Today I saw my cardiologist for the sign-off on my heart surgery (see I’m back!, Getting sick is only for the rich or the well-insured, and Modern Medicine and Let Them Eat Cake Politicians).
I told her that I didn’t know whether to be mad or glad. Mad because of all I went through for the open heart surgery and all the side effects that went with it. Glad because of what the surgery had repaired.
Between the latest EKG results and what she heard with her stethoscope she was very pleased. Her delight made me very optimistic for continued improvement.
P.S. I know that she may well read this, but I still want her to know that her optimism was very contagious.
Showing posts with label open heart surgery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label open heart surgery. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Monday, August 07, 2017
Comment to Krugman and health care
Don't like paying for health care? Don't get sick, don't grow old, and don't visit doctors.
I rarely get sick and I couldn't stop growing old, but I do visit doctors regularly to check on how well I am. For a man my age, the verdicts have been that I am in pretty good shape. But they have also been concerned about my heart.
This year a cardiologist determined I should be seen by surgeons. The verdict was that I needed a valve replacement. Four months later I am slowly getting back to the activity level I once had.
But if had to pay all the costs that have been incurred, I would probably be back in the hospital with a stroke. If I had to pay all the costs, I would probably have to sell my house.
As it is, I pay a few dollars for this, a couple hundred for that, and on and on. The max I could pay is $5,000. I'm not there yet, but I would say that lots of minimum wage workers would have a hard time making those payments.
Posted to http://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/opinion/healthcare-single-payer-children.html?comments#permid=23604618.
I rarely get sick and I couldn't stop growing old, but I do visit doctors regularly to check on how well I am. For a man my age, the verdicts have been that I am in pretty good shape. But they have also been concerned about my heart.
This year a cardiologist determined I should be seen by surgeons. The verdict was that I needed a valve replacement. Four months later I am slowly getting back to the activity level I once had.
But if had to pay all the costs that have been incurred, I would probably be back in the hospital with a stroke. If I had to pay all the costs, I would probably have to sell my house.
As it is, I pay a few dollars for this, a couple hundred for that, and on and on. The max I could pay is $5,000. I'm not there yet, but I would say that lots of minimum wage workers would have a hard time making those payments.
Posted to http://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/opinion/healthcare-single-payer-children.html?comments#permid=23604618.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Modern Medicine and Let Them Eat Cake Politicians
I finally received a bill for my open heart surgery in April. See I’m back!
The bill for the initial surgeon’s visit and the operation is $20,280.50. The five days of hospital stay are not included. My bill for three-plus hours of surgery after Medicare and supplemental insurance: $50.50!!
What I pay monthly for insurance is $178.90 for Medicare and supplemental insurance plus $83.70 for prescription drugs. This is deducted from my Social Security. My wife pays the same amount.
According to https://resources.ehealthinsurance.com/affordable-care-act/much-health-insurance-cost-without-subsidy, individual coverage averaged $321 per month and family plans averaged $833. The annual deductibles were $4,358 and $7,983.
To pay the individual deductible, a person would have save about $84/week or two dollars an hour. For the premiums, a person would have to save about $74/week. Together that is $158/week or $3.95/hour. At a minimum wage of $9/hour, that doesn’t leave much for food and rent. Without insurance, a year’s wage of $9/hour would not even cover the above bill.
And lots of politicians and millionaires think these individuals should be happy with what they get. I don’t wish Marie Antoinette’s fate on these “let them eat cake” thinkers, but someday there will be a widespread realization that the people at the bottom of the economic are being taken advantage of. Let’s hope they find better “champions” than Donald Trump and his ilk.
The bill for the initial surgeon’s visit and the operation is $20,280.50. The five days of hospital stay are not included. My bill for three-plus hours of surgery after Medicare and supplemental insurance: $50.50!!
What I pay monthly for insurance is $178.90 for Medicare and supplemental insurance plus $83.70 for prescription drugs. This is deducted from my Social Security. My wife pays the same amount.
According to https://resources.ehealthinsurance.com/affordable-care-act/much-health-insurance-cost-without-subsidy, individual coverage averaged $321 per month and family plans averaged $833. The annual deductibles were $4,358 and $7,983.
To pay the individual deductible, a person would have save about $84/week or two dollars an hour. For the premiums, a person would have to save about $74/week. Together that is $158/week or $3.95/hour. At a minimum wage of $9/hour, that doesn’t leave much for food and rent. Without insurance, a year’s wage of $9/hour would not even cover the above bill.
And lots of politicians and millionaires think these individuals should be happy with what they get. I don’t wish Marie Antoinette’s fate on these “let them eat cake” thinkers, but someday there will be a widespread realization that the people at the bottom of the economic are being taken advantage of. Let’s hope they find better “champions” than Donald Trump and his ilk.
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