Thứ Ba, 31 tháng 1, 2023

RT or PTA as a career?

By    08:34 // No comments

I'm at a point in my life where I need to get out of restaurant and retail work for good.

I was a personal trainer for a couple years but didn't stick with it due to low pay and demanding hours. I am currently working as a physical therapist technician and enjoy my work, but because my current position doesn't require a degree, the pay is low (below $20/hr)

This doesn't leave me any wiggle room to save for retirement or other goals, basically I'm stuck in survival mode with the pay so ive decided to go back to school as soon as my residency clears and i turn 24.. so a year and a half basically.

I'm currently stuck between becoming a RT or a PTA.

RT is sticking out to me currently because of the work/life balance (3x12 shifts) and it seems like they may make more money with less school debt... currently there is a program in my area that costs 12k total including pre reqs. I don't love the idea of dealing with blood and mucus but I know I can if I need to. Also, my goal would be to become a travel RRT.

PTA seems nice because I do enjoy the less stressful work environment and have experience already helping people to exercise and basically make their bodies work better as a whole, though it is more costly to go to school for and it seems as though they make less, but I could be wrong. I'm currently working as a PT tech in a private practice and the environment is lovely. I've heard a lot about the PTA position being dissolved in the future though which does scare me.

For those of you in the Healthcare field, what are your thoughts on these 2 fields? I'm only an outsider looking in so I don't actually know the reality.



https://ift.tt/SG3yYVm Submitted January 31, 2023 at 07:41AM by musicluva https://ift.tt/UTS874w

I just got back to the US and I don't understand what's going on with my bill(s) and why they would double charge me

By    07:33 // No comments

I spent the last 7 years in Japan where I received a quarterly bill for pubic health insurance. It was about $300-$350 in US dollars. I could then walk into any clinic and see whatever doctor or specialist I needed.

In the US I have health insurance through my job, but I think I'm losing that soon because my crew has been laid off. In the meantime I've needed to go to the Emergency room twice and an eye care place once. Here's what's going on... In mid November I woke up and it looked like Mike Tyson hit my right eye. I could barely see it was so swollen so I went to the emergency room (St. Charles Health System) where they looked at my eye and said it's not serious and to use warm compresses. It was serious in my case because I was seeing double and couldn't work safely in that condition. I found a place called InFocus Eye Care and they said my eye just wasn't draining right but they could lance it. I said ok. They then came back and said my insurance company couldn't tell them if it was covered or not for another day or two. I needed to get back to work, so I asked the total cost, asked again, then confirmed it. They told me the total cost was $280.00 to have my eye drained and walk away. I said, "alright, just do it then". Ironically I found out right after the procedure I had been laid off.

Anyway, I got a bill and St Charles is charging me a total of $1,068.66
Emergency Room With Admit = $874.78
Emergency Illness = $193.88
This seems wrong to me given what my issue was. Does this seem right? Over a thousand dollars to check a swollen eye?
(Insurance wants me to pay $198.77)

Then on my bill from InFocus Eye Care they billed my insurance for the $280 that I already paid and added a charge called "Physician Visit - Out Patient" for $178.00
I called them and they said they just got payment but no one is in their billing department Monday so to try tomorrow. I called my health insurance people and they said that they paid 4 weeks ago for what InFocus Eye Care billed them. I don't get it.

The only additional incident is a couple weeks ago I was making dinner for a friend and myself and sliced my finger with a knife. I wasn't sure how deep because I compressed it immediately and we went to the emergency room. At first they thought I may need a few stitches, but in the end they just glued the cut closed. I haven't gotten that bill yet, but over the phone I was told it's over $900.

If all of this sounds normal please let me know. I'm just really confused at what's going on. Healthcare in the United States is very complicated and expensive and I'm looking at these numbers and the double billing thinking this can't be right.



https://ift.tt/SG3yYVm Submitted January 31, 2023 at 07:28AM by ReasonBound https://ift.tt/qwWga1m

Just found out that my Medicaid never cancelled despite them saying that it would?

By    06:35 // No comments

I live in NJ, a few years ago I had NJ FamilyCare, while I was in college and before I had a full time job. I received a notice (The absolute latest I received it was March 2022 - I think it was way before that though) saying that if I didn't renew my FamilyCare, my plan would be cancelled. I was okay with that as I had just graduated and was about to get a full time job. I landed a job in late May, and never enrolled in my employer's healthcare plan. Today, I received a tax form stating that I was covered all 12 months this year, which is 100% news to me. I'm 100% certain that I never renewed this, and I shouldn't have had coverage this year.

