Floyd Little has cancer

[orangefog]

The surgery was a while ago. About 10 days ago. It relieved a lot of pain. He is waiting to get into a rehab facility in Phoenix. The one they really wanted would not take his insurance and also could not take direct payment as he has a form of medicare and they do not take the form he has, but they said they also are prohibited by law from taking direct pay (aka cash) since he does have another form of medicare. I explained some of this in an earlier post. So they are back to square one looking for another place that will take his medicare insurance or let him pay out of pocket. I know there are some really excellent other places here, and I know they are a little more flexible. I won't say he is not having his struggles though.

I really don’t understand our medical system.

 

[SWC75]

The fact that they did the surgery to relieve pain makes me glad he has less pain but makes me think they could not eliminate the problem altogether.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[SWC75]

Is he about to join Chadwick?

 

[orangefog]

Is he about to join Chadwick?

I really hope not. 2020, I am going to punch you in your whore mouth.

 

[dasher]

This doesn't sound good. Surgery to relieve pain. Then this prayers post. It really worries me.

 

[rrlbees]

ugh

 

[RF2044]

Huh?!?

 

[MadNY3]

Is he about to join Chadwick?

That is a big leap based on that...

 

[CusefanATL]

Regarding the insurance issue. Floyd is being treated here in AZ at Mayo. Mayo does NOT take medicare unless you get into their system before you are 65. I paid privately for 2 years to be seen at Mayo by an internist, and am now in the system with Medicare. However, they do not take Medicare Advantage plans (the bundled plans such as AARP) under any circumstance, and we (my husband and I) knew that going in, so we made sure that we chose and set up our medicare plan for what Mayo takes. Also as far as the plans Floyd gets through the NFL or the hall of Fame, I am going to bet that Mayo also does not take them. They are very limited in the plans they do take. Not only do they not take many insurance plans, but before each appointment you have an appointment with the billing department and you must pay in ADVANCE of any visits. You will not see a Dr. without paying first. This is what I also had to do for the 2 years I paid privately. Also, when you are seen at Mayo on medicare, they do not take payment directly from medicare. They will send the bill to medicare. Medicare then pays me directly, Mayo bills me, and after I deposit my medicare payment I pay my mayo bill. Mayo is very tough to deal with and they are not insurance friendly at all. When I had to go into billing first, it broke my heart to see the patients who really needed their famous services to deal with their illnesses. I went in as a general internal medicine patient. I see my internist at Mayo. My husband has more issues and is well taken care of by several doctors at mayo. Once again, you need to do that before you turn 65. I am now in Mayo for life, but very few even here in AZ know this.
Also FLoyd spent 2 weeks here going through testing. He is getting his treatments in Vegas, but will be back here in about 6 weeks. There are costs involved with travel, hotels or short term rentals also.
I have another friend who works for the US Department of Defense. She has lung cancer and is being treated at Mayo. She lives here in AZ. She spent about $100,000 for her first 2 months of treatment as she was not covered at Mayo by her US government health insurance plan. There was a more expansive plan she was able to switch to in January, but she had to delay her retirement for one year so she can get that insurance to finish her treatment which goes through Dec. 2020. Otherwise she would have retired in May of this year. She is not 65 yet so no medicare, but once she is 65 she will be able to use that at Mayo since she is in the system before turning 65. Hopefully she lives long enough to enjoy that retirement when it finally happens.
This is health insurance in the US and some of the problems that do exist. Most don't have a clue until they get to that point.

why in the flying fu*k is it so complicated?

 

[RICuse44]

why in the flying fu*k is it so complicated?

money

 

[721Comstock]

money

The health insurance companies have made it virtually impossible to actually use the benefits that people pay tens of thousands of dollars for.

Although this web of ridiculousness takes the cake -
You’d need to be some sort of healthcare savant to know how to navigate that BS.

 

[SWC75]

why in the flying fu*k is it so complicated?

Because this is America!

John Katko was asked by universal health care can't be available in this country. His answer was that "it wouldn't work here because of the strong entrepreneurial tradition we have in this country."

 

[Halfmooncuse]

If I see one more Joe Namath Medicare Advantage commercial ...ugh. That is a rip off and Joe is helping take $ from those least able to afford it and are susceptible to the misleading Joes ads.

 

[orangefog]

Because this is America!

