Frustrated w/doctors & bills

**JanieD** · 12-22-2009, 04:06 PM

I'm interesting in how others w/health issues get the help they need & deal with the expense. Please share any advise or related information. How do you deal with medical professionals, those dreaded bills & get the medical treatment you need?

DH has had back trouble for years, but its finally to the point that something has to be done. He's tried to get treatment before with little to no results. Over the last 6 months he has seen doctors, specialists & physical therapists. He's had countless tests, scans & consultions. We have health insurance w/high deductibles & savings. However, I don't think its possible to ever have enough when it comes to medical bills.

One concern is that this will drag on for years (deductible must be met every 12 months before insurance pays anything). Rarely do we get a straight answer when we ask about costs. Plus, no one seems in a hurry to find the problem. We constantly wait to have appointments set up & tests scheduled. Is this normal? Maybe I expect too much, but I have all these bills for what? Honestly, doctors should get paid based on results. The reality is they make more by not finding the problem.

**lottaLove** · 12-22-2009, 04:36 PM

Can you change doctors? If your doctor keeps prescribing expensive tests and treatments that you don't feel are yielding any results, I'd either be frank with the doc and tell him/her the current treatment plan isn't working, or find a new doc.

Also, don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask why he is doing this certain test, what will the results show you. The more informed you are, the more you will feel like you are an active participant in the health care treatment plan.

**porembam** · 12-22-2009, 07:20 PM

Are you getting your own personal copies of the tests that are done. These should be provided at you doctor visit for no cost to you, though you may have to request them. Then you can set up your own file , so should you visit a new doctor , just show them all the tests that have been done.
I also have to pay my deductible every 12 months - January is just around the corner and I also have to start over just like you.
I don't think there is any way around this, I just budget it in.
Good luck getting an accurate diagnosis, it would be the best present you could get.

**frugalfranny** · 12-23-2009, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by lottaLove

Also, don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask why he is doing this certain test, what will the results show you. The more informed you are, the more you will feel like you are an active participant in the health care treatment plan.

I TOTALLY hear you JanieD. Agree with the post above ---not only ask the questions, get your results and KEEP YOUR OWN FILE, but do some research on your own!!! Read about these tests---and keep reading, reading, reading! Ask what they are looking for......and why do they think this needs to be done!!!

Then------HOPE you don't get a Dr. with a god complex!!!

It is really FRUSTRATING-----I feel for you. Been there, done that!

**Palooka** · 12-23-2009, 04:32 AM

Originally Posted by JanieD

I'm interesting in how others w/health issues get the help they need & deal with the expense. Please share any advise or related information. How do you deal with medical professionals, those dreaded bills & get the medical treatment you need?

It's funny how we know it's an American asking for health care advice here and you would never find a Canadian nor European asking for advice. hmmm. I wonder why...(just saying!!)

My deductible turns over every year too and it's 500. We just got our papers in the mail to renew this.

I've done my best to pay off doctors/hospitals. 2007 through 2009 we got slammed with thousands. We had a baby also and some freak ER bills with insurance.

I just don't let them mess with me anymore because I do pay them but maybe not in their time.

Some may think this is crapy but this is what I did with one bill. It was only a little over 300. They said I have to pay 25 bucks or else cuz that's the way St. Mary's hosptial rolls here even after my insurance paid them 4 grand.

This was over the phone and I let them deduct the 25 for kicks but since they threatened me, I send them monthly small checks in the mail. They can cash or turn me over. Doctor bills here don't ruin your credit much.

But there have been a few that didn't work with me and they got paid last!!!!

**JanieD** · 12-23-2009, 11:34 AM

Thanks for the advise so far & for just listening. It really helps to get other opinions. We did try to get a second opinion from another specialist & basically wasted over a month. Honestly, at this point I'm disappointed in both specialists. I understand finding the problem can take awhile & require tests, but seems their grasping at straws mostly. I really think its time to be referred to someone else, but DH wants to give the current specialist a little longer.

I'll check into getting copies of the labs, but I think we have most of the other stuff. Our deductibles are at different times of the year & are thousands of dollars each. DH likes to pay everything in full within a month or 2 of receiving statements. However, we have decided to make payments on some. I've done some research & really need to do more, but sometimes the information is difficult to find & often confusing. Any thoughts on where to look (I've used WebMD & a few other sites)?

**2ndGenGranola** · 12-24-2009, 06:29 AM

Doctors are not longer allowed to think for themselves. They are bound by the plan of action dictated by the insurance company. Medicare is by far the worse. Our Dr friend was discussing this with us just this week. He said if a patient comes in with X I could easily treat them by doing A and B BUT if I only do A and B they will consider the problem Z instead of X and deny payment and him him with a "fraud" charge of $$,$$$. There is no way it can be Z but they with their lack of medical knowledge claim it is. To treat for X, I now have to do A then Q then L then M then B in order for them to recognize it as X.

**Palooka** · 12-25-2009, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by 2ndGenGranola

Doctors are not longer allowed to think for themselves. They are bound by the plan of action dictated by the insurance company. Medicare is by far the worse. Our Dr friend was discussing this with us just this week. He said if a patient comes in with X I could easily treat them by doing A and B BUT if I only do A and B they will consider the problem Z instead of X and deny payment and him him with a "fraud" charge of $$,$$$. There is no way it can be Z but they with their lack of medical knowledge claim it is. To treat for X, I now have to do A then Q then L then M then B in order for them to recognize it as X.

I agree with this. When I worked at the doctors office, you had to cross every T and dot every I and make sure the insurance papers was perfect so there would be no 'fraud'.

There seemed to be so many hoops to go through when things could be way easier.

**JanieD** · 12-29-2009, 01:25 PM

We finally got the call from pain management, but its another 2 weeks before they can see dh. Its so frustrating... the waiting & waiting for someone to finally do something. DH spoke w/our family doctor last week & felt he got more information from him than from the specialists. Maybe we need to go back to him & see if he can get things moving.

I really want to avoid going through the specialist to get things set up from here on out. Honestly, they take too long to do anything. At least a week to see specialist (after many calls asking them to make the pain management appt that was discussed in Nov), then 10 days to get call from pain management & another 2 weeks waiting for actual appointment. Sorry but that's just too long. All they have to say is to be patient, it takes time.

**mombottoo** · 01-06-2010, 12:33 PM

Have they made any kind of a diagnosis at all? My dh has been disabled due to back issues for over 9 years. If your dh has a ruptured disc or narrowing in his spine it should have shown up on some of the tests they have ran.

Maybe he has nerve damage, has he been to a physiatrist yet? They do a test (EMG) using electrical current and follow the nerves to see if they are all working properly.

On a side note, dh finally decided to get a handicap parking permit since he can't walk very far. Idiot doctor checked off that his condition is temporary...a**wipe! It's not temporary by any stretch of the imagination!!!!

**JanieD** · 01-07-2010, 02:57 PM

The tests aren't really showing a problem/issue that would cause the kind of pain he is having. No EMG yet, but could be in the future. Doctor says one thing, therapy says it isn't that. Specialist agrees w/doctor & back to therapy. Test after test & appointment after appointment & still little relief. But they've ruled out all this BAD stuff. Like it always shows up on the tests. Anyway, doctor feels its muscle or nerve related, but wants to wait to see if injection will help (50/50 chance). Then follow up to decide what the next step should be.