Thứ Ba, 31 tháng 12, 2024

Rant! The gastro can see you June 2025🤬🤯💩

WTF! I have been trying for 8 months to get a gastro, they have sent me to 6! I have lost 78 lbs in 8 months with NO WORKOUT! I lost my appetite 6 months ago. Major bathroom issues, nausea, and vomiting. Now I am feeling it, I am deficient in Carotene and Folate. My endo thinks I have a malabsorption issue. My memory is going, I am dizzy, stomach and back hurt. And I can't get a doc!!!!!!

  1. Dr. All my problems are because I don't have a husband, boyfriend, or child. -I had to have a hysterectomy ....sorry I missed my chance
  2. Dr. Tells me I have gastric lymphoma within 4 mins of meeting her. Orders all these tests, then crickets for 3 months I could not get ahold of the office. I emailed, called, and texted. Finally, they sent my authorizations only to Tell me to call the hospital myself to schedule. I am desperate, I tried. The hospital was baffled as to why they had a patient call to order procedures personally. I don't have codes. I can't even remember what day it is.
  3. The surgery center is in Compton at the 91 & 105 fwy. -I don't go there.
  4. The partner of the doctor told me my problems steamed form being man/childless. -No Thank You.
  5. Ohhh, your case is complicated, the doc doesn't do complicated cases. He does like heartburn. 🤯🤯🤬 -OK
  6. He can see you in June 2025 👀June!!!! -Wtf
  7. My insurance company, "Sorry this is so complicated. We will look and call you back....in five days or so." -🤯

5’7” 128 lbs, bone skinny. Its gross.

🤬🤯🤮😭💩🤬🤯🤮😭💩🤬🤯🤮😭💩🤬



https://ift.tt/w6UNk0n Submitted December 31, 2024 at 05:21AM by Quiet_Guitar_7277 https://ift.tt/ya7PwZs

Kansas City just got a new health care report card. Spoiler: It has room to improve

KC Health Collaborative said the community scorecard, a tally of doctors visits, health screenings and health care costs, is the start of a data-backed story it hopes to tell about health equity in Kansas City.

To read more click here.



https://ift.tt/w6UNk0n Submitted December 31, 2024 at 04:24AM by kansascitybeacon https://ift.tt/rv0XFax

Why would my results show up as "see narrative" on MyChart?

Other results are just plainly given. I had surgery and they removed some endo from me and the results were just posted to my chart but it only says see narrative but no narrative was attached... I'm very nervous now. Any idea as to why? Any help so appreciated



https://ift.tt/w6UNk0n Submitted December 30, 2024 at 11:45PM by whitneynations https://ift.tt/v9YVr5H

Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 12, 2024

I work for a health insurer AMA

I work in a front office (M&A) senior analyst role at a BUCAH. I specialize in Medicare Advantage, provider acquisitions, and value based care arrangements; but I also have deep understanding and experience with the entirety of the healthcare spectrum. Brian Thompson’s career path is one I envision for myself.

Healthcare and health insurance seemingly is a black box to many people, and due to recent focus on both by the public I would like to answer any questions you may have!



https://ift.tt/qaACdrR Submitted December 30, 2024 at 12:58AM by Treasure_Chest99 https://ift.tt/41gNsGk

Lets rebuild the USA healthcare system, from the ground up. AI has it all figured out.

Here’s a blueprint from Planet Z’s top consulting minds on how to rebuild the U.S. healthcare system from the ground up – designed for sustainability, happiness, and efficiency:

🚀 1. Universal Access to Healthcare

Model: Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. • Ensure basic healthcare services are available to everyone, regardless of income or employment. • Use tiered systems: basic care for all, with private options for enhanced services. • Focus on preventive care to reduce long-term costs.

🤖 2. AI and Robotics Integration

Model: AI as the co-pilot for medical professionals. • Deploy AI diagnostic assistants that reduce errors and speed up decision-making. • Use robotic surgeons and care bots to handle routine procedures and patient care. • Automate administrative tasks (billing, records) to cut down bureaucracy by 70%.

🏥 3. Community-Based Health Hubs

Model: Decentralized, local health centers. • Establish community health hubs with telehealth options, staffed by AI, nurses, and general practitioners. • Focus on early intervention and mental health services. • Embed health into schools, workplaces, and community centers.