John Katko was asked by universal health care can't be available in this country. His answer was that "it wouldn't work here because of the strong entrepreneurial tradition we have in this country."

Cancer is a very profitable business.

 

[kcsu]

This doesn't sound good. Surgery to relieve pain. Then this prayers post. It really worries me.

Its not good. I have learned this the hard way through my wife. When a cancer is deemed treatable vs curable that isn't positive. Now it doesn't mean the cancer can't be cured just that the prognosis isnt good.

 

[dasher]

If I see one more Joe Namath Medicare Advantage commercial ...ugh. That is a rip off and Joe is helping take $ from those least able to afford it and are susceptible to the misleading Joes ads.

Really? How so? It looks like a medicare supplement plan. They help you get part c and d if you want them. I turn 65 next January. I have been investigating these plans.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

The health insurance companies have made it virtually impossible to actually use the benefits that people pay tens of thousands of dollars for.

Although this web of ridiculousness takes the cake -
You’d need to be some sort of healthcare savant to know how to navigate that BS.

Greatest system in the world.

 

[Roger N]

Because this is America!

John Katko was asked by universal health care can't be available in this country. His answer was that "it wouldn't work here because of the strong entrepreneurial tradition we have in this country."

That answer by Katco is ridiculous. Germany has private insurers and it works there. Providers who seek profit before care are the problem. For instance, in Philly a healthy guy sprained his knee and went to a doc. The doc asked iof he wanted a brace (an Ace Bandage type of thing). He said sure and was later billed $800. The Doc was being an entrepreur and a thief

 

[llandz]

He has been out of the hospital since early last week. As far as I know he is in a rehab facility here in Scottsdale getting his strength back and some other skills. Not sure when he will be out of there. Last message was a while ago, but they are positive and look at this from a positive angle. It took some help from important people to find a facility that was not worried about the insurance. So many places turned him away. Where he is took him and said we will worry about it later. There are some good people out there. I will say they finally used resources through football to get him in. I don't think they wanted to do that, but in the end had no choice which just points out a whole other issue in life and healthcare. But if you have connections, you deserve to use them and you should.

 

[TheCusian]

It's simple. There are things that should not be "for profit" - ie. tied to capitalism (healthcare). Then there are things that are, but should be heavily regulated (like utilities). Then there are things that should be tied to capitalism and profit, but reigned in due to monopoly laws.

 

[SWC75]

It's simple. There are things that should not be "for profit" - ie. tied to capitalism (healthcare). Then there are things that are, but should be heavily regulated (like utilities). Then there are things that should be tied to capitalism and profit, but reigned in due to monopoly laws.

The basics of life should be provided for. Luxuries should be competed for.

 

[Halfmooncuse]

Really? How so? It looks like a medicare supplement plan. They help you get part c and d if you want them. I turn 65 next January. I have been investigating these plans.

It’s great if you don’t get sick. Insurance companies don’t make money saving insurers money! Good luck.

 

[dasher]

It’s great if you don’t get sick. Insurance companies don’t make money saving insurers money! Good luck.

That isn't what medicare supplement plans are about. Part A covers your hospital stays. Part B pays for your Dr visits. With a deductible. That has nothing to do with what Joe Namath's companies ads are about. That company covers part C and D. The big part of that is part D. That covers your prescription drug costs. What firms like the one that Namath is offering is a combo of medicare a +b and adding on what Namath's firms do c+d. When you get to 65, you can just have medicare which is A+B but if you add a plan like Namath's and there are plenty of others, you get a lot more for just a bit more money. For the most part, the addition of C+D is very good for almost everyone if not everyone.

 

[Ernj]

It's simple. There are things that should not be "for profit" - ie. tied to capitalism (healthcare). Then there are things that are, but should be heavily regulated (like utilities). Then there are things that should be tied to capitalism and profit, but reigned in due to monopoly laws.

There should be mandated caps on prices for medical and medications. Someone mentioned Germany -- compare the price of a procedure/surgery in the US to any other country. The US is ridiculously higher than practically every other country. Of course that price trickles down and the people get shafted with absorbing the prices out of pocket completely or cover a crap-ton in which insurance won't.

And as said, insurance will do whatever they can to not pay for something. I will add that insurance should also be a not-for-profit industry. All they look out for is the bottom line.