Thank goodness for insurance !

[WinniWoman]

One of the most compelling reasons to buy health insurance is to benefit from their ability to negotiate rates. If you don't have insurance and are 'private pay', you can ASK for the same price insurance carriers pay, but the provider is under no obligation to give it to you. That's one of the BIG beefs with Medicare- Believe it or not, Medicare is NOT ALLOWED to negotiate lower prices from drug companies! Insurance carriers can negotiate, Other nations can negotiate, but not Medicare! It's one of the reasons Americans pay more for health care (by far) than ANY other country, yet 125 other countries people live longer.

Jim

Ironically, I know at our facility if someone does not have insurance we charge the Medicare rate, which is lower than most of the private insurance compnany rates or what a true private rate would be.

 

[WinniWoman]

I hike. I fell and hit my head hard walking out of a ladies room. It made me realize life can change in a moment and with any step tragedy can happen. I was lucky, I am still kicking.

Yes. I tripped over a vacuum cleaner when I was young and broke my foot. I also ran through a sliding glass door thinking it was open- cutting my leg and hand.

I fell off curbs- twice- and also stepped out of a car once and twisted my foot on gravel- spraining my ankle in those instances.

Two years ago I also missed a curb stepping up outside our office and dislocated my ring finger.

Anything can happen at any time when you least expect it.

 

[taterhed]

This article seems pretty biased, but it's a good read..... https://www.newsadvance.com/news/lo...cle_70e60252-d329-5085-9137-398cd74640fa.html

according to www.health.costhelper.com, a firm that provides consumer information about goods and services, an average air ambulance ride can cost between $2,000 and $50,000 depending on the flight distance, fuel costs and medical services needed in flight.

 

[JanT]

OMG! How scary!! I'm so glad your husband is doing well. How terrible for him and for you!

And yes, thank goodness for insurance!! Many years ago our daughter was gravely ill; we almost lost her. Good medical treatment, prayers (including those from TUGGERS) and the mercy of God she survived. The final hospital bill alone was $275,000. Combined with all the other costs the bill was close to $400K. She paid a total of $4K out of her pocket. I thank God every day she is still alive and healthy, and that she had health insurance.

My husband had a mishap in camp while on a kayak/rafting trip on the main Salmon River in Idaho. He slipped off a mud covered boulder and hit his head, knocking himself out. It turns out he had a severe concussion, and his face looked like it had been in a blender. He had to be airlifted out by helicopter to a trauma center in Lewiston, Idaho. That was not the best call to receive at 10:45 at night.

After a three day hospital stay, he is home now and doing well. I called our insurance to find out what we were on the hook for the helicopter, and was told our portion was $50.00. We were guessing what the total helicopter bill would be, and thought maybe $15,000. You can imagine our surprise when the bill came yesterday and it was $41,160.00 !

Thank goodness for insurance.

 

[bluehende]

This is very true indeed. You don't have to be doing dangerous things.

I led boy scout high adventure trips into the Adirondaks. We had two injuries over the years that necessitated taking the kids off the trek. Both happened late in the day on easy sections of trail right after areas considered challenging.

 

[WinniWoman]

I went on a guided hike up Mt. Mansfield in VT once and though I was in the best shape of my life, I had a really hard time keeping up with everyone. I almost couldn't go another step (cardio wise) when we got to the part where we had to jump over crevices. One of the poor guides had to stay behind the group with me.

I asked him what would we do if I couldn't make it up. He told me he would have to get a helicopter. Thankfully, I made it and was never injured.

 

[bluehende]

I went on a guided hike up Mt. Mansfield in VT once and though I was in the best shape of my life, I had a really hard time keeping up with everyone. I almost couldn't go another step (cardio wise) when we got to the part where we had to jump over crevices. One of the poor guides had to stay behind the group with me.

I asked him what would we do if I couldn't make it up. He told me he would have to get a helicopter. Thankfully, I made it and was never injured.

That is a great hike. We have done it a couple times up the Hells Brook Trail.

One of our boys did get a helicopter ride. The year before I took over he fell down an embankment and hit his head. The next year I have a goof ball fall against a bank and catch his little finger on a root. He walked 9 miles with a little finger that was very close to his wrist (dislocated). Shall we say being a boy scout high adventure coordinator is never dull.

I have no idea how the helicopter ride was billed , but never heard any complaints from the parents.

 

[Passepartout]

I have seen a few news stories about helicopter flights bankrupting people.. Based on that bill i can see why.. Its a great service when needed, but obviously very expensive.

So which would you rather- Be bankrupt, or dead? I'll take bankruptcy every time. It kinda reminds me of an old Jack Benny bit.... A robber sticks him up and says, "Your money or your life!" Benny pauses and then when the robber asks again, "Well--", and Benny replies, "I'M THINKING!!"

 

[puppymommo]

We had a case awhile back here in Missouri where a boy suffered a fractured skull. He was airlifted to the hospital. The family had insurance that would have covered most of it, but the helicopter that picked them up wasn't on their insurance, so they were on the hook for about $32,000. When the helicopter comes to take your child with a skull fracture, you don't ask them, "do you take my insurance". You take whatever helicopter arrives! I don't remember how it all worked out.

 

[sun starved Gayle]

What kind of insurance covered this given this was in the U.S.? Health insurance? or did you purchase extra travel insurance?

It was our primary health insurance. My husband had previously done a trip down the Grand Canyon and called beforehand about taking out additional insurance to cover a medical evacuation. He was told our insurance would cover an air evacuation with a small co-payment and apparently it did. I will report back how this all turned out.

Earlier in the month we were on our annual 3 night raft trip down the Deschutes River in Oregon. This was our 18th year going on this trip with the same five families and we always have a lot of fun. This year on our very first night, the 29 year old son of one of our friends was bit by a rattlesnake on the way to the outhouse. He spent three nights in the hospital. I told my husband we should be expecting a plague of locusts next !

 

[CalGalTraveler]

It was our primary health insurance. My husband had previously done a trip down the Grand Canyon and called beforehand about taking out additional insurance to cover a medical evacuation. He was told our insurance would cover an air evacuation with a small co-payment and apparently it did. I will report back how this all turned out.

Earlier in the month we were on our annual 3 night raft trip down the Deschutes River in Oregon. This was our 18th year going on this trip with the same five families and we always have a lot of fun. This year on our very first night, the 29 year old son of one of our friends was bit by a rattlesnake on the way to the outhouse. He spent three nights in the hospital. I told my husband we should be expecting a plague of locusts next !

What a good idea to check beforehand. We never think of such scenarios when traveling in the U.S., only international.

We have Kaiser. They have been great for covering urgent, ambulance, and ER visits when traveling in the U.S. with ailing family members. Wondering if Kaiser would cover evacuations without extra travel insurance in the U.S.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

We had a case awhile back here in Missouri where a boy suffered a fractured skull. He was airlifted to the hospital. The family had insurance that would have covered most of it, but the helicopter that picked them up wasn't on their insurance, so they were on the hook for about $32,000. When the helicopter comes to take your child with a skull fracture, you don't ask them, "do you take my insurance". You take whatever helicopter arrives! I don't remember how it all worked out.

I agree with both you and Jim, in critical situations you don't stop to think about the potential costs.

Believe the new story i saw about the high costs also touched on situations where the person accepts the air rescue, and then the insurance company decides it was not required. That can be an issue with even a regular ambulance. I know i was surprised at the cost of standard ambulance when my mother fell and hurt herself. Because the hospital treated and released her without admitting her the insurance company decided the ambulance with not required. It was certainly not anywhere near as expensive as a helicopter, but I was not expecting it to cost so much for a short drive.