TOTALLY GEEKED!

flan327 · Itty bitty's Grammy

Healthcare Coverage - Privilege or Right?

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

flan327 wrote:
I highly doubt that.

flan

Then you are living in lala land. When I worked in a doctor's office, the demands there were ridiculous - I can only imagine in an emergency room.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

flan327 wrote:
I highly doubt that.

flan

You highly doubt what?

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

To be fair, you can't expect lay people to always know what a true emergency is or when to use the ER. If someone has chest pain, they should go to the ER. However, often times that turns out to be GI related and they send you home. And, then insurance won't pay. But, going to the ER with chest pain is absolutely reasonable thing to do and your insurance should not punish you for not being admitted.
However, there are people who go to the ER with a head cold or a hangnail. My rule of thumb is to try to avoid all ERs unless you are vomiting blood! lol
But, this winter, i had a severe case of the stomach flu. It was the weekend and I need some IV fluids and zofran. There are no other options here other than the ER. So, that is where i went. I got 2 bags of fluid and some iv zofran and then a script for some additional zofran. No, i wasn't dying but i was dehydrated and where else can you go to get IV fluids?

Ohfour · Hooker

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
To be fair, you can't expect lay people to always know what a true emergency is or when to use the ER. If someone has chest pain, they should go to the ER. However, often times that turns out to be GI related and they send you home. And, then insurance won't pay. But, going to the ER with chest pain is absolutely reasonable thing to do and your insurance should not punish you for not being admitted.
However, there are people who go to the ER with a head cold or a hangnail. My rule of thumb is to try to avoid all ERs unless you are vomiting blood! lol
But, this winter, i had a severe case of the stomach flu. It was the weekend and I need some IV fluids and zofran. There are no other options here other than the ER. So, that is where i went. I got 2 bags of fluid and some iv zofran and then a script for some additional zofran. No, i wasn't dying but i was dehydrated and where else can you go to get IV fluids?

(Flashback 13 years ago)

DS fell on the playground at school and busted open his elbow. We took him to the emergency room. Waited 4 HOURS. He was bleeding the entire time. But there were people in there before us that had ear infections, sore throats, headaches. I know this because I could hear everything that was being said.

After 4 hours (and no telling how much longer I would have to wait) I called his pediatrician. He told me to come to his office. Within 30 minutes of arriving, wound was cleaned out, 13 stitches stitched, and we were on the way home.

I have other stories....

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I always try to call my own doctor first. But, they are only in M thru Fri till 4pm. I seem to wind up getting sick on holiday weekends. We were all sick over Christmas. DH spent Christmas day in bed and there didn't used to be any urgicare type places. But, even if you go there, they just want to write you a script and not give you IV fluids, which is basically what you need for that.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

It's tricky with kids.

There are times you know you need the ER, like you can see the break, the bleeding won't stop, breathing is compromized, or there are signs of confusion.

But fever, vomiting, aches, maybe not.

The point of triage is to prioritize care.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Well that is my point, I had fever, vomiting, aches and the TREATMENT for that is IV fluids and nausea drugs. Had I not gone to the ER i would have probably missed even more work than i did and continued vomiting. And, getting overly dehydrated can wreak havoc on the kidneys. I am not 20 anymore. Most of the time , i tough it out. But, i didn't want to get sicker. So, yes, triage me, I will wait for other sicker people, but there were very few people in the ER when i went. i actually called the ER since i know some people there to find out if it was busy. So, i waited until a less busy time. The hospital got paid and i got better. But, I am very selective on how i use it.

Nobody Just Nobody · Rib-it! Rrrib-it!

I've never had to wait at the ER. Of course, I've only been twice in seven years.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

lilyofcourse wrote:
burns07 wrote:

Healthcare cannot be a right because it requires the service of others.
____________________________________________________

my lady's sentiments exactly(she's a nurse)--emergency(lifesaving)care is an exception, however, and sort of in a gray area--the problem, she says, is that people come to ER for everything these days--sprains, cuts, minor ills, etc. and seem to demand treatment though it is clearly outside the scope of emergency care--and the majority of the folks, of course, don't expect to pay ANYTHING for it

Our hospital has a clinic inside the ER.
You sign in, and are triaged by the ER, but if you are not emergent, you get bounced to the clinic.

