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I have been to my clinic...



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 24th 05, 03:00 PM
Katz
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Default I have been to my clinic...

CATherine wrote:
Since I usually only eat one meal a day, I
wasn't eating as much of the bad stuff as i thought. A lot for one
meal, though. Of course, she would rather I spread the consumption

out
into more, smaller meals.


Definitely! Going hungry al day makes you eat more when you finally
eat. And screws w/your blood sugar. Maybe that's partly why you felt
faint.

! I was dehydrated from fasting and they made me go drink a
ton of water and then they poked me again.


Wow! Had they told you not to drink water, either? Doesn't mae sense,
if it ends up dehydrating you.

Since I don't have insurance, she sold me the meds from the clinic at
cost. They do that only for those patients without insurance. $20 for
the two bottles for two months. A good savings. But she would like me
to get company insurance as now I am in the age and health bracket
where I am going to need it. I am thinking about it. But it is
expensive. That is like $80 a month for the premium and then the
co-pays for the doctor and meds, etc. A lot of money in the long run.
But I have time to think about it as i can't enrol until November.


$20 for 2 bottles for 2 months is an UNBELIEVABLE savings! I suspect
you have no idea of the cost of drugs. (Or are you not in the U.S.?)
With my company insurance, I pay $30 for 1 drug for 3 months for
generic, & $50 for 1 drug for 3 months for in-formulary (approved)
brand name drugs. And that's mail order. At a pharmacy it would cost
more.

I would encourage you to DEFINITELY get company insurance. Again, you
have no idea. Ours just went up, as it does every year, & I think mine
is $80/month also, on a plan w/100% coverage. Why in the world do you
have to wait til Nov. to sign up? How long a wait period does your
company have? I never heard of more than a 3-month wait. I think no
wait is more common. Mine is no wait.

I have health problems too. I eat poorly, don't exercise. I take
statins for high cholesterol. I have high glycerides too. My BP,
oddly, is good, even though my mom & brother both have high BP. And now
I take 1 "child's aspirin" a day for my C-reactive protein, an
indicator of heart disease.

Insurance, prescriptions, etc. are something I know a little about,
unfortunately. LOL.

Katz

  #2  
Old February 24th 05, 06:38 PM
Nan
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Default

On 24 Feb 2005 06:00:05 -0800, "Katz" wrote:


I would encourage you to DEFINITELY get company insurance. Again, you
have no idea. Ours just went up, as it does every year, & I think mine
is $80/month also, on a plan w/100% coverage. Why in the world do you
have to wait til Nov. to sign up? How long a wait period does your
company have? I never heard of more than a 3-month wait. I think no
wait is more common. Mine is no wait.


Some companies require that you sign up for insurance when you are
first hired. If you don't you have to wait for an open enrollment
period.

Nan
  #3  
Old February 24th 05, 06:51 PM
Monique Y. Mudama
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Default

On 2005-02-24, Nan penned:
On 24 Feb 2005 06:00:05 -0800, "Katz" wrote:


I would encourage you to DEFINITELY get company insurance. Again, you have
no idea. Ours just went up, as it does every year, & I think mine is
$80/month also, on a plan w/100% coverage. Why in the world do you have to
wait til Nov. to sign up? How long a wait period does your company have? I
never heard of more than a 3-month wait. I think no wait is more common.
Mine is no wait.


Some companies require that you sign up for insurance when you are first
hired. If you don't you have to wait for an open enrollment period.

Nan


I always thought this was a legal issue. At both my company and my husband's,
benefits can only be changed during the enrollment period, or if there's a
change in your family situation (marriage, new dependent, or someone changes
jobs).

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca
  #4  
Old February 24th 05, 07:00 PM
Monique Y. Mudama
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On 2005-02-24, CATherine penned:
The doctor wasn't there but a Nurse practitioner was there. She is great.
Very knowledgeable and helpful and answers my questions and gave me the most
thorough heart exam I ever had.

She told me i only had to cut my salt, fat and cholesterol in half after she
got my full life history! I told you she was thorough! She got all my eating
habits. Since I usually only eat one meal a day, I wasn't eating as much of
the bad stuff as i thought. A lot for one meal, though. Of course, she would
rather I spread the consumption out into more, smaller meals.


Eek! I'd rather you eat more small meals, too =P Your blood sugar won't
spike as much and your stomach will also shrink, allowing you to feel full
with less food. Me, I couldn't survive on one meal a day. I'm on the five or
six meal plan =P

Since I don't have insurance, she sold me the meds from the clinic at cost.
They do that only for those patients without insurance. $20 for the two
bottles for two months. A good savings. But she would like me to get company
insurance as now I am in the age and health bracket where I am going to need
it. I am thinking about it. But it is expensive. That is like $80 a month
for the premium and then the co-pays for the doctor and meds, etc. A lot of
money in the long run. But I have time to think about it as i can't enrol
until November.