📊 4. Transparent Pricing

Model: Simplicity and fairness in cost. • Standardize healthcare pricing – every procedure has a clear, universal cost. • No surprise bills. Implement real-time cost estimations for patients. • Use blockchain for transparent medical billing.

🌱 5. Preventive Care First

Model: Stop treating sickness, start promoting health. • Provide free annual health check-ups, vaccines, and screenings. • Incentivize healthy lifestyles through tax breaks or financial rewards. • AI tracks health trends and nudges patients to stay on course.

💼 6. Salary Overhaul for Medical Professionals

Model: Fair pay, low burnout. • Standardize doctor/nurse salaries across the board to reduce hospital vs. private sector gaps. • Cap malpractice insurance and introduce no-fault compensation models. • AI handles non-medical tasks, allowing doctors to focus 100% on patient care.

🧬 7. Personalized Medicine

Model: Tailored treatments. • Use genomics and biometric data for personalized therapies. • AI predicts disease risks and customizes treatment for individual biology. • Robot pharmacists craft tailored medications in real-time.

💊 8. Pharmaceutical Reform

Model: Fair drug pricing and innovation. • Use AI-driven drug discovery to cut development costs. • Cap drug prices and mandate public transparency for R&D spending. • Incentivize pharmaceutical companies to invest in long-term cures over quick-fix treatments.

📡 9. Remote and Telehealth Dominance

Model: Health from home. • Use telehealth as the default for routine appointments. • AI monitors patients remotely and alerts doctors only for anomalies. • Expand mental health services via teletherapy and AI counselors.

🌎 10. Global Collaboration

Model: Shared health innovation. • Pool medical data from all nations (privacy-protected) to advance AI diagnostics. • Planet Z’s system shares breakthrough treatments across borders instantly. • Coordinate responses to pandemics globally, free of patent restrictions during crises.

⚖️ 11. Mental Health Integration

Model: Mind and body treated together. • Mental health is as important as physical health. • Every health center includes mental health specialists and AI-driven mental wellness programs. • Schools, workplaces, and public institutions provide free access to counseling and therapy.

🏗️ 12. Continuous Feedback and Adaptation

Model: A system that evolves. • Use real-time feedback from patients and healthcare workers to improve services. • AI analyzes health trends to predict future needs and adjust resources. • Incentivize constant innovation with rewards for breakthroughs in efficiency and care.

🌌 Final Thought from Planet Z

“Health is the foundation of happiness. Build systems that keep people healthy, not just alive.” Would your team on Earth like us to deploy simulation models for these reforms? We love collaborating across galaxies!



https://ift.tt/qaACdrR Submitted December 29, 2024 at 11:59PM by ejpusa https://ift.tt/zu0rlXw

Chủ Nhật, 29 tháng 12, 2024

I went to urgent care for a work related injury and they said I needed to go through workers comp. Is that true?

I injured my foot while at work. I was just looking to get an x-ray done to know the outlook of my injury. When I told the Dr how it happened (slipped at work) then they told me I had to go through workers comp and fill out additional forms. I tried to talk my way out of it since I just wanted to do it on my own, the injury isn't that severe anyway.

They told me it would be fraud to not go through workers comp or for them not to make me go that route because I told them it was a work-related injury.

I'm curious if I can maybe get that changed so I just pay for the visit on my own? I want to avoid the workers comp stuff and any potential drama with management. I know we all have rights and are protected but the hours at my work aren't guaranteed and I could basically just not be scheduled as a result.



https://ift.tt/qaACdrR Submitted December 29, 2024 at 05:56AM by ListonG https://ift.tt/dR50pIh

Thứ Bảy, 28 tháng 12, 2024

My parent spent $100k to treat cancer in 2020-2022 and wasn’t reimbursed as their third party contractor kept failing and didn’t appeal. My parent got exhausted and let it go and just found out today. Is there anything that can be done?

Basically what’s been said but additional details.

She was seeing two different doctors that didn’t have any sort or insurance system set up so they used a third party to help.

This third party was able to process others but somehow kept getting denied. Exhausted from cancer my parent stopped trying to push it and ended up spending $100k to two different doctors. I’m just now finding out today about this and seems we can’t do anything about it.

