I had my ICD implanted on 11/2009. I didn't have insurance or anything at the time it was put in, and when I went to my 2 week follow-up appointment, the receptionists wouldn't even let me go back to be seen by the doctor that put the thing in because I didn't have Medicaid nor $50 or any insurance. I haven't had it tested, looked at, or nothing since I was released from the hospital.

It did beep one time when I was cleaning the refrigerator and I was putting magnets back on the freezer door and I was like, "Oh my God!" After a few seconds it quit beeping. I read the info packet they gave me at the hospital to see what it said about it beeping, and it just said to be careful around certain items that contain magnets, and that by placing a magnet over the device it will prevent the delivery of shocks for as long as the magnet is over it. That's all... Nothing else.

Well my heart rate when I was in the hospital this last time was between 90 and 120. I don't know what my ICD is set to keep my heart rate at. Obviously it's not working if my heart rate is that high, right? My doctors that are seeing me now pending my Medicaid application (not the ones that put this thing in me) know that I have the ICD, but they haven't said anything about testing it or doing anything to obtain any information from it. Does this sound right? I mean my heart should be working according to the level the pacemaker is set at, right? No higher or lower heart rate than what is set to the device to produce. So why isn't it working? And it seems like the doctors knowing I have this thing in would be wanting to check it out and find out why it isn't controlling my heart rate.

Sincerely,

Briansbaby3335

 

 

Refridgerator magnets seem awfully tiny to me to do any harm?
Not 100% positive though. I'm sure someone can help more than me.

 

Did you ask the doctor who is seeing you now, when he saw you? That would have been the thing to do.

You have to be able to pay the $50 or have insurance or have the Medicaid application approved, and it's good that the second doctor was willing to see you *pending* Medicaid. The testing will, likely, take place after it is approved or if you pay for it meanwhile, at the time of the appointment.

The doctors who see you in the hospital are not required to see you outside, and it's expected that a patient will either pay at sign in or show the insurance card at sign in, or Medicaid card then. You have to have some means of payment.

 

Whoever put it in... (to save your life!) KNEW you didn't have insurance. That is who should be following up with your care. Insurance, co-pay, Medicaid... shouldn't matter. If the receptionist/Dr. refuses to see you, especially since there seems to be a problem, then go to the ER. They have all the gadgets from all the companies there to run an interrogation. Then see an attorney. And let your Dr.s know you are seeing one! Without getting political honey, this is the United States. And you should never have to deal with being treated as sub-human, or wose yet, die, because you can't pay. And the response by Renee.............. ignore it. FIGHT FOR YOURSELF! If it's any consolation to you, I will keep you in my prayers!

 

Yes, go to the ER and explain you aren't feeling well and that you have an ICD. Trust me they will see you. If you are beeping (or you did beep) you need to get it checked out.

Did you get a card with the info on it in the mail? Call the number and explain that you need someone to help you. Explain that you might be qualified for one of the charity cases they take care of everything. It can't hurt to ask. My prayers are with you. Also choose the positive suggestions over the negative ones. That is what I do. Makes it easier to find solutions.

p.s. sorry If I offended you with saying "charity" but you have to have medical care. Do what you can. We in the US support so many world causes, maybe this time we can support you?

 

Irisheyes, whether she takes anybody's advice (mine, yours, a doctor's) is her business. But the fact is no doctor is required to see a patient outside the hospital who does not pay, have insurance, or Medicaid. Of course, new health care reform starts shortly and then everyone will be required to carry insurance. Hospitals stabilize the patient and treat in emergencies, but hospitals are not required to perform routine checkups. If this is necessary "to save her life," would she not be interested in her life to come up with the $50? Mlost doctors charge a lot more than that, and this is probably amount for foot in door but would not cover the full interrogation. People using hospitals for routine care, or trying to, is what drives up the costs for everyone and it's irresponsible. I imagine the hospital would check vitals, not admit, and tell her to visit her doctor both for medications and routine tests. It really is the patient's responsibility, and expecting a patient to pay $50 for an appointment up front is MORE THAN reasonable.