And this is what we need to return to everywhere. It will discourage people using the ER for routine care and care for colds and such. And those that it doesn't discourage can sit there for whatever wait time there is without wasting valuable emergency services.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

So our ER's take children and bleeding/dying people first. so the wait time for others will be high.

30 years ago when I had to take DS to the ER I observed people being brought in by an ambulance, waltz in during the middle of winter wearing flip flops and complaining they had a fever. The cost of ambulance service is huge! I think paramedics should be given authority to determine to transport or not transport people to the ER.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Nobody Just Nobody wrote:
I've never had to wait at the ER. Of course, I've only been twice in seven years.

I've been twice in the past 35 years, and not for me. There are very few situation where one needs to go to the ER.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I've never gone to the ER in the United States - I probably should have a couple of times. I went to the one in Japan several times b/c the ER is the only place you were guaranteed a doctor or nurse that spoke English.

Nobody Just Nobody · Rib-it! Rrrib-it!

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
burns07 wrote:

Healthcare cannot be a right because it requires the service of others.
____________________________________________________

my lady's sentiments exactly(she's a nurse)--emergency(lifesaving)care is an exception, however, and sort of in a gray area--the problem, she says, is that people come to ER for everything these days--sprains, cuts, minor ills, etc. and seem to demand treatment though it is clearly outside the scope of emergency care--and the majority of the folks, of course, don't expect to pay ANYTHING for it

Our hospital has a clinic inside the ER.
You sign in, and are triaged by the ER, but if you are not emergent, you get bounced to the clinic.

And this is what we need to return to everywhere. It will discourage people using the ER for routine care and care for colds and such. And those that it doesn't discourage can sit there for whatever wait time there is without wasting valuable emergency services.

Part of this is Medicaid. There are some Medicaid plans out there that if you go to the doctor you have to pay a small copay. Something like five dollars. But if you go to the ER then there is no copay. Guess which one people will go to to save five bucks?

I've only gone to the ER when my doctor told me to.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Nobody Just Nobody wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
burns07 wrote:

Healthcare cannot be a right because it requires the service of others.
____________________________________________________

my lady's sentiments exactly(she's a nurse)--emergency(lifesaving)care is an exception, however, and sort of in a gray area--the problem, she says, is that people come to ER for everything these days--sprains, cuts, minor ills, etc. and seem to demand treatment though it is clearly outside the scope of emergency care--and the majority of the folks, of course, don't expect to pay ANYTHING for it

Our hospital has a clinic inside the ER.
You sign in, and are triaged by the ER, but if you are not emergent, you get bounced to the clinic.

And this is what we need to return to everywhere. It will discourage people using the ER for routine care and care for colds and such. And those that it doesn't discourage can sit there for whatever wait time there is without wasting valuable emergency services.
Part of this is Medicaid. There are some Medicaid plans out there that if you go to the doctor you have to pay a small copay. Something like five dollars. But if you go to the ER then there is no copay. Guess which one people will go to to save five bucks?
I've only gone to the ER when my doctor told me to.

Good reason to return to the triage and send non emergencies to the clinic and not provide an ambulance ride.

Fort Worth Mom · Mod/Penguin lover/Princess!

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Nobody Just Nobody wrote:
I've never had to wait at the ER. Of course, I've only been twice in seven years.
I've been twice in the past 35 years, and not for me. There are very few situation where one needs to go to the ER.

I've only been to the ER a couple of times, in my life.

That last time, was for a compound fracture of my left leg.

A forbid Wayne to call an ambulance...the ambulance will take you to the worst hospital, in the city. furious

I made him drive me, to the hospital of my choice. Where I had back surgery, a few years back.