Is there anything we can do this far past?



https://ift.tt/GWn2O9w Submitted December 28, 2024 at 07:01AM by Lost-Maximum7643 https://ift.tt/fSCgPkR

Help Finding Affordable Doctor for Prescription Refills Without Insurance

I need to refill my cholesterol prescription but don’t have insurance right now and can’t wait until I get approved for coverage. Does anyone know of affordable clinics or online resources where I can find a low-cost doctor to prescribe my medication? Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!



https://ift.tt/GWn2O9w Submitted December 28, 2024 at 01:47AM by Lanky-Ideal-7945 https://ift.tt/R2VuQxq

50 years ago the Nixon administration schemed to create the for-profit healthcare system we have today.

In the early 70s President Nixon and White House assistant John Ehrlichman schemed on what would become the HMO act that ended up fueling companies like Kaiser Permanente to prioritize profit over patient.

[Transcript ]

John D. Ehrlichman: “On the … on the health business …”

President Nixon: “Yeah.”

Ehrlichman: “… we have now narrowed down the vice president’s problems on this thing to one issue and that is whether we should include these health maintenance organizations like Edgar Kaiser’s Permanente thing. The vice president just cannot see it. We tried 15 ways from Friday to explain it to him and then help him to understand it. He finally says, ‘Well, I don’t think they’ll work, but if the President thinks it’s a good idea, I’ll support him a hundred percent.’”

President Nixon: “Well, what’s … what’s the judgment?”

Ehrlichman: “Well, everybody else’s judgment very strongly is that we go with it.”

President Nixon: “All right.”

Ehrlichman: “And, uh, uh, he’s the one holdout that we have in the whole office.”

President Nixon: “Say that I … I … I’d tell him I have doubts about it, but I think that it’s, uh, now let me ask you, now you give me your judgment. You know I’m not too keen on any of these damn medical programs.”

.....

Ehrlichman: “… private enterprise one.”

President Nixon: “Well, that appeals to me.”

Ehrlichman: “Edgar Kaiser is running his Permanente deal for profit. And the reason that he can … the reason he can do it … I had Edgar Kaiser come in … talk to me about this and I went into it in some depth. All the incentives are toward less medical care, because …”

President Nixon: [Unclear.]

Ehrlichman: “… the less care they give them, the more money they make.”

President Nixon: “Fine.” [Unclear.]



https://ift.tt/GWn2O9w Submitted December 28, 2024 at 01:27AM by smoopy62 https://ift.tt/4dfQoPY

Thứ Sáu, 27 tháng 12, 2024

UHC + Secondary Insurance.. A giant pain in the A**

I have UHC through my husbands work and we pay extra $$$ each month to be a on a good plan because we have accident prone kids, and by good plan I just mean my specialist appointments are $15 instead of $60. I started a job that offers free insurance but the doctor vists and copays are 5x what my UHC covers. So I thought, whatever, I will accept the free insurance as a backup because ARA (an imaging company) has a monopoly in Austin for imaging and 95% of mammograms are done here but they don't take UHC as of a year ago, maybe the new back up insurance will cover it. I've only had this new insurance since late NOV of this year, have never once used it or input the information or given it to a doctors. The card is actually still in the envelope it came in.

All of a sudden my therapy appointments and doctors appointments aren't covered by UHC anymore.. and I only found out when my doctor called me to tell me I owed $150 for a normally $15 visit. Im sorry what? I call UCH and was told they were informed I have a "new primary insurance."

I told them;

  1. I don't have a new primary insurance, I accepted a free secondary insurance to maybe help cover mammograms.

  2. Who informed you I even had a secondary insurance since Ive never used it or registered it anywhere.

  3. We are still paying $$$ for UHC every month, our plan hasn't changed, and I am still on it so WHY would UHC quit covering what you covered before but still charge us the same price?

  4. There was zero communication this was even going into effect, nor was I ever asked by either company to indicate "primary" or "secondary"

The first person I spoke to told me they received the information from the secondary insurance. Is that not a HIPPA violation? I would understand If I was receiving government medical aid and they wanted to check to make sure I didn't have additional insurance before I receive public funds but two insurance companies talking to each other seems... like collusion?

IDK now im having to call all of my doctors to let them know NOT to drop me from their patient list as many of them are no longer taking new patients b/c UHC decided to inform them I wasn't covered anymore.... once again without tell me.



https://ift.tt/dyFWql5 Submitted December 27, 2024 at 05:40AM by CumulusCrafter https://ift.tt/CSjYgaI

NPR News: This week in science: Carnivorous squirrels, ancient biodiversity and new dog history

This week in science: Carnivorous squirrels, ancient biodiversity and new dog history
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Regina Barber and Jessica Yung of Short Wave about carnivorous squirrels, the history of life on Earth, and new insights into the relationship between people and dogs.

