First Emergency Experience With Socialized Medicine!

[DianaCox]

I'm with Spiky - I have a stash of narcotics so that I don't have to worry about getting instant pain relief if necessary.

I'm trying to get my son to manage his 10 mg percosets carefully - they gave him 60 of them. At 6/day, that's only 10 days worth for a broken femur. I suggested cutting them in half and taking them twice as often, so he can start tapering back to 1/2 tab every 3 hours and then every 4 hours, so he cat stretch them out for at least 2 weeks. And I'm going to suggest that he start a cache of meds for himself as well. Narcotics are pretty stable, and you never know when you might need them in an emergency.

 

[k9ophile]

And if they go to a different pharmacy, they are "pharmacy shopping" and they won't fill it. And I don't even know who to be angry with about that.

OK, I get that pharmacy shopping is a crime. BUT with the state registries, a pharmacist should be able to see your prescription history. If one didn't have something filled in a while, where's the problem? Many prescriptions for controlled substances written by many physicians and filled at multiple pharmacies raises flags. Are pharmacist's not able to view the registries? Sounds hinky to me, but over regulation seems to the mode these days.

 

[southernlady]

I also have a stash of pain meds. In fact, from my last surgery, I didn't even accept the prescription he gave me cause I KNEW I would only need 2-3 and I had over 20 still here at home. Turns out, 2 is all I took.

My Mother WAS a drug seeker...after she had to give up alcohol due to a broken elbow and it being contraindicated to mix with alcohol, she switched to pain meds as her drug of choice. I think she shopped every pharmacy in the county. But this was in the late 90's and the registries were JUST being developed.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I also have a stash of pain meds. In fact, from my last surgery, I didn't even accept the prescription he gave me cause I KNEW I would only need 2-3 and I had over 20 still here at home. Turns out, 2 is all I took.

My Mother WAS a drug seeker...after she had to give up alcohol due to a broken elbow and it being contraindicated to mix with alcohol, she switched to pain meds as her drug of choice. I think she shopped every pharmacy in the county. But this was in the late 90's and the registries were JUST being developed.

Come to think of it, when dealing with kidney stones, I'm a drug seeker. Big time!

 

[southernlady]

Come to think of it, when dealing with kidney stones, I'm a drug seeker. Big time!

While she was healing, it was understood. But she was 8 years later still getting drugs!

Honestly however, I preferred the Mother hooked on pain meds far more than the drunk one.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

While she was healing, it was understood. But she was 8 years later still getting drugs!

Honestly however, I preferred the Mother hooked on pain meds far more than the drunk one.

Well, then...it was Win-Win?

 

[Munchkin]

I have a stash of pain meds too! And yes I still have a couple left from my DS in 2003. And I would still take them too.

Rob there is much to be said about being the squeaky wheel. I have been learning a lot about Medicare and Medicaid. Most of it is being forced down my throat against my will. I have a sort of interesting story to tell. Most of us just work all our lives so we never have to deal with this.

My SO's cousin is staying with us while he is waiting for housing here in Las Vegas. He lived all his life in NYC and most of his jobs were server or restaurant manager. He never made much money so I'm sure he was planning on just working till he kicked the bucket. One night he was walking home in the rain and he slipped and fell. Ended up needing knee surgery and subsequently developed traumatic osteo-arthritis. He has to use a cane, and a knee brace, and he is never going to get better and he will probably get worse. So he can no longer do the work he has done for years and he is legitimately disabled.

He applied for SSD and got it. Since then it has been his 'job' to learn how to work the system. He just turned 65 and has a Medicare Med-Advantage Plan and Medicaid. Medicaid pays his Medicare premium every month and in effect he has FULL medical coverage for free. Free doctors, free prescriptions, the whole thing.

I would think none of these doctors/insurers would want him to actually USE the medical services available because he pays nothing. Right? Wrong. These folks both in NYC and here in Vegas do not want a single week to go by without him having a doctor's appointment. Here's the rub, other than his knee problem, there is nothing wrong with him and he isn't sick. He has a cardiologist and he doesn't know why because he has never had any heart problems. He also sees a "vascular" doc every other month because he has varicose veins. He has a PCP he was told to see 4 times a year. And he has a specific knee doc he was told to see twice or more per year.

And every one of these docs order extensive testing/labwork. For every single appointment. So between testing and all the doctors, he is at the clinic every week. He thinks this is normal. This guy spends so much time on medical crap it's almost a full time job. And he IS the squeaky wheel. If he doesn't get every single appointment right away, he is on the phone complaining to Medicare. And he ends up getting what he wants. He made a huge issue about an appointment for a physical being canceled and moved out. And he 'won'. Of course I was the nutbag reminding him it makes no difference because he isn't sick. Anyway, these people are turning him into a hypochondriac.

Here's the scam. These medical providers are making their money by providing un-necessary services. He sees the cardiologist who says his heart is still fine. He sees the vascular doc who says yup...you still have varicose veins. And so on. Nothing is being done to cure him of anything but the appointments go on and on. He isn't being treated.

And then when someone like your wife tries to see a doc, guess what? There are no appointments available.

 

[JackieOnLine]

wow, Munchkin, that's really interesting. I want someone from 60 minutes to hear that story - seriously. we are so messed up with healthcare and that is a part of it you don't hear.

