I'd just like to say, that I am so tired of medical crap happening to me. I have been having problems ever since my appendix came out. I am now having a cat scan in a couple of hours. I had to stop eating and drinking at 10:30 today, so I ate my lunch early and it's so hot in our office and I'm all dried out.... now I'm drinking the barium crap. I was all, ok it can't be too bad right and at least I'll get to drink something....

Berry smoothie flavor my a**. This tastes worst than mylanta and I have to keep chugging it and my employees are all giggling at my gagging. I have half a bottle to go now, and then in an hour I have to drink another 2/3 bottle before I drive over to the hospital.

Oh, and the hospital called about my bill today. They won't accept me making the payment that I can afford, they actually want more than that and so they can't accept my money. Jerks. Send me to collections then, I don't care.... maybe I won't have to drink anymore of this crap.

moonduck (who is sneaking out back to smoke a cigarette and get the supposed berry smoothie taste out of her mouth since she can't eat or drink anything to help it)

does it taste as bad as the stuff they make you drink when you are pregnant to test for diabetis?

As long as you are paying them in good faith, I don't think they can do anything to you.

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does it taste as bad as the stuff they make you drink when you are pregnant to test for diabetis?

I didn't think it was that bad, there are cold meds so much worse.

Best of Luck Moonduck and go to the supervisor for that payment crap, they will change it, just don't give up.

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does it taste as bad as the stuff they make you drink when you are pregnant to test for diabetis?

I can't say if it is worse(never tried it) but as a nurse who gives it to patients all the time, it looks like you would be drinking liquid chalk. Not too appetizing. I would imagine it is worse than the diabetes testing drink(which I have tried).

good luck with your CT Moonduck. Hope all goes well and you'll be feeling better soon:)

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does it taste as bad as the stuff they make you drink when you are pregnant to test for diabetis?

I don't know about that, but it was terrible. And then when I was sneaking out for my smoke, the bosses saw me and had just heard me gagging and asked if I was okay. Showed them the bottle I was carrying trying to finish and they started laughing and telling horror stories about how it comes out later and how I'll be lucky if I make it to the hospital without an accident and ugh!!!!

At least I'm not so thirsty now. Thanks for the well wishes. If they don't figure it out after this I think I'm telling my doc to just forget about it. I can't afford more bills and I'm not dealing with this crap anymore. Everything just brings more questions and more tests. I figure I'm already in 3 grand and the pain is lessening now, so whatever. They said that I'm disease free and I don't care where my ovary is anymore, I just want the pain to stop already, so if they can't figure it out from a cat scan, I'm done. I'm gonna have to get a second job as it is, I haven't done that since college and swore I'd never do it again.

moonduck

The billing dept. does a good job at driving people nuts. They send you a bill of an enormous and ridiculous amount (what they usually send the insurance co.'s) and don't tell you they'll settle for less. As long as you send them something, they can complain, but nothing else. I hope you get to feeling better!!

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I am now having a cat scan in a couple of hours.

Why would you want to scan your cat? Do you have to tape him to the scanner, or does he cooperate and just lay there quietly? =)

-- Ryan

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does it taste as bad as the stuff they make you drink when you are pregnant to test for diabetis?

It's much worse! I had to have a cat scan done over the summer and I thought I was going to die from drinking that crap! They said mine was cherry Kool-Ade sweetened with Splenda...yeah, right. That was nasty, just plain nasty.

I feel for ya, moonduck!

~J
JBBK2006

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They send you a bill of an enormous and ridiculous amount (what they usually send the insurance co.'s) and don't tell you they'll settle for less.

I offered to pay them half in cash and they refused. I offered to pay them $20/month, they said they wanted and could take no less than $50/month. I should have sent them something but they wanted me to sign a contract for the $50/month payment and I refused. Dumb.