Read more on NPR

Thứ Năm, 26 tháng 12, 2024

Best Healthcare

Since none of us is wealthy enough to form a PAC to move Congress what's your proof of a healthcare system that's proven to work or not work. As we were taught in school "You don't argue the hypothesis". Two camps: 1 Workplace healthcare and 2 Healthcare after retirement. Kind of like a sim or civilization game in that population, costs, and methods must be considered. A lot of plans work in theory, but what's been proven. Would England's system work when population is 5x? Would the systems in China or India work here?



https://ift.tt/1tVlr9q Submitted December 26, 2024 at 06:12PM by Cruisenut2001 https://ift.tt/z2CvGB8

NPR News: History of the Self: Love

History of the Self: Love
How did love – this thing that's supposed to be beautiful, magical, transformative – turn into a neverending slog? We went searching for answers, and we found them in surprising places. On today's show: a time-hopping, philosophical journey into the origins of modern love. (This episode first ran as Love, Throughline) To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline.

Read more on NPR

NPR News: Snowboarder's death in Swiss Alps avalanche is a reminder that even pros face risk

Snowboarder's death in Swiss Alps avalanche is a reminder that even pros face risk
The death of an Olympic snowboarding athlete is a reminder that even the most skilled and experienced athletes are not immune to the threat of avalanches, and that knowledge is key to staying safe.

Read more on NPR

Thứ Tư, 25 tháng 12, 2024

What are some good things about the US healthcare system?

I hear a lot of bad things about the healthcare system, but compared to the ones in Eastern Europe, it seems really great. You pay around $250 for insurance(even lower if covered by employer), get access to private hospitals, clinics, doctors (which in our country are worlds apart from public ones), and a lot more choice when it comes to what coverage you want and for much less money (we pay 10% of our (much smaller) wage, for public health and then there is some from other taxes that also goes to health). We have to wait like 6 months for a surgery, and it most likely would be with poor quality materials. So how much worse can the United States’ Healthcare System be?



https://ift.tt/15SkUWL Submitted December 25, 2024 at 08:28AM by prigo929 https://ift.tt/3QD02NL

How should I approach this?

I apologize if this is not the right sub; please point me to the right resources if this is the case.

Since early last year, I was dealing with some symptoms. I met with my PCP in the Fall and we did all kinds of blood tests, scans and exams. None of them provided any conclusive information to my symptoms. My PCP suggested seeing a specialist. But then work got busy, and then my symptoms seemed to be slowly gone away. I didn’t reach out again - We just kinda stopped there.

Throughout 2024, I experienced the same symptoms on and off. But overall I felt better so I just let it go. One reason is that I don’t want to spend any more money - the tests and exams were expensive. I thought I was on my way to recovery anyway.

Just last week, to my surprise, the exact same symptoms came back - and felt like they’re worse than before.

It’s gotten to a point where I put off any longer. Should I reach out to my PCP again via MyChart? Does it cost money by simply reaching out to my PCP? Would my PCP drop me since I didn’t follow up last year?



https://ift.tt/15SkUWL Submitted December 25, 2024 at 04:25AM by doa81814 https://ift.tt/yTx4PCc

Thứ Ba, 24 tháng 12, 2024

uninsured family member broke ankle

she now has $40k in medical debt. the hospital says the max she can take to repay this is 3 years, which is why she has to pay roughly $1100 per month, which she can barely afford while already struggling with depression. is there no way to help in this situation? she makes only ~70k per year. she already is getting insurance now, but i just want there to be some other way to help. what can be done? she is already living paycheck to paycheck as is.



https://ift.tt/2tKnd1W Submitted December 24, 2024 at 06:02AM by Vast_Championship655 https://ift.tt/oAR9wx6

Thứ Hai, 23 tháng 12, 2024

NPR News: Why you shouldn't be afraid of flying, according to a flight expert

Why you shouldn't be afraid of flying, according to a flight expert
There are many statistics out there that prove that flying on a commercial airplane is safe, that plane crashes are overall pretty unlikely. Still, up to an estimated 40% of Americans feel some fear at the thought of flying. So, amid the travel rush of the holiday season, we ask MIT aeronautical engineer Mark Drela: How does a plane lift off and stay up in the air? Interested in more stories on physics? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We'd love to hear from you! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

Read more on NPR

Doctors

Could it be because I have public health insurance, or perhaps my concerns aren’t considered serious enough to warrant further investigation, or do most doctors simply seem uninterested in taking action? It feels like every time I bring up a concern, they either dismiss it or refer me to a specialist. For context, I live in NYC.



https://ift.tt/2tKnd1W Submitted December 23, 2024 at 01:55PM by Ok-Flounder-1281 https://ift.tt/Lkb4UIJ

Chủ Nhật, 22 tháng 12, 2024

Does anyone else feels hospitals make patients die faster ?