FWIW, those medication prices sound tiny to me.

I've never been without health insurance; it would terrify me. As I
understand it, a major reason to get health insurance is the problem of
pre-existing conditions. If there are no gaps in your insurance coverage,
insurance companies have to take you, even if you have a major problem like
cancer or something. But if you get diagnosed with something and don't have
insurance, they're no longer required to accept you. Something like that. I
may have my facts wrong.

I can't imagine not having health insurance, and specifically a PPO where I
can go to a specialist without needing a doctor's note first. I had a problem
with my wrist last year -- I'm not sure if it's really fixed yet, but just the
MRI cost $1500 or so, of which I paid maybe $150. But I also had several sets
of xrays, several doctor's visits, and a cortizone injection. That's just for
one little thing. DH was hospitalized twice, each time totalling over $10K in
costs, the vast majority of which the insurance company picked up. And
insurance companies typically 100% cover routine preventative stuff, like yearly
checkups, which can add up.

Sorry; I don't mean to preach. Obviously you should do what you think is
best. It would make me very uncomfortable to not have health insurance.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca
  #5  
Old February 24th 05, 08:18 PM
Katz
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Default

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:


I've never been without health insurance; it would terrify me. As I
understand it, a major reason to get health insurance is the problem

of
pre-existing conditions. If there are no gaps in your insurance

coverage,
insurance companies have to take you, even if you have a major

problem like
cancer or something. But if you get diagnosed with something and

don't have
insurance, they're no longer required to accept you. Something like

that. I
may have my facts wrong.


I would never want to be w/o insurance, either. I have several mild
chronic conditions that need pills, Dr. visits, etc. You've got the
facts just about right. It's part of the HIPPA law. You're allowed to
go w/o insurance for something like 100 days (?). I had to literally
count the days when I was laid off, then worked temp-to-hire w/o
insurance for 3 months. I just made the cut-off time for how long you
can be w/o insurance. I stocked up on my meds on my old plan, so I
wouldn't have to pay extra for them. I didn't want to pick up the COBRA
for that short a time. You don't have to get COBRA right away. You can
wait.

Katz

  #6  
Old February 25th 05, 02:16 AM
jmcquown
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Default

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2005-02-24, Nan penned:
On 24 Feb 2005 06:00:05 -0800, "Katz" wrote:


I would encourage you to DEFINITELY get company insurance. Again,
you have no idea. Ours just went up, as it does every year, & I
think mine is $80/month also, on a plan w/100% coverage. Why in the
world do you have to wait til Nov. to sign up? How long a wait
period does your company have? I never heard of more than a 3-month
wait. I think no wait is more common. Mine is no wait.


Some companies require that you sign up for insurance when you are
first hired. If you don't you have to wait for an open enrollment
period.

Nan


I always thought this was a legal issue. At both my company and my
husband's, benefits can only be changed during the enrollment period,
or if there's a change in your family situation (marriage, new
dependent, or someone changes jobs).


I worked in the insurance industry in one shape or form for years. Was even
a licensed agent at one point, although I never "sold" insurance. For group
benefits, they can indeed only change the plan provisions during open
enrollment. But an insurer gives you 30 days to opt for the group plan and
if you pass it up you are then subject to evidence of insurability rules.
You may add or change dependent status at any time within 30 days of the
qualifying event (birth, marriage, loss of a job).

I have an individual policy I took out when I lost my job but due to the
$500 deductible and the lack of Rx drug coverage I'll only use it if I wind
up in the hospital.

Jill


  #7  
Old February 25th 05, 02:22 AM
jmcquown
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Posts: n/a
Default

Katz wrote:
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:


I've never been without health insurance; it would terrify me. As I
understand it, a major reason to get health insurance is the problem
of pre-existing conditions. If there are no gaps in your insurance
coverage, insurance companies have to take you, even if you have a
major problem like cancer or something. But if you get diagnosed
with something and don't have insurance, they're no longer required
to accept you. Something like that. I may have my facts wrong.


I would never want to be w/o insurance, either. I have several mild
chronic conditions that need pills, Dr. visits, etc. You've got the
facts just about right. It's part of the HIPPA law. You're allowed to
go w/o insurance for something like 100 days (?). I had to literally
count the days when I was laid off, then worked temp-to-hire w/o
insurance for 3 months. I just made the cut-off time for how long you
can be w/o insurance. I stocked up on my meds on my old plan, so I
wouldn't have to pay extra for them. I didn't want to pick up the
COBRA for that short a time. You don't have to get COBRA right away.
You can wait.