 

Hello Briansbaby,

I think it is time to quit trying to establish fault for you not getting the care you need and see what can be done to getring you that help.

Pacergirl gave you the best advice I see in this discussion. That is go to an ER and present yourself as having an ICD and something is wrong and you need help. Federal law requires that any person presenting themselves at a hospital ER must at least be evaluated to see if their illness is real or imagined. I think the only way they can determine that with your ICD is to do an interrogation of the device.

Above all, do not try to give any self diagnosis. Simply tell them as I said above and then wait for their questions.

As for the doctor that implanted the ICD not seeing you without up front payment, his medical practice is a business and as heartless as it seems he is within his right to do just that. Just because he implanted the ICD that does not automatically make him your "ICD doctor."

I take it, based on what you say, that you have made no out of pocket expenditures for your ICD. I see from your bio you live in North Carolina. Now I know I'm anything but an authority on the laws of NC, but I do know the laws for medical care of the indigent in Texas. So, if your NC laws are anything like what we have in TX there are state and federal funds and some private funds available for the treatment of people caught in a situation such as yours. I'm sure the doctor and/or hospital did not get the full amount they would normally get for the care you received, but they did not treat you for no pay either.

As for what someone said about the new health care reform starting shortly, if 2014 qualifies as shortly, then I have to agree, But before then there will be at most a trickle from the new government health care program, But not enough that we can really count on providing our health care needs before then and probably not then, but we will start paying this year.

In the meantime you need help, so go to the ER, preferably during midweek as weekends are always a bear for most ERs.

I wish you the best,

Smitty

 

The new health care reform is confusing, at least to me, but I am sure that I read as early as next month the elderly and uninsured can start buying reduced cost insurance and there are "grants" (or something) to help the indigent obtain insurance. The 2014 date refers to the mandatory date by which all Americans must have insurance.

If there is an emergency, she should go to the emergency room and get it checked out. But the emergency room is not to be used as a doctors office for people unwilling to pay $50 to see a doctor on their own. Since the ICD was put in November and this is already April (5 months), that would have meant socking away $10 a month to pay her own doctor bill. I assume this person has eaten something in the past 5 months? Gone on a bus, or driven a car (gas, oil). It's a matter of priorities. And if people use the ER to avoid paying for a doctor, that drives medical costs through the roof for everyone and it's a waste of resources. Smitty is right that the ER has to see whoever walks in the door to establish whether or not an emergency exists, but the ER does not have to treat routine medical needs or admit you for routine "maintenance" of an ICD. By the way, if a doctor wanted only $50 for an office visit, that was already a very low, low cost (what the office would charge someone in your circumstance). Especially if this doctor was a specialist, a cardiologist. I don't live in NC either, but where I live if a patient misses an appointment without calling in to the cardiologist to cancel, the patient gets charged $300 for wasting the doctor's time (and that's not on insurance, the person pays). It's $200 if a person misses an appointment with a GP. An appointmentf with the cardiologist starts at $250 and goes up! If a person gets an ICD checked every 5-6 months, asking someone on limited income to save back (or earn) $8-10 a month for his own doctor's appointment is not too much to ask. Expecting others to pay several hundred dollars so the person can use the ER as if it were the doctor's office, in order for the person to save $50, is irresponsible and it ties up resources that can help people who really need the ER for genuine emergencies.

 

Will the rest of you please shut up. The self proclaimed expert has spoken three times on this subject and there is nothing else any of you know that she hasn't or can't tell briansbaby. Why she even knows the minute details of our government's new health care program, which is something most of the people that passed that law don't know. Ain't we lucky?

 

Look Giggler, did you watch Face the Nation this morning? Have you listened to national news, or read the newspaper this week? I did not say that I know the smallest details of the new health care plan. I did say that I know what most Americans should know: starting next month the uninsured and high risk groups will be able to start buying reduced cost insurance, or apply for certain "grants" and by 2014 all Americans must have health insurance. That's bare bones.

