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$2,800.00 MISTAKE
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I went to a podiatrist to see about a condition on my toes which turned out to be a fungus infection. The podiatrist tells me that I need braces so as to stabalize my walking to prevent falling. He measures my feet and gets authorization from my insurance company for making the braces. This is all well and good. My $2,800.00 mistake is I forgot to ask the podiatrist or his staff what the price of the braces were. I found out just last week when I got my Explanation of Benefits that the braces were $2,800.00 and I am responsible for 20% of the $2,800.00. I would never have dreamed in my wildest dreams that I would be obligating myself and my insurance company to such a high price. I would not even have signed a contract for $500.00 let alone $2,800.00.
I would think it would be the responsibility of the podiatrist or his staff to have the patient sign some kind of contract so there could be an informed consent for such a high price for the braces. Did my allowing the doctor's staff to make a model of my feet constitute an applied consent for any amount of money? My insurance company allows insureds to file grievence complaints against providers and I did this on the phone this morning. To top it all off it is extremely painful to wear shoes so putting braces inside of shoes is so painful that I can not wear the braces and I am stuck with paying this amount of money for absolutely nothing. I have multiple sclerosis and I have constant tingling, burning and muscle spasms in my feet and legs. I don't even put a blanket or bed sheet on my feet. The only time I wear shoes is when I go outside my building. Posted on 12/18/08, 11:12 pm |
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Ouch! That's a problem with all health care unwillingness to discuss cost like the sale it is. 
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Lynn, do you think this should be brought up on how to save on medical costs? Doctors should have to post all their fees and charges.
BTW I was disappointed today when the librarian came. Tom Dashle' book has a long waiting list. I am seventh on the list.
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We have a local senator here, Steve Kagen who is a doctor. Left Medicine to go into politics a few years ago.
His largest reform to health care is to publish all costs of all health care procedures. The open market cannot work unless its open. He's been billing people & insurance for more than 23-30 years so he knows & he sees this as a BIG need in reforming health care. So the idea is out there. Problem is many ideas no action. I think the high pricing started when insurance began being billed high costs to offset the losses hosital/doc experience with the uninsured. Its OK to over bill a big company, the problem is the little guy has to pay a % that rises with that big cost. Our health care is screwed up in so many innovative ways! :(
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With costs, copays and premiums skyrocketing, a lot of MDs still have their heads in the ozone and never think twice about prescribing a name-brand drug with no generic equivalent or a pricey procedure not covered by the health plan.
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This is exactly why we need a big government step in when it comes to affordable healthcare. Privatizing everything always leaves a lot of people out. I can totally understand where you are coming grom here. I too had a doc tell me something was seriously wrong with me that wasn't. Ended up keeping me in the hospital for 4 days and doing numerous MRI's; very expensive. The worst part is I told the dr of my past, it should have never happened.
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