Newscoma Has Moved
Friday, November 10, 2006
  Annoying Autobiographical Pause I slept late. It was a good thing. I've been pushing myself and I have plans I'm really looking forward to this weekend, so yesterday and today I did like a hibernating bear and replenished my reserves. I'm trying to get in the mindset of going back to work. And, oh yeah, the "Do Not Pay This Right Now" bill came from the hospital. $28,000. That doesn't even cover doctor's charges. Insurance will cover most of it but it took my breath away. I'm sorta having a bit of a nervous breakdown about it. I need to just get back to work. I estimate the Edna out tour will cost me around, in my part, seven grand. My plan for today as I process this: 1.) Have a beer. 2.) Have another. 3.) Don't get freaked out. 4.) Realize that this is going to be life-changing on more levels than me just having surgery. 5.) Have a third and final beer and think about it tomorrow. I'm no Scarlett O'Hara, but I'm just going to have to process it all. And I won't cry. Won't solve anything anyway. 
Comments:
Seven grand sounds a little high if you're insured.

That $28,000 doesn't include insurance co.-negotiated markdowns, so your portion'll probably be more like
$3,500/4,000. Although I didn't have a hysterectomy, my first bill for my two surgeries was something like $33K combined. (Two surgeries, 3 ER trips, pathology). The amount I'm owing on that $33K--doctors included--is about $2500. The hospital is letting me make payments of $83/mo, but I'll pay the balance with my tax return. God willing.

Yes, I know that's not a huge comfort. But still, I try.

And you will have plenty of tomorrows to think about it, because it'll take another month for them to get everything sorted out.

In the meantime, have another drink and hold on.
 
I'll be fine. I always have been. I've always eaten, done things I've wanted to do. Sometimes having a blog, things just come out. I look at it and think, man, what did I just put out there.
The problem is a very, very large deductable.
You see, I'm the problem. I didn't factor everything because my brain sometimes just falls out of my skull. I was so focused on the surgery and the emotional impact of it that I didn't factor in the deductable and the financial impact.
And my work has decided some things that I have to work out in my mind, but I won't go into that here.
I think that was the kicker for me.
I've decided that this weekend is my time of rejoicing and that Monday, I will go to my friends for counsel.
And I'm holding off on the drinking until at least noon :)
Thank you for your kind words.
It did help.
 
Goodness gracious, I didn't realize Edna was made of 14K gold!!

Well, better or not, sorry you are having such a day. And rejoice a BUNCH this weekend to make up for it.
 
I'm having similar surgery on the 21st. Haven't gotten that bill yet. Good luck.
 
Good luck Jilly. It isn't terrible but it ain't fun either.
Well, the morphine button was fun for my family who enjoyed the hallucinations.
So I'm glad I did it for them.
 
They should have paid YOU for takin' out that beeyotch. I'm serious.

But yeah, what Ms. Coble said on the "that's just the first bill" thing. Call and ask them to send you an itemized statement. That will show how much they knocked it down with the insurance contract AND let you look over what they charged you for that they shoudn't have (an extra day of IVs, prescription meds you brought yourself, etc.). I lahk to DIED when I got my first bill for the laparascopic oophorectomy last Christmas -- $18K. Lord. Then it all got straightened out. Same thing with the Ednaectomy this summer -- $24K-plus, then the wound-care stuff. Then the statement. Lordy.

You do know that no matter how snotty they get, you are entitled to politely work out a payment plan according to your income. As little as $10 per month is considered a good-faith payment, as long as you make your situation quite clear to them from the get-go.

E-mail me if I can help in any way with that. Or anything else. I'm also praying for better news on the whatever front that you're not speaking of yet. (Gah. Been there. Washed the t-shirt.)

Hugs to you and the pups!
 
Been there. My God, have I ever been there. Yeah, drop me a line if ever you need to vent.

Now, I'm just curious if you've heard about all these people going to India for surgery because it is less expensive and, from all accounts I've heard, on par with surgeries here. In fact, insurance companies, generally, are paying for the air fare and all because it saves them money, too!

I imagine that one day in the near future I will have to have knee replacement surgery and I've been trying to wrap my head around it all.
 
Thanks Grandfille and Dailydia,
Uterus removal sucks as you well know.
I don't know what's worse, ednaectomies are not fun.
But being alone for stretches with one's own brain for company is sort of odd as well.
I think I got all worked up, but I am calling the medical powers that be and asking for a more comprehensive breakdown.
Who knew Morphine cost as much as five of my car payments?
And that cotton (you know what I'm talking about ladies) was 200 dollars.
FOR COTTON!!!
I wish I was kidding.
Arrgh.
 
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