Lullabelle
Midlands, England
Note to self: when going into the Pets At Home store-take your loyalty card with you-the Tesco one won't get you very far 
The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)
- Thread starter SatNavSaysStraightOn
- Start date
- Status
It's positively autumnal out this morning - 57F/13C. I'm suddenly craving pumpkin spice something-or-other.
More annoying health insurance lunacy, though this is minor compared to what we usually put up with.
Had to go to my doc, since I'd run out of refills on meds. I've been going there for 16 years, but two of the three doctors left the practice, and now they've been bought out by a health...conglomerate? I don't know.
Whatever. The good news is, they're finally modernizing. I mentioned before how my doc didn't take credit cards (and just about all US health insurance includes a bank card for paying medical expenses), had paper patient records, and didn't even have a computer for making appointments - all written in pencil in an appointment book.
Well, that's all changing. They now take cards, they're offering an online patient portal, and...GASP...they're using computers in the office.
Anyway, the lab tech goes to draw my blood, but first asks, "Who's your insurance with?"
I tell her, and she immediately puts her stuff away and says, "We don't send our draws to LabCorp any more, we send them to the hospital (across the street). You need to call your insurance and make sure they cover the hospital processing your draw, or else you'll get a pretty big bill in the mail."
"So...you're telling me it's 11:30AM, and I fasted for nothing?"
" Oh, no. We just have to write out your blood draw order, and you can take it to a LabCorp office right now, once we're done."
"The closest LabCorp is nearly an hour away, and I'm already on my lunch hour for this."
"Well...you can take it to the hospital across the street. Just tell them to send it to LabCorp for processing, not to process it in the hospital."
More annoying health insurance lunacy, though this is minor compared to what we usually put up with.
Had to go to my doc, since I'd run out of refills on meds. I've been going there for 16 years, but two of the three doctors left the practice, and now they've been bought out by a health...conglomerate? I don't know.
Whatever. The good news is, they're finally modernizing. I mentioned before how my doc didn't take credit cards (and just about all US health insurance includes a bank card for paying medical expenses), had paper patient records, and didn't even have a computer for making appointments - all written in pencil in an appointment book.
Well, that's all changing. They now take cards, they're offering an online patient portal, and...GASP...they're using computers in the office.
Anyway, the lab tech goes to draw my blood, but first asks, "Who's your insurance with?"
I tell her, and she immediately puts her stuff away and says, "We don't send our draws to LabCorp any more, we send them to the hospital (across the street). You need to call your insurance and make sure they cover the hospital processing your draw, or else you'll get a pretty big bill in the mail."
"So...you're telling me it's 11:30AM, and I fasted for nothing?"
" Oh, no. We just have to write out your blood draw order, and you can take it to a LabCorp office right now, once we're done."
"The closest LabCorp is nearly an hour away, and I'm already on my lunch hour for this."
"Well...you can take it to the hospital across the street. Just tell them to send it to LabCorp for processing, not to process it in the hospital."
I wouldn't say that was minor - to me that is pretty major and they should have let you know in advance - what a PIA !!!It's positively autumnal out this morning - 57F/13C. I'm suddenly craving pumpkin spice something-or-other.
More annoying health insurance lunacy, though this is minor compared to what we usually put up with.
Had to go to my doc, since I'd run out of refills on meds. I've been going there for 16 years, but two of the three doctors left the practice, and now they've been bought out by a health...conglomerate? I don't know.
Whatever. The good news is, they're finally modernizing. I mentioned before how my doc didn't take credit cards (and just about all US health insurance includes a bank card for paying medical expenses), had paper patient records, and didn't even have a computer for making appointments - all written in pencil in an appointment book.
Well, that's all changing. They now take cards, they're offering an online patient portal, and...GASP...they're using computers in the office.
Anyway, the lab tech goes to draw my blood, but first asks, "Who's your insurance with?"
I tell her, and she immediately puts her stuff away and says, "We don't send our draws to LabCorp any more, we send them to the hospital (across the street). You need to call your insurance and make sure they cover the hospital processing your draw, or else you'll get a pretty big bill in the mail."
"So...you're telling me it's 11:30AM, and I fasted for nothing?"
" Oh, no. We just have to write out your blood draw order, and you can take it to a LabCorp office right now, once we're done."
"The closest LabCorp is nearly an hour away, and I'm already on my lunch hour for this."
"Well...you can take it to the hospital across the street. Just tell them to send it to LabCorp for processing, not to process it in the hospital."