This from a hospital that cannot clean up KY Jelly off of the floor (I've even seen it in the cafeteria) and dirty laundry in the corners.... ooh, and my absolute favorite, a blood smear on the table in the room. Pointed it out to the nurse when she came in and she was even grossed out (didn't see it get cleaned before I left tho). Oh, and the doctor in the ER gets to bill me seperately from the hospital.... yet they're the same amounts? How does a 20 minute trip in the middle of the night to be told, yeah, you have an abcessed tooth and need to see your dentist (who was out of town and I was waiting for him to return) and you really should quit smoking (I don't need that lecture at 3 am) and a shot in the butt add up to $240?

Yet I remember back in my non-insurance days, when they'd give me a $75 bill for the same thing and then let me settle for half. How does this work??????

I'm really thinking I'll be going downstate to the next nearest hospital from now on. I'm getting to the point I'm scared to go to ours. And you can't talk to them about these things... they don't exist, b/c Lord knows I've tried, I even told my doctor when he told me he wanted the cat scan that the hospital is a filthy place and I don't like going there and he was just like, it's the only place.

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Why would you want to scan your cat? Do you have to tape him to the scanner, or does he cooperate and just lay there quietly? =)

Thanks Ryan, this made me laugh just imagining my cats dealing with this!

I guess I'm taking the rest of the afternoon off after the scan and going to the billing dept and then to the bank to get a loan to pay for this. Ridiculous!!!

moonduck

The stuff for the CAT scan is much worse than the diabetes test stuff. My stuff for my diabetes test tasted like really sweet, thick Sprite, but still drinkable.

The CAT scan stuff taste like cherry-flavored, liquid chalk. Miles worse than Mylanta, Kaopectate or any of those others.

I hope you get some sort of good answers out of this Moonduck. We'll be thinking about you.

Knit wit

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does it taste as bad as the stuff they make you drink when you are pregnant to test for diabetes?

Oh, that stuff is gross! When number one son had to be tested they let him drink a big gulp Coke instead (which suggests that there's a frightening amount of glucose in Coke, but anyway he was all right.)

Good wishes and thoughts on their way to you! I hope everything is fine!

Mariette
(dbltall of Team Garlic)

You might want to check with local laws. It's my understanding that a hospital cannot force one to pay on the hospital's terms. I.e. the hospital must provide medical care despite the economic status of the patient. But, like you said, that hospital has issues and they're throwing you a line. They're just scared they're not going to get their money.

Gee, all this b/c of an appendix! (On a side note, if the hospital is in that kind of condition, I'm not sure I'd trust the diagnosis they deliver...second opinion maybe?)

I hope everything turns out ok and that your cats enjoy your scanner! :)

Well the "CAT Crap" as I have deemed it, is the worst tasting stuff, the preggo stuff is cake . My trick is to pick the NON - flavored- less disapointing in the long run! Or I go for lemon if possible- it sometimes has a pinesol taste but it goes down better than cherry or berry anything.....I am not sure who the quality control people are at the palces that make these potions are but they need better tasters....hummmm,I am thinking a new career is on the horizon!!! ; ) yuck


As far as the $$$ goes , I don't even answer my phone anymore. I pay what I can and not a penny more...after I have spoken with them once and i am honoring what I TOLD THEM, I feel NO obligation to discuss it anymore!!!! UNKNOWN CALLER = I want something! hospital and doctors billing dept. are crazy - last office I went into I went to write a check and then they put it thru like am ATM card- i had just deposited my pay check so of course it did not clear yet- they freaked- HELLO that's why I wrote the check- it will clear tomorrow!

Moonduck - I know your pain and the story first hand- I will be in the same boat again this week- more tests more poking more proding- frustration but maybe answers!!!!
My prayers and hopes are with you , I know how pissy it is to NOT know what is going on with your very own body. Here's to getting some answers and paying what you can when you can !!! Don't let them bully you into my stress and pain! First do NO harm! I guess that doesn't include collections for services rendered- btw if you have insurance fight for what you should be getting or are not getting- they are great at cutting corners without you noticing.

