How to Minimize Your Emergency Care Expenses

[Ella1]

I came across this summary How to Minimize Your Emergency Care Expenses in a financial forum and thought some of the information might come in handy--if you can remember it!  :s
It's a long post/article, but might prove very helpful.

a couple of headings:

# 2 Expect to pay your maximum out of pocket costs

# 3 Don't go to the Emergency Department if you don't have to  
(partial para ...If you're not having an emergency, exhaust all other options before turning to the ED. This includes nurse help lines, your cousin, your neighbor, your primary doctor, your cousin's primary doctor, telemedicine, and urgent cares. But if you're clearly having an emergency, for heaven's sake go to the ED...

# 4 Don't take the ambulance if you don't have to
# 5 When you go to the ED, consume as little care as possible
# 6 When the bills come, read them.

Some of the replies might be helpful, too, such as
#7 Pay someone to clean your gutters, limb the tree, patch the roof, etc.

and this, based on question, "...what fraction of patients you see in the ED really should have used some other provider setting (i.e., urgent care, their primary, the nurse phone line, etc..."
Are we judging them based on their education and the complaint or on the final outcome? If you base it on the final outcome, perhaps only 10% need to be there. If we judge based on the complaint, 90% need to be there. Most chest pain isn't a heart attack. Most dizziness isn't a stroke. Most shortness of breath is anxiety. All bleeding stops eventually. Like I tell people who call in on the phone, if you're worried you're having an emergency, come to the emergency department.


I plan to mail it to friends and copy it to a document to keep track of.

 

[Ella1]

I came across this summary How to Minimize Your Emergency Care Expenses in a financial forum and thought some of the information might come in handy--if you can remember it!  :s

more: "... if you have a specialized issue like an eye and you are headed to the ER, call ahead. We were ... leaving the house, my husband called the ER to tell them he would need an eye specialist. The eye specialist called us back and directed us to his office instead, where he had all the proper equipment (and no ER rates). We were in and out in 45 minutes.

"When you first meet your doctor in the ED, make two things very clear to your doctor. First, that you would like to avoid doing anything today that can safely be done later as an outpatient or not at all....

and "What would you do if it was your wife or child?" "Can this be done safely later if I'm not getting better?" What are the downsides of not doing that test or treatment today?" "What do you think the chances are that this is actually something serious? I'd rather not get a huge work-up today if you think the chances are less than 10%." "

"...it is reasonable to point out that you (as patient) would like to avoid doing things in the ER if they can be done safely elsewhere and later.

"...1. Have knowledge of alternatives to the hospital ER. Investigate use of urgent care facilities.
2. Be informed about what is an "emergency" and what is not. For example, be aware of situations you might encounter.
3. Do NOT hesitate to use an ER when life threatened, such as severe heart attack, severe loss of blood, ruptured aorta, etc...."

 

[Weight]

Get to be 65 years old and enjoy Medicare.
Never do any job you can get someone to do half as well as you.

 

[Annie W]

more:   (snip)
"When you first meet your doctor in the ED, make two things very clear to your doctor.
First, that you would like to avoid doing anything today that can safely be done later as an outpatient or not at all....
and
(snip)

Hi Ella,
THANK you for bringing this Topic to other's attention.

First (read here #32 ), iow after working 37 years in 'medicine', I've witnessed... it all.
Next
 what was done to me before & while & after in the ER, was aptly summarized
below.
Optimistic Paranoid said: "When someone drags your ass into a death camp, you can call them "Hitleresque"."
(tho that topic re mods), it sums up all.
22 Feb 2018
For instance https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/22/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-america.html

• over 250,000 people in the U.S. die every year from medical errors. Other reports as high as 440,000.
• Medical errors are the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer.

Remember those statistics are only from "mistakes"; they do not include Intentional malpractice which is much worse.
and
also https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=6636
Doctors do not trust other doctors.
You are more likely to die from quackery, than from any other reason.
And yet people continue to aquiesce to them as tho they were god.

 

[John61CT]

Would, be so nice if lowering costs were the job of the care system, not put onto patients because our society lets them go so out of control crazy.

 

[closeanuf]

Weight, your comment about hiring someone to do the job who can do it half as good as you could was right on.  At 70 it's hard to admit I shouldn't be doing some things for my safety as well as the safety of others.

 

[John61CT]

Very relevant article

https://melmagazine.com/amp/p/cd72675e5c43

 

[Ella1]

https://khn.org/news/surprise-that-urgent-care-center-may-send-you-a-big-bill-just-like-the-er/
The key question to ask when calling an urgent care center, Hutson said, is not whether it accepts your insurance, but is whether it participates in your insurance plan.

I just called my nearest urgent care office, a Banner facility, and was told I have to call MY insurance provider to find out...   That they do ACCEPT  them, but she c/wouldn't tell me if my insurance is one of their preferred providers...

 

[Ella1]

Tues AM: I called my insurance co, the urgent care nearest me (the phone help asked for name and address of the facility-which I had to look up) IS a preferred provider, but the ins. may not cover all procedures, I have to call another 800 number for that info...
Maybe a really good first aid book is a good idea.

 

[AMGS3]

On a somewhat related note, it is ALWAYS a good idea to read and reread an **itemized** bill from any medical provider. My experience with this comes from an ER visit that turned into a 5 day hospital stay for my daughter because of a MRSA infection. The original $7000 bill was reduced to $4500 after disputing many of the charges. It made a big difference! We were charged for procedures they didn't do and supplies they didn't use on her!

Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

 

[Headache]

This is a big issue with Medicare aside from the fact it sucks. Most urgent care facilities and walk in clinics don't take it. I ended up going to the ER when I sprained my knee on a Sunday because of the ones that were open they didn't accept Medicare.

 

[Ella1]

That's a good reminder. I should have been aware of that since I know some docs do not take Medicare.

I always ask about medicare and my insurance preferred provider status and wrote ON both insurance and medicare care wallet cards something like "...do no procedures, tests, use no providers, facilities, etc not covered by medicare or my insurance., do NOT admit for OBSERVATION..."
When they copy for their records, they have that right there.

 

[John61CT]

Some docs?

In my experience maybe 10% of GPs will take Medicare, and a much lower proportion of specialists, unless you have connections.

And all those after-hour clinics I've seen are very corporate, profit-minded, would be surprised if any did.

 

[Ella1]

I'm sure you're right about those two statements. I don't know if I asked about Medicare at the banner urgent care facility. I am in their system, but do not know if they are "separate" or combined--one unit. I think there are a few Banner UCs here. I need to get more info.

 

[Weight]

I am on medicare with a supplement F. Yes there are Doctors that do not accept medicare. Yes there are many Doctors that do accept medicare. Where I am located, the urgent care centers are administered by area hospitals. They all accept medicare. I find I get excellent coverage and care using my benefits.