update on dd's arm

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-21-2008, 10:10 PM

It's been two very long days.

It happened on Tuesday, she fell off her scooter in our driveway.
It was about 7pm it didn't look injured so I didn't take her to the Dr.
When morning came she wasn't moving it much but it still didn't look injured to me but I kept her home from school so she wouldn't disrupt the class.
On Thursday morning I took her to school and had the school nurse look at it. She said it could be broken so I took her home and called her ped to look at it. I didn't think it was going to be anything major so I figured the 60.00 for an office visit would be cheaper then the ER. Her Dr then said he wanted an x-ray, the results said small fracture and then they sent me to the ortho. The ortho couldn't see her until monday. I'm sorry but a 6yr olds broken arm can not wait another 5 days. So we had to find a dr that could see her asap and today was the best we could find.

I had to pay the ortho in cash up front.. thats was it. NO other option. Our insurance said so. We have to spend 1,000 out of pocket before they kick in.

So I had to pay 500.00 bucks today. And that wont be all. I will still get a bill for the x-rays and I will have to take her for more x-rays when they take the cast off. NOw my EF is not only at ZERO but it's in the red!!!!!!

The simple fact is we are too poor to help ourself and too rich to get any help. We are the working poor and there is nothing we can do.

**LuvMyHubby** · 03-21-2008, 10:18 PM

I can relate trust me. How is she feeling?

I was Lucky when dd broke her ankle we got in fairly quickly to the ortho and yes they are expensive little darlings.

I'm sorry you had to deplete your EF but am glad that you had one to fall back on. It makes me wonder if you had nothing at all to pay this DR. up front would they have actually had the gall to refuse to treat a little girl in pain?

**mombottoo** · 03-21-2008, 11:28 PM

Unexpected medical expenses always take you by surprise. I'm sorry the ortho's office wasn't more user friendly.

Here if you go to ER they treat you and call in whatever doctor(s) you may need and then they bill you. In the future you'd probably be better off going straight to ER. I don't know if your area hospitals have the same type of programs we have here, but if you don't have the money they have programs to help. Generally, unless you are flat broke you end up paying a percentage of the bill...I think it's under something called Hilt Burton's agreement.

**dianne9106** · 03-21-2008, 11:56 PM

I am so sorry

I know you are working so hard to get ahead. I will keep you in my thoughts. Can you change the deductible to your insurance plan? It sounds like you have to go through a lot just to get decent health care. I thought a regular doctor could look at breaks. At least you had the money to pay it - hang in there!
Dianne

**leezza** · 03-22-2008, 01:44 AM

I am so sorry your baby got hurt! I hope she will be feeling better real soon.

Sorry for the money part of it also.

Please take care of yourself and hang in there.

leezza

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-22-2008, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by LuvMyHubby

I can relate trust me. How is she feeling?

I was Lucky when dd broke her ankle we got in fairly quickly to the ortho and yes they are expensive little darlings.

I'm sorry you had to deplete your EF but am glad that you had one to fall back on. It makes me wonder if you had nothing at all to pay this DR. up front would they have actually had the gall to refuse to treat a little girl in pain?

Yes, I do think they would have refused!

**shoiji** · 03-22-2008, 11:04 AM

Understand the whole working poor. Good to hear you atleast had some EF to fall back on.

Hang in there. Smoother times are bound to be just around the corner.

**Marie78** · 03-22-2008, 11:18 AM

I am so sorry AnnK. I hope your daughter is going to be okay. It's unreal how much money we have to dish out up front to be cared for. My company is going to probably choose the $1,000 health insurance deductible next year. This year we pay $130/month (single) for health insurance. The family plan was an obscene amount of money each month. It costs me $25 to visit my DR. and $50 to visit a Specialist and another $100 if I need to go to the ER. Which I think still isn't as horrible as reaching a set deductible before health insurance and prescription coverage kicks in.

I wondered how a person would come up with $1,000 out of pocket before the insurance kicked in. I guess I know that now you deplete your EF and you charge on CC's after the EF is maxed out. I have a year though, before this goes into effect. I should start funding a $1,000 deductible acct. now and then make sure I replenish it back to $1,000 every year after that. That doesn't leave much to work on an EF for other emergencies, like car repairs.

You are not alone, many of us are the working poor. We make too much for any assistance, but too little to really survive without a safety net. You have been doing a great job working on your EF and you will build it up again. You deserve a pat on the back for having some money saved for an emergency, I know it's horrible that it was wiped out during one emergency. That's what it's there for and you will build it up again. We will all keep building our EF's after they are depleted. It's the only way that those of us tightly squeezed in the middle will survive.

**Michelle68** · 03-22-2008, 11:19 AM

I hope your DD is feeling better soon.

--Michelle

**Cricket1** · 03-25-2008, 08:48 AM

I'm sorry you had to go through this. How is she doing now?

**cissylu** · 03-25-2008, 03:09 PM

some of the insurance out there are awful what they charge.
I`m so sorry your little girl is hurt.
hug`s
cissylu

**frugalfriend** · 03-25-2008, 08:22 PM

I'm sorry to hear that about your dd! I feel your pain! I had to take my dd-8 to the dentist today for a toothache, and we don't have dental insurance. Turns out they had to pull the tooth (probably too far gone for a simple filling), and then make an impression for a space maintainer to hold the space open until her permanent tooth comes through. That will probably be a year or two. All to the tune of $377.00. This comes after taking ds to the orthodontist yesterday, and his braces will be over $5,000!

I have to laugh at that old saying, kids don't cost that much more, just throw a little extra spaghetti in the pot!

**LuvMyHubby** · 03-25-2008, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by AnnK

Yes, I do think they would have refused!

I had a feeling that you were going to say that. It is a sad day when a doctor would actually turn away a child in need of medical attention. I realize that they need to get paid but goodness there is sense in all things. So much for that feel good idea of the hypocratic (sp) oath.

I hope she is feeling better now though