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Rodney I met Jason again in the cancer clinic it was cheaper for him to come back here from America than go to a specialist over there and I will probably see him next time we go to the clinic? a friend on another sight Malcolm Elliot lives in Florida he pays £600.00 per month medical insurance? jp
Hi Rodney,
When I was in the QMC in Honolulu the Doctors told me that the last three patients they operated on didn't pay, they had no Insurance so they were hoping I did have it.
As regards my old girl friend Betty who married and went to Live in Jersey told me that it was cheaper to come and stay with mother and have her baby here in Bolton. This was in 1956, I was on the old Franconia when we sailed to New York from Liverpool, me as QM and Betty as passenger.
Betty was larger than life, built bigger than Jayne Mansfield when she was only 14, married to a US Serviceman at 16. So what the real story was I do not know, what the situation was in 1956 in Jersey.
I never saw her again. But I did here from someone else that she did shoot and kill an Intruder in her home. again it is only hear say..
.
I do believe Captain Kong was given a copy of his bill to turn over to his insurance company in England and I think he said the bill was in the region of $75.000.00. Had he not insurance, he would have been given the same bill, returned to England and most likely deep-sixed the bill. The Hospital would have known they were going to get stuck for the charge, but there is nothing they could do about it. I bet the hospital's accountants breathed a big sigh of relief when the check arrived from "Jolly".Rodney.
Hi Rodney I would have gladly paid with my own money, they saved my life, I would have been dead for these last three years but for their skills, so the money was of no use to me if that had happened.. The Three Doctors there who did the two operations all knew my Doctor son, I would not dream of embarrassing him in his profession, he is known world wide in his field..
Cheers
Brian
Captain Kong. No disrespect meant, I should have said "could have" deep sixed it. I was just trying to put a little levity into a serious subject.. My two fingers where typing faster than my brain was working, sorry.
`John P. Re 61
I'm a recipient of the U.S. over 65 medical program.
I suffer from chronic back ache (congenital condition) and from pain in my hip running down my leg (sciatica). My G.P., (in addition a teaching professor at the Medical University of South Carolina) suggested six or seven weeks ago that I see a pain management consultant, actually a doctor of anesthesiology. It took three weeks to get an initial consultation.
The specialist in pain management examined me and checked out my pills and advised a series of three injections in the sciatic nerve. He made an appointment for me the following week. I had the first injection, about a fifty percent decrease in pain, next shot in a month and so on.
We received a copy of the bill today on our computer. He charged $150.00 per visit. Medicare paid him $30.00, Blue Cross of South Carolina paid him $6.00, altogether he received $36.00 per visit. Amount owed by me....NOTHING.
The Injection: guided to the sciatic nerve by x-ray, minor operation. charge $1600.00 Medicare paid $80.00, Blue Cross of S.C. paid $16.00. total paid by the Government (Medicare and B.C.) $96.00.. Payment owed by me...NOTHING.
The U.S. Government negotiates its payment of fees with all doctors and hospitals, using (a) its volume in getting a lower payment schedule. (b.) It's mandatory to Hospitals to accept Medicare (pensioners) and Medicaid ( people in need) patients.
My cardiologist (specialist) is the head of the Medical University cardiology dept. and a full professor of cardiology. I see him twice a year or as needed. I called his office six weeks ago for an appointment as I had an elevated pulse rate. I', normally in the high fifties to low sixties in the morning. I was running at eighty. Waiting time for an appointment? Six days...ended up it was nothing. His charge $200.00 Medicare paid him $72.00, B.C. $14.00. I paid NOTHING
I see a neurologist for my prostate, orthopedist, for my knees (as needed)...John I could go on plus the specialists my wife visits, but that's the last of my medical history I'm posting.
John, I have nothing to gain by touting up falsely the U.S. health system...Why the heck should I lie? But I have a question for you. Why is it you are quick to believe Jason, or a guy in a bed next to you, but disbelieve my assertions?
So if Jason can find an airline from the States to the U.K. return (we'll exclude out of pocket costs in England) for $200.00, then yes he can fly cheaper than a trip to a U.S. cardiology specialist.
