My $95 Flu Shot

Brill (0.00 / 0)

Saw him on Charlie Rose show and he claims hospitals and drug companies are the biggest villains in the health care business. An example is a 6 buck charge by the hospital for a small paper cup to hold a couple of aspirin.
I guess Obamacare doesn't cover or attempt to cover the huge markups.

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by: Jim B @ Mon Feb 25, 2013 at 17:01:57 PM UTC

My trip to the doctor today (0.00 / 0)

drove me absolutely crazy.  I don't have health insurance...they know that.  Had to pay $99 before they would let me past the front door to see the Doc which is fine.  I paid cash, asked for a receipt.  Can't give you a receipt until you check out...but I just gave you cash and have no way to prove it unless you give me a receipt.  No receipt was forthcoming because their policy is to give receipts at check out only...a bit odd since they require everyone to pay up front.

After a two hours in the waiting room, and another 1/2 hour in the exam room, a nurse practitioner student with her teacher came in....not a Doc.  She explained who she was, asked if it was okay to see me and then she and the Doc would come back.  I agreed.  After all I already knew what was wrong.

After the exam she said, "The Doc and I will be back shortly."  After another 20 minute wait, she comes back with prescriptions...by herself, never saw a Doc.  She says, "I know you are self-pay so we've written these so you can take them to Walmart and get them filled for $4."  I say, "Hey, thanks.  I appreciate that."  Off to Walmart to fill the scrips...none of the three are $4 scrips as written.  Wally World says, if they do this, that and something else instead of these costing $172, you can get two of them for $4 each.  Back to the Doc's office I go...explain that the scrips are written incorrectly for the $4 meds...they change the scrips.  Back to Walmart...one scrip still wrong. Walmart calls the Doc's office.  Doc says they will fax another scrip.  Wait another hour....still no new scrip.  Exhausted, sick and too tired to care anymore, I pay $67 for one scrip, $4 for the other....still waiting for the third.  

Our healthcare system is so messed up.  The problem with one of the scrips was tablet versus capsule--translated into $70 versus $4; or how another med was packaged in a 10 pack versus a 12 pack.  It is nuts....all the while I can hardly hold my head up, just want the meds so I can go home to bed.  

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by: pontoon @ Mon Feb 25, 2013 at 23:33:20 PM UTC