​

The only thing I can think of is COVID - I know that FamilyCare coverage was extended because of COVID (without the need to renew coverage) but I thought that ended a while ago.

​

I'm not sure how this will impact my taxes. I'm 100% certain that I would no longer qualify based on my current salary, so I don't really know what the implications of this are. Thoughts?



https://ift.tt/SG3yYVm Submitted January 31, 2023 at 06:01AM by MehDub11 https://ift.tt/7QTajCU

Is it normal for clinics to lie on their paperwork?

By    04:49 // No comments

I went in to get tested for COVID yesterday and noticed something weird on my discharge paperwork.

The paper said I was told to go to the ER and refused, so the clinic isn’t liable for anything that happens as a result, death included.

They NEVER told me to go to the ER. What the person actually said was to go to the ER if I wasn’t able to breathe or started turning blue, which I obviously agreed to. I get that places like this like to be liable for as little as possible, but writing a fictional scenario that ultimately blames me if I have a medical emergency seems trashy and I am not sure it’s legal.

Is this normal or is this something I should be concerned by?



https://ift.tt/SG3yYVm Submitted January 31, 2023 at 03:38AM by SolitaryTeaParty https://ift.tt/oFRy2GH

How to get the best deal on Allergy Testing/shots in the United States

By    01:33 // No comments

I'm in PA. Basically I have a high deductible HC plan and have to pay out of pocket. There’s a negotiated rate between the doctor and HC plan that nobody can tell you unless “it is billed.” To me not knowing the cost before I buy is not something I’ll do if I can prevent it.

I can call local doctors to find out their “uninsured price,” but are there any online companies that don’t deal with insurance companies that can possibly set this up cheaper? Thanks for any help.



https://ift.tt/SG3yYVm Submitted January 31, 2023 at 01:07AM by fobreezee https://ift.tt/UuMpHNm

Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2023

NPR News: QUIZ: Test your knowledge of spillover viruses, starting with ... what are they?

By    20:33 // No comments
QUIZ: Test your knowledge of spillover viruses, starting with ... what are they?
As we launch a series about spillover viruses — like SARS-CoV-2, which triggered a global pandemic, you may have a lot of questions. So do we — 7, to be exact, in the quiz below.

Read more on NPR

NPR News: COVID flashback: Here's how NPR reported on the coronavirus at a turning point

By    04:33 // No comments
COVID flashback: Here's how NPR reported on the coronavirus at a turning point
On Jan. 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the "novel coronavirus" sweeping through China to be a global health emergency. Here's how NPR covered the story at that point in time.

Read more on NPR

Chủ Nhật, 29 tháng 1, 2023

Something needs to be done about the US healthcare system.

By    18:31 // No comments

Hello everyone, I (22M) have had enough of the tears, the fear of going to the hospital, and genuinely feeling awful about the stories and experiences I read and hear about from others about going bankrupt from medical bills, not getting the help or medication they need, and frequent deaths because of the incompetence of our medical system.

I have been having some bad medical issues myself, and thankfully my parents have decent enough insurance to help pay for it, but I can see the financial burden on them that comes from it. Many many people aren't as lucky as I am. Many people do not pay for insurance. Many people do not have a safety net to fall into when they have medical problems.

Something needs to change. We need to rally up and go on strike and protest until this is fixed. I saw a report that roughly 40% (it's definitely more than this) of Americans don't pay for health insurance and avoid hospitals and health checks because they can't afford it, and they would go bankrupt if they did. I personally have had enough, and I know millions of other people feel the same way. I'm done sulking, I'm done seeing people cower down because nobody wants to do anything about this. We have let this broken system destroy the lives of too many people.

We need to organize and fight back. We need universal healthcare.



https://ift.tt/jXvoRKm Submitted January 29, 2023 at 06:17PM by cxpe15 https://ift.tt/3mu8Okq

I have read studies of the cost and outcomes of MedicAID expansion, but is there any evaluation of the cost and outcomes of the MediCARE part A & B expansion experiment that has been in effect since 2009 for people exposed to environmental toxins? (See below for .gov links and articles)

By    03:32 // No comments

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0600803200

https://www.ssa.gov/libby/

https://khn.org/news/medicare-montana-asbestos-patients/

https://ips-dc.org/one_montana_countys_medicare-for-all_coverage/

seems like it has been expanded to 3 states (20 counties)

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0600803200

no studies?



https://ift.tt/jXvoRKm Submitted January 29, 2023 at 03:16AM by BlackAndBlueWho1782 https://ift.tt/qZYSxui

Thứ Bảy, 28 tháng 1, 2023

Winds of change

By    06:32 // No comments

I'm an assistant doctor in a German hospital in my second year to become a pediatrician. At the moment I am working on the pediatric ICU. We are working in 3--shifts Monday to Thursday and in 2-shifts Friday to Sunday.