If part of a regular exam, did they take your BP before or after giving you this news ?
To me, it was the fact that the hospital may not be in network to process my blood, but they're in network to draw my blood, so I had to drive around the corner, go sit in their lab, have them draw it, but then send it to another lab to get it processed. Idiocy!
A/C isn't a/c'ing at the moment. It's acting like it's just in need of a recharge of refrigerant, but last year when they topped it off, they commented that the refrigerant they used was being phased out. After 16 years with this unit, I have a feeling several thousand dollars are about to depart our bank account.
Went to the vet today, time for the dog's six-month checkup and some shots. You know your dog is old when the vet comes in and says, "So, what are we doing today, keeping her comfortable, or were you thinking of...something else?"
They did confirm that our old girl, who's 18, is the oldest dog they've ever tended. She's still eating fine and trotting around the yard a fair bit, and still jumping up in her chair (though she does have trouble getting back down), so we elected to keep her going for a little while longer.
Went to the vet today, time for the dog's six-month checkup and some shots. You know your dog is old when the vet comes in and says, "So, what are we doing today, keeping her comfortable, or were you thinking of...something else?"
They did confirm that our old girl, who's 18, is the oldest dog they've ever tended. She's still eating fine and trotting around the yard a fair bit, and still jumping up in her chair (though she does have trouble getting back down), so we elected to keep her going for a little while longer.
rascal
Forum GOD!
It's positively autumnal out this morning - 57F/13C. I'm suddenly craving pumpkin spice something-or-other.
More annoying health insurance lunacy, though this is minor compared to what we usually put up with.
Had to go to my doc, since I'd run out of refills on meds. I've been going there for 16 years, but two of the three doctors left the practice, and now they've been bought out by a health...conglomerate? I don't know.
Whatever. The good news is, they're finally modernizing. I mentioned before how my doc didn't take credit cards (and just about all US health insurance includes a bank card for paying medical expenses), had paper patient records, and didn't even have a computer for making appointments - all written in pencil in an appointment book.
Well, that's all changing. They now take cards, they're offering an online patient portal, and...GASP...they're using computers in the office.
Anyway, the lab tech goes to draw my blood, but first asks, "Who's your insurance with?"
I tell her, and she immediately puts her stuff away and says, "We don't send our draws to LabCorp any more, we send them to the hospital (across the street). You need to call your insurance and make sure they cover the hospital processing your draw, or else you'll get a pretty big bill in the mail."
"So...you're telling me it's 11:30AM, and I fasted for nothing?"
" Oh, no. We just have to write out your blood draw order, and you can take it to a LabCorp office right now, once we're done."
"The closest LabCorp is nearly an hour away, and I'm already on my lunch hour for this."
"Well...you can take it to the hospital across the street. Just tell them to send it to LabCorp for processing, not to process it in the hospital."
My doc retired about three years ago. (His doctor dad delivered both my kids) he sold his business to an Asian big outfit. So when I rang his number I got Asian lady who told me how to get there to the big new outfit. When I arrived I had to pay up front $50 then when I went in and was told I only had 10 mins as they only allow that. Ordered my bp meds etc. walked out and never went back. I go to a small joint now. Big isn't necessary better!!
Russ
rascal
Forum GOD!
Btw the new doc has a nurse, she pulls blood free.
Russ
Russ
I wasn't paying attention and when I got to the "scrub it with a toothbrush" part, I thought, "That's too much work, just go buy a new one!"
Burt Blank
Legendary Member
If I may be so bold mate, how old are you ?
Yorky
RIP 21/01/2024
- Joined
- 3 Oct 2016
- Local time
- 1:54 AM
- Messages
- 16,220
I will not see 70 again.
And then the billing begins. In the US, you don't get one itemized bill for medical procedures, especially if you spend time in a hospital. You get individual bills from every person or company that did anything to you. X-Ray, one bill, anesthesia, another bill, Blood draw, another bill, blood tests, another bill. If you came in through the Emergency Room, you get a separate bill for that from the same hospital.
CD
The manufacture of Freon refrigerants was banned years ago. The only freon refrigerants legal for refilling old systems was recycled. That has been steadily running out -- and getting outrageously expensive.
If a major component of your AC system is shot, you will have to replace he whole system. I spent just over $5,000 for that in June. And that's just one of my two systems.
CD
Yep, I'll get a minimum of three bills for this visit, and possibly four. I'm not conspiring that it's intentional, but it does make it much easier to double-bill.
- Status