I can’t help but to think I saw my 91 yr old grandpa 7 days ago breathing just fine on his own , eating , walking etc. On the outside he looks like a perfectly healthy man. We took him to the doctor after he complained about foot pain. When they took thorough tests, we found out he had rsv virus , low white blood cells and blood circulation stopped going to the right foot hence the pain . He was then admitted and then later caught pneumonia while in the hospital. I find it so strange how ever since he was admitted that day , he declined so quickly as the days went by until he passed this morning. From the moment tubes went into his nose, many cords attached all over his body and tubes for him to be fed and pee, he felt like he lost his independence and I truly believe he would’ve lived longer had I not got him admitted. It’s like the system is designed to keep them on these machines and feed them heavy drugs until they just go and the cycle continues. When I looked at him last night , he begged me to take the ventilator off his face but the doctors kept telling me he needs it because his oxygen level is going too low. But he was breathing just fine right before he went to the hospital. Thoughts ?



https://ift.tt/0E98j2I Submitted December 22, 2024 at 12:49AM by tdds5 https://ift.tt/MzToK1m

How do I determine good health care/hospitals?

Hi all, After a 7 year sickness with tick borne diseases I learned that not all doctors are equal in their diagnostic abilities. I saw 11 doctors during this time-none bothered to get to the bottom of this. Even though I live in a Lyme endemic area of US-not one looked into tick borne illnesses. I had to fly to CA to find a competent doctor for "complex diseases".

Finally, years later, a nurse told me to use research hospitals and I learned what I had done wrong. I had been choosing the same low quality doctors-rinse and repeat.

Now I'm in Mexico and wondering how I can parse the medical care here. I've asked a few people but they seem to recommend doctors they like, not necessarily good doctors. ("Oh, we love Dr. Roberto-he is so kind and he speaks English!" To me this does not prove he is a good or competent doctor.) Or, some say "This hospital is the best in our city", but the best hospital of all terrible hospitals is still terrible. I have NO way of knowing exactly how good or bad that hospital is.

I've read the Newsweek reviews of Mexican hospitals. In larger cities some are really excellent, but in the smaller cities none are ranked. How would I (with no medical training beyond the very basics) actually assess a doctor or hospital?



https://ift.tt/0E98j2I Submitted December 22, 2024 at 12:57AM by Connect_Pension3694 https://ift.tt/KSO1NMt

America: Gaslit on Healthcare

Action to change the course of US Healthcare is needed. We should not have needed the depraved murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson to realize this. While the act itself is indefensible, it has sparked a long-overdue conversation about a system that feels increasingly predatory to the average American. We have been lulled into submission by false hopes that higher premiums means longer life or by claims that healthcare is “too complicated” to fix. The truth is simpler than we are led to believe. The root cause of our system's dysfunction lies in a little-discussed provision: the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Its effects have been devastating to middle-class Americans and to the medical profession itself.

The MLR provision, a seemingly logical check on insurance company greed, is in reality the backbone of runaway costs and care denial. It's like a virus in a computer's operating system or a "bug" in computer software. I call it a legislated conundrum. This rule requires insurance companies to spend 80-85% of premium revenues on patient care and limits the remaining 15-20% for overhead and profits. On paper, it sounds like a safeguard. In practice, it has created a perverse incentive: the only way for insurers to increase profits is to allow healthcare costs—and premiums—to soar since there is a cap on the size of the premium pie they can take. This is why premiums rise disproportionately to inflation and why better, cheaper care is not part of the equation. In fact, if a miracle doctors providing free cures were to descend upon earth, they would be shunned or worse by every insurance network in the country.