Just to fill you guys in a little: In every shift is one assistant doctor at the ICU. Monday to Friday from 8-16:30pm we also have one or two attending physicians in the ICU.
We are pretty understaffed, for moths now - not because there is no possible employees but because the Vorstand (think of it as the Hospitals CEO) isn't willing to pay for sufficient amount of staff.

In case of a sickness of one member of staff it is common practice to call all other employees (that are not working on those days) to ask if they can help out. There is no compensation if you actually do so. Since we're heavily understaffed for about a year now, the willingness to help out is at a low point. In result the Chief physician started to order people to work even if they do not agree to help. You can refuse this order but if you do you have to face work-related legal consequences and would have to defend your case in a court. While you're likely to win (because the cases where even a Chief physician is allowed to order you to work once you have your shift-plan are very narrow) this is likely expensive and stressful, so at least at our hospital no one tried to refuse an direct order yet. I was ordered to work this way twice last year, in the last instance on December, 26th.
As a result I decided not to pick up my phone anymore if the hospital is calling. You are not legally obligated to take any calls or messages from your employer in your off time in Germany. If the employer is not able to reach you, he can not order you to work. It's the only way to protect your free time.
I tried to convince the other doctors to do the same. This was also the legal advice of the union's lawyer. Sadly my colleagues are very hesitant to provoke any kind of conflict. They complain about the situation a lot, but they are not likely to act to force a change. Especially non-ICU doctors with work duty while a sick note comes in are likely to be ordered to take over the shifts face to face which makes it especially hard to refuse.

So today the person that would have worked 12-hour night-shifts from Friday to Sunday called in sick. The Hospital tried to call me several times - I did not pick up. The Chief physician than sent me a Voice message via Whatsapp (It is VERY uncommon to get contacted via social media from you Employer) which I did not listen to.
I don't know what happened after this. Someone will probably work those shifts. I am very sure that hell will break over me next week. The usual approach of the employer is a reversal of guilt, blaming me that others had to work in my place, telling me all the trouble is my fault while completely ignoring the fact that the employer is obligated to prepare for a typical amount of sick notes bei either installing on-call duties or a reserve pool (needs more staff) or paying for on-demand honorary staff (even more expensive that more staff). It's also possible that I will be threatened with legal actions.

I am sure that I am doing the right thing - legally and also to change the unbelievable toxic working environment in my hospital. But damn, I'm nervous as fuck.

Tell me about your own experiences. Were you able to change things?



https://ift.tt/LgDU8nX Submitted January 28, 2023 at 05:52AM by schwix_ https://ift.tt/dJMREi3

Missed due date for follow-up questionnaire from local DHS

By    03:33 // No comments

I recently applied for healthcare thru healthcare.gov/marketplace. I received a follow-up questionnaire from the local Jackson MI DHS. I missed the due date of 01/24. It arrived in the mail with little to no time to complete (I don’t remember the exact day the mail arrived) and had no urgency labeling.

I called the number provided for questions and was told to go to the Jackson DHS, which I’ll be doing later today. Anybody know what I should expect? I’m guessing I’m just SOL. Is there anything you all can recommend I do?

I’m single and healthy so this isn’t urgent.

EDIT: To clarify, the follow-up questionnaire had a return due date of 01/24. It stated that if the deadline was missed, I could be denied health insurance.



https://ift.tt/LgDU8nX Submitted January 28, 2023 at 02:43AM by Centaurusrider https://ift.tt/PTvt31B

Thứ Sáu, 27 tháng 1, 2023

NPR News: Virologists defend their science as officials eye more oversight of risky experiments

By    17:35 // No comments
Virologists defend their science as officials eye more oversight of risky experiments
Policymakers have long grappled with how to handle experiments that might generate potentially dangerous viruses. Now, officials are considering whether oversight needs to be expanded.

