off recommended tests and treatments because they don’t have the money to pay the deductible?

And when it's your loved ones, well, money isn't everything....but damn, all of a sudden these costs are overwhelming.
I thought healthcare reform was supposed to STOP sending people to the poor house....


ETA
BTW, if I should get thrown off my insurance...and it seems likely next year..to get a premium I can afford, even with my subsidy, my annual deductible...for ONE person...will be 6350$

reply to post by palmalBlue2


You know, over here, the msm present obama and obamacare as something wonderful, and I just know they're brain washing the people to believe we should adopt the same system, so thank you for what you've shown us, it will be shown to everyone I know.

VoidHawk

vkey08
no matter the ailment no matter the cause, ER's must take you, no matter what..

So what does op do if he/she is being told money first?
Like another poster above said (canadian?), in the uk that kid with those symptoms WOULD have been sent an ambulance and been admitted to hospital, the money is irrelevant over here.
I cant believe you americans have let them stitch you up like this, its the year 2013 and money is more important than health? I thought america was a civilised country!
Mind you, if its a shot of vaccine poison, then they'll chase you to the ends of the earth to force it into you.

NO reputable Hospital is going to tell a person bringing a child into the ER money first or no see, Urgent care center that's different they are little private things, but a real ER at a hospital, they HAVE to take you no if's ands or buts.. they dont' want to lose their licence to operate and once they do it's almost impossible to get it back.

DontTreadOnMe
If you have insurance, there is now a large co-pay for treatment....usually payable in advance.
So, having insurance assumes ability to pay, I think.

I don't know how it would work in the ER is you told them you cannot afford the deductible...and you weren't dying or in some acute situation....like bleeding profusely.

Been there, done that 3 times now........ depending on the hospital and where [in network/out network] depends on what kind of treatment you get and how big a bill after. Thats only ER, not including hospital admission. These were just accidents except tonights visit which for the life of me I cannot understand WHY they released him with a blockage.[and no...I don't expect you to answer unless you are a top official with Pacific source

]

I gotta log out ......its been a long day/night.
Son is home and resting ok, but i cant help his pain.

Yes, in the US, they have to see you at an ER, but that does not guarentee the level of service.

Nor does it guarentee the bill.

Thank you for those who sent U2s.

VoidHawk
reply to post by palmalBlue2

 

You know, over here, the msm present obama and obamacare as something wonderful, and I just know they're brain washing the people to believe we should adopt the same system, so thank you for what you've shown us, it will be shown to everyone I know.

Not in Canada. If anything, they make us glad that we're not living in America.

Our system has its faults, shortage of doctors, long waits in emergency, but no deductibles, no co-pays (except pharmaceuticals).
Obama went around to different countries before implementing the new system in the US, to see how stuff worked elsewhere.
He wanted something that didn't copy other countries.
That's what he implemented. Health "care" like none other...

reply to post by palmalBlue2

The kids going LATER to the ER...while youre sitting here typing us? I'd question a couple things: how sick the kid is right now...and how much importance you place on him being sick?

MS/Advance Life Support
ERT/EMT

reply to post by palmalBlue2


Think most of us said this will happen.

Hope the kid gets treated....you can still sue them just cause.

ObamaCare act had certain provisions that would allow certain, not all, hospitals to do just that.

You'd be hearing about the lack of malpractice suits for actual malpractice in the next 2 years. IMO ACA was a corporate friendly act that will make corps money like never before. Being forced to pay in or else! Capitalism at its worst.

Good luck.