Rodney I certainly don't want to bounce these questions back and forth wasting space on this site over cost of medical bills anywhere I am not bashing the American system but I bet you never see a poor doctor dentist or any other in the medical profession in America? by the way its to a cancer specialist the first thing they ask if any thing is not to their liking is go for a scan or a pat scan{radio active} scan and I bet they are not cheep in the usa that is my final word on this matter I also have meat his wife from America she thinks the same way as he dos so who do/can I believe????? jp
Well J,P, You, Kieth, Brian, and a few others have shown by your posts how much our precious N.H.S.is admired the world over free at the point of entry sorry did i say FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bloody chancellor reads this it might be gone forever, If only he could bottle fresh air Terry.Quote:
Originally Posted by JOHN PRUDEN
The British NHS service is about the best there is for non payment, but the sheer numbers in UK plus the bludgers who did not put in but claim to be refugees so they can also get it for free are putting untols pressure on the system.
Our system here in Oz is not perfect but for most it works well. But here now if you are of working age and do not have private cover you pay an additional 1% medic care surcharge. But as a 'wrinkly' we get very good treatment and about the only thing we have to pay for is scripts.
Hi Terry
The NHS is Not Free, it is paid for by the Tax Payers and the one who pay NI Stamps.
It is free for all the Bums and stiffs flooding into the country who have Never contributed a penny and use us.
I was in the Pharmacy at the hospital and in front of me was a young English lady picking up her prescription, 2That will be £32* " said the counter lady.
she pays up./
next , two mid east looking characters, she says , "Are you an asylum seeker ? " to one of them, He looks at his mate, he says `yes`, "No Charge, " and she handed him a huge bag of medication with at least over £100 in it.
So it is free for those Bums but the Brits who are working they have to pay.
My mate Fred`s wife worked in a Chemists shop, they from the mid east would come in with prescriptions that would feed a whole village, from the Pakistani Doctor just down the block, She would fill a large box of drugs, They would then take it across the road to the Mid East owned Post Office and that would be posted back to Pakistan.
We are keeping the whole Sub Continent in Medication.
Our Country just cannot afford it. So we who pay are suffering for it.
Brian
interesting reading comparing the different medical treatment/ coverage from around the world. I started reflecting on my own problems and treatment over the years. I had not spent any time in hospital or been really sick until I turned 56, the year I retired. first it was a heart attack, time spent in hospital, locally and then a trip into the heart institute for a stent. our little town of 5000 people has a great hospital, recently renovated and built onto, but most of the specialist services are 35 km away in Ottawa. the second serious condition was after I ignored two severe bouts of stomach pain, vomiting lasting for hours. took it as a gastric stomach. second time stuck it for so long and finally went to the emergency dept and was straight away admitted.
diagnosed as gall bladder. was sent to Ottawa again and they had me on the table and tried to do it laposcopitly but couldn't get at it. opened me up and had a look and sewed me up again. said it was so infected I had to go on antibiotics for a few weeks. finally opened me back up and got it the second time. then there was two separate trips back to Ottawa for hip replacements, pretty straight forward, plus the physio to help with the recovery. The biggest kicker was after a routine exray on my lower back when the doctor saw something he didn't like and sent me for a ultra sound where they found a large aneurysm on the aorta. from the time of the exray, ultra sound, cat scans and trips to the heart institute to make sure the heart was up to the operation, I was on the table within a month.after five days in icu and four on the ward, I was home. now I am trying to cope with spinal sclerosis and copd. I guess the only thing about the golden years is the colour of your urine you see every day.
In all I feel very lucky in that the standard of care in and out of the hospitals and after care is top notch. there has been no added cost applied to any of the treatments.
My old age coverage of drugs, plus my retirement benefit package, apart from a $100 yearly deductible, Ido not pay for any medication, and there is a lot, some refills over $300.00 at a time.
Glasses, every two years $300.00 allowed,
eye exam paid for.
dental, every 6 months, 85% covered, the dentist I go to has never asked for the difference.
hearing, have been for hearing tests every year, don't have to have an aid yet. but I understand most is covered. physio is also covered. now waiting for the rectal exam and the sleep apnia test.
Brenda has her own plan through her work, it's pretty good plan, not quite as extensive as mine, but paid for by the company.
so in all I feel somewhat blessed for the coverage I have, but know lots of people who are not as fortunate with regards to drug plans, eye glasses and dental.
regards, stan.
the uk nhs will never be satisfactory until the country gets up to date with modern IT.
Here in spain I have an NIE number which is asked for by everyone from the bank to the postman.I also have a health card and this is used by the health service and gives doctors(health service)access to my complete medical situationWhen I go to my GP she loads my card with my current medication requirement and when I visit the pharmacy they load the card into a terminal and give me my prescription.As I am a pensioner medication is free to the needy but I pay a percentage of the cost according to my taxable income which they also have available.The amount charged is negledgable in my situation but they still collect something from me.
This situation would never exist in the uk as people would object to their medical records being available on a nationwide computer even if one day it could save their life