retta122Hello again my friends
Regarding the subject on dr.shopping. I am worried yet again because I did consult a new doctor and had decided to try him out,,, but I am afraid I made a mistake because I am not sure I am going to be able to afford the $300 per month for the follow up appointments. I know that if I dont have the money I cant go to the appoinment but in the mean time what would I do when I need my medicine again? Im going to my PCP to see if he knows a pain specialist that accepts medicaid. I received a bill from my insurance Co that I been trying to keep up with and it did not pay for the lumbar injection from the doctor I was with for 3 months and I cant go back there as there is no way I can afford to pay that.I will of course make a payment arrangement best I can. He just wants to do procedures that I cant afford. I am worried because if I do
finally find someone it might look like I got presciptions from differrent doctors. I did not get any medication until it was time to get it and I went to my usual pharamacy as always. I am trying so hard to obey all the laws and I am only trying to find a doctor who can help me with my pain and what I can afford. Its been impossible finding any pain specialist that accepts medicaid that is how I got in this situation to begin with. I might have to drop mediciad all together and maybe be able to go back with the dr I had for several years. Not sure what else to do as Im up against the wall. Why have insurance that doctors dont accept especially the drs I need the most. Thanks friends...
Am concerned yet again?
- Posted:
- 15 May 2011 by retta122
- Topics:
- migraine, pain, fibromyalgia, muscle pain, breakthrough pain, disability, doctor, chronic
Responses (1)
BRRMARS15 May 2011
tough situation, where do you live that your doc's appointment's are so much, i go to an actual pain mgmt doc, and he only charges me $80, and he is in Carlsbad, CA when of the richest cities in San Diego County. But if you are completly open and honest with your doctor about what you are doing and why, it's better to come clean up front, i think if he is a good doctor, he will understand and help you out.
good luck in the future keep up updated.
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Thanks so much ((((Brrmars))))) I live in Ct. I thought most drs office visits were about 90 to 125. I should have been more careful but when you are in horrible pain and cant find the right help what di you do? God Bless!!
Amber, your lucky! The old Pain mngt I went to charged Medicare & my ins. &125 a visit, then the hospital they used charged $325 for use of their room, & there was some other charge too for $90. What a racket!!!
OH MY GOSH. I couldn't not do that everymonth, with my meds being $100 and the dr visit $80 if it were over $$400 every month i be up poop creek. i'm so sorry guy, you could always come live with ME hehehehehehehe... I have an awsome discount drug program that is just automatic at albertson's here is what i get for $100 a month 360 pills of methadone/240 norco/120 valium/60 xanax/30 dalmaine. so i guess i'm really lucky no insurance, just straight cash.
Thankfully my insurance is great, I only have a copay on prescriptions of $5 for generic & $20 for Regular scripts. Thank God. My Forteo shots are $1,000 every $28 days! Mary
wait you pay $1000 for a shot every month, what is that???
Forteo is like the last chance for severe Osteoporosis. You give yourslf a shot everyday, & only for 2 years. It's made up from a synthetic, hormones from the thyroid & pituatary gland. They warn you all the time that it can cause osteosarcorma whish is deadly, but I have conferred with all of my doctors, & have no other choice. My bones look like swiss cheese & break for no reason. It's a bitch! I don't pay $1,000, that's the insurance's cost. I pay $20. That's why I said thank God for insurance!
It sounded like I could have written your post! I so understand how you feel. When your pain is out of control you do not always remember everything you should tell your doctor. My office visits are $75.00 here in Alabama, but everytime I go I have to have some other treatment that is over $300.00. Now it's time to have infusion I get once a year for osteoarthritis, (forgot what it is called), and it is $2,500.00! My meds are $1,500.00 a month and we have to pay everything in CASH! My insurance company stopped covering everyone in AL and I had all these pre-existing conditions and was turned down by every insurance company! I have also had doctors I paid $900.00 to see only to be told they wouldn't see me without insurance and they wouldn't give me my money back! When my doctor retired he couldn't find a rheumatologist that would see me! Finally found one in AL, but everything they do cost me twice as much as my old doctor.
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The shots in my hips used to be $125.00 and now they are over $300.00, because they have to do a sonogram everytime before they will do the shot. I have been going two years and have yet to meet the doctor in his office. He has given me shots, but I was turned away from him so I still don't know what he looks like! I pay a doctor's fee, but see a nurse practitioner. It is so frustrating! I feel your pain! I so hope that you find the right doctor! Oh, and my new rheumatologist doesn't prescribe pain medicine! My primary care physician stepped up and agrees to do that for me! He is amazing! I will remember you in my prayers. This is such an awful position to be put in and most of it is the result of those who misuse prescription medications for fun! Doctors are afraid to write pain medications. My doctor writes a book in my chart everytime he gives me a prescription! I send all my records to him from the rheumatologist so he hàs back-up for writing them!