Read more on NPR

NPR News: Earth will have 'a very close encounter' with an asteroid tonight, NASA says

By    00:35 // No comments
Earth will have 'a very close encounter' with an asteroid tonight, NASA says
There's no reason for alarm — but, a NASA engineer calls it "one of the closest approaches by a known near-Earth object ever recorded." It will be only 2,200 miles above the Earth's surface.

Read more on NPR

Thứ Năm, 26 tháng 1, 2023

NPR News: North Korea is under lockdown to fight the spread of a respiratory disease

By    22:33 // No comments
North Korea is under lockdown to fight the spread of a respiratory disease
Authorities have made no mention of COVID. North Korea claimed victory over the disease by August, but experts remain skeptical of that claim. The lockdown will last from Wednesday until Sunday.

Read more on NPR

Out of the list below, which healthcare field schooling is least grueling?

By    11:31 // No comments

I know they're all super challenging in their own ways but out of curiosity, and because I’m looking to join the healthcare field, which field has the least grueling schooling? Would also love to hear the pros and cons of the field if you have experience! TIA!

  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography
  • Medical Assisting
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Physical Therapy Assistant
  • Radiation Therapy
  • Radiologic Technology
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Surgical Technology


https://ift.tt/nvWUHNe Submitted January 26, 2023 at 11:11AM by Cold_Present_5418 https://ift.tt/HE31yRj

How To Find a New GP While Prescribed a Controlled Substance

By    05:33 // No comments

Hi all,

My girlfriend has been trying to find a new GP (she hasn’t been to one in many years and has some health issues that need to be addressed). Every office she calls asks if she is prescribed any controlled substances. She is, through her current Psychiatrist. However, this answer appears to be an immediate flag, whereby she’s told they can’t take her on as a patient. We’re in NYS if that matters.

There must be a way through this, right? We’ve been unable to get any office to even consider taking her on, which just feels ridiculous. Like she’s being blacklisted just for being prescribed certain medication.

Not sure this is the right place to ask, but we’ve been totally stonewalled and I don’t see any similar discussions anywhere online.

Thank you



https://ift.tt/nvWUHNe Submitted January 26, 2023 at 04:31AM by Booffalo https://ift.tt/az6D03Z

NPR News: 15 wishes for 2023: Trailblazers tell how they'd make life on Earth a bit better

By    00:34 // No comments
15 wishes for 2023: Trailblazers tell how they'd make life on Earth a bit better
We asked for a wish from expert wishers around the globe — from Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai to MacArthur "genius" grantee Gregg Gonsalves to Melva Acostaa, who runs a soup kitchen in Peru.

Read more on NPR

Thứ Tư, 25 tháng 1, 2023

Could A.I replace/complement health professionals?

By    07:32 // No comments

I feel medical practitioners have a lot of political influence globally so I dont ever see a complete replacement takeover of doctors however to address medical shortages could we see the advancement of A.I applications in basic diagnostics and primary care functions? Recently ChatGPT passed USMLE exams, brutal exams US medical students spend months/years preparing for



https://ift.tt/lJS72pO Submitted January 25, 2023 at 07:08AM by SoybeanCola1933 https://ift.tt/3zs1C0G

What are some high pay, low to moderate stress jobs in healthcare?

By    03:33 // No comments

Hi! I really would like some pointers to some careers in health care or human services i should start shadowing and researching to see if it will interest me!

I am currently a student working towards an associate’s degree in science, focusing on health pre requisites, and am starting to shadow different offices and workplaces to see if it is something I am interested in. Btw, I have received my CNA in hopes of being interested in nursing, but after going through it, and talking to other nurses, I realized the stress levels and long shifts would be really damaging to my mental illnesses.

I am very passionate about helping others and am good at/love science, specifically biology and psychology. Some things that might help: I love to investigate problems with other people, I prefer office hours, I want variety, and don’t want to spend lots of time in school, Master’s Degree Max.

Thank you so much I will appreciate any feedback!



https://ift.tt/lJS72pO Submitted January 25, 2023 at 03:19AM by rspicyb https://ift.tt/N8ywvml

Thứ Ba, 24 tháng 1, 2023

NYS - no healthcare for middle class?

By    23:35 // No comments

Hi - have just spent hours researching online and wonder if I'm missing something. Would appreciate any help.

I'm healthy 30F living in upstate New York. I make 52k in service industry and no employer health insurance. I don't qualify for APTC through the marketplace and NYS has outlawed short term health insurance plans. I couldn't find anything that wasn't a scam when I searched for health cost sharing. What do I do?? 52k sounds like a lot but it's paid out at like 750/week and health insurance plans would be like 25% of my income and still not cover anything?? Are there other options? What do I do??



https://ift.tt/aJfyZqS Submitted January 24, 2023 at 11:10PM by littlebunny1049 https://ift.tt/J3aSZpu

Healthy 31M needs to see specialist. Do I finally jump into health insurance dumpster fire?