Katz


LOL I'm sorry, but that strikes me as funny. COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act) - I wrote the friggin book on it for The
Prudential when it went into law in the 1980's. Try paying those premiums -
you'll see exactly what your employer was paying for your health benefits.
Used to irk me no end when people would gripe they had to kick in $100 a
month for family health insurance. Take a look at the *real* premiums
sometime. As it is I'm paying $124/month for individual stand-alone
coverage and probably lucky to have it.

I'm so fortunate my doctor gives me free samples of the meds I need for my
stuff when he has them on hand. Prices for prescriptions are through the
roof.

Jill


  #8  
Old February 25th 05, 03:23 AM
Seanette Blaylock
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Posts: n/a
Default

"jmcquown" had some very interesting things
to say about COBRA (WAS: I have been to my clinic...):


LOL I'm sorry, but that strikes me as funny. COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act) - I wrote the friggin book on it for The
Prudential when it went into law in the 1980's. Try paying those premiums -
you'll see exactly what your employer was paying for your health benefits.
Used to irk me no end when people would gripe they had to kick in $100 a
month for family health insurance. Take a look at the *real* premiums
sometime. As it is I'm paying $124/month for individual stand-alone
coverage and probably lucky to have it.


You'd have probably gone into screaming rages here in Californa about
a year and a half ago. The grocery workers went on strike because the
poor babies were being asked to kick in up to $40/month for their very
generous medical coverage. Infuriated me, when I was making less than
they did (on a job that required a good deal more training and
know-how) and was being asked to pay higher grocery prices so I could
pay for their health insurance when I couldn't afford it for myself
and DH (believe me, I'd have had MUCH higher premiums than they were
being asked to pay). Heaven forbid the poor special widdle babies
should have to kick in even a cent for what they were getting like 95%
of their customers had to.

--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL
  #9  
Old February 25th 05, 03:38 AM
badwilson
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Posts: n/a
Default

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2005-02-24, CATherine penned:
The doctor wasn't there but a Nurse practitioner was there. She is
great. Very knowledgeable and helpful and answers my questions and
gave me the most thorough heart exam I ever had.

She told me i only had to cut my salt, fat and cholesterol in half
after she got my full life history! I told you she was thorough!

She
got all my eating habits. Since I usually only eat one meal a day,

I
wasn't eating as much of the bad stuff as i thought. A lot for one
meal, though. Of course, she would rather I spread the consumption
out into more, smaller meals.


Eek! I'd rather you eat more small meals, too =P Your blood sugar
won't
spike as much and your stomach will also shrink, allowing you to

feel
full
with less food. Me, I couldn't survive on one meal a day. I'm on
the five or six meal plan =P


Yes, same here. Eating 5 or 6 small meals a day is much better for
you for the reasons Monique mentioned. Eating 1 large meal a day will
also slow your metabolism to a grinding halt. Do not do it!!!
--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album






  #10  
Old February 25th 05, 04:37 AM
Jeanne Hedge
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Posts: n/a
Default

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:22:30 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

LOL I'm sorry, but that strikes me as funny. COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act) - I wrote the friggin book on it for The
Prudential when it went into law in the 1980's. Try paying those premiums -
you'll see exactly what your employer was paying for your health benefits.
Used to irk me no end when people would gripe they had to kick in $100 a
month for family health insurance. Take a look at the *real* premiums
sometime. As it is I'm paying $124/month for individual stand-alone
coverage and probably lucky to have it.


I was paying $366/month under COBRA (which only lasts 18 up to months)
to continue what I had under my previous employer (Blue Cross/Blue
Shield PPO $500 deductable w/prescription plan co-pay). I tried to get
individual stand-alone (went to the local insurance agent) because
COBRA rates were killing my limited budget, and got denied for reasons
neither of us understand. I ended up getting into a 6-month temporary
plan (renewable) paying about 1/3 of the COBRA rate for individual
stand-alone, but it's not as good as what I had (classic case of you
get what you pay for).

I'm so fortunate my doctor gives me free samples of the meds I need for my
stuff when he has them on hand. Prices for prescriptions are through the
roof.


I have a deductable on my prescriptions that's completely seperate
from my medical deductable. I'd better not start having to get
prescriptions filled - once I clear the prescription deductable
they'll only pay $2K max before that part of my coverage ends and I
have to pay it all.




Jeanne Hedge, as directed by Natasha

============
http://www.jhedge.com
 




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