Wow Auntniknik:
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Thats about right., I am so hoping my primary dr will help me. I have my records to back me up but it doesnt mean that he will write the methadone and that is the medication I need the most. It has helped me for years . I dont know what else to do. If I did not have mediciad then i can go back to my old dr I had for 6 yrs. When I called medicaid they told me I could sign a waiver with my doctor allowing me to pay out of pocket if I choose but they(my dr) did not believe it to be legal. So frustrating. It is the few bad apples that hurt the ones who really need it. To be treated like a drug addict at a pain specialists office is a bit extreme but doctors are forced to do that. Not their fault. But to me what is sad is that any drug addict can go to any methadone clinic and get all they need but dont be a pain patient as I was truly turned away when I was going through withdrawal due to loss of doctor . I was turned away because I do not abuse it. I think its a little backwards..I feel its unfair that I and many others like me are suffering severely... You should not have to go through all that either. I only get 500 a month ssi and work 10 hrs a week which is about another 200 , I cant pay my bills, when I have to pay so much a month. Im probably going to be evicted, get my utilites shut off., but I just pray to God for a miracle for all of us!!!
We just got our 2010 summarry for presciptions & it was, I kid you not, $43,598.00 for my husband & myself. Our cost was $1,515.00. Just goes to show how important good ins. is. Heck our medical costs for the same year were only $19,895.00! My husband takes Enbrel shots once a week, & they cost $4,102 & we pay $20.00 for 4 shots. Unbelieveable! ! We'd be up sh*t creek without insurance.
The problem with me is that I have state medicaid cuz I get SSI., but I cannot find a pain specialist that accepts it. Many doctors are dumping it. It pays a low percentage and has a lot of paper work and Drs just dont want to deal with it. I remember quite a few years back when the state had medicaid patients pay a low ONE DOLLAR co-pay for doctors and prescriptions and because people cried they could not pay that one dollar it stopped, Please., whats a buck? Im in below poverty level and I had no prob paying that. If people cant afford that, then go by a pay-scale for each family or individual.We need healthcare reform BIG TIME!! Its seems to be getting worse.
I understand believe me! I wasn't always well insured. Before I re-married, I was on SSI on public asstistance too. So I know from where you are coming from. It kind of irks me when I see our US doctors on TV boasting how they went to Africa, or Haiti or whereever, & yet our own people can't get medical care here at home. Don't get me started on that one. That's is why the health care reform is so important. Good care for everyone...
Something really needs to be done for us patients that need pain control and other medications that are necessary from keeping us from committing suicide. i mean there were times when i couldn't get my meds because of money and i was in such pain i just wanted to end it ALL. then i would have my husband sue the government because i couldn't get my meds because they want to charge you an arm and a leg.. it's ridiculous, anyway, keep us informed.
your friend
You are in my prayers! No one should have to go without pain medication! They wouldn't have a clue because most doctors have never been in pain in their lives!
very true we should have all doctors break a bone before becoming a doctor. then they know what pain is all about. LOL
I agree., Many of us pain patients are needlessly suffering.,I cant understand how a doctor of many years can just dump me(or anyone) merely because he stopped accepting medicaid.,Especially being an established patient.I can understand if he didnt want to accept any more medicaid patients but I felt descriminated against in a way. It just tells me that its all about money. If you cant pay then suffer. Its no wonder why Im in more severe pain. I been looking for 9 months for another pain doc that accepts medicaid and merely ALL of them that use to dropped it. What about my rights as a human being? I know its not illegal to pay out of pocket even if I have medicaid especially if its my choice to do so.I am so hoping my PCP will take over my pain management. I know family doctors can write for even methadone. I researched that too. lol. I hope mine will be willing to do so at least until I can find a medicaid pain doc.Other wise Im out of options.
Have you thought about taking your medical records to a methadone clinic in your area... usually they accept medicaid and indegent cases because they are run by the state typically. I don't know if that would help but it is just a suggestion.
Oh my god i feel so sorry for you having to pay to see your Dr. I live in the UK and all my trips to my Dr is free so are my prescriptions, as i also need thyroid treatments, so that entitles me to free prescriptions. I have only used this service since turning 40 now i never seem to be away, i am undergoing tests at the mo for constant pain, and a sudden numb leg, i worry about being off work and not getting paid but i couldnt afford medi bills as well. Good luck and god bless x