Also, this person indicated she is being seen by doctors who have not found it necessary to interrogate the device. She already has medical attention. And $50 for a cardiologist, a fraction of what of the charges, was not too much to expect. If there is an emergency, a person should go to the ER, but not just because she wants a free checkup. That is an irresponsible use of an emergency room, it costs everyone and strains the hospital resources, and it's not what an emergency room is for. Period.

Perhaps, if she wants to know why the doctors she is currently seeing have not interrogated the device, she should ask them. And if she wants a cardiologist to check her, she should save up the $50 and make an appointment. There is no free ride and going to the emergency room when there is no emergency costs everyone else in health care expenses and strains the system. A visit tothe ER is considerably more than $50.

 

Bottom line is 2 statements made by briansbaby:
1) "I haven't had it tested, looked at, or nothing since I was released from the hospital". 2) "It did beep one time" ..... You realy should get seen. If your Dr.s wont see you, shame on them. Go to the ER and tell them about the beeping & elevated heartrate. IT"S NOT NORMAL!!!! They'll contact your Dr. or refer you to the specialist on call. If you dont have the money... go anyway. Many Dr's & hospitals have "pro bono" clauses. And for heavens sake, let the negativity voiced here, fall on deaf ears. PLEASE get seen ASAP & let us know how it went. You are definately in my prayers.

 

Thank you Renee for proving my point. I was 99.9% sure I could expect you to give us your expert opinion.

Now I'll go see what else I can find that I need expert advice on.

See you later.

 

Hi,
I had some insurance issues as well. In case your medicaid is not approved, contact your hospital and request a 'charity care' application. They may not waive the entire fee, but might just suprise you. If your hospital is part of a group (like where I'm from I went to a "Kaleida" hospital) the charity care extends to all medically necessary treatment and is valid for one year from the date of approval. What this means is that if I need any medical care, I go to a Dr or clinic affiliated with Kaleida and my charity care is automatically applied. (I didn't qualify for medicaid b/c I have insurance, it just didn't cover such "adult" dr.'s and procedures because of my age(not kidding) so I was under-insured).
Definately call your device manufacturer as well because they may be able to hook you up with a program to have your device downloaded and adjusted for free or a major discount.
Be your own best advocate and keep calling until you find a place to get the attention that you need.
Good luck!

 

Best of luck to you!!

And to anyone else this might apply to? Let us remember to play nicely in the sandbox of life, and make it a great day.

 

Nobody else knows exactly what your financial situation is, so go to the ER and find out if you are in an emergency situation. Perhaps , well, certainly using the ER for routine health care (ie colds, sore throat, etc.) is inapproptiate, but you do not know if this is serious (it sounds like it to me!) and you are frightened. You don't need extra stress, so go and then deal with finding a healthcare option for followup later.

 

I have insurance, but it didn't occur to me that the surgeon's follow-up visit wasn't included in the cost of the surgical procedure. I think it's a shame that the request for advice became a format for the politics of healthcare. I have congestive heart failure and I know tha I will have to be under a doctor's care for the rest of my life. I've had to take Disability Retirement, which I didn't want to do. I loved my job, but with the problems I was having, couldn't stay. Luckily I get to keep my insurance. Had I stayed and been one of those laid off, I would be in the same boat and would appreciate some compassion and advice rather than a lecture on the new healthcare plan. There has to be a doctor out there that will give you, at the least the same rate they are paid by the insurance carriers. I got my bill for the procedure and it was just shy of $92,000. The insurance carrier will not pay $92,000 and the hospital has a contract with the carrier to accept a MUCH lesser fee. The same applies to the $400 specialist office visit. The insurance company doesn't pay $400. They pay a contracted amount. Call and see if the doctor can negotiate the price. Also, you might want to call Medtronics or the company that makes the device. They have a technician that might be able to answer your question for zero cost. It's their device and their phone number should be on your temporary ID/Medical Alert Card provided to you in the hospital.