By    07:31 // No comments

I’ll keep it short. I’m a healthy and active 31 year old. Last year I began competing in triathlon. I’ve noticed some heart-related concerns since becoming highly active including palpitations and arrhythmia. This is especially dubious due to my family’s history of several rare heart conditions. I’d also like to see an orthopedist or podiatrist for recurring foot pains.

I’ve never been insured as an adult and the cost is way higher than I ever expected. I don’t foresee any momentous (costly) events in my future. I’d only like to get referrals and speak with the aforementioned specialists to gain some peace of mind, diagnostic understanding, and guidance on how to safely continue practicing my sport.

Would the expected costs of such specialist visits and/or physician visits for referrals justify taking on a monthly premium of ~$200/mo with ~8000 deductible, or should I pay out of pocket and continue to save money for unforeseen accidents/expenses? Further, if conditions were discovered by those specialists would that preclude me from coverage in the future? I’m new to most of this and I’m trying to keep my chin up because the whole thing looks like a nest of snakes now I’ve started poking around.

Bonus points for alternative healthcare planning, tips, advice. Thanks!



https://ift.tt/aJfyZqS Submitted January 24, 2023 at 06:50AM by bruegg19 https://ift.tt/N48jbMk

Thứ Hai, 23 tháng 1, 2023

No detailed invoice for $16,000 outpatient surgery?

By    00:32 // No comments

I had minor outpatient surgery at an Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC). When I asked the facility for a detailed bill, they informed me that ASCs don't have to do detailed billing like a hospital does. I do have insurance, but it is the high deductible type, so I like to try to stay informed of my charges. The bill they provided took a $16,200 procedure and broke it down into two billing codes, one for $15,206 and the other for $1,000. Is this normal? How am I supposed to to be an educated consumer, especially when on the hook for almost $1,000, when I can't see what went into that $15,000?



https://ift.tt/VOe0hrZ Submitted January 23, 2023 at 12:17AM by DearConsequence https://ift.tt/LQDhlmb

Chủ Nhật, 22 tháng 1, 2023

NPR News: Most Americans say overturning Roe was politically motivated, NPR/Ipsos poll finds

By    17:34 // No comments
Most Americans say overturning Roe was politically motivated, NPR/Ipsos poll finds
An NPR/Ipsos poll finds that most Americans say Supreme Court justices are guided more by their politics than the law, and that lawmakers aren't deciding abortion policy based on public sentiment.

Read more on NPR

Can I still get healthcare?

By    17:32 // No comments

I’ve never had healthcare in my life so i have absolutely no idea how to go about it. I’m getting older and feel like I need a doctor check up. I’m just so confused by the application process, it seems like it’s just sending me in circles. Everything I google gets me nowhere. What is open enrollment and am I screwed till next year cuz I missed it? Can’t I just sign up for healthcare? Can someone please explain the process like i’m 5? Anything helps, thanks in advance. Also i’m in the USA if that helps



https://ift.tt/VOe0hrZ Submitted January 22, 2023 at 05:14PM by CarFragrant9882 https://ift.tt/mYIie8j

Thứ Bảy, 21 tháng 1, 2023

Finding a doctor with the right fit

By    10:31 // No comments

So I recently moved to rural Utah and have begun having cardiac symptoms. I have a variety of genetic and mental health diagnosis and when I went to the ER because the blood pressure was 20 pts different in each arm I was tested for drugs and sent home. In particular I have a pretty rough time with Ehlers Danlos and not only have none of the doctors or nurses heard of it they completely blow me off when I explain my symptoms. My Denver based psychiatrist who I managed to keep between a lapse of insurance and an inter-state move has told me I need to shop around to find a doctor in Denver that can work with me but not only is Denver 7 hours away my new insurance won’t cover Colorado doctors. My thought is, if I can find a virtual physician that takes me seriously to work with a local one that can perform the tests and exams I might be able to get my health care needs met. My question is- where do I start? How do I find the right doctor to work with me? Is that even a feasible solution?



https://ift.tt/B5IM3aS Submitted January 21, 2023 at 09:33AM by ealsNsquids https://ift.tt/HmUszap

NPR News: A deadly disease is threating honeybees, but a new vaccine could help

By    06:33 // No comments
A deadly disease is threating honeybees, but a new vaccine could help
A first of its kind vaccine for honeybees is close to coming to market to fight a disease that currently means burning infected hives. It's a little extra help as bees try to deal with climate change.