CAT scans, MRI's , EEG, PET scans ...all are super fun I suggest everyone do it at least once- like sky diving or scuba ! or letterboxing! hehe You do get cool scrapbook pictures!!

enjoy the journey,*off to the Mayo clinic in 2 days and a wakeup then frozen*
teekasue

The last couple of times I was pregnant, they gave me jelly beans to eat instead of that orange stuff - big improvement!

Woodsong

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You do get cool scrapbook pictures!!

Because of my MRI, I have proof that I do have a brain!!! I can show you if you want. My neurologist just looked at the report from the radiologist, and I got to keep the pictures.
My condolences on the high cost of medicine. We will be deducting medical on our taxes for the 3rd year in a row, and we have health insurance. Those deductibles are killer.
Chickadee

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We will be deducting medical on our taxes for the 3rd year in a row, and we have health insurance.

You can do this? Seriously? I have health insurance but the deductibles are what's killing me at this point. After the deductibles I still have to pay anywhere from 20-50% depending on the procedures.

So, if I pay the bill this year, but it's for my appendix from last year, can I claim it somehow for 2006 or do I have to wait for when I file my 2007 taxes?

Oh my, seriously excited b/c this could help me a lot! I'd be able to get back enough to actually pay the bills!

moonduck

I believe your medical expenses have to total a certain percentage of your income before you can claim them. At least this is what I've always understood to be the case. check with your accountant.

MoonBunny
not an accountant, nor do I play one on tv.

I've been working on my taxes with Turbo Tax on-line and they told me I could deduct out of pocket medical expenses if they totaled over $2,600 (a certain percentage of my income).

Woodsong

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We will be deducting medical on our taxes for the 3rd year in a row, and we have health insurance. Those deductibles are killer

It is killer , any medical/dental/including scrips and travel expenses for speacialists in certain circumstances....it is the only thing that keeps us afloat- it has to total that certain % other have spoke of but whose expenses don't ?

We have already gotten this years refund back and now we are spending it at Mayo this week...WHAT A VACATION!!!! I'd rather be ....ummmmm anywhere!!! It's 9 degrees and snowing and at night it will be below zero.....they knew I was coming !!! ; ) Sorry if you live in the area , I didn't mean to bring the weather with me, it jsut happens that way!

Anyway DEDUCT WHAT YOU CAN !!!!

enjoy the journey,
teekasue

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any medical/dental/including scrips and travel expenses for speacialists in certain circumstances

You can deduct all out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses EXCEPT for cosmetic purposes. This includes deductibles for each visit to the doctor's office. You can deduct mileage (standard rate of 18 cents per mile OR the actual expenses) for every trip to the local doctor, dentist, drug store, etc. You can even deduct other travel expenses; train, plane, taxi. An overnight stay for medical treatment can be deducted ($50 night per person) for the person receiving treatment and/or a parent, but not for the spouse.

You can deduct medical insurance premiums if the money used to pay for those premiums is taxable. Huh? Simply put, some insurances are before-tax and some are after-tax. A before-tax premium is not deductible because it was taken out of your gross income BEFORE you paid your income tax withholding. Which do you have? Ask your employer if you are not sure.

As a tax preparer, my standard question for this deduction was always "Did you have any out-of-pocket medical or dental expenses? Glasses, braces, crutches, bandages, home improvements for the handicap, stop-smoking or weight loss programs? Yes, Weight Watchers weekly fees are deductible, if you have been diagnosed as obese. You can NOT deduct expenses for generic meds like Tylenol, Aspirin, etc.

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it has to total that certain %

Medical has to be more that 7.5% of you AGI. Which is basically your total taxable income from ALL sources. This does not include nontaxable income.

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So, if I pay the bill this year, but it's for my appendix from last year, can I claim it somehow for 2006 or do I have to wait for when I file my 2007 taxes?

Sorry. You can only claim expenses in the year the expenses were actually paid.

Hope this helps,
castles16