I don't know.
All this has my head spinning. Susie this is why people go bankrupt with healthcare bills.
I did find out today that my GI does do EGD's in the hospital just not as often, and the first
opening isn't until January. Now my policy has a limit of $1,000/year for diagnostic testing which you can bet will be eaten up with biopsies and such, which is why I'm trying to get the EGD done in December because I haven't used any of my $1,000 yet. One of the many people I talked with today at my GI's office told me she didn't think the surgery center would back bill me for the additional 30%, that they were participating and accept my insurance as payment in full. However, my insurance company said only the hospital itself was participating. Someone here mentioned about
Hill-Burton and hospital charity care and such (I'm sorry I can't remember who right now!) and the hospitals themselves do write off a portion if your income is low enough, but that's just the hospital. It's a different corporate entity from the surgery center, and that's what I was getting at earlier that this is how the hospitals will continue to try to make their money to pay for things. Those other corporate entities are affiliated but still separate, and may or may not contract with the insurance company. Anyway, I left a message with the billing person at the surgery center but she won't get back to me until Monday.
Today has been doctor call day, in both directions. Seems lots of doctors now having
openings trying to fill their year end schedule, too! My GYN didn't have any appointments
open until April but now she has cancellations for January. That's really on the back burner for now!
My goddaughter is hoping to get a babysitter and come with a couple of my cousins and myself to the local casino for Sunday. I get a free dinner and $$ for my birthday! I've never been there, so I thought it would be fun, and others would just have to pay for their dinner.
Thank you all for your caring, kindness and support! You know if we all got together and lived in the same area we could hire our own medical staff!
Not a bad idea, eh?
PaLady
p.s. Susie you asked about
a new PCP. You know I've been looking around for a long time now, and can't find nor have I heard about
anyone who's going to be any better. If I did find someone I would switch, but no new doc is going to start prescribing right out of the box. My cousin is going to try to ask that doctor that I've called. I was thinking of if he doesn't work out, and an appeal to my neurosurgeon doesn't, writing my PCP a letter (rather than wasting an office visit) and explaining the situation and asking if she'd help - especially since the local PM's won't take my current insurance. She'll probably say no, but it's worth a shot. One day at a time.
Post Edited (PAlady) : 12/4/2009 10:58:38 PM (GMT-7)