Kidney stones suck

[randalp3000]

So I had last Thursday off and was going to finish up this amp.

Well I got up feeling quite uncomfortable again and the wife says she's going to make me a doctors appointment. By the time I get in I'm passing a stone and almost throw up in the office. I see the doc and he recommends a CT scan, I say aren't they really expensive like $1200 and don't they do X Rays on site? He says no maybe $300 and because I'm pushing the 5 0 a CT would be better. I pass another before I get a good shot in the ass for the pain.

So yesterday I go for the CT scan, ask about cost and no one can tell me. 10 minutes in and out, wow they'er efficient. Phone wakes me up around 8:00 this mourning, doc's office saying CT Scan shows evidence that I passed a stone from my right kidney, so shit, really. No info if their are any more or how many are still in my bladder, nothing else. I get another call later in the day from the local hospital to talk about payments. $1800 but I get a 20% discount for not having insurance. WTF

So between the office visit, drugs, and CT scan i'm out close to 2 grand. I should of stayed home and bought Marks Redplate and saved a few bucks.

sorry for the rant but again WTF

[M Fowler]

I agree on both points raised Randall and sorry for your pain.

Can ship it tomorrow.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Sorry to see this sad tale of pain & woe.

They say the time to haggle prices for CT and similar procedures is before BUT who's in a mood to haggle when you feel that bad?

(And no wonder they're so efficient - they know they're making $1600 in 10 minutes.)

Stock up on water & keep sluggin' it down. And locate your nearest lithotriptor. Start haggling now while you feel more or less OK.

[vibratoking]

Sorry for the pain, both physical and financial. I have had good success negotiating with hospitals and doctors. Don't pay immediately, use their collections dept as a starting point for negotiating. IME, you can get the charges reduced by half, but YMMV as always. Good luck.

[randalp3000]

Thanks guys, I am feeling much better except for being pissed off.

I am a responsible adult who pays his bills and will take care of this but it will be on my terms with some hell raising along the way. I could dip into my cash stash and pay this off today but not with out some negotiation. I'm sure your average insurance Co is not paying these same rates.

If I would have known the price going in I would have opted out but I was not given that information.

F the police, oh I mean healthcare system. Waite isn't it the other way around?

[Reeltarded]

LOL dood not laughing at you but right along with you. You just said about half of everything I ever say when i am raising hell.

Eff the poleece!! lmao

I'm glad you expelled your tiki statues. Stop eating limestone. Mark's amp is a badass.

[Reeltarded]

BTW do you still have that Mockingbird? Trade ya something.

[John_P_WI]

Randal,

Sorry to hear of your troubles, here is what I have learned over the years. Even though I have insurance, it is a high deductible plan, so I am still out of pocket the first 4k.

1) Insurance "payment rates" negotiated with the medical providers seem to be about 1/2 of what the medical provider likes to bill. You should have some negotiating powers, the true cost is probably about 1/2 of what you were billed.

2) You don't have insurance - this leaves the provider in a difficult spot. Explain to them that you don't have insurance and ask them what is their lowest billing rate, again you should be able to negotiate. This does not work IF you have insurance...

3) Inactivity regarding payments for more than 60 days will instantly get you a love letter from some collections agency - you don't want to go there - don't ask me how I know.

4) Explain to them that 1) you don't have insurance 2) you don't have the money and 3) you would be willing to set up a monthly payment plan. Throwing them a bone of 100 bucks a month seems to keep things quiet.

I hate the exorbitant cost of healthcare, there is too much overhead and too many uninsured not paying bills driving the costs up. Add to that all of the new building / overhead / administrative costs being passed on, either to the insurance companies or to the end individuals, which is seemingly at a rate that far exceeds a "normal" working persons ability to pay.

I would hope that you could use this as a bargaining chip and set up a payment plan at a reduced rate. End rant and good luck.

[randalp3000]

BTW do you still have that Mockingbird? Trade ya something.

Looking for a matching Eagle, yous gots one? Or maybe a wraparound p-90 gold top but that would be a bit much.

I don't play it much but it's one of those once in a lifetime guitars and I'm a hoarder but I'm open to offers.

[Reeltarded]

I have a white pearl '79 Eagle that is super clean but not the right one.

Hmm..

[ER]

So between the office visit, drugs, and CT scan i'm out close to 2 grand. I should of stayed home and bought Marks Redplate and saved a few bucks.

sorry for the rant but again WTF

I wonder if doctors think the way we do, see some dude walking in the door in pain and start thinking about the next piece of gear they're gonna get...

[Leo_Gnardo]

I wonder if doctors think the way we do, see some dude walking in the door in pain and start thinking about the next piece of gear they're gonna get...

Or like Click n Clack the Tappet Bro's say - they gotta make another payment on their yacht.

I want my Romney-Care!

[John_P_WI]

It's not the average physicians making the money, it is the business administrators of the clinics / hospitals making the obscene $$$.

[Reeltarded]

If you can explain something simply to a child it's probably honest.

[Bob S]

I'm not recommending this but ...
A buddy of mine suffers with kidney stones.
He swears by this method of passing his.
Fast for 2 days only drinking apple juice.
On the third day drink 8 ounces of olive oil (yuk)
Make sure you have easy, fast access to a bathroom.
I think the juice helps to dislodge the stone & the olive oil helps it slip out.
Must be painful to subject yourself to this.
Be Well Randal.