The consequences are staggering. Insurance companies and hospitals, emboldened by the MLR, have turned healthcare into a cash cow. Consolidation of care was supposed to provide savings through larger healthcare systems' added buying power. Instead, it cas created healthcare monopolies which now employ 73% of physicians—a seismic shift from a time when private tax-paying practices dominated. These hospitals set astronomical prices for facility fees, secure both in the knowledge that higher costs ultimately benefit their insurance "partners" and in that they now control the providers and the flow of patients. You might ask yourself as I do, why the FTC so permissive in healthcare?

This consolidation was not accidental. This was sanctioned by our government. The ACA incentivized physicians to abandon private practice through loan forgiveness tied to hospital employment and through rules disallowing private practices from charging facility fees for performing the same services hospitals provide. Hospitals now wield extraordinary power, setting rates that include exorbitant facility fees while suppressing physician compensation to what are now unsustainable levels for private practice to survive. Physicians, once pillars of any community as autonomous professionals dedicated to patient care, are reduced to traveling commodities, likely to have to uproot again and move the family away for a different job.

Physician burnout is no longer a euphemism; it is a public health crisis. Since 2019 the suicide rate among doctors is the highest of any profession, including the military. Yet this alarming fact is met with silence. Where are the public service announcements? Where are the investigative reports? It seems maybe that acknowledging this epidemic would undermine the façade of a healthcare system that isn't extorting from the public and comoditizing a profession for profit.

Where does the money end up? Record profits for the insurance industry and dispersed into the bottomless pit of our healthcare system..ie hospital organizations. They pour money into wasteful projects to maintain their nonprofit status, spending billions each year on new administrative layers, unoccupied buildings, overpriced consultants, and sham recruitment efforts. The meteoric rise in healthcare costs is not driven by groundbreaking medical technologies or by any raise in physician salaries, but by bloated hospital administrations and the decisions they make.

The public is catching on. How can insurers justify a 26% increase in premiums when inflation hovers at 2.5%? How can hospitals charge $50,000 for a rabies shot? How can a system that consumes nearly 20% of GDP continue to deliver subpar outcomes?

Warren Buffett famously called healthcare “the tapeworm of the American economy.” But it’s more than that—it’s a tapeworm that takes Americans' would-be annual raises and turns them into monopoly money for the two industries that somehow obtained a medical license without taking the Hippocratic oath. MLR provision is the unseen engine driving the estimated $1 trillion of waste annually that the industry collects from us without delivering care benefit.

So, what’s the solution? It begins with dismantling the incentives that prioritize profit over care. The MLR, while well-intentioned, must be revisited. Allow insurers to profit from efficiency and innovation rather than only from ballooning costs. Establish true transparency in price negotiations between hospitals and insurers by penalizing those hospitals that employ opaque pricing methods. Empower independent physicians by leveling the playing field, whether through loan forgiveness programs that don’t tether them to hospitals or regulations that allow private practices to compete fairly.

Moreover, we must address the mental health crisis among physicians. This means more than paying lip service in mandatory “burnout” seminars. It means, first, informing doctors and medical students of their risks, acknowledging the crisis to the public, and addressing the systemic forces driving doctors to despair.

Finally, if someone proposes a solution to our healthcare debacle without mentioning the MLR or physician suicide, they are either terribly unaware, or are willing to look the other way and contribute to the ongoing smoke screen. Certainly, the American public and the at-risk physicians deserve the whole truth about what is going on.

There. Someone had to say it.



https://ift.tt/0E98j2I Submitted December 21, 2024 at 11:10PM by drbranch66 https://ift.tt/1gqJrHZ

I have $1000 in my HRA from 2024, how do I use it before I lose it?

I have never had an HRA - Health Reimbursement Arrangement -before. It sounds like if I had out-of-pocket health expenses, I should go to this link and put stuff in? Do I need receipts? I never go to the doctor when I'm sick, which is an awful bad habit. But I don't want to lose this $1000, which is why they keep alerting me about it right?

  1. How do I use up this money (any ideas would be nice)?
  2. Will I lose this money on 2025?


https://ift.tt/0E98j2I Submitted December 22, 2024 at 12:22AM by DirectionsPlease https://ift.tt/jizkEOG

Thứ Bảy, 21 tháng 12, 2024

adrenalectomy recovery

My mother last week had an adrenalectomy a week and a half ago and she has been in inconsiderate pain since then. She is also having seizures like ticks with aphasia. And, now has become delusional that the hospital is trying to kill her, and she has refused an MRI because she doesn't trust them. How do I go about advocating for her, while making sure she gets the proper help? And, is this normal for an adrenalectomy?



https://ift.tt/0E98j2I Submitted December 21, 2024 at 06:17AM by gregorbrad https://ift.tt/M7KfDFv

Thứ Sáu, 20 tháng 12, 2024

Disgusted right now - Pt denied care?