Read more on NPR

Medical payment options

By    06:31 // No comments

My grandmother recently suffered a stroke, and we’re very fortunate that she is doing significantly better and improving. She had been visiting us from Mexico and is here on a visa. Initially, we were told she could possibly be eligible for a Medicare program that could help cover some if not all of her cost. However, due to the fact she is on a visa she is unfortunately unable to receive that aid. Are there any other options for helping cover or eliminate the upcoming medical bill? Since she is from Mexico, she has no income, insurance, etc. Any advice or things to ask hospital admin would be greatly appreciated.



https://ift.tt/B5IM3aS Submitted January 21, 2023 at 05:44AM by Rojo_C137 https://ift.tt/0m3MeYn

Thứ Sáu, 20 tháng 1, 2023

Patient got mad at me today.

By    13:31 // No comments

Hello. I work in a physical therapy setting as an exercise physiologist. Today, I’ve had a massive headache that mimicked migraines but it wasn’t a migraine.

I had a nurse patient with me when I realized my headache was because I ran out of my lexapro meds… so I asked her how withdrawals are like.

Anyway, my coworkers have even worried so I told my PTA coworker “I think my headache was because of running out of lexapro! I’ll be okay!”

Fast forward to 10 mins later. I was supposed to work with that PTA’s patient. She didn’t want to work with me because she said it was inappropriate that I said I took lexapro (I didn’t even go into depth. I just said I realized that was the source of my headache!)

She called me unprofessional for sharing my private medical info… but it’s mine not others (duh HIPPA exists for this)

I cried in the bathroom that my boss let me go home because of how awful I thought I was.

Did I do anything wrong? I’ve had nurses, doctors, and other healthcare people share their medical stuff (ex: “oh I’m anemic!” Or “I have diabetes so I take ___)

I just feel like I did something wrong and I’ve been beating myself up over it. Please give me a peace of mind if I did something wrong or not. Thanks!



https://ift.tt/B5IM3aS Submitted January 20, 2023 at 01:03PM by yogabbygabbax https://ift.tt/FxUcAvJ

I'm getting faxes meant for a P.A.'s practice. What to do?

By    12:34 // No comments

This has been going on a long time, nearly a year now. Apparently for awhile the PA was giving out my fax number rather than her office number - same number, different area code - she even used my number on her licensing board contact page.

Daily I get multiple faxes about authorizations, Dear Doctor letters, drug interaction warnings (sent by pharmacies on behalf of patients) and other communications containing patient names, DOB, insurance and billing information, contact information, copies of medical records and details about the patients' health care. Yes, HIPAA violations all.

I've tried a lot. I've sent faxes and emails and made phone calls to the PA's office, to the practice, and to the corporate headquarters of the PA's practice. I've been ignored.

My online fax provider gave me a 4 month grace period of no charges for excess faxes. That grace period ended this week and my monthly 250 pg fax allotment was killed in 3 days. The fax provider won't block numbers. The only solution the fax company offers is to give me a new fax #. I may do this, but I've had this # for 11 years and it will be a lot of trouble getting people to change it. The fax originators whitelist who can send to them and for some reason even though they send me faxes, I can't reply by fax (although in a few cases I got them to stop sending me faxes).

I even filed complaints with my state's medical board and the federal Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which handles HIPAA complaints. The Board won't help or permit me to file a Board complaint for reasons too convoluted to go into here; but they did correct the PA's contact info on their site which did nothing about the fax problem. The OCR has ignored my 2 complaints about the matter.

The only other idea I can come up with is to go the the PA's office and try to speak to her directly - but I suspect that may not succeed, and the PA's office is 50 miles from me. Or I could do a registered mail restricted delivery letter.

Anybody else have any ideas?



https://ift.tt/B5IM3aS Submitted January 20, 2023 at 11:58AM by ChucklesManson https://ift.tt/msivVLZ

Lies or just misunderstanding?

By    06:32 // No comments

So, I had my wisdom teeth extracted 2 months ago. I’m 22 so one of the bottom ones had already started to come out and I could see the top of it.

A week after the surgery, i was told that the wound was closed and now I only needed to rinse the food out of the holes while they close themselves slowly. I asked how many time it will take and they told me they should be closed one month after the surgery.