I want cousin to get what he needs - and everyone else, too. so this is another piece of the puzzle.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I have a stash of pain meds too! And yes I still have a couple left from my DS in 2003. And I would still take them too.

Rob there is much to be said about being the squeaky wheel. I have been learning a lot about Medicare and Medicaid. Most of it is being forced down my throat against my will. I have a sort of interesting story to tell. Most of us just work all our lives so we never have to deal with this.

My SO's cousin is staying with us while he is waiting for housing here in Las Vegas. He lived all his life in NYC and most of his jobs were server or restaurant manager. He never made much money so I'm sure he was planning on just working till he kicked the bucket. One night he was walking home in the rain and he slipped and fell. Ended up needing knee surgery and subsequently developed traumatic osteo-arthritis. He has to use a cane, and a knee brace, and he is never going to get better and he will probably get worse. So he can no longer do the work he has done for years and he is legitimately disabled.

He applied for SSD and got it. Since then it has been his 'job' to learn how to work the system. He just turned 65 and has a Medicare Med-Advantage Plan and Medicaid. Medicaid pays his Medicare premium every month and in effect he has FULL medical coverage for free. Free doctors, free prescriptions, the whole thing.

I would think none of these doctors/insurers would want him to actually USE the medical services available because he pays nothing. Right? Wrong. These folks both in NYC and here in Vegas do not want a single week to go by without him having a doctor's appointment. Here's the rub, other than his knee problem, there is nothing wrong with him and he isn't sick. He has a cardiologist and he doesn't know why because he has never had any heart problems. He also sees a "vascular" doc every other month because he has varicose veins. He has a PCP he was told to see 4 times a year. And he has a specific knee doc he was told to see twice or more per year.

And every one of these docs order extensive testing/labwork. For every single appointment. So between testing and all the doctors, he is at the clinic every week. He thinks this is normal. This guy spends so much time on medical crap it's almost a full time job. And he IS the squeaky wheel. If he doesn't get every single appointment right away, he is on the phone complaining to Medicare. And he ends up getting what he wants. He made a huge issue about an appointment for a physical being canceled and moved out. And he 'won'. Of course I was the nutbag reminding him it makes no difference because he isn't sick. Anyway, these people are turning him into a hypochondriac.

Here's the scam. These medical providers are making their money by providing un-necessary services. He sees the cardiologist who says his heart is still fine. He sees the vascular doc who says yup...you still have varicose veins. And so on. Nothing is being done to cure him of anything but the appointments go on and on. He isn't being treated.

And then when someone like your wife tries to see a doc, guess what? There are no appointments available.

Okay...there ARE abuses and a lot of ass-covering. HOWEVER, you, as an under 65-type, will eventually have to learn that the rules change as we age because WE change as we age.

For example, many of us old farts have asympotmatic coronary disease. I went in for, in my opinion, an unnecessary cardiac cath and discovered that I have significant blockage...40% on one side 50% on the other. (Even the cardiologist said she was surprised.) Not enough for a stent at this point, but enough to explain some of the fatigue that might otherwise be called "old age" or laziness. You don't want his first experience with "heart problems" to be a "widowmaker" heart attack.

And, varicose veins can become VERY problematic and require surgery...which would be better caught now than when he's 75...and his knee problems might be a complicating factor to the vascular issues.

You know how they always warn "the elderly" to be extra cautious during high heat? The hardest part of that is remembering that we are part of that demographic. And Mr. Sue? What an ass on this topic! He wakes up with Charley Horses in his legs, his feet and, more recently, his HANDS! "Drink Gatorade," his naggy wife says. "I am drinking coffee," he foolishly replies.

He is still transitioning.

 

[robs477]

There is a metric **** Mega-TON of GREED and extreme dysfunctionality in the "System" to go around for sure...and there really is NO single one thing to blame it on, it’s obviously way more convoluted than that. That viewpoint is definitely short sided, I must admit. I guess what I’ve learned most in all this, is not only do you have to "Self Advocate" (which I already knew),....but, you also have to do it aggressively and relentlessly, which I have just recently learned, thus the squeaky wheel.

 

[marissamast]

Thxs, good info Ladies, I agree guys, it’s NOT all ACA, but I do think thats significantly exasperating an already F'd up system! Sue, you guys are right also, it’s NOT just SOME of the Doctors though, it’s their GD front office that’s trained to just tell you, "well then if it’s an emergency, go to the emergency room" The people in those front offices could give a flying **** less if you get an appointment or not and I actually ran in to several that I could tell took please in the power they had giving their denials.

I know that its just not only some of the Doctors at fault because the only way I found around the system was to call up the specialists after hours emergency numbers at 5 am and LIE and tell them my Wife was a patient in an emergency and the ER already dismissed them.

TWO different specialists, GI and Urologists called me back within the hour and TOLD their front office to get her in for an appointment! YUP, I had to friggin lie, but at least she got seen, but again, still no diagnosis. You HAVE to bypass the front office ******* too!

But, the Doctors did tell me how the system is completely broke, very, very eye opening wake up call for us.

What a pain in the ass! So sorry you had to go through that. My PCP keeps 1 hour open every day for emergency call ins...which is really nice. When I first started seeing him, 8 years ago, he was fresh out of medical school and I could always get in same day or next day. Now everyone and their dogs has discovered how AMAZING he is and he is booked weeks in advance.