I’m an ER doc currently working in an urgent care. I had a patient earlier who doesn’t have insurance. They have been to the ER twice in the past week for abdominal pain, and confirmed cholecystitis (gallbladder) on ultrasound. I reviewed all the documents and saw the ER wanted them to have surgery and a surgeon was called.

They didn’t do surgery either time, and currently the pt has a tentative surgery spot in mid 2025. They came to see me because the symptoms and pain are worsening and urgent care is cheaper than the ER “If they aren’t going to help him anyways”

Convince me that it’s not because they’re uninsured, because I’m disgusted and have never seen acute cholecystitis surgery pushed off 4-5 months.



https://ift.tt/PHg7Xzy Submitted December 20, 2024 at 03:30AM by Weary-Towel2305 https://ift.tt/E7SjFkz

Cost of meds in Portugal

90 days BP meds for me Bisoprolol= 4.20 euros

husband's COPD meds: Atrovent and Roflumilaste 2 months= 10.73

Most of the time we go to doctors privately. We pay 6 euros each per month and we can see most specialists, including Cardiologist and Lung doctors for 30.00 per visit. MRi costs us 250.00 euros if needed.



https://ift.tt/5nQGxwf Submitted December 20, 2024 at 12:30AM by Londonsw8 https://ift.tt/wkmhZMJ

Thứ Năm, 19 tháng 12, 2024

NPR News: Scientists know our bodies are full of microplastics. What are they doing to us?

Scientists know our bodies are full of microplastics. What are they doing to us?
Plastic particles are found in our organs, blood and even semen. But do they stay in us forever? What damage are they doing? Here are 6 questions scientists are trying to answer

Read more on NPR

Healthcare providers are taking a massive sigh of relief as insurance companies catch all the strays

What’s super interesting is suddenly everyone is pointing fingers at insurance. Which I totally get. Private insurance is pure evil. But people are acting as if insurance is the sole reason for our incredibly expensive healthcare in the US.

And it is super obvious that healthcare providers (hospitals/doctors etc) are enjoying this. The amount of posts I am seeing from hospitals and doctors talking about how evil UHC was is really rubbing me the wrong way.

Because its like hold up.. just a couple years ago it was the providers who were put on blast. Remember all the NYT/WashPost/Atlantic articles exposing how much fraud went on at hospitals and private practices? Remember the journalist that tracked the outrageous price of pregnancy tests ordered at hospitals across the US. Or the one hospital that had a “profit” dept that literally had ppl sign over their financial rights BEFORE they got life saving surgery.

Providers are just as guilty. Alot of times its been my insurance company that has been on my side and has denied claims for outrageous bills ive gotten from the hospital and forced the hospital to send receipts. I have never ever ever had a good experience calling a providers billing office. Ever.

With insurance its about 50/50. Idk I just feel weird seeing all these tweets from doctors and hospitals riding this insurance hate wave when they are literally part of this healthcare industrial complex that is destroying our wallets.



https://ift.tt/rR6U19V Submitted December 18, 2024 at 11:46PM by OpinionsRdumb https://ift.tt/7wm0AYi

Thứ Tư, 18 tháng 12, 2024

Gerry Connolly (who has been selected as Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, reportedly at Nancy Pelosi's insistence, defeating Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's bid for the role) on healthcare reform in 2009: "Our system is based on private employer insurance, and it's going to stay that way"

https://ift.tt/zpo0XJx

https://ift.tt/hf73qMX Submitted December 18, 2024 at 01:21AM by SocialDemocracies https://ift.tt/VIT1cBJ

Wondering what path to take

Hi there,

I’m a 25F who graduated with a BS in Biology with a double minor in Chemistry and Physics. I have been working a lab tech job since I graduated at my local hospital, however, I desire more. The issue at hand is I’m not sure which path to take. I have applied to PT school, have thought about respiratory therapy, sonography, and I’ve even thought about nursing. I will admit that nursing does intimidate me because of the things I’ve heard about hazing, cliques, etc. in my hospital, but I am open to any and all paths/additional education related to healthcare. The only exception I have is that I can’t attend medical school at the moment because of health restrictions.