I had to go back around 2 1/2 weeks after the surgery for something else and asked if there was something wrong because the holes are closing very slowly and they seem like they’ll take at least 2 months to close. The dentist and hygienist both tell me they look fine and will be close at the 1 month mark. A week later I called again for something else and the dentist still reassured me that in a week or maybe 2 it would be closed.

Now it’s been 2 months and even the smaller one isn’t closed, it will take at least 3 months from the progress I’ve seen. My mom had a dentist appointment and decided to talk about that to the hygienist and she answered that since the bone had to be restructured, it often takes around 3-4 months to close completely.

Is there something the dentist could have misunderstood in my question? Why did I get told it would take 1 month and now that it will take 3-4 months? I stressed myself thinking I was doing something wrong for the holes to close that slowly but turns out it’s normal?



https://ift.tt/pL8PkjU Submitted January 20, 2023 at 06:21AM by AutisticAndy18 https://ift.tt/hiSJUl3

unitedhealthcare reports

By    00:33 // No comments

Anytime members file fraud, waste, and abuse reports online or with the fraud department, they always call back to follow up and unitedhealthcare just closes their reports with absolutely no explanation. The reports just say “this report has been closed by the organization” I’ve spoken to other members who have had the same experience and I want to know if anyone has any idea of why this happens? it’s ridiculous because they provide no guidance or information on why the report was closed.



https://ift.tt/pL8PkjU Submitted January 20, 2023 at 12:12AM by sunfiltersthrough https://ift.tt/Sz5Exys

Thứ Năm, 19 tháng 1, 2023

Will my hospital fees be covered by insurance if I receive surgery a day or a couple days before my insurance expires?

By    10:32 // No comments

I am due for double jaw surgery and the hospital fees will be covered by insurance however I won’t be ready until a couple days before my medical insurance expires. If my surgery date is a day or a couple days before my insurance expires, would I be okay as long as I have the surgery before that deadline? I have anthem blue cross.



https://ift.tt/pL8PkjU Submitted January 19, 2023 at 10:19AM by imacaliforniagirl https://ift.tt/mFjWRd9

Dual insurance

By    08:32 // No comments

Questions about dual insurance

Hi everyone. I have an HMO through my work but I was recently diagnosed with cancer and need to see providers that take PPO's so I purchased a PPO on my own. Open enrollment at my work ends on October 31st and I was diagnosed after it ended so my only choice was to get a PPO. I started seeing a provider through my HMO in the mean time until my PPO went into effect. Which insurance is primary and which is secondary? I'm afraid of running into problems with a provider who only takes PPO and another provider who takes my HMO but my HMO is denying me seeing that provider because I'm already with another doctor using my HMO. The problem is I need a second and third opinion. Can anyone please explain to me how the coordination of benefits would work and whether I'll run into problems with the insurance paying specifically in these two scenarios?

Thank you.



https://ift.tt/ZmXIcaw Submitted January 19, 2023 at 07:56AM by gingerlovingcat https://ift.tt/szPACX0

Finding my medical records

By    05:35 // No comments

Hi there! l'm trying to figure out how to go about getting my childhood medical records. I contacted and requested the records from the hospital but they said "we don't have his records, he didn't work for us, just rented space.' I have no ideas how to go about finding where he was.... google his name and it gives me a place from Missouri and I'm in ohio...



https://ift.tt/ZmXIcaw Submitted January 19, 2023 at 04:06AM by Nizzknob https://ift.tt/83sF96x

Insane billing, filed complaints and grievances, chances of anything meaningful happening?

By    00:32 // No comments

Hi all, here’s the story and grievance letter I sent. Wondering if others have had similar experiences.

