Found this interesting regarding med insurance

[SZona]

My wife had an apointment today with a Dr. who specializes in treating the thyroid both hypo and hyper. She is a liscensed medical Dr. but also Homeopathic. Her approach is basically to use dietary and supplemental changes first, monitor bloodwork and then treat via prescription medication as last resort. Because of this, insurance companies (in this case BCBS) view her as a "Non Participant" in their network and only cover a % if you spend in excess of $500. What?! Anyone else experience this?

Z

 

[AWN2004]

It does not surprise me. A doctor that thinks a bit outside of the box and refuses to write scripts for meds we don't need. So what does the insurance company do? They get pissed that they can't make extra money off their paitents so they make you pay for it. I'm going through some crap with my current insurance company right now regarding this. I went to the ER about 6 weeks ago and the insurance company is trying to stick me with 1000 bucks of the charges. Its a crazy cycle. Shopping for a doctor/insurance is much like shopping for a good car. It takes time and you will find so many people just want to get the "sale" and dont really care about the end result.

 

[Massive G]

Yes I went to a holistic doc and had to pay $500 out of pocket and then they only paid 70% after that and it goes to a sepaate HIGHER deductable for out of pocket.
Kinda sucked.
Was going to get some vitamin and other IV's from him but they won't cover it and it was gonna cost me $300 plus a pop.
It's sad I get my labs drawn from Lab Corp it'll be like 1300$ and the insurance will pay them a contracted rate of say $100 then my co pay is 5% or $5.
I am not complaining about that but it just makes you wonder why people with out insurance can't get that rate.

 

[SZona]

We always put $$ in a flexible spending account for co-pays etc. but this was $225 + whatever bloodwork costs tomorrow + a follow up in March. I guess we will get to $500 relatively quickly and then I think they kick in either 70 or 80%. Just seems like it would be cheaper long term for insurance if this could be treated naturally rather than pharmaceutically. Strange!

Z

 

[PHIL HERNON]

SAM

We always put $$ in a flexible spending account for co-pays etc. but this was $225 + whatever bloodwork costs tomorrow + a follow up in March. I guess we will get to $500 relatively quickly and then I think they kick in either 70 or 80%. Just seems like it would be cheaper long term for insurance if this could be treated naturally rather than pharmaceutically. Strange!

Z

ITS HARD TO CONTROL IT NATURALLY, I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE IT HAS TO BE PHARMACEUTICALLY.............I TRIED KELP, IODINE, ETC...IT DOESN'T DO IT. TRY ARMOUR THYROID, ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THAT.

 

[Ashop]

My wife had an apointment today with a Dr. who specializes in treating the thyroid both hypo and hyper. She is a liscensed medical Dr. but also Homeopathic. Her approach is basically to use dietary and supplemental changes first, monitor bloodwork and then treat via prescription medication as last resort. Because of this, insurance companies (in this case BCBS) view her as a "Non Participant" in their network and only cover a % if you spend in excess of $500. What?! Anyone else experience this?

Z

that doctor may want to take a differnt approach as far as billing the insurance as 'homeopathic'...since she is a MD and a specialist should no probelm,,but maybe shes making her money from her 'out of pocket' patients?

 

[sbv]

... also not surprised, and this is why you got to make money. You're dreaming if you expect the govt (I live in Quebec where healthcare is socialized) or insurance companies to take proper care of you and your family.

I wish money was as unimportant as some say it is, but it's the only real insurance you can have in life.

 

[SZona]

ITS HARD TO CONTROL IT NATURALLY, I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE IT HAS TO BE PHARMACEUTICALLY.............I TRIED KELP, IODINE, ETC...IT DOESN'T DO IT. TRY ARMOUR THYROID, ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THAT.

Its actually Amy Phil. The specialist did mention Armour but wants her to get more bloodwork/reference #'s before prescribing. She has nearly every symptom but her Primary Care Dr. would not treat because her levels are not "subclinical". She gave her rediculous advice such as "dont eat fried food" and to "start walking like 1 lap around the block and try to get up to maybe a mile". LOL! What?! This is a girl who has always been an athlete, eats clean, works out all the time. The results I was most concerned with were her blood sugar and cholesterol levels......drastic changes here. So, we took it to a specialist. She is only attempting the homeopathic approach for a month and then rechecking levels.

 

[Dr.S]

Did she have an A1C done, or just 1 day fasting glucose measurement? I was just at my doctor for annual blood/urine tests; I asked him how high my blood sugar had to be for them to run a hemoglobin A1C-- he said 130! I deal with a lot of folks with high blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar--- I think an A1C should be run any time blood sugar is over 100, but most doctors won't do it. As someone mentioned-- the medical industry is not that interested in having people as healthy as possible, and it does come down to $$. There are good doctors out there, just the industry as a whole is not very friendly to the average person

 

[Chipper Jones78]

It's odd to read some of these posts above, I live in CAN (T.O) I guess this is one of the very few good reasons to live in this country.

We have Health Care Canada that the Gov pays for, all visits, surgeries (exepct comsetic) ect....a simple card that you prenset every time you go to the hospistal ot doctor, scripts are earier to get here then they are in the US, and if you luck like myself, your company pays for 90% of your scripts.

I guess I'm dumb founded or have been spoon fed here (not comaplining) I just cant see how someone has to pay 1000$ to gom to the ER.

Chip