I have had chest xrays which have helped guide treatment for me. Imho, xrays are very important tools in lung infections. If anyone I loved was at an ER and told they needed a chest X-ray based on trouble breathing, I wouldn’t hesitate to urge them to get it and we have invariably always agreed with the MD’s recommendation to have the xrays.
The person I posted about who was intubated and then recovered from COVID-19 noted that the co-pay on the 90+k hospital bill was $2500 (gladly paid).
It’s not like he went to the ER unannounced. He called ahead of time, told them what he was experiencing and asked about the free tests. They told him where to go. When he got there, that’s when they told him he didn’t qualify for a free test because he’s not in a risk group and didn’t have a high fever or “bad” conditions. They could have told him that on the phone.
I seriously doubt they thought he had it at that point because no one was suited up as if he did. That only happened after his chest x-ray. If he, indeed, had it, who knows how many caught it from him? The chest x-ray didn’t definitively tell them he had it. They only said it was likely it. His discharge papers simply say lower respiratory infection. If they thought he was in a bad state, that would be a surprise too because they didn’t treat him with anything or keep him there. They merely told him what to watch for to come back - also something that could have been said on the phone if they knew they had no plans to give him a free test.
I don’t blame the doctors. I think it’s the system they have set up to get money for the hospital.
If that had happened it would have been a totally different scenario than what actually happened. You seem to think my lad went there struggling to breath or afraid for his life. He went there knowing he had some symptoms (not a fever) and thought there were free tests to see for sure if he had it or something else so he could be more aware of what he should or shouldn’t be doing. He likely caught it from helping his church put a service online - just him (filming) and the pastor - no one else, but the pastor had been at the hospital and his kids also came down with similar symptoms at the same time. The pastor - and my son’s wife - never came down with anything at the time or afterward.
$4800?! It takes me over 3 months to net that much. And if the pay cuts management is talking about go through it will take me at least 4. A $1200 medical bill would be a huge hit to us.
May we move along please? Creekland, I hope your son recovers fully.
My niece is most effected in my family. She lives in an area with barely any covid cases and something like 3 deaths in the county, but she is 100% certain she will catch it and die. Paralyzed practically. Her husband has accepted a job transfer to a higher covid area with a start date in late June and she is overwhelmed with the thought of moving during this time.
@momoffour — that sounds like a tough situation. Would niece consider counseling to help her move forward and help prepare for moving for her H’s new job?
I’ve been told by my friend who is a lung doc that if I get c19, I will likely need hospitalization (but my personal lung doc is cautiously optimistic that we can manage my care at home if I happen to get c19–we’ve discussed it at length on FaceTime).
I think some serenity helps—whether it takes meditation to achieve it, counseling or a healthcare professional who cares and will work with you or ??? I know it has made a huge difference for me and my family, knowing I can reach out and get help if c19 or anything starts worsening my breathing.
Can we please not call one another out and flirt with getting threads closed. I really want to share and read what others are sharing. Thanks!
Actually, my math was a little off. My annual Medicare premiums are 3x $1200 ($3600 annually), not $4800. Part B premium + supplement + Part D premium are actually roughly $310/month. If it takes you 3 months to net $4800 that’s equates to an annual income of $19,000 - which is roughly 1.5 federal poverty level for an individual and would qualify you for a much more generous ACA subsidy than I ever qualified for – I’m guessing that for an individual at that income level, the ACA subsidies would reduce insurance premiums to about $50 a month.
Creekland didn’t say how much their son earns, just that the son chose not to pay for insurance in November – and that if the son HAD purchased insurance, his premiums for the past 6 months would have substantially exceeded the $1200 hospital bill that ended up being incurred.
The current average cost for an individual insurance premium in the US is $440/month (which equates to $5280 annually). Premiums are age-based in most states, so a person in their 20’s could expect to pay somewhat less.
Can we let it go?
To the original topic, my H found out yesterday that his long term secretary’s (30 years until he sold the business last year) husband died Tuesday of Covid, and her mother, who is 90-something, is recovering. Both had/have multiple co-morbidities. Her H was first hospitalized on 4/16 and intubated a few days later; he never regained consciousness. this is the second person we know to have died from it.
This week two of my friends have lost parents to CoVid, and I just learned another friend’s mother was diagnosed. And we are in a part of the country not hard hit. Knowing your parent is dying alone. I can’t even imagine.
Ugh, my 24-y.o. daughter who is a patient care technician on a medical unit at a hospital (until mid-July; she’s starting medical school on 7/26) just got sent home with diarrhea and nausea. Another woman with the same job is similarly stricken. Can’t help but worry…
You don’t like to say you hope someone has rotavirus, but…
My aunt with COVID is now under hospice care. Today my FB posted pics of when we met up at a mini family reunion in KC six years ago. Sigh.
So sorry @CountingDown
Family member in the ICU for sepsis unrelated to C-19, but didn’t go to the doctor when sick for fear of catching C-19. Thankfully they are responding to treatment.
No way to not worry. It’s how we roll once we have kids.
But do remember that diarrhea and nausea are pretty common ailments that usually resolve quickly. We are so inundated with the realities of COVID that it’s easy to forget that other maladies don’t take a break just because COVID has our attention.
Tell your D to hydrate as much as she can. If she can’t keep fluids down, maybe ask for a suppository anti emetic. Crossing fingers.
so sorry for the loss of your aunt, @CountingDown.
My DS#2 was tested but fortunately was negative.
We have a testing site near our house. It is a tent set up in a parking lot of a medical building. We used to drive by and see it empty. Not surprising, because the old testing criteria required a doctor’s note, if you had no symptoms you would not be tested, if you were somewhat sick you were advised to stay home and not get tested. If you were very sick and in danger you were to report to hospital. So who was actually being tested? No wonder the testing site was empty!
So last week we drive by and see a long line at the testing site. I am wondering what is going on. Are cases way way up in our county? Or perhaps the testing criteria has gotten way more lenient. I tried calling the healthcare provider but of course got put on permahold. Told my wife the easiest way to find out is to go to the testing site and ask. We got lucky and drove up with only 1 car in front of us. We were given a short questionnaire, and all we had to do was say we had potential exposure. No symptoms, not a problem (We attended a protest last week. Also, our son lives with us and works at a grocery store). We were both tested on Thursday and got our results via email Saturday - both negative.
Around my area (Santa Clara County CA) we have free, no appointment needed testing sites. Anybody can just walk up and get a test.