10/13/2022- I had fallen on my elbow and was in a lot of pain. I decided to go home and try to sleep it off. I did not want to go to the ER because I wanted to avoid the sheer cost of it. 10/14/2022- I wake up with having pain still in my elbow. I decide to go to urgent care. An X-ray was taken of my elbow and I purchased a sling this day. I was billed $480 discounted to $382.77. This was for a new doctor (382.77) and the sling was covered by insurance. Claim #XXXXXXXXX. This is all correct so far. I was also billed an additional $320 discounted to $124.57 for the evaluation of the X-ray. This is also correct. Claim #XXXXXXXX. That is all fair play and correct. Shortly after the urgent care visit I was reccomened to follow up with an orthopedic specialist. I had no initial plans of doing this, but I did anyways. Before I scheduled this I had called and EXPLICITLY asked how much this was going to cost me. I was told around $400. Similar to the new doctor fee as mentioned above ($382.77) Knowing this information I decided to schedule the appointment. 10/20/2022- I go into the appointment. I spend about 15 minutes or so with (DOCTOR NAME). The extent of the service had been: 1. I take off the sling 2. I was asked to move my elbow around to show range of motion 3. DOCTOR diagnosis was to remove the sling and make sure to move my elbow around so it doesn't get sore. I was billed for "Immobilize a broken elbow: Closed Rx Radial Head/Neck Fx - 24650 (CPT®) DOCTOR did not provide me with the services described under 24650. The total bill for my 10/20 visit was $2550 discounted to $1,439.11. I was in the office for less than a half hour and am getting billed thousands of dollars for an appointment that I didn't even want to go to. I believe this is fraud and the hospital is upcoding. I filed a review with the hospital and of course their own internal audit said they did not do anything wrong.



https://ift.tt/ZmXIcaw Submitted January 19, 2023 at 12:28AM by Downtown-Help2513 https://ift.tt/N2TKpGC

Thứ Tư, 18 tháng 1, 2023

HIPAA violation?

By    23:33 // No comments

Hi, I work in healthcare and see drs in the health system I’m employed in. I know it’s discouraged from looking at your own chart thru the system, but I’ve done it quite a few times (first few times were because I didn’t know that was discouraged). After that, I looked a few times to get my COVID shot records as I got them from all over the place (I have memory issues from brain fog so I eventually found a method to remember so I could stop checking). My main concern is that I suspect some unauthorized access of my chart from my managers, one of whom knows I see drs in the same health system. I want to request an audit to see who accessed my chart but am afraid that they’ll see me among the list of ppl who accessed my chart. Would I get in trouble for accessing my own chart? Could that be a fire-able offense? I never made any alterations to my chart. It was strictly to view only.



https://ift.tt/ZmXIcaw Submitted January 18, 2023 at 09:48PM by throwawwyy00 https://ift.tt/7Z9j4kM

Office Visit Charge Added to Preventative Health Exam

By    20:32 // No comments

Example: John Doe comes in for a physical exam and while there, the provider goes over some acute or chronic issues. The provider adds on an office visit charge to the preventative health visit, due to the discussion of the non-preventative issues. The patient gets a bill later on for their copay or deductible and wants to know why (and they’re usually upset).

I get why patients get upset when they get a bill after coming in for a physical. Sometimes, the provider prompts the discussion of those issues, the discussion may be brief, or the patient may not fully understand that just because they scheduled a physical doesn’t mean that everything discussed during the visit will be covered.

For those that work in primary care - how do you best explain adding on an office visit charge to a preventative health exam?

For patients - how would this best be explained to you?



https://ift.tt/ZmXIcaw Submitted January 18, 2023 at 08:09PM by taiknism https://ift.tt/eS4PFLz

NPR News: What makes that song swing? At last, physicists unravel a jazz mystery

By    17:33 // No comments
What makes that song swing? At last, physicists unravel a jazz mystery
For nearly a century, jazz musicians have debated what gives songs that propulsive, groovy feel that makes you want to move with the music. The secret may lie in subtle nuances in a soloist's timing.

Read more on NPR

NPR News: Social isolation linked to an increased risk of dementia, new study finds

By    02:33 // No comments
Social isolation linked to an increased risk of dementia, new study finds
Socially isolated older adults have a 27% higher chance of developing dementia, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins. The findings suggest that simple interventions could be meaningful.

Read more on NPR

Left the ER waiting room after triage and 8 hours. Charged $900. Can I dispute?

By    02:31 // No comments

As the title described, I went into the ER around 2:30pm me day and got admitted within 30-45 minutes. Took vitals and had a triage. Waited another hour or so to go get my blood taken. Jabbed my 3 times in each arm without any blood successfully taken and told to go back out and they’ll get a better provider to take it. Time goes by and patients are only coming in and no one is leaving or being seen. After 8 hours of waiting, I leave and tell sign a refusal of service or whatever it was. Later went to a clinic the next morning and quickly diagnosed and sent on my way.

Is there anyway I can dispute this bill? I’ve already paid it with my flex card to avoid fees.



https://ift.tt/zhtvbm9 Submitted January 18, 2023 at 01:34AM by kibsnjif935 https://ift.tt/oVd39OD
Đăng ký: Bài đăng (Atom)