Mixed feelings - husband getting "PS"

[DianaCox]

The diastasis repair is going to be by plication: since he has actually lost 70+ lbs from his highest weight (which was 12 years ago) and 30+ lbs in the last 6 months, there shouldn't be as much pressure on his poor fascia. But there is a risk - noting the recurrent inguinal hernia on the right, the new hernia on the left, the umbilical hernia and the diastasis, the surgeon remarked that his fascial integrity sucks - she even poke me in my incisional hernia (remember, I'm 11 years post-op and it just showed up) and said I had better fascia than he does, genetically, and because he smoked heavily. It could come back - I hope they sew him up good and tight.

 

[DianaCox]

UPDATE: He's now 3 weeks post-op, and doing pretty well. He got the first drain out two weeks ago, but was still producing too much sera to remove the last drain last week. He goes in tomorrow for the next follow up, and will PROBABLY get the second drain out, and all the stitches (I don't understand his rationale for why he refused to get the stitches out last week, but ... there's no arguing with him and the doctor was OK with it). He has had pain, of course, but stopped taking the percosets after 4 days, and isn't taking Advil much either - he's such a manly man eyeroll. We are still planning to leave on our next RV adventure this coming weekend, assuming he gets the drain out tomorrow.

This morning, I received the EOBs for his surgery - and flipped out. I could not believe (1) how much of the claims were denied, and (2) that we would not be balance-billed for the difference. I called CareFirst in a panic, and they reassured me that the bill was correct, and we would not be balance-billed:

• Amount of the bill: $59,223.35 + $5,580.50 + $169.00 + $3,636.00 + $3,168.00 = $71,776.85
• Allowed amount: $5,671.00 + $4,929.75 + $169.00 + $2,791.50 + $3,168.00 = $16,729.25
• Amount CareFirst paid: $5,471.00 + $4,929.75 + $169.00 + $2,791.50 + $2,601.91 = $15,963.16
• Co-pay: $200.00 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = $200.00
• Deductible: 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + $566.09 = $566.09

Look at these numbers:

• Amount of the bill: $71,776.85
• Allowed amount: $16,729.25

Is that not astonishing? Moreover, looking at the EOB in detail, there was a charge from the hospital for "Medical Care" (with no details, so I have no idea what it was for) for $32,642.15, as well as two other charges for over $7000 each, that were denied, with no "remark code" or other explanation.

We paid the $200 when we arrived at the hospital, and the deductible was less than expected (and I get all but $500 of our yearly family deductible of $4800 reimbursed by the firm's HSA), so I'm not griping about that. I just was (and I don't know why) astonished by the apparent prevarication involved in both billing and payment.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Hospitals have turned into car lots...let's overprice everything and then let's make a deal. It is all a stupid game and I hate it.

 

[JackieOnLine]

plus who the hell can understand it. *******s.

 

[hilary1617]

I got a check from the hospital today for an overpay of $30 and a phone call for a $700 balance. I think I actually owe around $200. Always a nightmare doing insurance math - and I used to be an actuary!!!! Anyway, glad Charles is recovering. Hope the drain comes out tomorrow and that you have a fabulous RV journey.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I got a check from the hospital today for an overpay of $30 and a phone call for a $700 balance. I think I actually owe around $200. Always a nightmare doing insurance math - and I used to be an actuary!!!! Anyway, glad Charles is recovering. Hope the drain comes out tomorrow and that you have a fabulous RV journey.

Tell them to take their time with recovery...I think they are planning on camping on my newly landscaped front yard. I mean...they could wait for that trip, right?

 

[hilary1617]

Tell them to take their time with recovery...I think they are planning on camping on my newly landscaped front yard. I mean...they could wait for that trip, right?

Well, that's quite the fabulous destination! Hope everyone has a great time!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Well, that's quite the fabulous destination! Hope everyone has a great time!

But...they will be arriving in our area about 20 minutes before we leave (if I ever get this GI disturbance diagnosed and treated) for a two-week Amtrak experience. So they would be like...squatters with their own accommodations or something! (J/K...I'm looking forward to at least a little bit of a visit!)

 

[DianaCox]

We will be there ... you have a dump station, right? Or would that be your flower bed?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

We will be there ... you have a dump station, right? Or would that be your flower bed?

FLOWERS? Flower BED? This is the desert and we are very responsible (swimming pool notwithstanding) about water conservation. We have a single tree and a total of eight drought resistant plants right now and about 19 tons of rocks.

Don't be dumping **** on my rocks.

Hey, wait! I think @Munchkin has a dump station in HER flower beds!

 

[DianaCox]

Isn't that her mulch? It could be even more enriched ...

PS: He did get the drain out, and we're busy planning our route, food, etc.

 

[kirmy]

Are you visiting the bugger? If so I need to send you ****!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Are you visiting the bugger? If so I need to send you ****!

She is not permitted to give you my address. I explained the details of this battle and she (currently, at least, and I'm working to preserve that opinion) sees things from my perspective.


For the observers...let's say that you had an HONORED GUEST who, at no small expense, added a side trip to her already booked vacation to come visit you. And YOU took your HONORED GUEST to a restaurant of YOUR choice, to celebrate that visit, as a GIFT to your honored guest...and a small token of appreciation for her (literally) going out of her way (we're talkin' airfare here) to make that visit.

And then bitch bought you a gift card to reimburse you for the cost of your gift to her.

I ask you...was that cool of your HONORED GUEST? No, it was not. (In case you weren't sure.) And now you have the right (it's here in the rules somewhere) to replace that gift with Swiffers and Egg Snot things and weird clocks, don't you? And she, your friend the bitch, may not continue to reimburse you for gifts.

You may now ALL vote:

___ Sue is right.

Or
____ Sue is right.

 

[kirmy]

Listen tart! Said HONORED guest was driven to Hoover Damn, the Strip, a national park with goat deer things and taken to a seven11 where she got to try a Gadawful slurpee as part of a bucket list a chocolate factory for David so he could have hyperglycaemia induced seizures. Honored guest was utterly spoiled to the point of being indulged.

I ask you people of the court would it not be wrong not to show gratitude for such hospitality in the form of a simple gift card?

It would be rude not to!

Vote Kirmy.

Keep Mao Tse Bugger in her corner. She's......UNAMERICAN!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Listen tart! Said HONORED guest was driven to Hoover Damn, the Strip, a national park with goat deer things and taken to a seven11 where she got to try a Gadawful slurpee as part of a bucket list a chocolate factory for David so he could have hyperglycaemia induced seizures. Honored guest was utterly spoiled to the point of being indulged.

I ask you people of the court would it not be wrong not to show gratitude for such hospitality in the form of a simple gift card?

It would be rude not to!

Vote Kirmy.

Keep Mao Tse Bugger in her corner. She's......UNAMERICAN!

As evidence that she is VAGUE at best on the details, I present the "goat deer things," occasionally referred to as "bighorn sheep," we visited at a CITY park. See? You cannot trust her claims.