So I was wondering, for those in healthcare who make good money and are happy with your jobs, what do you do for a living? Which path did you choose to take in healthcare? Was it worth it to you? What were the positives and negatives?

Thank you so much in advance!



https://ift.tt/0c4wLp2 Submitted December 18, 2024 at 12:09AM by New_University8073 https://ift.tt/bFOt6Gl

Thứ Ba, 17 tháng 12, 2024

ELI5: Why was the UnitedHealthcare CEO considered evil?

I'm trying to understand the criticisms surrounding the UnitedHealthcare (UHC) CEO and other health insurance companies. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes rules like the 80/20 rule (for smaller insurers) and the 85/15 rule (for larger insurers like UHC). This means they are legally required to spend 85% of premiums on client medical expenses, leaving only 15% for administrative costs and profit (source)[https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/medical-loss-ratio-mlr/].

Given this:

  1. Insurance companies mainly compete by managing costs—either by reducing benefits or increasing claim denials.

  2. Consumers can choose from a spectrum of insurers with different levels of benefits and claim approval rates.

If one insurer starts paying out more claims, premiums would rise, allowing more affordable competitors to enter the market, and the cycle would repeat since clients who can't pay the higher premiums would move to the cheaper higher denial insurance offering the same benefits (on paper). How can a "good" CEO do anything differently for a health insurance company, since they can at most only pay out 15% above the competition if all their staff were volunteering for free?

Is the problem even fixable at the CEO level? Or, for example, does the industry need an overhaul like a government regulator deciding what is and is not paid out as part of each policy to ensure predictable outcomes when people buy health insurance?



https://ift.tt/0c4wLp2 Submitted December 17, 2024 at 08:23AM by dark-onyx https://ift.tt/ZhF5Wvc

Why don't US private insurance companies follow Medicare reimbursement rates?

They already normally follow Medicare rates for Medicare Advantage plans as does Tricare and the IHS yet providers usually accept both of those. So why don't regular insurance companies pay those rates instead of negotiating rates that are over 2x as much?

Edited for grammar and clarity Yes I'm aware of Maryland's all payer system



https://ift.tt/0c4wLp2 Submitted December 17, 2024 at 05:39AM by kimjongneu https://ift.tt/RgOEto5

The medisafe app has changed its premium subscription model to only allow you to have 2 medications tracked unless you pay monthly

I live in the UK so healthcare hasn't been as much of a problem as I have seen in the US but I've needed an app to track my medication and give me reminders because I need a lot of different medications at different times of the day so I used to use medisafe but now with this app I can only have 2 medications on the app on the free version. I have ADHD and I can be very forgetful when it comes to taking my medicatoin and refilling it, does anyone know any good free alternatives?

https://preview.redd.it/4yiranmol97e1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=d47b796687a7a2efa9f18223310e4a70d3dd06dd



https://ift.tt/4GRTKxA Submitted December 17, 2024 at 02:51AM by Low-Watercress-3672 https://ift.tt/G7uvCKY

Thứ Hai, 16 tháng 12, 2024

Why doesn't the United States of America have some kind of universal health care system? (NO biased answers)

On December 6th, 2024 the CEO of UnitedHealthCare, Brian Thompson was murdered by suspected 26 year old, Luigi Mangione, who belonged to a prominent wealthy family and is now in police custody.. This incident was controversial with people raising questions about the healthcare in the U.S.

Now, of course, I personally don't condone what Mr. Mangione did (he literally shot a guy, which didn't CHANGE anything at all) but this incident made me question and research more about the American Healthcare system, which is when I realised that compared to America, 75% of developed countries have some kind of universal healthcare system, but the United States doesn't. Why is this? And, if the U.S., were to hypothetically develop universal healthcare, would this affect the economy in anyway?



https://ift.tt/JsYtbQm Submitted December 16, 2024 at 01:52AM by Ill-Doubt-2627 https://ift.tt/0OyKNMt

Chủ Nhật, 15 tháng 12, 2024

Hospital gave me ear infection

Went to the hospital mention my ears being clogged they sprayed water inside of them now I have an ear infection I had to pay for the second visit which was caused by them. Is there anyway to get my money back?



https://ift.tt/yuoihaU Submitted December 15, 2024 at 12:17AM by karmeezys https://ift.tt/YLmudKP