Here there are three 3 MS Speciality practices. One Doctrt will not see patients, period the PA does. One Practice will not take Meadicaid or SSI. The third charges an institutional fee that doubles the copay. I go to the one who doubles the copay because you get the better service. This is reality in our area with 10,000 patients.
But then new tires on my car were $1000 and I just had to pay it. I have to have dental work with insurance that is thousands.
That is why I am careful aboput my health. I co not put sugar in my gas tank or junk food in my mouth.
Alex
Here in Canada there tends to be a lengthy wait for tests unless it is considered urgent. I was in Emergency and had an MRI and CT scan that day. Recently I had an MRI ordered from an internists office and he wrote on the request that it was not urgent. I ended up paying for it privately, because the wait was going to be months. When I did go privately, however, it was only $800
My fatherinlaw just spent a month in hospital, a lot of it in intensive care. He had wonderful care at no cost to him at all. Our system is far from perfect, but it's there for everyone. I feel blessed .
Thanks for listening- I'm off the soapbox now
Hi Redflame, my Lumbar puncture was many years ago and unrelated to my problems now, it was also done as an inpatient whilst I was in hospital so there was no waiting. Sorry I cannot be of any help.
pushingupdaises, did you have to wait long for you LP? Was it difficult to have your doctor prescribe?
I don't mean to hijack this thread. I just wonder how much of what we here about universal insurance is just proproganda.
thanks, Red
I cannot believe someone had a charge of $22,000 for a lumbar puncture. That cannot be right.
I am in the UK so get all my treatment whatever it is, for free. If I had to guess at the cost of a lumbar puncture for private patients it would probably be no more than £1,000.