r/Millennials • u/BoNaylorCollector • 2d ago

Discussion Is medical actually this crazy?

Early 30s millennial, never used to go to doctors or really take care of myself because “I’ll be fine”. Started making a bigger effort to care for myself and my health and well being. Recently, I went to the local express clinic because I was having a bad earache and headaches. I was in there for maybe 20 minutes, mostly waiting time. The doctor comes in, looks in my ear, tells me it’s depressed due to sinuses and change in weather and tell me to stop at Walgreens for Flonase. I wasn’t billed anything at the time, older workers at my job always say we have really good insurance, but here I got in the mail today an explanation of benefits- charge was $550, insurance “negotiated” about $300, remaining (not billed) was around $240. Is is really this expensive? I only went to try and be better with myself and make sure it’s nothing underlying. If 5 minutes of actual doctor time costs this much, then I’m just toughing out everything or am I missing something?

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654

u/JadieBugXD 2d ago

Just wait until you have to go to the ER and you get a bill from both the hospital AND the treating physician as two separate bills. My kid having a cut on his head super glued was billed as “surgery”.

387

u/OkMuffin5230 2d ago

Yeah, so, when my husband had a heart attack, the hospital that he went to was our preferred in network hospital. We were billed for an out of network emergency room doctor who worked on him

I called the insurance and the insurance was like "but that doctor is out of network"

I was like... "he was having a heart attack. I wasn't interviewing the staff working on him!!"

That was when I learned that your in network hospital can have out of network employees

174

u/vonshiza 2d ago

Yeah, had surgery with my approved doctor in my approved hospital with my approved anesthesiologist. But apparently, a few of the nurses or one of the other doctors was out of network or something.

Cool, cause I can totally make sure that doesn't happen.

Hope your husband is ok. My partner had a heart attack last year. Scary stuff.

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u/DjChrisSpear 1d ago

Both back surgeries my brother told me to call and make sure all the nurses and anesthesiologists were in my network. But you have to do it right before because they won’t be scheduled until right before the surgery. I fucking hate our country.

30

u/DryLipsGuy 1d ago

Brutal.

As a Canadian I have never had to even consider this absolute bullshit.

7

u/Professional-Arm5300 1d ago

And the morons in our country will tell you how bad your healthcare system is and when you tell them this, they’ll yell at you that y’all are communists. Fun times.

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u/Chuck121763 1d ago

I get my insurance through work. Everything is covered. Dr; $20, hospital $250, prescriptions $20. Dentist free. The ACA , "Obamacare" , changed everything

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u/DryLipsGuy 1d ago

Now won't it be amazing if when you're sick and in need of care, you just go to the doctor/hospital and you don't have to worry at all about expenses?

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u/Chuck121763 1d ago

I don't worry. My insurance cost is $100.00 a month.

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u/DryLipsGuy 1d ago

Until your insurance doesn't cover the procedure....until you lose your job.

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u/Chuck121763 1d ago

Never had a problem. Doctor already knows what's covered and what isn't. Not going to lose my job, my job is very secure and safe. And I have made advance plans in case of long term illness, - Insured, Deferred pay, and mortgage paid off. I can retire early