When they saw my foot, dangling...they agreed, that this was an emergency. Not a sprain. A bunch of broken bones. cry

(I have so much hardware in that leg. I hope I never have to fly again. I would probably send off all kinds of alarms.) wink

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Well that is my point, I had fever, vomiting, aches and the TREATMENT for that is IV fluids and nausea drugs. Had I not gone to the ER i would have probably missed even more work than i did and continued vomiting. And, getting overly dehydrated can wreak havoc on the kidneys. I am not 20 anymore. Most of the time , i tough it out. But, i didn't want to get sicker. So, yes, triage me, I will wait for other sicker people, but there were very few people in the ER when i went. i actually called the ER since i know some people there to find out if it was busy. So, i waited until a less busy time. The hospital got paid and i got better. But, I am very selective on how i use it.

Yes. That's why it's there.

The problem is the ones who are there to be seen cause they are oh so sick but they can go out to smoke, are eating fast food, or laughing it up at what ever is on the tv or their phone.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I was accident prone for a while as a kid.

I've broken bones and required stitches more times than I can count.

I want to avoid the ER because of germs.

It's full of sick people, you know.

Divine Geek · Guru

Geez, I feel like an odd ball. I've been to the ER 4 times for myself and I've taken someone at least 3 times.

First time: I got bitten by a hamster while working at Petsmart. It happened on a Saturday and by Sunday it was purple and swollen - it was infected. My manager sent me to the ER

Second time: I fell off a ladder at Petsmart. Again, my manager sent me.

Third time: a holiday weekend. I had a rash I was concerned about because I had had shingles 6 months early. I called the nurse line for my insurance, they told me to go to the ER.

Fourth time: a Saturday morning softball game and Coach DG caught a ball wrong. By Sunday morning, it was purple, swollen, and I couldn't bend it. To the ER I went.

I didn't have to wait long any of the times. But when I was there for the fall from the ladder, I got taken to a room pretty quickly, but I sat in the room for a while. The nurse stopped in a couple times and said someone more urgent had come in and the doctor was with them. I was in no hurry and I was getting paid to lay in the bed watching TV. But that's was ERs are supposed to do, treat the urgent people and get to everyone else when they can.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Divine Geek wrote:
Geez, I feel like an odd ball. I've been to the ER 4 times for myself and I've taken someone at least 3 times.

First time: I got bitten by a hamster while working at Petsmart. It happened on a Saturday and by Sunday it was purple and swollen - it was infected. My manager sent me to the ER

Second time: I fell off a ladder at Petsmart. Again, my manager sent me.

Third time: a holiday weekend. I had a rash I was concerned about because I had had shingles 6 months early. I called the nurse line for my insurance, they told me to go to the ER.

Fourth time: a Saturday morning softball game and Coach DG caught a ball wrong. By Sunday morning, it was purple, swollen, and I couldn't bend it. To the ER I went.

I didn't have to wait long any of the times. But when I was there for the fall from the ladder, I got taken to a room pretty quickly, but I sat in the room for a while. The nurse stopped in a couple times and said someone more urgent had come in and the doctor was with them. I was in no hurry and I was getting paid to lay in the bed watching TV. But that's was ERs are supposed to do, treat the urgent people and get to everyone else when they can.

Hey, I have been to the emergency room once! I forgot all about it. I sliced my arm at work and my manager took me. I had to get a tetanus shot. I blocked it out.

just Czech · Give Me Grand's!

I, myself, have never been to the ER for me.

Two of the kids, on the other hand, were known by their first names. Broken bones, dog bites, emergency surgery for knocked out teeth, and DS had several strokes. Yeah, heart patients can and do have strokes even when they are young.

Never took a kid to the ER for anything minor.

I have worked in an ER.

I don't want to go there with those stories. No, just no. People do die there and sometimes, it can not be stopped from happening.

It is very annoying for staff when people use an ER for non-emergent needs.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I've been for a broken arm, 5 times for a broken tail bone, three broken thumbs (broke 1 twice), seven severe ankle sprains, heart attack x 2, intestine incarceration, losing conciousness due to illness, have had close to 100 stitches, after surgery due to wound opening, ruptured ovarian cyst, and various other things along the same line.

flan327 · Itty bitty's Grammy

For myself, I've been once. It was a Sunday evening & I simply could not stop vomiting, and I had the worst migraine ever.

