Ah, health insurance
Jun. 17th, 2005 09:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chickenTwo days ago I was diagnosed with a slipped/herniated/ruptured lumbar disk (via the usual symptoms including the telltale shooting pain down the sciatic nerve/right thigh, tingling and numbness in my right root, horrible pain in my right knee, and so on).
Even before I was diagnosed by the orthopedist, my regular doctor said to take 1800 mg of Ibuprofen per day, and on the seventh day, despite taking it with food, I got horrible stomach pains, so my doctor gave me a prescription for 40mg/day of omeprazole (Prilosec), to reduce the stomach acids. Of course the woman at the pharmacy informed me that my health insurance doesn't cover that particular medication, and I turn around and see that what I would have had to pay only $7 to get with my co-pay actually costs $27.99 over the counter.
HOLY COW. $27.99. Yeah, I can't afford that for a few little purple pills, but I also kept hearing my doctor's voice in my head saying, "he doesn't see the GI bleeders". Yes, my new orthopedist (to whom I was referred two days ago by my regular doctor) blithely said that the max. dose of Ibuprofen/day was 3200mg, whereas my regular doctor said 2400mg -- and when I asked my regular doctor to explain this discrepancy, she said, "that's because he doesn't see all the GI bleeders -- we see them all the time". Basically surgeons like this orthopedist don't take an enormous interest in anything but actual surgery.
AAAAAHH. Lovely.
Thankfully when I got home I found out my wife was smart and had saved the unused "sample" Prevacid boxes from when she had to take strong antibiotics! Such a smart, smart bunny. That's a similar enough drug, so that means I'm only a week or so short and in the meantime can probably have my doctor scare up some more samples or write a prescription for some other related medicine that United Healthcare does actually see fit to cover.
Even before I was diagnosed by the orthopedist, my regular doctor said to take 1800 mg of Ibuprofen per day, and on the seventh day, despite taking it with food, I got horrible stomach pains, so my doctor gave me a prescription for 40mg/day of omeprazole (Prilosec), to reduce the stomach acids. Of course the woman at the pharmacy informed me that my health insurance doesn't cover that particular medication, and I turn around and see that what I would have had to pay only $7 to get with my co-pay actually costs $27.99 over the counter.
HOLY COW. $27.99. Yeah, I can't afford that for a few little purple pills, but I also kept hearing my doctor's voice in my head saying, "he doesn't see the GI bleeders". Yes, my new orthopedist (to whom I was referred two days ago by my regular doctor) blithely said that the max. dose of Ibuprofen/day was 3200mg, whereas my regular doctor said 2400mg -- and when I asked my regular doctor to explain this discrepancy, she said, "that's because he doesn't see all the GI bleeders -- we see them all the time". Basically surgeons like this orthopedist don't take an enormous interest in anything but actual surgery.
AAAAAHH. Lovely.
Thankfully when I got home I found out my wife was smart and had saved the unused "sample" Prevacid boxes from when she had to take strong antibiotics! Such a smart, smart bunny. That's a similar enough drug, so that means I'm only a week or so short and in the meantime can probably have my doctor scare up some more samples or write a prescription for some other related medicine that United Healthcare does actually see fit to cover.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-17 05:16 pm (UTC)As my original, real doctor explained it to me, the orthopedist doesn't really care to concern himself too much with patients unless he thinks he'll actually have a chance to operate -- apparently a lot of surgeons are like that -- if they don't think they're gonna get a chance to cut on you, they don't take an enormous interest.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-22 12:02 pm (UTC)Sorry you have to go through this, and I'm so sorry to hear you're in pain! I wish I'd known during the party -- I wouldn't have made you lean over so I could hug you :(.
Remember I have the resources of a medical journal at my disposal; if there's anything I can look up for you, let me know.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-22 03:53 pm (UTC)You couldn't have known then, since I didn't even know then! But thanks, you are the best!