I got right in, was given an IV and glorious drugs.

flan

FNW · Guru

My mother might have taken me to the ER when I fell on the bathtub and sliced my chin open, I don't recall. Other than that, I have not been for myself. I can get in to see my doctor right away if I need care.

I have taken the boys several times...for breathing issues, a sliced open chin, concussion, and broken arm.

Divine Geek · Guru

I forgot one. My parents probably took me when I was a toddler. Story goes that while on vacation, I fell off a chair and cracked my head open on the stone floor. I was too young to remember any of this, but I would assume there was a doctor visit involved.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I had to take DD to Eggleston once, but the doctor called us in our on way, so we didn't sit in the ER waiting room - we were sent straight to an exam room and then she was admitted.

Mary Zombie · Guru

I've witnessed that as well burns

This is kind of off topic but one thing that really drives me crazy are young adults who are underemployed or work under the table , off the grid so to speak so of course have no insurance. And they also will not have a lot of work credits when it's time to collect SS. Medicare yes but how will they live on next to nothing ?
It drives me insane that so many people don't think about this stuff. I guess they're planning on living off other people when the time comes?

I see this a lot with young adults as well as people older than me.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Mary Zombie wrote:
I've witnessed that as well burns

This is kind of off topic but one thing that really drives me crazy are young adults who are underemployed or work under the table , off the grid so to speak so of course have no insurance. And they also will not have a lot of work credits when it's time to collect SS. Medicare yes but how will they live on next to nothing ?
It drives me insane that so many people don't think about this stuff. I guess they're planning on living off other people when the time comes?

I see this a lot with young adults as well as people older than me.

This is my ex sil. She was either always on welfare or worked part-time at some low paying job. She is 61 and always passively aggressively begging for money.

Mary Zombie · Guru

IKWTD. It drives me batty. And DH and I have friends like this. They clean houses for extra money and we used to hire them for ours. But we have someone else now as I expect perfection if I'm paying a lot for a deep cleaning.
Another story all together lol

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Mary Zombie wrote:
IKWTD. It drives me batty. And DH and I have friends like this. They clean houses for extra money and we used to hire them for ours. But we have someone else now as I expect perfection if I'm paying a lot for a deep cleaning.
Another story all together lol

She already tried mooching off her daughter, daughter moved to get rid of her. I fear one day she will come knocking on my door.

Mary Zombie · Guru

I bet you'll want to say " bet ya wish you'd made a living back when you could hmm???"

I have no sympathy for people like that. I've always worked. And pain for insurance.

Honeys_Mom · Mod & Permanent Board Sweetheart

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Mary Zombie wrote:
IKWTD. It drives me batty. And DH and I have friends like this. They clean houses for extra money and we used to hire them for ours. But we have someone else now as I expect perfection if I'm paying a lot for a deep cleaning.
Another story all together lol
She already tried mooching off her daughter, daughter moved to get rid of her. I fear one day she will come knocking on my door.

Nobody home, LOL...

TrudyML · Guru

Ugh! Mary!

I visit the ER a lot. That broken toe a couple of months ago. Well, dislocated. I wasn't snapping it back in!

Mary Zombie · Guru

Trudy watch your step!! No Irish dancing at work!

FNW · Guru

Damn pole, trudy!

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Mary Zombie wrote:
I bet you'll want to say " bet ya wish you'd made a living back when you could hmm???"

I have no sympathy for people like that. I've always worked. And pain for insurance.

Oh I have no sympathy for her. And she is opinionated and pushy. She asks every year if she can come on vaca with me to the cottage. A few years ago, the summer after DS' father passed and we reconnected with his family we did invite her and DS' cousin and nephew down for the w/e, we were staying the week. Come Sunday afternoon, she was P/A saying things such as, oh I wish we could stay longer, we don't have to go home tonight, etc. I wasn't biting but DS asked if they could stay one more day. This was my first vaca with my son since he left the military! I allowed it though. BIG mistake, she is such a leech.

She will somehow be on the dole once again within a couple of years' free Sr housing, food stamps, whatever else she can get. What a waste.